New El Centro, Dream Residence Planned For Shaw

• May 7, 2014

by Lark Turner

Another El Centro D.F. restaurant could be opening in Shaw next September, according to a local developer who received support from ANC 6E on Tuesday night.

Warren Williams Jr., the head of the Warrenton Group, is building his dream home on the site of an old liquor store in Shaw, which has been in his family since the 1960s. The now-vacant space at 1547 7th Street NW (map) will be the future site of DC’s third El Centro D.F. as well as Williams’ residence, if all goes well at a Board of Zoning Adjustment meeting scheduled for next month.

Richard Sandoval Restaurants signed a lease for the space in November. The ANC passed a resolution supporting the requested BZA exceptions on Tuesday.

Williams, who is working with Bonstra|Haresign Architects on the development, plans to build another story with a roof deck on top of the two-story building, and is seeking zoning variances and an exception, mostly for pre-existing issues with the property. The first story of the building will be occupied by El Centro. On the second floor, Williams will have office space for his development company as well as some space for his residence; the third floor will have an additional 1,600 square feet of living space. There will also be a roof deck with a hot tub.

“I’m going to be living, working and eating out of the same building, probably for a long time,” Williams said on Tuesday, adding he was “realizing a dream” with the property.

If the project moves ahead as planned, with a groundbreaking in September, Williams said construction should take six to eight months, though El Centro’s build-out of the retail space will take approximately a year.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/new_el_centro_could_open_in_september_15_will_be_topped_with_developers_res/8459