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A week ago a reader shared the experience of her roommate being attacked by a group of teens in Bloomingdale. Apparently this was not an isolated incident. On the MPD-5D Listserve MPD Commander Solberg updated yesterday:

On Tuesday, March 19, at about 6:15 pm, we got a call that a group of young boys and girls were throwing items at a person near 2nd and W Sts., NW. We went but were unable to find a victim. While we were investigating this matter, we located a person in the 100 block of Adams St., NW, who said that a group of young boys and girls had used the steps to his basement apartment as a spot to gather, and when he told them to leave, they threw fruit at his window.

He did not want to make a report about this, but officers were able to canvass the immediate area and found a group of kids in the 2200 block of Flagler in a front yard of a house where they did not live. Some of the kids ran off, but we were able to stop and identify a young man, who lived nearby.

In the days after this event, residents made us aware of other similar incidents involving what seemed to us the same group of young kids.

We alerted all our 5D, and specifically the PSA 501 officers and supervisors, and we moved to put an end to all such activity.

Yesterday, Monday, March 25, officers in both the First and Fifth Districts got calls about a group of kids assaulting a woman near 2nd and Rhode Island Avenue, NW. Our 5D officers were on the scene of this event quickly, and we stopped a group of four women who we believed were involved. One of these girls was placed under arrest after being identified as one of the kids involved in the assault.

Three other girls were stopped and identified but not arrested.

All girls are 11, 12, or 13. All live in the 200 block of W St., NW, and two of the girls are sisters.

We expect that yesterday’s arrest will put an end to the behavior we have seen, but it is important for everyone to remember:

When an event such as this occurs, call 911 first, and explain things to the listserv second. The listserv is a great way to gather and disseminate information, but sometimes neighbors post messages to the listserv but forget to call 911 to alert us, and without that call, we may be unaware of the activity.

But this morning he updates again:

As we learn more about recent incidents in Bloomingdale, I and others are receiving other reports from other individuals who say that they have run into this same (apparently) group of young boys and girls in the neighborhood, and that they have been assaulted or threatened. It seems likely that not all events have been reported to us at the MPD.

I am therefore asking that if anyone has been a victim of any activity or knows about anything assaults or other activity committed in the area by groups of kids they get in touch with us.

Lieutenant Randy Griffin is the supervisor for all MPD efforts in PSA 501, and I ask that you use him as your point of contact if you have information we can use. His email address is included here.

I also was in contact last night with Cmdr. Jacob Kishter of the Third District, and he reports that in 3D there have been similar incidents. We will work together so that all MPD efforts have a centrally focused point of contact.

3D and 5D share a border along 2nd Street, NW, and in the Monday night incident where we stopped several young girls, we learned that they live in the 200 block of W Street, NW, which is in the Third District.

We remind everyone again to please call 911 to report any type of criminal or suspicious behavior so that we can take the appropriate steps.

This rental is located at 39 Bryant Street, NW:

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The listing says:

“THIS ATTRACTIVE TOWNHOUSE LOCATED IN A QUIET AREA OF BLOOMINGDALE COMES WITH EVERYTHING, DISWASHER,STACKED WASHER AND DRYER ON 2ND LEVEL NEXT TO MASTER BR, STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES, HARDWOOD FLOORS THRU OUT. 3BR, 2 FULLBATHS , REAR PORCH,LOCATED TO HOWARD UNIVERSITY,HOSPITAL,UNION STATION,TRANSPORTATION.”

This 3 bed/ 2 bath is going for $2,750/Mo.

1822 1st Street, NW

Red Hen will be a:

“New neighborhood restaurant with Italian roots. Seating capacity of 78, Occupancy Load of 99, and Sidewalk Café with 46 seats.”

It just turned from yellow to pea green. Looking forward to seeing how the inside turns out. Here’s how it looked in Nov. 2012:

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This rental is located at 101 U Street, NW:

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The listing says:

“Just behind Windows Cafe’……Sun filled mid level apartment in1906 historical end row house. Walk to Shaw/Howard U METRO.HUGE living room, lg. bedroom, eat in kitchen leads out to rear porch and yard for entertaining. Off street parking in side yard. High ceilings make this home feel much larger than it is. Pets welcome w/deposit.”

This 1 bed/1 bath is going for $1,650/Mo.

2nd and Florida Ave, NW

One reader passes on some scuttlebutt about the renovation that has started at 1700 2nd St, NW:

“Rumor has it that it will be 9 one bedroom apartments and then a restaurant on the ground floor. As is the nature of a rumor I can’t confirm any of this… but just seeing that this place is getting attention is great news.”

And thanks to another reader, Caitlin, for sending the photos. Stay tuned for more info and updates on the renovation as construction progresses.

Hipchickindc is a licensed real estate broker. She is the founder of 10 Square Team and is affiliated with Keller Williams Capital Properties. 10 Square Team is a popville.com advertiser. Unless specifically noted, neither she nor the company that she is affiliated with represented any of the parties or were directly involved in the transaction reported below. Unless otherwise noted, the source of information is Metropolitan Regional Information Systems (MRIS), which is the local multiple listing system. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Featured Property: 2219 2nd St NW
Legal Subdivision: Ledroit Park
Advertised Subdivision per Listing: Bloomingdale
Original List Price: $539,000
List Price at Contract: $539,000
List Date: 1/25/13
Days on Market: 5
Settled Sales Price: $590,000
Seller Subsidy: $0
Settlement Date: 3/1/13
Bank Owned?: No Short Sale? No
Original GDoN post is: here.
The listing can be seen: here . To see pics, click on the camera icon after opening the link.

The first buyer that I represented in the Bloomingdale neighborhood paid below $200,000. for her Victorian rowhome. I’ve personally lived with the transformation of this neighborhood over the past 12+ years, and it doesn’t seem all that long ago that it was not a trendy place to live.

That said, over that period of time (this is for the people who cite their past experiences with the neighborhood…many neighborhoods…as representative of current experience), it’s a very different place than it was even just a couple of years ago. For those who may not recall the DC real estate market in the early 2000s, there used to be lots of abandoned houses and houses that were in need of significant repairs. Over the past decade, the number of abandoned houses in downtown neighborhoods has significantly decreased, and downtown neighborhoods are once again thriving with local businesses.

Continues after the jump. (more…)

The Promise Bridge connecting Bloomingdale and Eckington has sprouted a few more locks – and a new sign too.

Not sure how I missed 54…

113 Rhode Island Ave, NW

Back in April 2012 we learned that Showtime Lounge would be coming to 113 Rhode Island Ave, NW across the street from Boundary Stone. I hadn’t noticed much movement but when I was walking around this weekend I noticed the front door was open. I peeked inside and spoke with one of the owners who says they hope to open around the end of the month. Plans are still for:

“The establishment plans to operate as a coffeehouse during the daytime hours, serving coffee, pastries and house made dips and snacks. During the evening hours, offering a small selection of beer, wine, spirits and finger foods.”

Finishing touches were still ongoing but there is a nice little bar in the back, some sweet retro wallpaper in the front and a mural on a back/side wall. It looks like it’s gonna be another great addition to Bloomingdale. Stay tuned for an exact opening date when it’s announced.

This former Horse’s ass award nominee on the 1800 block of North Capitol St, NW looks like it’s set to be developed soon. There is a sign posted out front that says funding is provided by City First Bank of DC.

Thanks to a reader for sending:

“This is a pop up on the unit block of s street nw. I thought they did a pretty nice job with it.”

Do you guys like the way it turned out?

From a press release:

The Mayor’s Task Force on the Prevention of Flooding in Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park has issued its final report, announced City Administrator Allen Y. Lew, who co-chaired the task force with DC Water General Manager George Hawkins. The report is available online at www.oca.dc.gov.

“Completion of this vitally important analysis of the causes and possible solutions to the flooding in the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods is yet another indication of how seriously my administration took this problem,” said Mayor Vincent C. Gray. “Flooding has been a problem here for several decades. City Administrator Lew, Mr. Hawkins and the community worked together brilliantly to identify solutions – many  of which have already been implemented – and after only a few months, we are on our way to resolving one of our most pressing infrastructure needs.”

Mayor Gray established the task force in late August and in December announced that the District and DC Water would immediately proceed with the most significant Task Force infrastructure recommendation. The $600 million Northeast Boundary Neighborhood Protection Project will be completed in three phases, with the first portion being the construction of two new water storage tanks at the McMillan site to hold a total of up to 6 million gallons of stormwater. Flow will be diverted from feeder sewers adjacent to the McMillan site, capturing stormwater before it arrives in Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park and reaches the sewer system. This will help reduce the excessive pressure that currently causes sewer backups and overland flooding during heavy rainstorms.

“The Flooding Task Force Report is a shining example of how citizens and government working together can solve long-standing problems,” said Lew. “While the Task Force has completed its work, the District and DC Water are just beginning. We will continue to work with the community as we implement the various recommendations.”

This house is located at 2219 2nd Street, NW:

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The listing says:

“Classic & Charming in Bloomingdale. 2 Bed/3 Bath, renovated with unique & original features. Central A/C, 2 full baths up, finished basement, off-st pkg with patio & shed. alarm system, home warranty conveys. super trendy Bloomingdale neighborhood. “As-Is” but great condition. Offers, if any, Tuesday at 5:00pm.”

You can see more photos here.

This 2 bed/3 bath is going for $539,000.

From a press release:

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today sent a letter to President Obama requesting $40 million to cover the city’s emergency construction of storm water storage tanks at the McMillan Reservoir, in addition to a $15 million installment to partially fund the District’s Clean Rivers Project. The extra $40 million is to alleviate the flooding that has plagued the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods in the District.

In her letter, Norton stressed the urgency of addressing the inadequate capacity of the city’s federally constructed combined sewer system, which has caused significant property damage and hardship for District residents this past year, noting that the city’s sewer systems also are necessary for the functioning of the federal government. Norton further wrote that “residents living in the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods in the District suffered repeated and severe damage to their homes, including sewage backing up into houses as a result of intense rainfalls, which also flooded city roads…. The flooding is the result of insufficient capacity in the Northeast Boundary Trunk Sewer (NEBTS), which was constructed by the federal government in the late 1800s. Capacity limitations for this sewer were documented soon after it was built, but no substantive action was taken.”

Concerned with the devastating effects of the limited capacity of D.C.’s combined sewer system on our waterways, Norton has successfully pressed for annual federal funds for the city’s $2.6 billion Clean Rivers Project to eliminate combined sewer overflows into the Anacostia and Potomac rivers and Rock Creek, including $15 million in fiscal year 2012. However, she said that this project will not address quickly enough the flooding in the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods, and funds to keep further damage to homes and businesses are essential. Norton said, “Local and federal ratepayers will bear the bulk of the burden for these projects, but federal payments to help offset that burden are necessary because of the scope of the project.”

Hipchickindc is a licensed real estate broker. She is the founder of 10 Square Team and is affiliated with Keller Williams Capital Properties. 10 Square Team is a popville.com advertiser. Unless specifically noted, neither she nor the company that she is affiliated with represented any of the parties or were directly involved in the transaction reported below. Unless otherwise noted, the source of information is Metropolitan Regional Information Systems (MRIS), which is the local multiple listing system. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Featured Property: 123 T St NW
Legal Subdivision: LeDroit Park
Advertised Subdivision per Listing: Bloomingdale
Original List Price: $924,900.
List Price at Contract: $899,900.
List Date: 10/05/2012
Days on Market: 46
Settled Sales Price: $864,300.
Seller Subsidy: $15,000.
Original List to Net Sales Price Ratio: 91.83%
Final List to Net Sales Price Ratio: 94.38%
Settlement Date: 12/28/2012
Bank Owned?: No Short Sale? No
Original GDoN post is: here.
The listing can be seen: here. To see pics, click on the camera icon after opening the link.

Whenever a Good Deal or Not (GDoN) post garners seventy seven comments, it’s definitely worth a re-visit. Like it or not, the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods have definitely experienced a price spike within the past year. Although this property settled at a net price a fair amount below the original list, it remained within 10%. For so many of you who were incredulous at this listing, I hate to say it, but with such continued low inventory and high demand, I expect the 2013 Spring market to bring another wave of price bumps.

Here are some other recent sales of gut renovated homes in the neighborhood of similar size (two levels with an inlaw suite or separate English Basement apartment):

1934 2nd St NW settled November 2012 for $800,000.
2010 1st St NW settled May 2012 for Net $798,500. (This was my listing)
113 R St NW settled November 2012 for Net $770,000. (I represented the buyer)
78 S St NW settled in June 2012 for $780,000.

24 R St NW is currently pending with a list price of $809,000.

The listing agent for 123 T St NW was Paula Nesbitt with The Banner Team of Long and Foster Real Estate, Inc. Seth Turner, who represented the buyer, is my colleague at Keller Williams Capital Properties.