Photo by PoPville flickr user Mr. T in DC
Thanks to a reader for sending the heads up. Last exciting Union Station news we heard was that Chipotle had opened up. And of course we’re still waiting on the Bojangles. But we can add two more to the list of ‘coming soon’. Chop’t and a Potbelly’s are both coming to Union Station. You can see a list of all the dining options in Union Station here.
Labyrinth will be coming to 645 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Their Web site says:
“Labyrinth Games & Puzzles is a family-friendly, community-focused store featuring a wide selection of non-electronic, specialty games, puzzles, and mazes for purchase, rent or play in the store. With activities and products geared toward all ages from 1 to 100, Labyrinth offers something for everyone. Many of our products are sourced from small, U.S. artisans or fair trade importers. We encourage you to visit, talk to our knowledgeable staff and most importantly have fun playing!”
It’s wild to hear about a new store like this in the age of computers and video games. Looking forward to seeing what their goods.
Hunan Dynasty is located at 215 Pennsylvania Ave SE. Now I’m really curious about this place because on two separate occasions I’ve seen tour buses of Chinese tourists (yes I’m just assuming they were Chinese) go in and it’s making me think this could be really authentic. Alternatively, it could be a tourist trap… You can see their menus here. Any fans? Tourist trap or the real deal?
The Bicycle Thief, Film Poster, 1948
The Bicycle Thief is a classic Italian film so I was intrigued by an MPD email that simply had in the title – The Bicycle Thief. Not as poetic as the film but still an important message:
This was no run of the mill burglary for the sake of stealing bicycles. Yesterday morning at about 8:45 a.m., a suspect was observed on camera breaking into a rear garage in the 4700 blk of Connecticut Ave. N.W. Once inside, he walked two bicycles out the door and moments later was observed cutting away the locks on two more which he promptly rolled out the door and then made good his escape.
As much as it pains me to tell all of you that your unattended bicycles should not be considered safe if locked to railings or fences inside private garages, the fact of the matter is they are not. Our officers canvass alleys and streets for suspicious activity but the reality is, we won’t be able to see it all as it goes down. We rely heavily on your help to bring us to the bad guys. We also need your help with removing the low hanging fruit that allows the benefits to outweigh the costs.
I cannot express with greater emphasis the importance of not doing the things that, once upon a time, sufficed to prevent crime. We live in a very different time and all of us need to ramp up our effort. If you need any pointers on what you can do to make your property more safe, I am happy to give you my undivided attention. Please call me to schedule a visit or to just get some advice over the phone.
Thank You, Lt. Victor S. Braschnewitz
Ed. Note: We discussed some of our favorite foreign films here.
MPD writes:
“Officers responded to a call for the sounds of gunshots in the rear of 900 blk 10th St NE. Once on the scene, they located 3 shell casings. Crime Scene Search responded and processed the scene. A canvass for subjects was also conducted with negative results.”
MPD Alert of muggings on Capitol Hill after the jump. (more…)
Great news! I’ve always thought this part of Pennsylvania Ave, SE was a bit of a slow zone so it’ll be nice to see it get some new life (along with the soon to be Ba Bay Vietnamese Restaurant at 633 Pennsylvania Ave, SE).
Here’s the good word from the owners:
“Pound signed a lease on a fantastic historic space at 621 Penn Ave SE. The new Pound will be almost twice the size of the existing cafe and will allow us to significantly grow our “comfort food from around the world” offering. We will of course maintain our focus on premium organic fair trade coffees and lattes, continuing to be the exclusive provider of 2010 Top Micro-Roaster in the country, Kickapoo Coffee from Wisconsin, as well. The larger space will allow us to separate the dining traffic from the chill and relaxing coffee house area and vibe. We also have a beautiful large back enclosed patio covered by old growth Oak trees that will really make this a unique cafe destination on the Hill. Front sidewalk seating will also be available, as well as comfy seating right in the bay window frontage on Penn.
We also plan to do a Kickapoo coffee tasting at the space in November to give the neighborhood a chance to try out our coffee and possibly some food as well.”
I’ll be sure to update as construction progresses and an opening date is selected. Pound Coffee currently has a location in NoMa at 1300 2nd St NE.
This rental is located at 241B 8th Street, NE:
The Craigslist ad says:
“Holding an OPEN HOUSE viewing, October 27, 2010 – from 6-7pm for this incredibly large basement apartment with a full kitchen and large living room. Additionally, there is a sizeable storage area that can be used for anything from a clothing closet to bike storage. Lots of natural light! In the heart of Capitol Hill, a short walk to either Eastern Market or Union Station Metro. Bus stop runs in front. On street parking is easy to find. 6 mos lease required, then month to month. Available November 1st, 2010.
Utilities: Approx $100 per month
Size: Approx 750 sq feet
On street parking
cable/internet ready
Small pets allowed”
I’m loving the location between two parks. Does $1200 sound reasonable for this studio?
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: 136 North Carolina Ave SE
Original List Price: $779,000.
List Price at Contract: $779,000.
List Date: 09/08/2010
Days on Market: 9
Settled Sales Price: $772,500.
Settlement Date: 10/12/2010
Seller Subsidy: $0.
Bank Owned?: No Short Sale? No
Type Of Financing: Conventional with a first and second trust. A select few lenders are currently offering a 2nd trust. Typically, the borrower must have stellar credit and still puts 10% of their own cash down. This financing strategy can be used to avoid private mortgage insurance. It also may be a good choice for someone who is expecting a lump sum of cash or gets paid in bonuses and intends to pay the second trust off sooner rather than later.
Original GDoN is: here.
The Listing can be seen: here. To see the mouse on house tour, click the film strip icon.
Given that this property falls into the very narrow margin that is actually identified as the legal subdivision of Capitol Hill, and that you can practically look out the front door and see the Capitol Police standing on street corners, I think we can avoid the typical dispute of whether or not we all consider this Capitol Hill. This is quintessential Capitol Hill. Period.
No central air, pink subway tile bathroom, street parking, “finished” basement…no problem. It’s The Hill! Sold in 9 days. $772,500.
Hey, it does have some nice heart of pine floors, gorgeous unpainted wood doors and trim, a huge 2000+ square foot lot, LOVE the vestibule tile, and yes, it came with a hot tub.
This rental is located at 109 5th St, SE:
The Craigslist ad says:
“Location, location, location. Cute 1 bed 1 bath on capital hill. A few blocks from Eastern Market.”
I was gonna post one from Adams Morgan today but this seemed like a really good deal to me. Am I missing something or is this pretty sweet? Could it possibly be a basement? I don’t think so based on the photos. What do you guys think about $1107 for this 1 bed/1 bath at this location?
This rental is located at 816 E St NE:
The Craigslist ad says:
“Capital East Apartments is a vintage 1920s apartment community located blocks from the U.S. Capitol building and Union Station. The property is located 4 blocks from Lincoln Park.
The units are spacious, have hardwood floors and original details. The building is pet-friendly. There is on-site management and controlled access to the building.”
Does $975 sound reasonable for this studio?
This home is located at 715 5th St, NE:
The flier says:
“E-X-T-R-A wide with welcoming front porch for the rocking chairs. UPGRADES and SPACE galore – bring the grand piano – even a GARAGE for the car! Fall in love with the high end custom kitchen, swoon over the exquisite wood inlay floors and marvel at the rare interior fretwork. Master BR suite w/ luxurious bath. Bonus: Fully finished lower level with 1BR, BA, rec room, easy conversion to in-law suite”
You can find more info here and photos here.
The reader writes:
“We just saw this property at an open house and it was AMAZING. Beautifully finished inside and out with original inlaid floors, stained glass, custom baths, and an incredible kitchen. Totally fabulous property. Makes me wish we were in the market for a house. I have no affiliation with the house beyond the fact it’s located in our neighborhood.”
It’s definitely a good looking house! But do you think this 4 bed/3.5 bath will go for $839,999?