A Few Quick Thursday Afternoon Items: Masala Art, AVDLM Progress, Streetcar Meeting, Kastles to GWU

Interior build-out continues at Masala Art, an Indian restaurant on the ground floor of 1101 4th Street at Waterfront Station. According to a Facebook post by DC Waterfront Gateway, the grand opening is currently planned for some time in July. This will be the second location for the restaurant, which already has a location in Tenleytown. According to ABRA public hearing notice, there will be seating for 133 with the option for a sidewalk café. Masala Art is described as a “new fine dining Indian restaurant with full bar service to patrons dining in the restaurant.” The requested hours of operation are: 

Sunday 10am – 2am
Monday – Thursday 11am – 2am
Friday – Saturday 10am – 3am 

The restaurant will likely not open that late, but it would be allowed to do so if the liquor license is approved. The hearing date is on June 23. 

Construction of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial is coming along at 150 Washington Avenue and a dedication ceremony is scheduled for October 5. The AVDLM will contain the following components: a star fountain with eternal flame, triangular reflecting pool, granite paving, stone and glass walls, sculptural elements, trees, landscaping, lighting, and parking on the south side of the site. Glass walls planned at the memorial (also known as the Voices of Veterans) will include quotes of disabled veterans and seven images showing wounded and disabled soldiers and veterans and images of care givers. The "Wall of Gratitude" that will run along the middle of the memorial will contain quotations from George Washington and Dwight Eisenhower when they were generals. 

Rendering courtesy of Michael Vergason Landscape Architects

The third and final round of public meetings for the North – South Corridor Planning Study will be taking place during the week of June 9. DDOT will report back on what the agency has heard from the community, present analysis for potential streetcar routes and provide an overview of the next steps in the process. These routes have been evaluated using criteria such as ridership potential and traffic. The meetings will be open-house style and will include two opportunities for participants to hear an overview presentation. The South Sub Area meeting (which includes Southwest) will be on Tuesday, June 10 from 3:30pm – 8:30pm at 1100 4th Street in the 2nd Floor community room. There will be two presentations – one at 4pm and another at 7pm. 

The Washington Kastles have decamped from Southwest entirely and are moving indoors this season to the Smith Center in Foggy Bottom, says the Washington Business Journal. Kastles Stadium at The Wharf lasted for three years and was dismantled after the end of last season to make way for phase one of The Wharf. The team was considering a move to a vacant lot at Waterfront Station, but after an extensive amount of due diligence, the site did not work out. While tennis won’t be played at Waterfront Station, there will be some bocce, at least for a day. DC Bocce will have their Bocce-N-Beers Charity Tournament and End of Season Party on Saturday, June 14, featuring 20+ kegs of beer, live music, and an all-day bocce playoffs tournament.