This house is located at 3505 New Hampshire Avenue, NW:

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The listing says:

“Estate Sale: Imagine life in the center of it All.. Columbia Heights Restaurants & Shops. Natural wonders overflow in this beautiful brick 3 bedroom, 2 full bath attached row house. This brick home features a large eat in kitchen with separate living room and dining room. Full basement with kitchenette. Sale of property is subject to existing lease.”

You can see more photos here.

This 3 bed/2 bath is going for $425,000.

This unit is located at 1451 Harvard St, NW:

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The listing says:

“Located in the heart of Columbia Heights & home to the famous Ernie, the flying hot dog, this penthouse condo is sure to steal your heart. Completely renovated in 2010, this condo has tons of space and light. Features include two-bedrooms- boasting enough room for a king-sized bed, ample closet space, hardwood floors throughout and an open floor plan living area with a fireplace and skylight. Commute is a breeze, as this condo is blocks from the Columbia Heights Metro Station (Green Line) and a variety of stores (Giant, Target & Bed Bath & Beyond).”

You can see a virtual tour here.

This 2 bed/1 bath is going for $449,000 ($245 monthly fee.)

Ed. Note: We will miss you Ernie!

Irving Street, NW just west of 14th

Dear PoPville,

I was in DSW earlier and witnessed a poor bird trapped in the store. He kept flying into the windows trying to get out. It’s so heartbreaking.

I went to talk to the manager – he acknowledged that they have tried to call Animal Control ‘numerous’ times to capture the bird. In the meantime the have been trying to coax the bird outside, and they have been feeding him.

I tried calling 311 over and over again (apparently Animal Control is available 24 hrs a day). Not once did I speak to anyone in Animal Control. All I kept getting is a recording to not leave a message and to call back when the line was free. Huh?!?!

I did tweet @DOHDC with this earlier today – no response. I am not a DC resident so I am not quite sure what else can be done.

Any help/suggestions??

This rental is located at 1434 Perry Place, NW:

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The listing says:

“Great 1 Bedroom With Parking in Columbia Heights! Lower Level Unit with private front and rear entrance, open living room and kitchen with remodeled full bath, bedroom with large closets, stacked Washer/dryer in unit. Private parking in rear. Available 7/1!”

This 1 bed/1 bath is going for $1,150/Mo.

City Kids is written by Takoma, DC resident Caroline. Caroline previously wrote about the Arboretum.

City Kids: BloomBars Harambe!

With squishy mat floors and a selection of musical instruments to sample, Harambe is every little kid’s dream!

To answer the first question of those not familiar with BloomBars, no, it’s not a bar. BloomBars describes itself:

BloomBars is not something you can easily describe. Some have called it an artist and non-profit incubator, performance space, art gallery, theater, dance studio, screening room, youth academy, and center for health, wellness, and community engagement-They were all correct.

On Monday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings, BloomBars welcomes little ones from six months to six years to sing, dance, and explore musical instruments. Baba Ras D, a musician, educator, and activist, leads the way. He invites the kids to express themselves however they wish, whether it’s singing into the microphone, dancing on stage, or playing along from the audience or a caregiver’s lap.

We sang some of the ubiquitous favorites, including “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” classics like Bob Marley’s “One Love”, and some fun international call-and-response songs.

Little ones who are timid or sensitive to sensory overload might get maxed out easily. When mine started feeling that way, we were able to retreat to the back of the space and continue to participate and play with a little more elbow room.

What: Harambe!
Where: BloomBars, 3222 11th Street NW
When: Mondays at 9:30 am, Thursdays at 10:00 am, Saturdays at 9:30 and 10:30 am.
Cost: $7 suggested donation.

This unit is located at 3039 16th Street, NW:

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The listing says:

“Gorgeous sunny loft w/ 2 story windows (+ electric blind), fireplace, bamboo floors, stainless kitchen, 2 blocks from Metro!! Common area Roof deck (staircase access) w/ stunning views. 2 blocks to Metro, walk to all that Columbia Hgts, Adams Morgan and Mt Pleasant have to offer! (Farmers Mkt Sat.) Big open Loft/bedroom on 2nd floor, and room for a den.”

You can see more photos here.

This 2 bed/2 bath is going for $539,000 ($441 monthly fee.)

2008

Commonwealth (by Jamie Leeds from Hank’s Oyster Bar fame) opened up at 1400 Irving St, NW in Aug. 2008 and closed in Feb. 2011. In June 2011 Acre 121 opened up in the space:

2013

This rental is located at 747 Hobart Place, NW:

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The listing says:

“Quaint interior row house close to Howard University and close to Columbia Rd Metro and Georgia Ave Metro. Playground with benches and universal play set a few houses away. Sidewalks in front and alleyway in rear make for convenient access. Pergo floors inside and cable pre-wire plus functional basement make this a must see.”

This 3 bed/ 1 bath is going for $2,450/Mo.

Well, the coolest dry cleaners in Columbia Heights, and possibly the whole district, has closed at 1376 Park Rd, NW. I always thought the automated pickup was ingenious.

This house is located at 1000 Monroe St, NW:

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The listing says:

“Beautifully renovated home that maintains its historic charm. Corner lot with large windows, multiple patios/balconies, new boiler, hardwood floors, granite, stainless steel, chef’s dream gas range, too much to list. Blocks to 2 metros, shops & restaurants. Gracious living in the heart of the city. Click on “virtual tour” link for more photos & floor plans. OFFERS DUE TUESDAY.”

You can see the virtual tour here.

This 4 bed/2.5 bath is going for $650,000.

Photo pre-construction by PoPville flickr user Mr. T in DC

Dear PoPville,

Any word on how much longer the construction at Cardozo High School (1200 Clifton St, NW) is going to take? The neighbors have had to put up with a lot–lost parking and sidewalks, traffic changes, road closures on Clifton, and noise, not to mention the constantly changing rules around “emergency” no-parking signs. For the most part, I think the neighborhood has been tolerant of these annoyances that come with urban living. I just wish I knew when to expect to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Have you heard anything?

Council Member Graham says the construction will be completed in August in time for the new school year.

Great news on the fountain front – Meridian Hill Park fountains have been filled “early”! Thanks to everyone who sent word yesterday. In early April a reader was told the fountains wouldn’t be filled until Memorial Day due to budget constraints. Super psyched to see they are already filled:

Dysfunction Junction chronicles the most forlorn, baffling, and wonderful crossroads of our fair city. Ben Ball is a transportation nerd in his spare time. He lives in LeDroit Park. Ben previously wrote about Dave Thomas Circle.

If this intersection is the beating heart of Columbia Heights, I’d say we’re heading for some sort of cardiac arrest.  The lovely plaza, complete with splash fountain for the kiddies, is a marvelous public space.  Surrounding it, however, is one of the most congested places for people and vehicles I can think of.

It is not easy to get through this area in a car.  The herringbone street pattern of northern Columbia Heights (a legacy of poor planning in the early part of the previous century) is a big part of the problem.  But in 2010, DDOT made it worse by redoing the traffic pattern at this intersection, where one of the few westward passages in the area crosses a major north-south corridor.

In the interests of “traffic calming”, DDOT altered the lane which allowed drivers heading southbound on 14^th St to easily make a right turn onto Park Road.  Now traffic is so calm that it’s fallen asleep.  Just two years after DDOT worked its magic, a Metro study of the 50 buses found that traffic near 14^th and Park averages less than ten miles per hour at all times of day. The study didn’t mention that the bus stop is part of the problem – buses frequently hang across both lanes, taking out both lanes of traffic in the process.

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3313 11th Street, NW

This edition of Eating Around Town was written by Abbey Becker. Abbey previously wrote about Cashion’s Eat Place. She lives near Eastern Market.

If you’re looking for authentic Mexican food, El Chucho (3313 11th Street NW) is not the place for you. But you’d likely know that anyway if you’ve heard anything about the Columbia Heights hangout.

When I went on a humid Monday night that was threatening rain, the upstairs patio was empty. The downstairs, however, was packed and boisterous at 8pm. (The fact that it was hora feliz–happy hour–all night certainly didn’t hurt.) If you’re looking to catch up with a friend and have a quiet meal, I’d recommend going somewhere else.

As I watched metal trays of tacos being delivered to diners around me at the bar and high-top tables, it was clear that much of what El Chucho is about is the show it puts on. Kitschy elements were sometimes understated: the frozen margarita machine behind the bar circulating not drink mix margarita syrups and ice, but house-made lime and strawberry habanero flavors, and the ceramic dolls on a top shelf by the bar, were fun touches that you might not notice if you weren’t looking. Other times, the design slapped you in the face–instead of a ladder to reach the top shelves of liquor behind the bar, bartenders had to climb knotted ropes reminiscent of elementary school gym class to hoist themselves up to grab a bottle. While this seems fun to diners, I can’t imagine that the bartenders particularly enjoy doing this all the time.

I like that El Chucho isn’t trying to be authentic or run-of-the-mill, though. The restaurant understands that real Mexican food can be found likely a few steps away in Columbia Heights, so it doesn’t try to compete. All of the staff wear plaid, and you’d be more likely to hear their soundtrack in a U Street or Columbia Heights bar than at El Rinconcito II a few blocks away.

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11th and Park Rd, NW

@LisaMabe sends us word around 7:20pm:

“Pitbull attack (dog on dog) just went down at the 11th Str. dog park. Dog injured. #ColumbiaHeights”