September 15, 2005
Want to Save Dr. Dremo's?
We've all heard the rumors -- we've even reported on them. Dr Dremo's -- the Court House watering hole known for great beer selection, ample outdoor seating, beer pong tables, and an uncanny resemblance to a crack house -- is closing. But there may still be a glimmer of hope on the horizon, we learned today.
Elm Street Development, the firm that has been eyeing Dremo's and the neighboring Taco Bell for a ten-story development, has run into one major obstacle -- current zoning regulations only allow two-story commercial buildings on the site. Arlington County, never Dremo's best friend, is considering amending the zoning regulations to allow the project to move forward, though, what with that pesky thing call democracy, they have to hold a public hearing on the matter. And that they shall at 9 a.m. on Saturday, September 17 in Room 307 of Courthouse 1, 2100 Clarendon Blvd.
Well, those tricky bastards on the county board seem to know Dremo's crowd well. Seriously, now -- What are the chances of hordes of twentysomethings showing up that early in the morning on a Saturday for a meeting promising to be full of zoning amendments, easements, rights of way, encroachments, leases, and other such enthralling topics?
Regardless, those of you in the Courthouse area and beyond should show up and make one last stand for Dr. Dremo's. He would have wanted it that way.
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Saving Dremos?
From what?
If they want to stay, they don't have to take the lucrative buyout offer from Elm Street.
From what I understand, Dremo's doesn't own the land or that building, so thus they can't just say "no" to the development company.
Wait wait, is that the Taco Bell on Wilson? The only full service Taco Bell inside the beltway in Virginia?? Are they going to relocate? Do you know how hard it is to find Taco Bell at 12 am around here?
I thought Dremo's was a nice bar back in '98 or so in its pior manfestation, but the owner is grumpy and has a bad attitude when it comes to customer service. Let him lose his bar- many will not be sad to see it go.
If you are a resident of Colonial Village, by the way, these high-rise plans are going to make your existence a living nightmare. Go get yr voice heard, folks.
Ten stories is not a high-rise. It's a tall building, yes. But it is not a high-rise.
I live in CV. Why a nightmare? How would this high-rise or moderate-rise or whatever be any different from Colonial Place?
Greater density means more parking problems for CV--as if they didn't already have enough. Maybe the County could get in there and make CV's parking CV residents and guests, 24/7. That's what it should be now.
I think DCist Jason's point is that a lot of residential buildings are going in now. Whether they are technically "high-rise" or not, the neighborhood is changing, and possibly not for the better. Who knows; it depends what you like. Hopefully a lot of these people will walk down the hill to the Rosslyn metro or up the hill to the Court House metro. Hopefully they will support local merchants like Greenberry's and Olsson's. Hopefully there will be room for everyone to see a World Cup match at Summer's next year (oh, wait...)
Personally, I'd rather see all of this smart growth here in Arlington, on the orange line, than out in Reston or Woodbridge, where these people would almost certainly be drivers. We just need Metro to be aware that our needs are going to change and 8 car trains or trains every two minutes will have to be made viable.
Screw Dremo's, what about Taco Bell!?! It's the only drive-thru TB for miles!!!
There's a Taco bell on Lee Highway between Glebe and George Mason, by the two 7-11's & the McDonald's 'n' crap. Their drive through is open past midnight. The guy who works the drive-thru is perpetually stoned.
Bob...you're so right about those 8-car trains...
I think a lot of people WILL be sad to see it go, it's an awesome bar, and fairly unique. plus they have lots of neat events, good deals, and beer pong!
Much agreed that earlier incarnations were better (well, Bardo rocked. Ningaloo? What the hell was that?), but still, it would be a goddamn shame to lose Dremo's.
Anyway, I'm not so worried about parking, but I'd be sad to lose Dremo's to a faceless office tower--if only because Dremo's is a neighborhood landmark, and no one can guarantee that the street-level business of the next "mixed-use" development won't be Hooray Another Irish Pub or some panderer to the Yuppie Hive-Mind (ugh, Urban Outfitters.)
Let them move to 11th street in Columbia Heights!!
"Ningaloo: what the fuck was that?"
That should be on a T-shirt!
Man, screw that. That [expletive] apartment complex is already blocking WPNI's view of downtown D.C; we don't need another eyesore building blocking our view to the north too.