Thanks to a reader for sending the heads up about the closing of L & N Thrift , sorry, Super Thrift Store at 1830 14th Street NW. The new location will be 3112 Georgia Ave, NW (by Kenyon).
Park View
“Dear PoP,
We’re not sure of the name of the new park on Georgia between Irving and Columbia, but it was hopping tonight and we thought you might like to see the pictures. They closed at 7pm, but the groundskeeper assured us that once they finish all the landscaping, the plan is for it to be open until 9pm.”
I was excited last week when we saw grass going in. But this exceeds my expectations. Hard to believe it looked like this not too long ago. Nice work!
Photo by PoPville flickr user sophiagrrl
I was cc’d on this email from a resident to CM Jim Graham and I thought I’d share it because I don’t hear this perspective too often from parents with school age kids.
I am a relatively new transplant to DC and a new homeowner in Park View. When we moved here from Japan last year I chose, quite actively, to move into the city rather than into the suburbs of Northern Virginia or Maryland because I value urban living and because I feel that DC is in the process of being reinvigorated. I am investing in the future of the city by purchasing a home and positioning myself and my family as proud DC residents.
The only worrisome concern that I had was schooling for my two young children. Unlike most parents purchasing homes, however, I was not obsessed with it and allowed myself to not focus on it, knowing that something would work out for us when the time came. And it did. After looking closely at the public and public charter schools in my neighborhood, I was shocked to find that many of them were ideal for our current situation. We took part in the lottery, which was shockingly professional and responsive and easy to navigate. We also took part in a few PCS lotteries and my school-age son got a place in a school that we are extremely happy with. However, I felt very comfortable with all of the schools in our neighborhood and some of the principals and teachers impressed me greatly. I felt like there was a huge investment in my children and that there was a real head of steam pushing the new generation of school personnel forward.
Rewarding those who are so committed and recruiting other like them is a huge step toward making DC public schools competitive. Sadly, perhaps, but necessarily, removing personnel not as invested and excited about education is another part of that process. I can easily see a near future where the DC public school system, injected with new life and new accountability, makes moving into DC a desirable option for many who have previously chosen not to do so.
I am pleased with my new home and my new city and – yes – with my new school. If things keep moving in this direction, with planning and insight and with the guts to make hard decisions, then my investment in DC and in Park View will prove to be one of the smartest decisions I’ve ever made.
Sincerely,
Beth Rollins
I’m curious if any other parents with school age children echo this sentiment? If so please say what neighborhood you live in?
This rental is located at 5th and Quincy Streets, NW:
The Craigslist ad says:
“To acquire this apartment, complete an application, $25 credit check/reference check, $1000 security deposit. 12 month lease preferable. Please email with your availability for seeing the apartment. We are showing the apartment on an individual basis by appointment — so please email to set up a meeting. Thanks!
The apartment was recently renovated (you will be the third tenant) and comes with a beautiful floor plan, new brand name appliances, and a new bathroom. Kitchen features a stylish breakfast bar, refrigerator/freezer, gas stove, microwave oven, dishwasher, disposal and exhaust fan. The apartment also features a private rear entrance that will take you directly to your private parking space in the rear. Apartment features recessed lighting, beautiful ceramic tile flooring and an open floor plan. Light is plentiful from the three north-facing windows. Also gracing this great space is a great walk-in-closet and spacious pantry. Apartment has direct access to clothes washer and dryer.
No Smoking and no Pets Please.
You pay 1/4 of House Utilities (A/C, heat, water, electric) – generally $60 a month. High Speed Internet and Comcast Cable offered FREE. Washer and Dryer in the apartment. Located in a completely renovated, gorgeous townhouse. Private parking is available and street parking is plentiful. You will be the third tenant to ever live in this unit — the other two have loved it and will gladly provide references.”
Does $1100 sound reasonable for this basement studio?
“Dear PoP,
I am a potential first time home buyer that found a place I love on the 2900 block of Sherman ave. However, my concern is that it is over-priced and that the area is neither aesthetically pleasing or safe at this time. As this is the biggest purchase of my young life, I want to make sure anything I do is well thought out. Therefore, and although you may be biased, what are your thoughts on making huge investments in this area (to the tone of $390K)? What do you think the impact will be of the Sherman ave. reconstruction? Do you think said construction well be completed as envisioned in the design phase? Anything else you would like to add would be extremely helpful. One last thought, I am a male in my mid-20’s, and in more than one discussion since contemplating this purchase I have heard something to this effect “a male living in this area equals OK, but don’t even think about getting a female roommate or having a girlfriend over because it is still that unsafe.”
I’m one of the folks who believes that Sherman Ave has huge potential. If I were looking to buy a home now I would not hesitate to buy there, knowing that it will take a number of years before it reaches its potential. But like others have said, I like the proximity to 11th St, NW and all it has to offer. I’ll let the folks who live there discuss the safety issues. Good luck!
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It had that great new car smell and looks awesome. My first purchase? A bottle of water. If you come to the next PoP happy hour the second Thurs. in August (details soon) remind me to tell you stories of my walkabouts in the 100 degree weather. Good times, good times.
But back to the CVS, for real, the inside looks great. And the woman who came in behind me, went straight to the folks working behind the counter and said, “thank you so much for opening in our neighborhood”.
Photo by PoPville flickr user HeatherMG
Car b que from an alley in Columbia Heights/Park View off Sherman Ave, NW Sat. night/Sun. morning.
“Dear PoP,
My phone picture doesn’t do this building justice, but the Fisherman’s Church near the intersection of Georgia and New Hampshire deserves an award. This historic building was one of the first movie theaters in DC and now it is a true blight to the neighborhood. What is hard to see here is the attempts at several different paint colors (purple, Orange, brown), but the new addition of a chunk of plastic siding is a real beauty.
Here is hoping that when the economy gets better, somebody will make them an offer they can’t refuse. This place is amazing on the inside and would make a great DC Cinema Draft house.”
I can’t nominate this as a Horses Ass Award because it is a functioning church. They also have put a bit of money in for internal renovations. A horse ass award is reserved for buildings that have fallen into disrepair and are vacant with no known improvements for months/years. This church actually has a really interesting historyas you noted. It used to be a theater in the 1920s.
I do happen to know that developers have tried to purchase this property a few times but were unable to. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love a DC Cinema Draft house somewhere but at the moment this is an active church that is a positive member of the community so I wish them and their congregation well.
What do you guys think – do you feel this property is a blight?
Thanks to a reader for sending in the news. In a newsletter Elizabeth from Yoga House writes:
“Our 5 year lease is ending at our current space [3634B Georgia Ave., NW] at the end of August, and we have decided to vacate these premises. We love our beautiful Yoga House – but we know that it is not the building we love, it is the sweetness of all the amrit velas, all the yoga and meditation that we have done there that have created the beauty of this space – and we are not attached to this one building no matter how much we have enjoyed it.
Yes we are planning to re-locate and re-open, but it won’t happen before 2011.”
I emailed Elizabeth to confirm and she says:
“If you do write about this will you tell everyone how teaching at Yoga House has been the best time of my life, that I have loved getting to know the Petworth and Columbia Heights community and I will be back soon!
If folks want to keep up with me they can sign up on the front page of my newsletter (www.yogahousestudio.com) or follow YogiElizabeth on Twitter or find Yoga House Washington on Facebook.”
I interviewed Yoga House’s owner, Elizabeth Greathouse, back in July 2007. I wish her and her team the best of luck and I’ll be sure to post their new location in 2011. In the meantime their current location will be open through August.
I’ve been watching this pop up from the 3000 block of Sherman Ave, NW go up for many many months. Looks like it’s finally finished. So…thumbs up or down. Does seem that they got a roof deck too:
