Dear PoPville,
I happened to leave the house yesterday afternoon just as the bidding was about to begin for 1952 2nd Street NW, which is a house in very poor condition on the Ledroit Park side of 2nd St. It ended up selling for $625,000 + 6%, so about $660,000! A real-life example of the economics of the real estate market right now, and why row houses get ‘flipped’ into two units. I guess they will spend $200-300K on renovation, which means they will need to make well over a million selling it.
LeDroit Park
Dear PoPville,
Do you have any information about the so-called “House of Secrets” house on the 500 block of T Street NW — apparently, some kind of speakeasy / underground club that has been in and out of existence for like the past 25 years. Apparently, it looks like a normal house from the outside, but is set up as a club on the inside. Such a weird place to have a club given how residential it is. Def been some problems with it recently, like this double stabbing that happened during a recent event there. Current and historical info appreciated.
One member of the Ledroit Park listserv shared an ABRA press release from 2004:
After a lengthy investigation by the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA), on March 14, 2004, members of ABRA’s investigative unit and officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) entered into a private residence known as House of Secrets at 507 T Street, NW.
The investigation of this private residence was initiated after ABRA received information that the residential home was operating as an unlicensed after hours club. Additional information was also received that the listed location was hosting parties for hire and included events in which underage drinking of alcoholic beverages, gambling, drug use, and sexual conduct was occurring. The owner of the residence was later identified as Mr. Ralph Woodson.
On March 14, 2004, 507 T Street, NW was found to be operating as an unlicensed establishment. Specifically, it was determined that Mr. Woodson was selling alcoholic beverages without an ABC license, making alcoholic beverages available to persons under the age of 21, and in possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute. Mr. Woodson was arrested by the MPD for selling alcoholic beverages without an ABC license, making alcoholic beverages available to persons under the age of 21, and for possessing marijuana with intent to distribute.
Anyone know how far the history goes back?
Dysfunction Junction chronicles the most forlorn, baffling, and wonderful crossroads of our fair city. Ben Ball is a transportation nerd in his spare time. He lives in LeDroit Park. Ben previously wrote about Union Station-Georgetown transit options.
L’Enfant didn’t think this far ahead. If you look at his original plans, there’s a conspicuous white space at the point where Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Florida Avenues are supposed to meet. Unfortunately, that triangle is still terra nullius of a sort. The difference is that it’s now a concrete wasteland instead of a natural one. What would be the made up acronym for this noticeable hole in the fabric of gentrification? Rhoflosey? New Rho-ida? Jerida Island?
There are three gas stations in a row on that stretch of Rhode Island Avenue. You’d think that the invisible hand of the free market would cause at least one of them to go bust, but that’s where you’d be wrong. You’d also think that the zoning office or local ANC would have said something, but apparently not. Hess seems to do the best business of the three, possibly because it has a hidden Dunkin’ Donuts which I only noticed after months of walking by. BP is the station of choice for the neighborhood drunks and ne’er-do-wells, who like to hang out across the street and take naps on the grassy knoll. Valero wins the award for sketchiest looking market.
Around the time when Justin Bieber becomes eligible for Canadian Medicare, the streets in this area will be redone in order to create a major streetcar transfer point. For now, though, the pavement on Florida Avenue is starting to look like a sine wave. It’s going to need some help sooner rather than later.
After careful thought and observation, I’ve come to the conclusion that the source of this area’s problem is the LeDroit Park post office. It should be a neighborhood amenity, but the limited weekday hours throw that right out the bullet-proof window. You’d think a facility like that couldn’t possibly justify its operating costs, yet it somehow avoided the last round of cuts. It was that valuable to someone. (Eleanor Holmes Norton, perhaps?) The USPS holds the lease on that property through 2016, in case you were wondering.
Continues after the jump. (more…)
391 Rhode Island Ave, NW
Wow, I think it’s turning out awesome. What do you guys think – thumbs up or down?
Here’s a reminder of what Frazier’s looked like when it was covered in formstone.
Thanks to Paul for sending the beautiful photo taken last night.
2nd and Florida Ave, NW
One reader passes on some scuttlebutt about the renovation that has started at 1700 2nd St, NW:
“Rumor has it that it will be 9 one bedroom apartments and then a restaurant on the ground floor. As is the nature of a rumor I can’t confirm any of this… but just seeing that this place is getting attention is great news.”
And thanks to another reader, Caitlin, for sending the photos. Stay tuned for more info and updates on the renovation as construction progresses.
The reader writes:
It is located at 300 Florida Ave NW… there are several building permits in the window, but there hasn’t been any substantive work done on the place in at least a year and from the PIVS documents it looks like they “planned” to start construction back in 2006 with the issue of their first permit to turn the building into a restaurant. However, it just sits vacant these days. The basement windows are all broken, and I can only guess that this property needs serious work inside. Giving credit where credit is due… PIVS does have a new permit for “supplemental/plumbing and gas” issued on 1/30/2013, but forgive me for being skeptical of the sincerity of this request. The number of building permits issued in the past doesn’t give me any faith that work will start soon.
391 Rhode Island Ave, NW
Thanks to Adam for sending these updated shots of the former Frazier’s Funeral Home in Ledroit Park. You can see what it looked like in Nov. 2012 here.
This rental is located at 321 Elm St, NW:
The listing says:
“Experience the best DC has 2 offer! This lovely, fully furn, 3 br, 3 FP home sits in LeDroit/Howard U area. The loft br highlights this fine home with skyllights, deck,& stainless steel stove&frig. The community gaden in rear allows for quiet enhoyment. Located neat the Howard Theater, U St Corridor, Embassy Row, GA. Ave, etc. What U want is just blocks away. Come see 4 youself!!!!”
This 3 bed/ 3 bath is going for $3,780/Mo.
From a press release:
The Mayor’s Task Force on the Prevention of Flooding in Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park has issued its final report, announced City Administrator Allen Y. Lew, who co-chaired the task force with DC Water General Manager George Hawkins. The report is available online at www.oca.dc.gov.
“Completion of this vitally important analysis of the causes and possible solutions to the flooding in the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods is yet another indication of how seriously my administration took this problem,” said Mayor Vincent C. Gray. “Flooding has been a problem here for several decades. City Administrator Lew, Mr. Hawkins and the community worked together brilliantly to identify solutions – many of which have already been implemented – and after only a few months, we are on our way to resolving one of our most pressing infrastructure needs.”
Mayor Gray established the task force in late August and in December announced that the District and DC Water would immediately proceed with the most significant Task Force infrastructure recommendation. The $600 million Northeast Boundary Neighborhood Protection Project will be completed in three phases, with the first portion being the construction of two new water storage tanks at the McMillan site to hold a total of up to 6 million gallons of stormwater. Flow will be diverted from feeder sewers adjacent to the McMillan site, capturing stormwater before it arrives in Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park and reaches the sewer system. This will help reduce the excessive pressure that currently causes sewer backups and overland flooding during heavy rainstorms.
“The Flooding Task Force Report is a shining example of how citizens and government working together can solve long-standing problems,” said Lew. “While the Task Force has completed its work, the District and DC Water are just beginning. We will continue to work with the community as we implement the various recommendations.”