Celebrity Chef David Guas and Architect David Bell worked away to turn the c. 1866 carriage house into a funkified southern-style eatery and coffee bar. Located at 921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE in Capital Hill.

The cafe is situated in the former carriage house of the Old Naval Hospital. The neglected civil war hospital and site were rehabbed and transformed into the Hill Center, a vibrant home for culture, education and city life by BELL Architects.

BELL’s cafe project consisted of planning, selective demolition, reconfiguration of interior stair, locating major ductwork and equipment, all new building systems, and indicating the impact of changes to the historic resource of this national register listed property.

The first floor includes inside and outside dining with carryout services while the second floor is reserved for the commercial kitchen, food prep, storage and support spaces. The interior is completely redesigned with entry area, dining spaces, serving area and toilet rooms on the main floor. Upgrades to the second floor include widening and reorienting the stair, analyzing the load capacity of the floor for heavy equipment and stacked storage, and provide an interior lift system for moving bulk goods from the lower level.