June 25, 2007
Warehouse Announces Closing Dates
The curtain over the Warehouse Arts Complex that we've watched being pulled down by enormous tax hikes and aggressive developers around the new Convention Center is, sadly, finally scheduled to fall, at least in part. City Desk reports today that the Warehouse Next Door, site of off-the-wall, sometimes experimental music events, as well as the Bar & Cafe will close for good on July 30.
The venue takes its usual summer break over August, and will reopen its theater and art gallery come September, as Paul Ruppert tells us, "because running the theater and gallery require less day-to-day participation than the cafe and the daily music shows, and we need to spend our energies searching for a new location." The Rupperts are keeping their ears to the ground, talking to anyone with information about a possible new home, and recently looked at places in Bloomingdale and Columbia Heights this past weekend.
No doubt we're taking this especially hard. Less than 12 hours ago we had a successful photographer's meet-up in the Bar & Cafe, held at the Warehouse so we could reminisce over our first amazing gallery show and how the photographers fell in love with the character-filled house that barely held us up on its old wooden floors.
You might want to clear your calendar for July, when the Fringe Festival starts up, as the Warehouse plans on hosting over 100 performances over the week and a half run, and check back in September for a slew of shows for their last season on 7th Street. Paul echoed our thoughts, "We've enjoyed the 13 years we've been here, but times change and neighborhoods change, and we're excited to see what a new place will bring."
Photo by outdoor_type.
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any idea where in bloomingdale they were looking?
No, at this point they're keeping their options pretty open and looking in many neighborhoods. Paul made it pretty clear that if you've got some information on a venue you think would be suitable for them, they'd love to hear from you.
The punctuation in this piece is all over the map. Aren't editors supposed to, ya know, edit?
That stinks. And I never made it to a show there. How come no one has said anything about the closing of Sparky's on 14th Street (closing for presumably the same reasons)?
This city seems destined to become a cesspool of condos and chain stores. I firmly believe that the real estate issue will choke DC to death, both culturally and financially.
Why just mention the Fringe Festival when you could have pointed out that THIS Saturday there is a mini festival? "Art in Heat" will feature around a dozen "lowbrow" artists as well as performances by the Lobsterboy Revue, and a Dr. Sketchy's...all of which will be impacted by the impending closure of the Warehouse...
i was just about to write about sparky's as well.
yeah dc is totally become straight-laced.
ever since nation closed dc has made me cry.
i stil have hope tho...maybe?
color me bummed
xoxoo
I do not know if the following vacant building(s) suits their needs, but there is what appears to be a complex of a few buildings at 14th/Longfellow/Colorado NW, that definitely are vacant and boarded up. In it there used to be several businesses, including a bar, Legends, as well as others.
cool. maybe they'll put in a Johnny Rockets... Marshalls, or Ross.
Head on up to Columbia Heights.... :)
Sparky's frequently alternated between charming and hostile, much like DC.
I'll miss Warehouse because it's one of the few things in my neighborhood. Sure there are plenty of gentrification cafes sprouting up but they all close at 7pm.
And don't get me started on Nation. I didn't go often because it was so out of the way but I always had a good time, even the time I saw some chick get carjacked. Always good people and a great scene. PVD at the 9:30 Club was aight but Fur?! Blech.
What's the problem? The theater stays and, more importantly, the music venue will move to a new spot in some other up and coming spot in the city. Doesn't sound too bad to me. Btw, Sparky's sucked -- particularly towards the end -- fwiw, I believe the space is becoming a nice neighborhood restaurant and (I know for a fact) that the owner sold his equipment to an established 14th business owner that is opening a cool vegan diner in the 'hood. If you want a decent coffee shop check out Big Bear at 1st and R NW -- it is what Sparky's never was!
I haven't actually been to a show at the Warehouse, but every photo I've seen of the upstairs interior of the building makes it look like it's a dump that the family has been making a minimal effort to care for, at best. The walls and floors are water-damaged (and judging from this post, unstable) and the spaces look just moments away from demolition.
If the Rupperts had kept this building in better shape, and been able to rent out the upper floors as offices or apartments, isn't it possible this tax bill wouldn't be hurting them nearly as badly?
Sparky's would close just when I had 1 more spot left to punch out on my frequent drinker card.
the sign on the door at Sparky's speaks as if it's just closed for a renovation; is it definitely not reopening as a new and improved Sparky's?
I think there's a vacant, Warehousey building on 14th street between Logan and U. I presume the Warehouse is one place that wouldn't mind being across the street from a homeless shelter.
Oh great....yet another indie business in DC is forced to close and in its place we're left with....yet another empty storefront.
DC lost when they closed DC Space and opened up a
Starbucks.
Has anyone heard whether Warehouse has found a suitable replacement site?