Thanks to a reader for sending word that the massive renovation at 2867 Tilden St, NW was completed.

You like the way it turned out. Here’s an image from google street view to give an idea of what it used to look like:

It went under contract with a listing price of $2,195,000. You can see what it looks like on the inside here.

And nearby the reader sends in some awesome house porn from 2604 Tilden Pl, NW. Check out this virtual tour. It’s yours for $2,495,000.

876 Cafe opened up in the former Indian Ocean restaurant in Van Ness back in April 2012. We judged them back in Jan. 2013. Thanks to a reader for sending word that the space has been cleaned out:

This rental is located at 2939 Van Ness Street, NW:

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The listing says:

“Kitchen remodeled three years ago, newer cabinets, counters, floor and lighting. Lovely parquet floors, large kitchen, spacious living room. Balcony. Rent includes ALL utilities (except phone, Internet and cable) AND garage parking. Super location. Pool, fitness ctr. 24 hour desk. Move in fee is $350 Mon-Fri, $450 Sat. Landlord will pay $200 of move-in fee.”

This 1 bed/1 bath is going for $1,875/Mo.

This rental is located at 3900 Connecticut Avenue, NW:

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The listing says:

“Open Saturday 3/30 1-3pm! Classic and sunny 1B/1BA – semi-furnished unit in historic Tilden Gardens. Updated windowed kitchen, updated ceramic tile bathroom. Historic details abound: 9′ ceilings, hardwood floors, chandelier in foyer; French doors; built-in bookcases and pantry. Front desk service. Lots of windows with scenic views. Walk to Metro, shops, etc. Available for immediate occupancy!”

This 1 bed/1 bath is going for $1,850/Mo.

Pho 14′s long anticipated Van Ness location opens on Monday:

Pho 14′s Adams Morgan location opened in Dec. 2012. You can see their menu here.

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: 3901 Connecticut Ave NW, Unit 212
Legal Subdivision: Forest Hills
Advertised Subdivision per Listing: Forest Hills
Original List Price: $344,000
List Price at Contract: $344,000
List Date: 11/27/2012
Days on Market: 15
Settled Sales Price: $356,000
Seller Subsidy: $0
List to Net Sales Price Ratio: 103.49%
Settled price per square foot: $430.
Settlement Date: 1/30/2013
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.

Forest Hills is largely populated by multi unit properties built as grand apartment buildings in the 1920’s and 1930’s, many of which made it in to historian James Goode’s notable “Best Addresses” book. While some remain rental apartment buildings, a good number have been converted to cooperatives or condo ownership.

Continues after the jump.

In recent years, the trend in condos has been toward newly converted or newly built contemporary units further downtown. As DC buyers seek value in a challenging market, some are rediscovering the historic character of these old world buildings. On the positive side, units in older buildings may tend to be larger than you might typically find in newer properties. Many have elevators, front desk staff, and are located close to Metro. On the down side, they may require a trip down the hall or to the basement to do laundry, and not all have central air conditioning.

In addition to the sale of this 800+ square foot one bedroom unit in 3901 Connecticut Ave NW, a 1525 square foot two bedroom, one and a half bath unit sold in the same building for a net price of $706,000. ($462/square foot) in January 2013.

The listing agent for 3901 Connecticut Ave NW Unit 212 was Nancy Pulley with Long & Foster Real Estate. The Purchaser was represented by Gerry Dunn from Real Living at Home.

Thanks to Zach for sending:

“Update on Pho 14 in Van Ness. I just spoke to a woman at their Adams Morgan location and she said they are hoping to pass inspection this week and open sometime next week.”

876 Cafe opened up in the former Indian Ocean restaurant in Van Ness back in April 2012. Their website says:

Enjoy the complex yet simplistic fusion of Caribbean cuisine with Washington’s premier restaurant 876 Cafe. Located one block from the Van Ness metro station neighboring the Cleveland Park area, 876 Cafe invites you to experience familiar dishes piqued with zesty accents of the islands.

Inside, the warm and open decor showcases talent of local artists and helps the customer to transcend to a vibe where everything is “irie and cool”. Sample favorites like our fresh multi-green salad infused with sweet coconut-gingered flakes, ackee and saltfish wraps or our refreshing coconut water contained in the original husk.

And as with everything you can expect exceptional service in a casual environment.

Go ahead. Grab a group of your friends or co-workers and relax on the veranda, bar or swanky WiFi lounge area for lunch, dinner, weekend brunch or happy hour. 876 Cafe promises to stimulate your pallet and captivate your senses.

You can see their menus here. Any fans?

Politics and Prose is located at 5015 Connecticut Ave, NW.

From a press release:

After one of the most outstanding careers in the history of bookselling, Barbara Meade has decided to retire from Politics & Prose, the store she helped create with Carla Cohen and has done so much to nurture over the past three decades. Since handing over the reins of ownership a year-and-a-half ago, Barbara has served as an advisor to the new owners—Bradley Graham and Lissa Muscatine—and has remained a frequent presence in the store. Her continued involvement in P&P has been invaluable in assuring a smooth transition. Brad and Lissa have credited Barbara’s expert counsel and wise insights with helping them enormously to gain their own new footings in the book business.

Recently, Barbara informed the staff that she wants to create space in her life to allow more time for reading. She will remain a vital part of the heart and soul of Politics & Prose and will continue to be admired and appreciated for the many ways in which she has influenced our community.

Below is a message from Barbara to all of the customers, authors, publishers, sales reps, and friends she so actively engaged during her bookselling career:

A Message from Barbara after the jump.

On December 31, after a bookselling career that began 35 years ago and encompassed four stores, I hung up my book bag and retired. But I was careful to place my bag where it is easily retrievable because I’ve been so tightly wrapped up in Politics & Prose for the last 29 years that I’ll never be able to totally leave.

Most important of all, there was my long partnership with Carla, a relationship I regarded as a gift to and from both of us in the third quarter of our lives. There are also many, many other people whom I’ve met in the world of books—customers, authors, bookselling colleagues, and publishers’ reps—all readers whose friendships have immeasurably enriched my life. So I’ll continue my involvement in the store by hosting events, hanging out in the coffeehouse, and leisurely browsing what’s new on the bookshelves. You may even find me sitting in a chair somewhere in one of P&P’s inviting alcoves, trying out a chapter before I commit to a book purchase.

When Carla became ill in 2010, Carla’s husband David and I were determined to find exactly the right buyer for Politics & Prose, a buyer totally committed to the mission of the store—to support intelligent fiction and nonfiction written by articulate authors that would impact our lives in a thoughtful way. I regard it as almost a miracle that we found exactly the right people, Brad and Lissa. In the 18 months I’ve continued to work in the store since they became the new owners, I’ve taught them everything I know. They’re fast learners—in just a year-and-a-half they’ve mastered my 35 years of accumulated knowledge! I’m tempering my sadness in leaving with my complete confidence that Brad and Lissa will sustain and grow P&P’s stature as an important literary and cultural center in today’s world. –Barbara Meade

This rental is located at 4701 Connecticut Avenue, NW:

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The listing says:

“This unit has a huge, private patio/garden and is located in walking distance to the Van Ness Metro! Parking included!Convenient to Rock Creek Park. Unique floorplan with modern kitchen (double fridge, double dishwasher), dining-room with marble flooring, pergo floors in living areas. Glassblock walls. Renovated bathrooms & powder-room.”

This 2 bed/2 bath is going for $2,400/Mo.