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ANC to vote on Whitman-Walker project

Redevelopment of Taylor building sought

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Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center, gay news, Washington Blade
Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center, gay news, Washington Blade

A rendering of the proposed redevelopment of the Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center.

The Logan Circle Advisory Neighborhood Commission, ANC 2F, was scheduled to vote Wednesday night on whether to accept a recommendation by one of its committees that Whitman-Walker Health scale back the size of its proposed redevelopment of the site of its Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center at 14th and R St., N.W.

Last week, Whitman-Walker and its partner in the joint venture project, Fivesquares Development, released details for plans to convert the site into a 155,000-square-foot, six-story structure that would include retail shops and restaurants on the ground floor, underground parking, 60,000 square feet of office space, and at least 80 residential apartments.

Whitman-Walker, which would retain majority ownership rights in the project, would use about half of the office space for its community health programs, according to Whitman-Walker spokesperson Shawn Jain. Whitman-Walker would use its share of the revenue generated by the project to sustain and help finance its longstanding mission as a community health center with a special outreach to the LGBT community, Whitman-Walker officials have said.

ANC 2F member Kevin Deeley, who chairs the ANC’s Community Development Committee, told the Washington Blade that after receiving a presentation on April 27 from representatives of Whitman-Walker and Fivesquares Development, the committee adopted a resolution with recommendations that it was to present to the full ANC meeting on May 4.

Deeley said the committee’s resolution supports the overall design concept and endorses the project’s plans for the historic preservation of the Elizabeth Taylor building and a separate building on the site. Whitman-Walker purchased the existing buildings and surrounding land in the early 1990s before the 14th Street, N.W. corridor exploded into the bustling entertainment, retail and upscale residential destination it has become.

“They approved the general concept with a few reservations,” Deeley said of the ANC committee. “They thought the concept was a little too monolithic,” he said, adding that the committee would like the project to be “somewhat less massive” in size.

Since the project was designed to be within the size and height limits mandated by the city’s zoning restrictions for that section of the city, Whitman-Walker and the developer do not need to apply for a zoning variance from the D.C. Board of Zoning.

What they do need is the approval of the D.C. Historic Preservation Review Board, which is charged with making sure all new buildings in historic districts, such as the 14th Street district, are designed in a way that they respect and preserve the character of the district “without exactly duplicating” nearby existing buildings, according to a HPRB pamphlet.

Under D.C. law, city agencies must give “great weight” to ANC recommendations, but the agencies, not the ANCs, make the final decision on a proposed project such as Whitman-Walker’s.

Andy Altman, managing partner of Fivesquares Development, who attended the ANC committee meeting on April 27, said he was pleased with the committee’s response to the project.

“I actually thought it was a very positive meeting,” he said. “I thought it was a good discussion. I thought the people were very supportive.”

Altman said his development firm, Whitman-Walker officials and nationally known architect Annabelle Selldorf of New York, who designed the proposed new structure, will take into consideration all comments and suggestions by ANC 2f and the Historic Preservation Review Board, which he said has already been given copies of the plans for the redevelopment project.

“There are modifications that can be made to this design,” Altman said. “I think we’ll wait to get all the comments from the preservation office and the preservation review board and then look at what changes to make at that point,” he said.

“I think the fundamentals of the project in terms of its historic buildings and the way of the architect’s concepts are very, very strong,” Altman said.

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World Pride 2025

D.C. liquor board extends drinking hours for WorldPride

Gay bars, other liquor-serving establishments can stay open 24 hours

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Sasha Colby performs at Pitchers in 2023. Liquor-serving establishments in D.C. will be able to remain open for 24 hours during WorldPride. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

D.C.’s Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board, which regulates liquor sales for the city’s bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and other establishments licensed to serve alcoholic beverages, has approved extended hours for alcohol service and sales during the days when most WorldPride events will be held in the nation’s capital.

In a May 2 announcement, the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration, which works with the board, said the extended liquor serving and sales hours for WorldPride will take place beginning Friday, May 30, through 4 a.m. Monday, June 9.

Although the official schedule for WorldPride events shows the events will take place May 17-June 8, most of the large events, including a two-day Pride street festival, parade, and concert, were expected to take place between May 30 and June 8.

According to the ABCA announcement and an ABCA spokesperson, liquor servicing establishments with the appropriate license can stay open for 24 hours and serve alcoholic beverages from 6 a.m. through the day and evening until 4 a.m., with no liquor sales allowed from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. during the May 30-June 9 period.

The ABCA announcement says liquor serving establishments must apply for the extended hours option and pay a $100 registration fee by a deadline on May 27.

Sources familiar with the liquor board have said the board has for many years approved the extension of liquor serving and sales hours for important events and for certain holidays such as New Year’s Eve.

At the time it approved the extended hours for WorldPride the liquor board also approved extended hours during the time when games for a World Cup soccer tournament will be held in the city on June 18, June 22, and June 26.

It couldn’t immediately be determined how many of D.C.’s 22 LGBTQ bars plan to apply for the extended drinking hours. David Perruzza, owner of the Adams Morgan gay bar Pitchers and its adjoining lesbian bar A League of Her Own, said he will apply for the 4 a.m. extended hours option but he does not intend to keep the two bars open for the full 23 hours.

Under the city’s current alcoholic beverage regulations, licensed liquor serving establishments may serve alcoholic beverages until 2 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. on weekends.

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World Pride 2025

Episcopal bishop to speak at WorldPride human rights conference

Trump demanded apology from Mariann Edgar Budde over post-Inauguration sermon

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The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde. (Screen capture via PBS NewsHour/YouTube)

The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde is among those who are scheduled to speak at the WorldPride 2025 Human Rights Conference that will take place from June 4-6.

Budde, who is the bishop of the Diocese of Washington, in January urged President Donald Trump “to have mercy” on LGBTQ people, immigrants, and others “who are scared right now” during a post-Inauguration service that he and Vice President JD Vance attended at the Washington National Cathedral. Trump criticized Budde’s comments and demanded an apology.

The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde speaks at the Washington National Cathedral on Jan. 21, 2025. (PBS NewsHour clip)

A press release the Washington Blade received notes Icelandic Industries Minister Hanna Katrín Friðriksson, UK Black Pride founder Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, and Bob the Drag Queen are among those who are also expected to participate in the conference.

The conference will take place at the JW Marriott (1331 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) and registration is open here.

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World Pride 2025

Pabllo Vittar to perform at WorldPride

Brazilian drag queen, singer, joined Madonna on stage in 2024 Rio concert

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Pabllo Vittar (Screen capture via Pabllo Vittar/YouTube)

A Brazilian drag queen and singer who performed with Madonna at her 2024 concert on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach will perform at WorldPride.

The Capital Pride Alliance on Thursday announced Pabllo Vittar will perform on the Main Stage of the main party that will take place on June 7 at DCBX (1235 W St., N.E.) in Northeast D.C.

Vittar and Anitta, a Brazilian pop star who is bisexual, on May 4, 2024, joined Madonna on stage at her free concert, which was the last one of her Celebration Tour. Authorities estimated 1.6 million people attended.

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