Town Danceboutique announced on Twitter yesterday—After @eat_dc spotted the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration filings—that it is hoping to return, better than ever, inside a former NoMa church located at 1001 North Capitol St. NE. The trailblazing, two-level gay club closed at its original location in Shaw just over a year ago when the land it sat on was sold for $25 million. The loss left a void in D.C.’s nightlife scene.

The club says it carefully searched for the right space for two years. “We are excited to confirm that we have found a space that has remarkable potential,” club owners wrote on Twitter. “It is the former church located at the corner of North Capitol and K streets which is truly spectacular, and while it is no small undertaking we look forward to creating a brand new, dynamic nightlife experience for DC.”

The announcement continues: “We intend to take the vast amount of knowledge that we have acquired in the last 30 years of owning and operating nightlife venues in DC to create something that we are hoping to be the crowning achievement of our careers. We took our time to get to this point, looking for the right opportunity and passing on many other options, and while we understand that the city has been yearning for a substantial nightlife option, we are now going to take all the right steps, forge all the right relationships, and tackle the engineering challenges … and hopefully soon, we will be able to bring something new and exciting back to Washington’s nightlife.” 

Co-owner John Guggenmos, who is also behind Trade and Number Nine, was not immediately available to comment on specifics, but the filings with ABRA state that “Town 2.0” is hoping to obtain permitting for a total capacity of 524 people and outdoor seating for 125 people. It specifies that entertainment will only occur inside the premises. Town 2.0 is also hoping to stay open until 4 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays and until 5 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. 

The church Town Danceboutique is taking over sits next to the John and Jill Ker Conway Residence, where about half of the 124 units are permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless veterans. There is nothing immediately next to the church on the other side. Douglas Development, which acquired the St. Phillips Baptist Church in 2017, initially planned to turn the building into a synagogue, according to Bisnow.

This story will be updated when more information about the owners’ plans become available.