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Interested in opening a brick-and-mortar food business at 14th and U streets NW? Don’t think about the southwest corner, where a big redevelopment project is planned. The southeast corner is occupied, and the northeast corner is spoken for, too.
As Young & Hungry’s colleague Lydia DePillis reports on Housing Complex, there’s likely to be an opening soon in the D.C. government’s Reeves Center on the northwest corner. The Municipal Deli, operated by Fitwi “John” Tekeste for the past 20 years, is being evicted. The city says Tekeste hasn’t paid his below-market rate since 2000 ($345,044.88 in arrears), but Tekeste says it’s all just revenge by exiting members of former Mayor Adrian Fenty‘s administration.
Read DePillis’ report for the backstory, but it seems there’s an interesting opportunity for some sort of eatery, with hungry office workers upstairs and a busy city crossroads outside.
There are few reasons to enter the Reeves Center unless you work there or have business with the city. Could a new street-level business draw new people to the Barry-era municipal building?
Photo by Lydia DePillis