Petworth

Man Shot at 5th and Kennedy St, NW

By Prince Of Petworth


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Here we go again. This comes after yesterday’s afternoon shooting at a police officer nearby at New Hampshire Emerson St NW. From MPD:

“Around 3pm, units received a call for a shooting at 5th and Kennedy Sts NW. An adult male victim was located suffering from an apparent non-life threatening gunshot wound. The victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment. The suspect is described as a black male wearing a black jacket, blue jeans, black cap with a scarf covering the face armed with a handgun.

Detectives are conducting interviews at this time and we ask that anyone with information please call 1-888-919-CRIME.”

MPD Officer Shot at and injured at Delafield and New Hampshire Ave, NW

By Prince Of Petworth


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I’ve started to get emails from readers asking about the MPD police presence around Crittenden and NH Ave, NW. I just got off the phone with Council Member Bowser who was able to share some details:

1. The incident happened around 4pm.
2. 911 received a phone call about a man walking with a gun around NH and Delafield
3. MPD on the scene pulls up to suspect matching description
4. When officer begins to exit car, man shoots at officer
5. Not clear if officer was shot or injured by glass but he is currently being treated
6. Officers apprehend suspect and gun is recovered.

More info as it becomes available.

UPDATE 5:19pm

From 4-D Cmdr Chisley-Missouri:

“Around 4pm, units received a call for a man with a gun in the area of 3rd and Delafield Pl NW. A male suspect who fit the description given to officers was located at New Hampshire Ave and Emerson St NW. The suspect fired a gun at an officer and then attempted to flee the scene on foot. The suspect was apprehended near New Hampshire Ave and Decatur St NW and taken into custody. The identity of the suspect is not known at this time and the officer is being treated for a non-life threatening injury. Currently, the 4800 blk of New Hampshire Ave is closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic as we continue to investigate. If anyone observed this activity, please call 1-888-919-CRIME. I will keep the community advised with significant updates.”

14th Street Corridor Vision Plan and Revitalization Strategy Public Meeting #3 Next Wed.

By Prince Of Petworth

From an email:

Wednesday, January 19, 2011
6:30 – 8:30 pm

Kingsbury Day School at 5000 14th St., NW (The Great Room)

STUDY PURPOSE:

With the help of government agency representatives and community stakeholders, the revitalization
strategy will help prioritize concerns and determine potential opportunities for revitalization and infill
development for the following commercial nodes along 14th Street:

Spring to Shepherd Streets |Webster to Decatur Streets | Jefferson to Longfellow Streets NW

MEETING #3 PURPOSE: OP consultants will present their market analysis for 14th Street to the public and
engage in a question and answer period. Community stakeholders will have the opportunity to learn
more about market demand and potential in their neighborhood. The outcome of this meeting will
facilitate the development of concrete strategies to revitalize and improve 14th Street.

Lion’s Den Jamaican Restaurant Opens at 3619 Georgia Ave, NW

By Prince Of Petworth

I’m happy to report that the Lion’s Den has recently opened up at 3619 Georgia Ave, NW across the street from Looking Glass Lounge and Blue Banana in the old Mario’s Pizza space. It’s more of a takeout restaurant than a sit down place but the menu looks pretty good:

They are open Mon-Thurs from 9:30am-11pm and Fri-Sat. from 9:30am – 12am and closed on Sun.

Anyone sample the goods yet?

Mon. Afternoon Rental Option – Petworth (Reader Request)

By Prince Of Petworth

This rental is located at 137 Varnum Street NW:


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The Craigslist ad says:

“We have a newly renovated basement suite with a private full bathroom available in our NW DC home. The large bedroom has both front and rear windows and the adjoining suite has two large windows as well. You have your own access from the street through the back garden and you have a private patio and garden area with fruit trees. There is a large, brand new walk-in closet and your bathroom has a steam room spa and overhead heater. Washer & dryer are available, we have wireless and utilities are not that much per month. We have a fenced in front and backyard and newly renovated kitchen.”

Does $950 + Utilities sound reasonable for this 2-room basement rental?

Huge Petworth News: Apartments at 811 Quincy St, NW Purchased for $8.2 Million, $4 Million Renovation to Begin

By Prince Of Petworth


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This is epic. I’m actually on vacation at the moment and don’t have much time, but I wanted to share this press release asap:

Urban Investment Partners (UIP) of Washington, D.C., in partnership with The Infinity Group of New York, NY has acquired the 99-apartment New Quin apartments directly across the street from the Petworth Metro station at the intersection of New Hampshire and Georgia Avenues in NW Washington, D.C. Marcus & Millichap’s Stacey Milam represented the seller, longtime Washington real estate owner CC Dudley, in the $8.2 million transaction. As a result of the District’s Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), the New Quin NHQ Tenants’ Association and UIP reached an agreement that will preserve and protect the property as part of the District’s dwindling rental housing stock.

The property, which will remain rental, comprises two separate buildings with 55 and 45 apartments respectively. The buildings have charming, highly detailed historic brick and cast concrete façades. UIP will preserve these facades while renovating, upgrading, repairing and restoring the buildings’ common areas, building systems, and individual apartments. UIP General Contracting, Inc. will begin the $4 million renovation project in January.

Common area upgrades will include new front doors, key fob- and telephone-based controlled entry access, a key-fob accessed bike storage room, and renovated elevators, lobbies, and hallways. Electric service throughout the property will be upgraded, and individual apartments will receive upgrades, as well. UIP’s property management division, UIP Property Management, Inc., has taken over building management.

“With its beautiful façade and great location in a fantastic resurgent neighborhood, this is one of the more exciting acquisitions we have made recently,” said Steve Schwat, UIP Principal. “The more time I spend in and around Petworth, the more I understand its popularity. I can almost throw a baseball into the Metro station entrance from the front door of 811 Quincy Street.” Schwat noted that the popular 14th Street restaurant Marvin’s plans to open on the first floor of a new condominium building next door to New Quin.

“The New Quin Apartments will be a great addition to UIP’s portfolio, as the property sits above the Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metro stop in a rapidly developing market. It was a pleasure working with a very experienced buyer that was well versed in DC rent control and TOPA laws to bring this transaction to an easy and successful close” said Milam.

Dear PoP – Living in Petworth without a car?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user rjs1322

“Dear PoP,

I am a long-ish time Columbia Heights resident (5+ years), but am looking to upgrade from a condo to a rowhouse. I LOVE Columbia Heights, but over the past few weeks, have come to consider a property a bit south of Grant Circle, because, quite honestly, my money goes further in Petworth.

So my question to you — and all other Petworth dwellers — is this: can I live in Petworth without a car? Or without spending half my life waiting for a bus? Most importantly, how should I get groceries? (I find the Petworth Safeway a little to scary and the Yes! a little too limited in selection — and Zipcar is out because, again honestly, I’m a horrible driver) Secondly, what dry cleaner should I use? Finally, is a mile-plus walk to the S-series buses a sustainable commute?

Any tips/recommendations are greatly appreciated!”

I can answer this question pretty easily because I live just south of Grant Circle and I haven’t had a car in over a year. Yes, you can def. do it! For grocery shopping you can use Giant’s Peapod service or if you are slightly crazy like me you can use a granny cart (I occasionally shlep mine all the way to the Columbia Heights Giant). I don’t ride the bus too often but when I was regularly commuting I walked to metro in about 10 minutes. Anyone use the S-series buses?

Any other non car urban dwellers?

Dear PoP – First Impressions on the Blue Banana

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

I thought I’d share my feelings on our new sports bar. So far – not good! :( We live up the street from the bar and went to have lunch and watch football on Sunday. I’ll give it another chance in a couple of months but for now I give it a 5 out of 10.

1.) First of all they did not have Direct TV as advertised. Apparently they don’t have the ticket yet. So the only games they were showing is what was on regular TV. I would have been pissed if I traveled far to see a certain game and it wasn’t on.

2.) The bar stools were super uncomfortable. I left at half time because my butt hurt. They also have no place to hang your jacket. (I like the hooks they put on the bar so you can keep your purse right next to you.) They should add those.

3.) The bathrooms were atrocious. Nasty. I’m pretty sure I was the first customer to use the bathroom that day since we showed up right when they opened and we were the only people there. The bathroom only has one weird light fixture on the side wall. They have no lights on the ceiling at all – just a skinny fluorescent light on the wall. I think they were trying to be trendy but it is a poor source of lighting.

4.) No food. I forget if this is always going to be the case. The bartender told us we could get something delivered or go to Manny & Olga’s next door.

The bartender told us there was at least 100 people there on Wednesday night. I find this a little hard to believe but good for them if they did. Hopefully the patrons had a better experience then I did. I don’t mean to sound like a Negative Nancy but I was so excited for a super awesome afternoon and I was very disappointed.

I will reiterate that I loved the beer selection but if I want to go to a bar I’d be much happier at LGL or the Pint.”

I’ve been getting a lot emails/chats about folk’s first impressions of Blue Banana located at 3632 Georgia Ave, NW. Unfortunately all the early reviews have been similar to the one posted above. Personally, I think it’s a bit too early to tell but hopefully they make some adjustments after reading some constructive criticism. Any other first impressions?

Before and After at 3910 Georgia Ave, NW

By Prince Of Petworth


Sept. 2008

After our talk yesterday about gyms in Petworth a reader asked if I could post what the building across from Qualia Coffee looks like now. (Another readers asks if I know how much rent will be, I do not but promise to update when the rental units go on the market.) So, how do you think it turned out?


Dec. 2010

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