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BZA approves Union Market live‑performance restaurant at 400 Morse St.; updated plans added to order
Summary
The Board of Zoning Adjustment unanimously approved application 21279 to allow an eating and drinking establishment with live performance at 400 Morse St. NE (Union Market historic district). Office of Planning recommended approval; ANC 5D voted unanimously in support.
The D.C. Board of Zoning Adjustment on May 14 approved application 21279, allowing a new eating‑and‑drinking establishment with indoor live performance at 400 Morse St. NE in the Union Market Historic District. The vote was 4–0–1 with the board adopting updated plans filed as Exhibit 27.
The applicant, represented by attorney Lawrence Ferris of Golston & Storrs, sought two forms of relief: a special exception under Subtitle U §802.1(c) to allow an eating and drinking establishment with live performance, and an area variance from the Zoning Administrator’s 1,000‑foot limitation for live performance nightclubs (Subtitle U §802.1(c)(3)). Ferris said the variance was requested as a precaution after a nearby applicant filed a related entertainment application.
Support from agencies and ANC: the Office of Planning recommended approval and reported DDOT had no objection. The applicant said ANC 5D voted unanimously to support the special exception during its April meeting and then unanimously supported the added variance at a subsequent meeting; the ANC filed its report in the record. The board accepted the applicant’s waiver request to file supplemental materials late and admitted the architect Bruce Carlson as an expert.
Project description: the proposal adaptively reuses a 1930s wholesale building in the Union Market Historic District. Ownership and operating partners (Alexandria Restaurant Partners and operator 105 Hospitality) described modest interior work, a restored storefront along Fourth Street, a First‑Floor performance area and a restaurant concept intended to broaden neighborhood amenities. The board’s approval incorporated the updated plans presented at the hearing (Exhibit 27) into the order.
Board action: Chairman Fred Hill moved to approve application 21279 as captioned and to reference the updated plans (Exhibit 27) in the order; Vice Chair Carl Blake seconded. The motion carried on a 4–0–1 roll call vote. The board cited the Office of Planning’s favorable report and the ANC’s support in adopting the order.
What’s next: the board’s order references the updated plans and will be issued per standard procedure. The decision allows the applicant to proceed toward permitting and ABRA licensing as required by other regulatory agencies.
