The t-shirts were hard to miss: bright orange with blue lettering that spelled out “I Support the Adams Morgan Historic Hotel.” The shirts were the doing of a group looking to build a $100-million boutique hotel on the corner of Champlain and Euclid Streets in Adams Morgan, a project that has slowly worked its way through regulatory loopholes and could soon be given approval by the city to move forward.

At yesterday’s annual Adams Morgan Day, supporters of the hotel—led by Brian Friedman, one of the local partners behind the 220-room, seven-story hotel—handed out the t-shirts to residents and visitors who signed a letter in support of the hotel. The letters will be sent to the Zoning Commission, which last week started public hearings on the project that will result in an up or down vote on whether it goes from renderings to reality.

On top of touting the developer’s plans to pay for repairs at the nearby Marie Reed Community Learning Center, the letter sings the praises of the group’s willingness “to address community concerns such as rooftop uses, traffic management and parking.” There is something to be said for the flexibility Friedman has shown in getting the project approved—just last week he agreed to lop a full floor off of the hotel to mollify the Office of Planning, bringing the hotel’s height down a full three stories from the original 10 that were proposed. He’s also aggressively courted local ANCs and community groups to receive their support. In late August an Adams Morgan ANC voted to back the project.

Not all Adams Morgan residents are happy with the project, though. Some have complained that it will bring extra traffic and noise to the neighborhood, a complaint that also seemed to worry the Metropolitan Police Department. And while supporters of the hotel were on full display during yesterday’s festivities, a lonesome banner opposing the project lay on the ground in Unity Park, across from the church that will form part of the new development. “Adams Morgan needs a library, community center and affordable housing, not a luxury hotel!” it read.

And though the hotel seems to have shored up support where it needs it most, it’s far from assured that it will be approved. DCmud reports that at last week’s Zoning Commission hearing, commissioners lambasted the developers for submitting revised plans for the hotel too soon before the hearing and without time for further community input. The hearing on the hotel was pushed to this Thursday.

In late 2010 the D.C. Council voted to give the hotel a 20-year, $46 million tax abatement.