I can’t remember if I’ve ever noticed this before but at 600 Florida Ave, NW there is a coming soon sign for ’6 Hundred Restaurant Bar Lounge’. I don’t think I’ve seen an alcohol application for this property but I’ll keep my eyes peeled. I think it would be nice to see this section of Florida Ave, NW to get some more life.

And WBJ’s Michael Neibauer reports (subscription only) that the long delayed O St. Market in Shaw will break ground in Sept. You can see a rendering here. Knock wood, knock wood.

I’ve been meaning to show the progress of this new building on Clifton just east of 14th St, NW for quite a while. It’s coming along real nicely. Here’s a side view from the Duron Paint building:

They will be affordable condos from MANNA.

I’ll be sure to post again when the building is closer to finished.

Ed. Note: Entries close at midnight tonight Friday, July 23rd no exceptions. We’ve gotten tons of great entries that will still be posting for 2 more weeks or so before the semifinal rounds commence. Remember if you have a favorite please let me know. If you emailed a photo of your pet I promise all photos will be posted, patience please, there are tons (literally hundreds) of pets in PoPville!

Zeebo

“This is Zeebo. His hobbies include monitoring avian activity in the alley behind our building, eating, and fire safety (there was a fire in my building in ’09 and his weird behavior is what encouraged me to call 911). Definitely the coolest cat in PoPville in my book!”

Lucy

“This is Lucy. It’s possible that she’s half ewok.”

Sawyer

“Don’t let Sawyer’s regal demeanor fool you – he is all about cat nip, catching your feet when you least suspect it, and begging for his favorite treat – potato chips. Sawyer doesn’t take the role of couch potato lightly! He’s enjoyed the good life with us for the past three years, even since we snapped up this adorable bundle of fur from the
NY Ave shelter.”

Lots more great entries after the jump. (more…)

This rental is located at 1715 15th St. NW:

View Larger Map

The Craigslist ad says:

“Delightful duplex townhouse in desirable & historic “Bishop’s Gate” community. Available in August.

* 2 bedrooms (one large, one small); 1½ bathrooms
* Over 1000 sf; ample closets
* private patio
* wood-burning fireplace
* w/d, a/c, hardwood floors
* CATV included
* Great neighborhood — Walk to Metro, shops, theaters, Whole Foods, U Street, Dupont Circle
* Secure, friendly courtyard condo community of 69 units”

Like yesterday’s rental option this is also a property that I’ve walked past many times and have been super curious about the prices. Do you think $2900 sounds reasonable for this 2 bedroom?

“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?

Photo by PoPville flickr user Mylar Bono

Submit your photos to the PoPville flickr pool here. Follow PoPville on twitter here.

Photo by PoPville flickr user fromcaliw/love

In real life, hipchickindc is actually the not-so-hip Suzanne Des Marais, an associate broker with Urban Pace. Voted one of the best real estate agents in DC by the Washington City Paper Readers’ Choice Poll in 2009, Suzanne is currently Chair of the DC Public Policy Committee for the Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS® and is President Elect of the Washington, DC Association of REALTORS®. 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: 2719 13th St NW Unit #1 & #2

Original List Prices: $799,000. & $899,000. respectively

List Prices at Contract: $699,000. And $899,000. respectively
List Dates: 02/22/2010 & 2/26/2010
Days on Market: 108 & 15
Settled Sales Prices: $685,000. & $899,000.

Settlement Dates: 07/12/2010 & 04/23/2010
Seller Subsidies: $0. & $0.
Bank Owned?: No & No
Type Of Financing: Conventional for both (although it is now possible to get FHA approval for 2 unit condos)

Original GDoN is: here, but only for Unit 1.

The Listings can be seen: here. The pics are spectacular and can be seen by clicking through to each listing, then clicking the arrows on the main pic to scroll trough.

First off, sorry there was no Good Deal or Not Revisited (GDoN-R) last week. I had planned to write it while
on vacation but the wireless in Jamaica was way slow, Mon.

This conversion of one of the very large rowhomes on 13th Street NW made for two very large duplex units.
Commenters to the original Good Deal or Not (GDoN) post, which only featured the lower unit, noted the
quality of the design and finishes of the unit. Interestingly, the consensus was that the original price of
$799,000. was a good deal. I’d say that the buyer who purchased it for $114,000. (nearly 15% less than original
list) got a fantastic deal.

Continues after the jump. (more…)

This home is located at 4618 Kansas Ave, NW:

View Larger Map

The flier says:

“Located on serene park near Sherman Circle. Gorgeous sunlit 3 lvl/3 bed/2 bth porch frnt federal Hardwoods thru-out, French doors, cac w/ radiator heat; a 2 lvl addition serves as a sunroom, brkfst room/ den. Custom blinds, light fixtures, rear deck, garage and lots of street parking. Only mins. to dwntwn, a 5 min walk to metro! Sold as is. Seller Closing Asst. Avail.”

You can find more info here and photos here.

I often rave about how much I love Grant Circle, but I sometimes forget how pleasant nearby Sherman Circle is. What do you guys think of the photos of this home? Does $398,900 sound reasonable?

Yesterday I reader wrote in asking about the status of the Gage-Eckington park project in Ledroit Park. I’m afraid there is bad news to share. A number of readers have forwarded me an email from CM Jim Graham titled ‘CM Barry up to no good– Gage-Eckington Park Disapproval Filed’:

This is an outrage, and a totally needless delay in a very worthwhile project. We need this project to go forward, because of the recreational and park benefits it will bring to the entire community, and most definitely including all of the kids at Kelly Miller.

I will speak to him, though I suspect it will be to no avail. Perhaps also Chairman Gray (copied herein) can approach him?

I think LeDroit Park should descend on him en masse. What do you think?

Are you ready for the revolution residents of Ledroit Park?

Photo by PoPville flickr user AWard Tour

You can talk about whatever is on your mind – quality of life issues, a beautiful tree you spotted, scuttlebutt, or any random questions/thoughts you may have. I’ll open this thread every Monday and Friday. So anything good happen to you this week?

Thanks to all who voted PoP for WTOP’s Best Blog Contest. We took third place again. I’m happy to be the Sprite of DC’s blogs!

Photo by PoPville flickr user Hoodsweatsh

Ed. Note: Lisa is a facebook friend of mine and when I saw her note I contacted her immediately. She has allowed me to post her thought here. It is a very upsetting read but a very important one.

“Last night as I was walking out of the hospital, an elderly woman, 80 years old, called out to me and asked if I could give her a ride home. She was a dialysis patient and said she had been waiting for her transportation for 3 ½ hours. It was 745pm.

I told her I would be happy to drive the car around to get her. As I approached in my car, my heart sank as I watched this feeble woman hobbling to the curb with her cane. Her movements were so slow and deliberate, it was almost as if she was intentionally moving in slow motion. I had to assist her to enter the car. As if her circumstances were not appalling enough, the conversation we had in the car on the way to her Columbia Heights apartment upset me even more.

She told me how she called her grandson earlier that day to ask for a ride home and how he refused and cursed her out because she would not give him money. She lives alone and when I asked who looks after her she said, “I look after myself”. She does have some assistance. They are young female “helpers” who come to assist her a few times a week. It turns out they come to “help” themselves more than they help her. She related how they systematically and consistently pilfer her belongings and daily essentials. Toilet paper, food, laundry soap, small change—each disappearing little by little. She doesn’t refuse the help but knows that she would probably be better off without them. She sent one of them to the grocery store. The young lady bought some of the things she needed and then spent or took the rest of the money for herself.

Continues after the jump. (more…)

Fear Not, El Limeno Still Open for Business!

I got a few emails yesterday asking if El Limeno (200 block of Upshur St, NW) had gone out of business. I’m happy to say that they were just closed for one day but are open for business with their regular hours.

But it got me thinking that’d I’d be pretty sad if they did close. Which also got me thinking – which DC restaurant or bar that has closed do I most miss. Believe it or not the first thing that jumped in my head was the bagel place in Cleveland Park. They weren’t the best bagels in the world but they were reliable. While we’re in Cleveland Park I also liked that Asian fusion restaurant that was in Dino’s space. Anyone remember the name of that place?

So for the FQotD: Are there any restaurants or bars that you really love that have closed?

A few weeks ago we spoke about the great field of tennis players for the 2010 Legg Mason tennis tournament.  The notables include – Andy Roddick, John Isner (the guy who just had the 11 hour match in Wimbledon), Lleyton Hewitt, and Robin Soderling. The tournament takes place July 31 – August 8, 2010 and is a tune-up for the US Open. If you don’t win you can buy  tickets here.

So the organizers were kind enough to give away two pairs of VIP section tickets for the Finals! To win the tickets just say in the comments who your favorite player was growing up and who your favorite player is now (men or women). I’ll announce the winner next Friday. Oh yeah, if you win tickets you have to promise to submit one or two photos of the Finals to the PoPville flickr pool as well!

Photo by PoPville flickr user mediaslave

Lots of great entries this week. Plus I placed a new order for t-shirts yesterday so small sizes will becoming in 7-10 days. Plus, the next PoP Happy Hour is going to be the first or second Thurs. in Aug. Anyone have a preference?

Congrats to Eckingtonite with:

“Hitchhiking to Florida; no need for restroom stops.”

Honorable mention to Bradford with:

“Sadly, this was the last photo of Ms. Helen Dietrichtaken before she was found drunk and delirious in the Washington Monument reflecting pool – yet another apparent victim of one of a growing number of incidents that the authorities are referring to as “docent hazing.”