Photo by PoPville flickr user pablo.raw

If you have any fun or interesting animal/pet photos or news please shoot me an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com with ‘Animal Fix’ in the title and say what neighborhood you’re from or upload to the PoPville flickr pool. I can’t guarantee I’ll get them all posted but I’ll do my best.  I’m aware not everyone loves pets.  But they bring me (and others) a lot of pleasure.  It’s cool, hold tight, a new post is coming in a half hour, you can make it!

ralph

Found dogs in Petworth after the jump. (more…)

This rental is located at 2112 New Hampshire Ave NW:

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The Craigslist ad says:

”
Beautiful Jr. One bedroom in a great location!!!!. This apartment with a total of 564 square feet includes a dishwasher, garbage disposal, gas range and frost free refrigerator. ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED!!!!. This unit also has a large seperate kitchen and dressing area that you will love. Don’t miss out on this unit. First come, First Served. This unit is available to move into as of January 25!!!

This is a really great building with friendly neighbors and management. 24 hour front desk, package acceptance, roof top sun deck, fitness center. This 3rd floor unit with a southern exposure and has an unbelievable view of Washington, DC. Laundry facilities are located on each floor. Parking is available in our lot and if you have a pet, we will be happy to accept your cat. The security deposit is only $500 which is refundable. Application fee is $55. If you are interested in applying for this unit you need only leave half of the deposit and application fee upon completion of application. Personal checks or money orders accepted.”

This one is for the reader yesterday who requested a non-basement option. Does $1496 sound right for this junior 1 bedroom?

Photo by PoPville flickr user fromcaliw/love

“Dear PoP,

Here’s a question the readers of PoP might know the answer to — I tried a quick scan of the DC DoT’s website and couldn’t find an answer.

December 24th is a parking meter holiday, which is great news for me. But does it apply to other no parking signs between specific hours? For instance, along Madison and Jefferson Streets where they line the National Mall, there’s no parking on Monday through Friday from 1am-10am, and 3-hour parking otherwise. Would one still get ticketed if you parked there on Friday the 24th at 8am, even though it’s a parking meter holiday? Since there are no meters there my gut instinct is no, but I figure there are people who might know a definitive answer one way or the other…”

I believe on Dec. 24th not only is it a parking meeter holiday but other limited parking follows a holiday schedule. Do you guys think/know if you park by the mall on the 24th despite the Mon. – Fri. regular restrictions?

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“Dear PoP,

Found: AT&T blackberry, belonging to “Doug.” Found the phone on the sidewalk along 11th Street between Harvard & Girard, NW at 12:30pm today. I know it’s just a phone, but for the number of times mine has either been stolen or been lost I would have appreciated somebody trying to return it.

It’s a smaller version, gunmetal color. When I found it was split open and battery was out. After replacing the battery the phone turned on and loaded…where I found out it belonged to “Doug.” It’s password protected so I can’t get to any numbers to call a friend and return the phone. If anybody knows a guy named Doug, who is missing his blackberry, let me know and I’ll get it safely back.”

If it is yours please contact M.ElizabethRobinson@gmail.com

Photo by PoPville flickr user thisisbossi

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

Photo by PoPville flickr user thisisbossi

Photo by PoPville flickr user itsnoteasybeingaprincess90

Those who follow the afternoon rental options won’t be surprised but I didn’t realize rent had increased this much. The Washington Post reports this morning:

“In this region, rental prices surged 22 percent in 2009 from a decade earlier, according to the latest inflation-adjusted Census figures.

In local apartment buildings, rents jumped 8.2 percent — about twice the long-term average — to $1,643 this year as vacancies disappeared, according to a study to be released next week by Delta Associates, a Alexandria-based research firm. The area’s vacancy rates are the second-lowest in the nation, after New York City.”

Yikes, but I’ll still do my best to find some good ones!

This home is located at 522 G St, SE:

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The flier says:

“SUN-DRENCHED SOUTH FACING 3 BEDROOM 2.5 BATH END UNIT BRICK TOWNHOUSE WITH EVERYTHING YOU COULD ASK FOR! HUGE CHEF’S KITCHEN WITH CUSTOM CABINETS, GRANITE AND GE MONOGRAM. WOOD FLOORS, TANKLESS GAS H20 HEATER, QUIET REAR GARDEN PATIO, GORGEOUS MASTER SUITE WITH PRIVATE BALCONY, SEP DINING ROOM, SURROUND SOUND, FIREPLACES, EXPOSED BRICK AND SO MUCH MORE”

You can find more info here and photos here.

How much of a negative do you think it is to live by the Southeast Freeway? Or is that a positive? Think this 3 bed/2.5 bath will go for $845,000?

The new Mt. Vernon Square Subway Cafe has opened up in the 400 block of Mass Ave, NW. And it’s not just a Subway but a Subway Cafe. Wild, I’d never seen one of these before. I saw it for the first time this past weekend. Pretty posh:

Since folks questioned St. Arnold’s Belgian Restaurant/Pub that recently opened up at 1827 Jefferson Place, NW, I thought it would be fun to judge one of the oldest Belgian restaurants in DC – Belga Cafe. Belga is located at 514 8th Street, SE on Barracks Row. Their Web site says:

“Belga Café is the original Belgian restaurant in Washington DC and a great place for authentic Belgian food and Belgian Beers. Combining an intriguing atmosphere with excellent, light & healthy interesting food.

Belga Café is a little bit of Brussels on the Hill, with an open kitchen and sidewalk café.”

You can see their menus here.

Is the oldest Belgian in DC also the best?

This came up this morning when talked about the nearby Howard Theater restoration project. The metro construction is indeed the old Broadcast Center One project that will now become home to the United Negro College Fund. Washington Business Journal wrote:

UNCF is expected to purchase 50,000 square feet of office space at Seventh and S streets NW, in the $143 million development once called Broadcast Center One. The college financial aid provider is committed to building a 5,000-square-foot assistance center on the ground floor.

Work on the development is expected to start in August, with a grand opening in 2012.

Additionally the project, “will feature 168,000 square feet of office space, 133 apartment units and 15,000 square feet of retail space.” according to the Business Journal.

Stay tuned for more updates as construction progresses.

Somebody asked me this question a while ago and when I was on H St, NE last week it jumped back in my head. And I have no idea what the answer is. Anyone know how it’ll work? Does the street car share a lane with cars or will the lane be designated for street cars only? You can see in the photo above that cars currently use it.

And a quick side note since we were talking about the biking track troubles at 9th and L St, NW – do any folks who bike on H St, NE have trouble/get stuck in the tracks?

Photo by PoPville flickr user ianseanlivingston

“Dear PoP,

I live in a row house and its come to my attention that the owner of the house on one side of me is renting out his 3 br 2 bath home out to 12 people. I know this because several of the residents have been open about the living arraignment and I have been inside the house several times and seen the beds placed throughout the home. Those renters that I have gotten to know are truly kind, considerate people just trying to get by, but the problem is that 1) the owner is negligent and treats them like dirt (refusing to fix AC in the summer, etc), and 2) the the overcrowding has had negative consequences which affect myself and our other neighbors.

Recently myself and the neighbor on the other side of this house noticed an infestation of roaches. We remedied this (at least temporarily) by convincing the owner to spay his home, but its clear that a crowded situation w/ one kitchen for 12 people is going to lead to other pest issues. I let the owner know the rental regulations, that he should have be approved/permitted for renting and that the maximum for a single family home is 6 residents, but he refused to listen to me.

I am concerned that if I call DCRA and report the overcrowded, non-permitted rental, these people would be put out in the cold this winter. However, I know there are other risks (to the residents and to myself) such as increased odds of a fire, to having a so many people in a poorly maintained, non-approved rental home. Can anyone think of a good solution? Do you think DCRA would be willing to assist the people find housing or give them time to do so on their own?”

Wow, this is very sad. I don’t think DCRA is tasked with assisting people to find proper housing, rather that probably goes to some sorta social services agency. Anyone know who to call/contact in this situation to be sure that the situation is remedied but folks aren’t simply thrown on the streets?

At long last (this is for you Matt G!) Blue Banana sports bar is opening up Tuesday night at 3632 Georgia Ave, NW next to Looking Glass Lounge. We had a brief update in Nov. but now it is official – doors open Tuesday, Dec. 21st at 6pm. And here’s even better news – Tues. and Wed. from 8-9pm there will be an open bar. Yes, an open bar! Select beers and rail drinks but still an open bar!

Their facebook page says:

The Blue Banana Sports & Rock Bar is opening this week! We have 10 Flat Screen TV’s, a Full Bar, 12 Microbrews on Tap plus plenty of Bottles of Beer in the coolers! Come enjoy all the Sports Games you can imagine (we are getting every package available and if we don’t have it ask!). At night come listen to Rock & Top 40 via our IPOD plus DJ’s & Bands coming soon!

Please join us for one of our special opening nights and check us out!

Tuesday Open Bar from 8pm – 9pm

Wednesday Open Bar from 8pm – 9pm

Thursday: 1/2 Price Beers all night!

Friday: Xmas Eve 1/2 Price Drinks 8pm – 10pm!

Saturday: Closed during the day but opening at 8pm. 1/2 Price Drinks 8pm – 10pm!

Sunday: Noon – Close

See many of you tomorrow night, yeah?

“Dear PoP,

Do you have any updates on the Howard Theater renovations (7th & T Streets, NW) and more specifically the vacant storefronts and empty lot next to the Howard Metro stop? The storefronts and lot are all connected to the the Theater from the side and back and we *hope* that there is some movement finally happening.”

I don’t have a huge update but I was very excited to see that Michael Marshall Architecture was involved with the project. These are the folks who did the super cool new house at 2815 Woodland Drive, NW.

Anyone know what’s going to happen to the retail spaces next to the theater?

I will be saddened when/if this mural goes away… Close ups after the jump. (more…)

Thanks to a reader for sending the heads up on the scaffolding that recently went up. This is the space that used to be Coco Libre and Nani Kafe before that but has been vacant for many months. We speculated on what may would be a good retail option for that corner back in April ’09. Looks like there is finally some movement. Anyone know if a new tenant has been found?