Capitol Hill

Judging Restaurants – Mr. Henry’s

By Prince Of Petworth

Mr. Henry’s is located at 601 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Their Web site says:

Opened in 1966, by Henry’s Yaffee, Mr. Henry’s Victorian Pub is a Capitol Hill tradition. Henry’s is a a place to relax and meet with friends, soak up the local atmosphere.

During the summer our patio is humming. It is the place to see and be seen.

The menu is full of great burgers, sandwiches, and salads. We offer dinner specials and tasty soups. Try our London Broil Dinner or Marta’s Meatloaf.

Roberta Flack began singing at Mr. Henry’s in 1968 to sold out crowds.

You can see their menu here.

Any fans?

PoP Preview – Pound The Hill

By Prince Of Petworth

Pound Coffee is opening it’s second location on Capitol Hill, Pound The Hill, at 621 Pennsylvania Avenue SE. I was able to stop by Thurs. afternoon to get a sneak peek before their soft opening next week (official opening March 14th.) I’ll say it straight off – just based on aesthetics – this is by far the nicest looking coffee shop I’ve seen open in DC. Hands down. The space is just awesome. It is clear that owner Karl Johnson spent a lot of time on fulfilling his vision. And his vision is far more than a coffee house. Those who are familiar with their first location, Pound in NoMa, will recognize that they offer great international lunch options as well. Pound on the Hill will not only offer international lunch options but will also be serving breakfast and dinner. And in the next 6 months or so stay tuned for a liquor license.

And while the paint is still drying I couldn’t resist asking about future location and there is no doubt in my mind we will be seeing more. Obviously, the focus will be on ensuring Pound the Hill is a success but in the next year or two keep your eyes peeled for Pound the Street (U Street) and/or Pound the Circle (Dupont Circle). And if the coffee and food taste anywhere near as good the space looks I’m sure will Karl and his partners will be Pounding many more neighborhoods.

And to further entice you to check out the new space – the folks from Pound the Hill will be offering one of their specialties free. 1000 of their specialities – Nutella lattes. Starting March 21st, for 10 days in a row the first 100 people will get a free Nutella lattes. Nice.

What do you think of the space (lots more shots after the jump.) (more…)

Judging Restaurants – La Loma

By Prince Of Petworth

La Loma is located at 316 Massachusetts Ave NE. I’ve always thought this section of Mass Ave had the greatest patio areas. Does the food match the awesomeness of the patio?

Good Deal or Not? “Great use of space inside one of the original turrets” edition

By Prince Of Petworth

This condo is located at 350 9th St, SE:


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The flier says:

“Value-packed 2BR, 2BA top floor unit at the circa 1891 Grace Church Condos! Great use of space inside one of the original turrets w/ lofty LR, fpl, smartly designed open kit, good closets, lovely wd flrs & 4 skylights! Main flr BR w/ ensuite full bath & upper 2nd BR w/ 2nd full bath! Eastern Market & Barracks Row out front door! W/ D, CAC in pet friendly bldg! Garage pkg option at addtl price!”

You can find more info here and photos here.

Well, I’m just gonna say it – I dig it. You?

This 2 bed/2 bath is going for $499,000 ($260 condo fee). What do you think it’ll go for?

Good Deal or Not? “oversized one car garage” edition

By Prince Of Petworth

This home is located at 803 Maryland Ave, NE:


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The flier says:

“Fantastic Capitol Hill Location for this NEWLY renovated townhome. Nothing has been overlooked. Quality contruction and finishes, open floor plan with versatile space. Private courtyard leads to oversized one car garage.”

You can find more info here and a virtual tour here.

I’m not sure if it’s a typo but the redfin listing says it is 2 bed/3.5 bath that seems like a bit of overkill on the bathroom front right? Either way – do you think $599,000 is a realistic asking price?

And I have to share a bonus one nearby that seems like an incredible deal:

This home is located at 334 8th St, NE. It’s a 2 bed/1.5 bath going for $364,000. You can see photos here – good deal, right?

Senart’s Oyster & Chop House Looking Good on Barracks Row

By Prince Of Petworth

Hard to believe that back in May ’10 it looked like this as Capitol Hill Veterinary Clinic at 520 8 Street, SE.

At the time we learned that:

It was coming from the same folks behind Lola’s and Chesapeake Room also on Barracks Row and the liquor application said, “New Old fashioned oyster restaurant & bar featuring seafood and American cuisine. Occupancy load of 80. Request a sidewalk café with a seating capacity of 22.”

I’ll be sure to update when doors open. Check out the size of the bar!

Good Deal or Not? Weekly Wed. House Porn

By Prince Of Petworth

This home is located at 809 Independence Ave, SE:


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The flier says:

“Offering the very best in urban living, this fabulously appointed home offers 4 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms on four levels of living space with a rear deck and patio and a 2nd floor balcony. Tastefully renovated. C of O for the lower level. Approximately 2 blocks from the Eastern Market and Metro.”

You can find more info here and a virtual tour here.

I think this will appeal to those who dig the old school. This 4 bed/3.5 bath is yours for $1,575,000.

The New York Times Loves DC’s Strips

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by flickr user DG Jones

I figured most had seen these articles about these two features from the New York Times but since I keep getting emails (thanks to all who sent them) here they are in case you missed them. It’s cool to see others recognizing the great gains in our neighborhoods. I thought it was especially good timing on the Columbia Heights one…

In Washington, D.C., Columbia Heights’ Hip Strip

and Barracks Row represents as well:

In Washington, a Historic Retail Strip Is Revived

GDoN Revisited by Hipchickindc – 409 1st St SE

By Prince Of Petworth

Voted one of the best real estate agents in DC by the Washington City Paper Readers’ Choice Poll in 2009, hipchickindc aka the not-so-hip Suzanne Des Marais is an Associate Broker with Urban Pace. She lives (and sells a lot of houses) in Bloomingdale, but works all over DC, with everyone from first time buyers to highly regarded developers. 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: 409 1st St SE

Original List Price: $689,900.
List Price at Contract: $689,900.
List Date: 10/14/2010
Days on Market: 55

Settled Sales Price: $672,000.

Settlement Date: 01/07/2011
Seller Subsidy: $500.
Bank Owned?: No Short Sale? No
Type Of Financing: Conventional

Original Good Deal or Not post is: hereThe listing can be seen: here. To see pics, open the listing link, click on the main pic and scroll through.

On the petite side and with a functional-not-fancy kitchen, this home was on the market for fifty five days, which seems like a long time on this part of The Hill. Actually, recent data from within a quarter mile radius of this property shows an average of 69 days on the market. Even so, this property managed to sell at 97.33% of original asking price. The average list to sale price ratio in this location is 94.08%. The average net sale price for 2 and 3 bedroom properties in this specific area is $751,500.

The most recent transfer of this property was back in 2003 for $475,000. Prior to that, it sold in 1998 for $225,000. less a $2500. subsidy.

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