Lower Barracks Row will finally get its beer garden.
It's been a four year journey, but a permit was issued Friday for the construction of a traditional beer garden, with an accessory space for food trucks at 1007 8th St. SE. "The Brig," as it will be called, will seat 210 and serve 299, said Alan Gaunoux of Georgetown's G Properties. It will replace a parking lot at the corner of Eighth and L streets SE.
Our first mention of the Bavarian Beer Garden dates back to January 2011, though the pitch was first made at least three months earlier(and struggled to win community approval). In the meantime, early versions of the development were scaled back, Gaunoux said, and the permit process was a lengthy one.
Gaunoux, who has partnered with Mark Brody and Chris Chambers (of H Street NE's Biergarten Haus) on this project, described the beer garden as a "one-story structure with a bar and some food," and perhaps live music. He expects to break ground next week.
"The whole area is just exploding," Gaunoux said.