Working at the Atlas Performing Arts Center has been the best career move since my first gig scooping ice cream. Merging my passion for the arts with my affection for my Northeast Capitol Hill neighborhood, I have been honored to have a front-row seat to the dramatic reinvention of H Street.

While Atlas staff, performers and fans already realize it is a beautiful, world-class facility which would be welcome in any city, its home and raison d’être is H Street NE, a neighborhood that arts patrons were not accustomed to visiting. According to most audience members the Atlas' biggest drawback is the lack of easily available parking. Parking.

"Why didn't you build a parking lot?" people ask. My own mother (who, may I remind you, lives in New Jersey!) thought it remiss of us … as if in this urban setting there is oodles of free space and people willing to part with it. The Atlas planners and directors have tried to secure parking space for our staff and audience members. The Auto Zone won't share during business hours; other lots we are allowed to use are empty in the evenings but too far for patrons. And in a revitalizing neighborhood, nothing sucks the life out of a street like a vast stretch of parking lot. So we did what we artsy types CAN do. We got creative.

The new business owners banded together to address this issue from several ways. We shared the cost of running a free weekend shuttle from Union Station. We nagged taxi companies to realize that this area is a nightlife destination and threw our lot behind the system's change to meters because under the old system, it was a pricey, two-zone trip from Union Station to the Atlas. We have lobbied to keep the parking meter limits at four hours in front of the theater because two hours is not long enough for most performances. When we realized that there was still a contingent of theatergoers reluctant to take a chance on us, we instituted valet parking. All of which has meant performing a balancing act with the residents living around the Atlas.

Did I mention my background is theatre?

The three block stretch of H known as the Atlas District has definitely benefitted from a lot of positive buzz, particularly among the 20- and 30-somethings who are not as put off by the still-not-pulled together look of the street. This will of course change once the city-planned streetscape project is finished in about three to four years. The businesses on H, while thrilled about the final product the streetscape will produce, have been extremely worried about surviving the potentially disruptive process and voiced these concerns at a variety of streetscape briefing meetings with the District Department of Transportation and city officials.

I am reporting here they listened! Not only have the officials heard the businesses concerns, but they are doing something about them.

The H Street Business Cooperative, a newly formed nonprofit established to address the transportation issues of H Street businesses, has been awarded a grant to fund a shuttle service connecting all of H Street to two Metrorail stops. The route will run from Gallery Place Metro at H and Seventh streets NW and will connect riders to Minnesota Avenue. The final route will be express-style with the few strategic stops to be determined during the first week of service as the shuttle company works out timing.

U Street Parking and Transportation will run the shuttle. The company runs the valet parking service in the Atlas District, Barrack's Row and many other areas of town. The large passenger vans will sport an unmistakable H Street NE logo, a version of one created for H Street Main Street by H Street's own Design Army. The shuttle will run every evening from 5 p.m. until the Metro closes. Anyone who lives, works or plays on H Street will be welcome to hop aboard at no cost.

Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells was the driving force behind the funding for this project. “As businesses and neighbors prepared for the H Street streetscape work to begin, everyone was anxious about the disruption to traffic and access to storefronts. I added funds in the city budget to support a service shuttle connecting riders to Metro and express stops on the corridor. I’m very excited to see the shuttle get underway to support our local businesses and bring customers not just from the neighborhood, but across the city, to H Street,” he said.

The new businesses are excited and looking forward to giving customers yet another option for travel to the city's hippest destination. Michael Dove, artistic director of Forum Theater, based at the H Street Playhouse, summed up the general consensus saying, "The need for timely and reliable public transportation has always been a concern for our patrons from all over the city and area. As street parking becomes more and more scarce, this will make a huge difference to our audiences. It will make our neighborhood much more attractive to those who have to travel over."

The shuttle will have a "soft -opening" in early January to determine routes and timing. Everyone is welcome to ride and to offer feedback to make the experience as smooth and reliable as it can be. 

More Art on H
If you have ever dined at Napa 1015, (if you haven't you are missing out – lovely food and lovelier people) you cannot miss the walls full of art. What you may not know is that nearly all of it was created by owner Jorge Velasquez. "I can't really stop myself from painting," he said. Jorge is having an art reception at Napa 1015 (1015 H St. NE) Jan. 12 from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. and all are invited.              

Inauguration Happenings on H
If you have not yet purchased your tickets to the Hill Ball please stop reading and hop online to www.thehillball.org immediately. If you simply can't tear yourself away from my riveting tale, then reach over to your phone and call 202-399-7993 and reserve your spots.

The Hill Ball, a non-partisan celebration being thrown by the Capitol Hill Community Foundation will be held at the glittering Atlas Performing Arts Center the evening of Jan. 20 from 8:30-11:30 p.m. There will be desserts and light snacks and a cash bar. Revelers will be treated to a performance of the SingCo Rhythm Orchestra led by singer Doug Bowles. As a completely partisan Atlas fan, I can tell you it will be an evening not to be missed. We at the Atlas know how to throw a party. The new shuttle will be in operation, and valet parking will also be available.

Head to H early since Hill Ball Ticket holders will receive 15 percent off their meal that night at Granville Moore's. Napa 1015 is planning a special dinner, and the Rock and Roll Hotel is hosting a blowout party as well.