Columbia Heights

PoP Pho Patrol – Pho 14 Delivery Coming Soon

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

Can you confirm that Pho 14 will start offering delivery next month? This will ALMOST make up for moving outside the Tono Sushi delivery range.”

I stopped by Pho 14, located at 1436 Park Rd. NW, and sadly delivery will not be coming until November. It was supposed to come in October but there was some difficulty with staffing. They think they will hire someone start delivery sometime in November. And for the real question – what is the delivery radius? 3 miles! That should hook a lot of us up.

In other Pho news, the new spot, possibly to be names Pho Viet, opening up at 3515 14th Street, NW still looks a few weeks away from opening. Stay tuned on both fronts.

Ellwood Thompson’s Grocery Store Not Looking Good For Columbia Heights At the Moment

By Prince Of Petworth

We’ve been wondering for months whether or not Ellwood Thompson’s was going to move into the space on Irving Street in the DC USA complex. As you probably surmised, it’s not looking good for a move any time soon. Thanks to a reader for sending an article from the Richmond Times Dispatch. While the Richmond Store is doing well the economy is going to have to improve for a DC expansion:

“In April, Ellwood Thomson’s scuttled plans to open a store in Washington. The 15,000-square-foot store would have been its second location.

Hood says the economy played a significant role in putting off the expansion.

“The timing just wasn’t right,” he said, though he hopes to open a store in the same D.C. location at some point.”

I wonder when all these vacant ground level retail spots in DC USA are going to fill in. Any guesses? One year, two years, longer?

Shooting at 11th and Park Road, NW Monday Night. Reader Also Raises a Larger Issue

By Prince Of Petworth

I’ve received a number of emails about this incident. What will follow is a piecing together of various emails. For those expecting a Washington Post type report, please skip this post. Thanks.

I hear around 11pm at the corner of 11th and Park a Latino worker from a nearby establishment was waiting for the bus and was accosted by two men demanding money. I’m told he had either very little money or tried to fight off the assailants. I’m told the assailants shot the victim in the leg and that he is in the hospital and awaiting surgery or recovering. However another resident said they heard the shots (readers report hearing 2) closer to 1:45am and 5 police cars and an ambulance responded pretty quickly. Another reader reports that there is speculation that the man was specifically targeted because he was Latino. I’m told that many Latinos are targeted for robbery in Columbia Heights because the perpetrators may believe that they are carrying cash and due to immigration issues the victims may be less likely to contact the police.

If this is indeed the case, how do you think it can/should be remedied. Should there be some sort of amnesty for victims reporting crimes? Do you think there should be more police patrols along 11th and 14th Streets, NW around the time bars and restaurants close?

Columbia Height Plaza Completed and Looks Great! Don’t Forget What it Looked Like Only 7 Years Ago

By Prince Of Petworth

Thanks to a reader for sending a new birdseye look at the plaza. We’ve been following this development closely, and whatever frustration and/or delay there has been I think most of us can agree that it came out great and is certainly a fantastic addition to the neighborhood. Even the solar trees can look awesome:


Photo by Barbara Krawcowicz

It can be hard to imagine this happening 10 years ago. I was lucky enough to have a reader send some photos from 7 years ago. I don’t think anyone can deny that this is progress:

Lots more photos of the area from 7 years ago after the jump. (more…)

A Look Inside 2317 15th Street, NW

By Prince Of Petworth

A few weeks ago the owner of this house sent in a few pictures of his renovation on 15th Street, NW. It just whet my appetite and he was kind enough to invite me over to take some more photos. Holy cow. The previous photos hardly did it justice. The home was bought in 2000 and the renovations took a year. I’d like to thank the owners for being kind enough to invite me over and allow to take some photos. The owner writes:

“Fun news, just found out the house won a national AIA design award for sustainable design. The update really wasn’t about the pop up, it was about opening up the house and making it more environmentally friendly overall. We needed to re-do the electrical throughout, the plumbing to some extent, and to completely replace and update the HVAC while modernizing the kitchen and other spaces. The rooftop addition was an added bonus that we love–and it gave us some terrific additional access to the outdoors and that amazing park.”

Below is the view of Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park from the second floor balcony off the living room:

Lots more photos after the jump including a sick Koi pond… (more…)

Shooting at 13th and Euclid Friday Night?

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

Hey there, did you happen to hear anything about a homicide in front of a townhouse on 13th st, just a few doors down from euclid on the east side (and close to the terminus of that early august car chase)?

my girlfriend walked by there friday night, and there were cops all over the place and the area was taped off. staffers from the medical examiner’s office were taking photos of a body at the top of the stairs going up to the townhouse. as of last night, there were still multiple police cars and a small police truck — possibly some sort of forensics unit.”

I actually haven’t heard anything about this incident. Did anyone else happen to hear/see what happened? I know there has been trouble from time to time on 14th and Euclid, but I rarely hear of any problems at 13th and Euclid. If anyone happened to catch a report on a listserv please leave the info in the comments. Thanks.

Columbia Heights Plaza Appears Open

By Prince Of Petworth

Thanks to a reader for sending in the above photo with the following, “The workers removed all the barriers just a few minutes ago. (Thurs. evening) Folks are already hanging out there. Very cool!”. Apparently there is supposed to be a press conference tomorrow morning at 10am but I haven’t received official word. I’ll update tomorrow if that is the case.

Incidentally another reader sent in a very cool link with photos of other “solar trees”. You can see them here.

Dear PoP – Almost Shooting at 13th and Kenyon 9/23 @ 6:30pm

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

Yesterday (Wed) at 6:30pm I was watching a soccer game at Tubman Elementary on Kenyon two houses West of Wonderland directly across the street from a young kid about 14yo who crouched to the ground when he and another youth a few houses up recognized each other and got into a staring match. The kid closest to me slowly pulled a gun from inside his underpants and the other kid darted toward my side of the street and toward 13th street and moments before I thought he’d be shot a cop in jeans and a red polo shirt apprehended the kid with the gun. No shots fired, no screaming -I don’t even think the soccer players knew anything was going on 1/2 block away. I never noticed the 2 plain clothes policemen and huge kudos for the quick professional arrest. The gun wielding youth was of slight build, medium height, dressed well and someone you would not view as threatening. Someone you would expect a mom to have her arm around. Likely in another 5-10 seconds shots would have been fired. Crazy to be so young and willing and prepared to kill another with his whole life ahead of him when he seemed so calm. Even when sitting handcuffed with the cops on the corner of 13th and Kenyon the assailant did not seem angry, scared or threatening.”

Well, this is just insane. Thankfully nobody was hurt and MPD made an arrest.

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