Capitol Hill

Dear PoP – Has Stanton Dog Park Been Removed?

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

Any idea what’s going on with the Stanton Park Dog Park? My fiance took our pup there this morning as usual and went they went back this afternoon the fence had been removed, effectively destroying the dog park. We’re hoping it’s just temporary, but there was no indication of what was going on…”

Hmm, according to Wikipedia:

“A playground is located in the western section of the park; a section in the eastern half is often used by dog walkers. The park is maintained by the National Park Service and as such, dogs are not allowed off leash.”

So I wonder if it was the NPS enforcing the no off leash rule? Any neighbors know why the fence was removed? Is this a temporary or permanent thing? Were dogs commonly off leash here?


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New Art Gallery, Juice Bar and Tea House Coming to Capitol Hill

By Prince Of Petworth

The B Spot DC will be located at 1123 Pennsylvania Avenue SE (between Fragers and Mi Vecinidad). It’s Web site says:

The B Spot DC is a multi-purpose Art Gallery, Juice Bar and Tea House located in the cultural corridor of Eastern Market on Pennsylvania Avenue in South-East Washington, District of Columbia. The facility capitalizes on the community’s deep-rooted artistic milieu to provide exposure to varied expressions of the arts in a luxurious setting and intimate atmosphere. Situated in a backdrop of beautiful art pieces, – paintings, sculptures, mixed media collage and fine art photography, our patrons partake of a diverse selection of international coffees, hot and iced tea blends, exotic fruit smoothies, fresh vegetable juices and enriched beverages while sampling on gourmet appetizers, hors d’oeuvres, light fare, and desserts.

The B Spot DC utilizes a three-prong service approach that integrates:

(1) a gallery of select work for sale by emerging and established artists ,
(2) a Juice Bar and Tea House offering refreshments and light fare, and
(3) an open stage offering live entertainment and fine arts exposure and education.

The open stage is visible to all patrons and provides professional live entertainment from a repertoire of artists, including book and poetry reading, spoken word, short theater and musical performances.

Sounds awesome!

Good Deal or Not? “abundant period details” edition

By Prince Of Petworth

This home is located at 901 C St, NE:


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The flier says:

“AMAZING NEW PRICE! Architecturally stunning corner Victorian w/ amazing street presence & abundant period details. Fab CH location. Outside: lush wrap-around yard, secluded brick patio & off-st pkg for 2 cars! Inside: grand & elegant formal LR & DR, rare main level fam rm, wood flrs, 3 xlg BRs, 3 FPLs, updated KI, BA & systems. Unfinished Bsmt offers unlimited potential. 3 exposures & loads of windows!”

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

This is one of the better virtual tours I’ve seen in a while. What’d you think of the house itself? Have a favorite room?

The price has dropped from $975,000 to $899,900 for this 3 bed/2.5 bath?

Dear PoP – Poetry display on 12th St NE

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

On 12th St NE, on the west side of the block between E and F, there is a house that has set up a small wooden case facing the sidewalk in which they display poetry for passersby to stop and read. I’m not sure if they change the poem every day, but it seems to change fairly often, as I’ve spent a lot of time on that block in recent months. It’s really a lovely little touch.”

Awesome!

Tues. Afternoon Rental Option – Capitol Hill

By Prince Of Petworth

This rental is located at 4th St SE and D St SE:


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The Craigslist ad says:

“1 Br/1Ba Beautiful frontage in the heart of Capitol Hill.
Private front & back entry, street-level apt. (ground-level of a beautiful house)
3 blocks (4-minute walk) to Eastern Market metro and 4 blocks to Capitol South metro.
8-block stroll to the desert & jungle all winter (the free & beautiful U.S. Botanic Gardens).

On a quiet street 1 block from PA Ave. and oodles of restaurants, shops & cafes. This world famous area of world leaders, celebrities, activists and spies actually has a quiet backdrop of fun, & down-home friendliness, so this area is more like a small town or village. You’re surrounded by parks, restaurants, pub. transit, music & the arts.

* Open & spacious bedroom & living room
* Washer & dryer
* Large closet
* Radiant heat & A/C
* Beautiful exterior & interior (shoeless)
* Street-level walk-in apt. (not a basement) w/private front & back entrances
* Fully renovated Bathroom and updated airy Kitchen (w/gas stove),

If you’re Interested…
If you (or you two) live shoeless indoors, and have your fun w/out cigarettes nor pet nor pipe, this may be the inspiring spot you’ve been looking for. Only serious (no humorless) applicants please. Any questions, or to arrange an appointment;

We’d like a 1-2-year lease with 1 month security deposit and 1 months rent upfront. There is also a $45 application fee per applicant (what we pay for Ur credit check).

The apartment will be available in mid December-early January. We’ll post photos later of the apartment—we’re finishing some renovations. The house has a beautiful façade.”

This one jumped out at me for a couple of reasons. First the title says, “Oh Bliss! the best, safest & friendliest location in the heart of…” which made me laugh. And the second was the part that says – “If you (or you two) live shoeless indoors” really made me scratch my head. That has to be one of the more unusual caveats I’ve read in one of these ads.

Anyway, does $1700 sound reasonable for this 1 bedroom?

Weekend Crime Report – Good news Bad news edition

By Prince Of Petworth


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From MPD around 6:30pm Sat. evening:

“A short time ago there was a robbery at 5th Street and O Street, NW. A homeless victim was shot in the neck and received non-life threatening injuries. Officers deployed in the area made one arrest and recovered the handgun used in the offense.”


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From MPD around 6:50pm Sat. evening:

“At about 6:50 pm, a radio run was dispatched to Fourth District units for “The sounds of gunshots” in the area behind the 5000 block of 1st St., NW. Officers Burggraf & Gelsomino were the first to arrive in the area, assisted by other Fourth District officers. They canvassed the cemetery that abuts the dispatched location on foot. They located a male adult subject walking in the cemetery which is closed after dark. The officers’ ensuing investigation led to the recovery of two hand guns. The subject admitted to firing off a round in the cemetery. He was placed under arrest & charged with Carrying a Pistol without a License. Great job by the officers in doing a very thorough investigation resulting in the removal of this dangerous felon from our neighborhood!”


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And more good news regarding one of the attacks from the 1300 block of Pennsylvania Ave, SE. From MPD Sunday morning:

“This morning a juvenile suspect was arrested for the assault of a female last week that occurred in the 1300blk of PA Ave SE

The victim sustained a fractured jaw as a result of this apparent unprovoked attack.

First District Detectives worked this case tirelessly and received help from our community until we were able to identify the juvenile suspect. He was arrested this morning at his residence without incident.

As this is a juvenile no additional information can be released.”

GDoN Revisited by Hipchickindc – 223 11th 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: 223 11th St SE
Legal Subdivision: Capitol Hill
Advertised Subdivision per Listing: Capitol Hill
Original List Price: $1,278,999.
List Price at Contract: $1,199,500.
List Date: 06/20/2010
Days on Market: 125
Settled Sales Price: $1,195,000.
Settlement Date: 11/19/2010
Seller Subsidy: $0.
Bank Owned?: No Short Sale? No
Type Of Financing: Veterans Administration (VA) loan

Original GDoN is: here.

The Listing from before the renovation and the recent sale of the renovated property can be seen: here. To see pics of each listing open the listing link, click on the main pic, and scroll through.

In the original Good Deal or Not (GDoN) post, the listing agent’s remarks for this property note that the house had been “vacant for thirty years”. You can see some images of the home in its un-renovated state on the link to the listing above. What is truly amazing to me is not so much the transformation of this particular home, but that it makes me think how compared to, say, ten years ago, the number of houses throughout the District of Columbia that have been vacant for many years has been so drastically reduced.

Continues after the jump. (more…)

Good Deal or Not? “turnkey gem” edition

By Prince Of Petworth

This home is located at 409 1st St, SE:


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The flier says:

“Location is Capitol with this turnkey gem! All that DC buzz surrounded by the quaint Hill village = PERFECTION. Surprisingly LG 2 BR/2.5BA. Sep DR, spacious LR & deep private back patio/yard make entertaining a snap. 2 FP to light up your autumn. GO GREEN!Steps to Cap South Metro, House buildings, Capitol, Eastern Mkt, Barracks Row, everything that matters!”

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

Maybe because we’re close to Thanksgiving – I thought it said Turkey edition… Anyway, regular readers know, I’ve always been intrigued by these “mini-rowhouses”. What do you guys think of this one?

Does $689,900 sound right for this 2 bed/2.5 bath?

Another One Bites the Dust – Capitol Video Sales Closing, Pacifico (Latin tapas) Coming To Barracks Row

By Prince Of Petworth

I’ve often wondered how Capitol Video Sales was able to stay in business, located at 514 8th Street, SE next to Belga Cafe. Looks like the video store will be closing soon and in its place hopes to come Pacifico. From a liquor license application that recently went up:

“New Restaurant, Latin tapas, open grill, salads and contemporary cooking with recorded music.
Seating Capacity is 120. Total occupancy load including Summer Garden is 185. Sidewalk Café with seating for 30.”

I say “they hope to open up in their space” because Nichole recently reminded me of a post about an ANC 6B (which covers Barracks Row) liquor license moratorium on The Hill is Home:

“The commission decided that a blanket protest of all new [liquor license] requests — instead of determining on a case-by-case basis — would be the best course of action until a solution is identified to fix the “over-saturation of restaurants” on 8th Street.”

Though the THIH also notes:

“A protest from the ANC does not necessarily mean that the business cannot get their liquor license, it just means that the ANC is advising the ABC board to deny it.”

The dreaded “Adams Morganization” of the area was also evoked…

Personally, I think a Latin Tapas restaurant would be a fantastic addition to Barracks Row. And remember it’s not impossible to get a liquor license when ANC opposition exists.

A good example of this is the recent liquor license that Big Bear Cafe obtained in Bloomingdale, despite an ANC objection.

Do you think too many restaurants are starting to open up on 8th St, SE? It’ll be interesting to see how the desire for more mixed retail options plays out on Barracks Row. And whether or not ANC opposition scuttles any new restaurants hoping to open up there.

And a related question: When will the final bell toll for nearby Blockbuster? Tick tock…


Blockbuster on Barracks Row located at 410 8th Street, SE

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