Last week a reader sent in word about a group, Stop the Lot, opposing a parking lot for the area bounded by Georgia Avenue, Irving Street and Columbia Road.

A reader sends an update from Council Member Jim Graham:

“The Deputy Mayor’s office has informed me that they will not recommend parking as part of the interim use for the former Bruce Monroe School site at Ga and Irving.

Therefore that idea is off the table.

We can now proceed to work with the Mayor and his people on an contributing design for interim uses for this location.”

So what do you think realistically could work in this location? I like the idea of what the Stop the Lot folks mentioned about a garden/park area like is being done at the old Gage School in LeDroit Park.

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A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the current Bruce Monroe School Demolition schedule and proposed plans. A group has emerged opposing a parking lot. They write:

Dear PoP,

Demolition at the Bruce Monroe Elementary School (bounded by Georgia Avenue, Irving Street and Columbia Road) is now scheduled to be complete in late April. At a community meeting this week, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development announced a proposal to convert the majority of the parcel into a surface parking lot for commuters, who are likely to be employees of one of the large employers on this side of town. The parking lot is to be an interim use, which the District says could last 3-5 years.

Many neighbors of the site think a surface parking lot, for however long, is a very bad idea. This will do nothing to benefit the community, will be harmful to the environment, and the revenue it raises — which the District would share — will not be targeted to any particular use in the neighborhood. By contrast, the Gage-Eckington School in LeDroit Park was nearly the same size as the Bruce Monroe parcel, demolition was begun at about the same time, and yet the residents of that community are about to enjoy a permanent 3-acre park with an urban vegetable farm.

The next community meeting on this topic is March 8. In the meantime, please help strengthen the opposition by visiting http://www.stopthelot.com to learn more and sign an online petition.

Pleasant Plains and Park View deserve better.

– The Stop the Lot Coalition

Does anyone actually support the idea of a parking lot here?

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You can see some photos of the school here. Darren Jones sent a great update on the Columbia Heights Listserv:

Councilman Jim Graham held a meeting about the Bruce Monroe School property on Tuesday, February 16, 2010. The meeting was well attended. Here is some of what we heard from the people from the Deputy Mayor’s Office.

Why hasn’t the school been torn down?

-Demolition was delayed because of asbestos problems.

-The Request for Proposal to build a new school closed on November 16, 2009 with no respondents.

What happens next?

-Demolition of the school should start within the next couple of weeks.

-Demolition will be complete by April 30, 2010.

-The site will be leveled and a new school may not be built for 3-5 years.

-Short-term uses for the property were discussed.

-A basketball court and a tennis court may be built of the front of the property (Georgia Avenue side).

-A parking lot may be built on the Irving Street side of the property. The parking lot will be used by industrial organizations (hospitals, etc.).

What was the community’s reaction?

-The community seemed to like the idea of a temporary tennis court and basketball court. -The community would also like to see a staffed, temporary structure on the property to provide supervision to kids using the site.

-The community was not in favor of a parking lot because of the congestion it would cause on Irving Street, the pollution and hassle it would create in the neighborhood.

When is the next meeting?

-The next meeting is on Monday, March 8. It will start at 7:00 PM. The meeting place will be announced soon and will be held at a location on/or near Georgia Avenue. It will be hosted by Councilman Graham and the Georgia Avenue Community Development Taskforce. Everyone is welcome to participate to try to finalize the short-term plans for the property and to give your ideas and voice your opinions. The Councilman and Deputy Mayor’s Office would also like to hear what you would like to see in a new Bruce Monroe Elementary School.

Darren Jones, President

Pleasant Plains Civic Association

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The one above is from H Street, NE and they’re actually tons of them. I think they look fantastic. I haven’t seen any of this style elsewhere in the city. I did see some more of the larger new ones going up on Georgia Ave near Howard though:

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“Dear PoP,

My family and I are planning a visit to DC for the Cherry Blossom festival (my elderly parents, husband and 7 yr old daughter and myself). We found a great vacation rental at 619 Kenyon St, but are trying to figure out it is a reasonably safe neighborhood. The idea is to take the Metro in to all the museums and sights, but at the end of the day, have a spacious family hangout to come back to. All of the reading I’ve done so far suggests that it has not been a very safe neighborhood but is in the process of gentrifying. I know that in these cases (having lived in many “transitional” neighborhoods in my life), the specific location can make a big difference as to safety.”

This is a tough question. I do think the neighborhood of Pleasant Plains is safe. However, personally I don’t think it is ideal for a home base for elderly parents. I say that because while it is not impossible, it is not ideal to catch taxi cabs from this location. It is not terribly far from the Columbia Heights Metro Station at 14th and Irving but it is a bit of a walk. That is my only hesitation. But I’d like to throw it out to the others – what do you guys think – is this a good location for a vacation rental with elderly parents?

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IMG_0614, originally uploaded by Prince of Petworth.

People have noted how tasteless the red paint spatters are on this sign. I guess they had a tough time recruiting as the building is for lease.

It’d be a great spot for a coffee shop…

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This home is located at 803 Euclid Street, NW:

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The flier says:

“A stunning example of a fine urban row house. Recent renovation shows the possibilities of a 1924 home turned into a livable piece of art. How about FOUR? Four levels, Four bedrooms, Four bathrooms. .. but still one of a kind. Maple and concrete floors, high ceilings, recessed lighting, In-Law-Suite(appt), garage parking, top of the line finishes throughout.”

More info and photos found here.

I’m pretty sure I’ve featured this house as house of the day before so it’s pretty cool to get a look at the inside. It’s a pretty serious renovation, dying to know what you guys think. Do you think $769,900 is a realistic asking price for this 4 bed/4 bath? I’m thinking it’s a bit on the high side.

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IMG_0111, originally uploaded by Prince of Petworth.

Ever since I asked folks about what ethnic restaurant their neighborhood was missing, I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled for delis (since they were mentioned a few times). I noticed Jack’s Delicatessen located on the 600 block of Columbia Road, NW not far from Georgia Ave. I’m wondering if any of the long term residents remember this spot? Do you think a deli located on a residential block like this could do good business?

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I know we’ve touched on this issue before and neighborhood identification can be contentious. But the Washington Post had a great article in the “Where We Live” section titled, The District’s Overlooked ‘Bull’s-Eye’. The article starts:

“District residents and community groups are working to get one Northwest neighborhood some recognition — because few people even know it exists.”

It lists the boundaries as:

“Park Road NW to the north, Florida Avenue NW to the south, Warder and Sixth streets NW to the east, and Sherman Avenue NW to the west. (The civic association extends the western boundary to 14th Street.)”

Now, I have friends and acquaintances who live within these boundaries and identify themselves as Columbia Heights residents and quite frankly I’ve gotten into some conversations with folks who are outright offended if you suggest they live in Pleasant Plains rather than Columbia Heights. I know there are tax boundaries, and city designated boundaries, and the like but I’m not interested in those designations. Rather I’m curious what neighborhood folks within those boundaries feel most connected to. I know for real estate purposes it may be tempting to insist that one lives in a more recognizable neighborhood name.

So how do you guys identify this neighborhood? Distinct and independent of Columbia Heights or rather a sub section of Columbia Heights?

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This home is located at 744 Columbia Road, NW:

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The flier says:

“BEAUTIFULLY RENOVATED 3BR 2.5BA BRICK TH LOCATED IN SOUGHT AFTER COLUMBIA HEIGHTS. SS APPLIANCES, GRANITE COUNTERTOPS, CERAMIC TILE, JACUZZI TUB, HW FLRS, LG CLOSETS, FRONT PORCH REAR DECK GATED YARD, NEW PLUMBING & ELECTRIC. WIRED FOR PHONE, CABLE & INTERNET. CLOSE TO SHOPPING, DINNING, DOWNTOWN, PARKS, METRO RAIL/BUS AND MORE. WHY PAY CONDO FEES WHEN YOU CAN OWN MORE FOR LESS THAN A CONDO.”

More info and photos found here.

I think it’s a bit of a stretch to call this area Columbia Heights. Nevertheless, it seems like a nice reno and I should not it is located across the street from the Bruce-Monroe school set for demolition this week. It was originally priced at $424,126 but is now on the market for $399,999. Sound reasonable?

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This home is located at 2905 Sherman Ave, NW:

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The flier says:

“Wow! Ready to move in! What a renovation in Columbia Heights!! Blocks from Howard University!Gorgeous hardwoodfloors, new carpet, and fully finished basement. Enjoy the convenience of being close to Schools, Shopping Centers and the Metro.”

More info and photos found here.

While the brick is a little bright I do think this is a nice home. It’s one of the few renovations I’ve seen for under $350,000. What do you think of the house itself? $345,000 sound reasonable?

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This home is located at 422 Irving Street, NW:

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The flier says:

“Spectacular Urban Oasis Awaits Your Summer Plans It’s not often one comes across a home like 422 Irving St. NW with three spacious sun drenched bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms in addition to the three spacious private balconies to hold those great gatherings throughout the year on. This home will strike you as an incredibly well designed space.”

More info and virtual tour found here. The house also has its own Web site here.

Just to get it out of the way, I think I’d call this neighborhood Pleasant Plains rather than Columbia Heights but technically Pleasant Plains falls within CH kinda like U Street falls within Shaw. But anyway, this looks like a nice reno. What do you think of the reno itself? Does $473,000 sound reasonable?

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The Soul Vegetarian Cafe & Exodus is located at 2606 Georgia Ave., NW. This place seems pretty cool. The menu has some great sandwiches like “The Bob Marley Special, You’ll be Jammin’ with this avocado sandwich” ($4.50) and the “Tubman Special, Sauteed Mushroom and onions packed in a pita with fresh veggies” ($5.00) and lots more. There are also daily entrees and shakes. They are open Mon. – Sat. 11am – 9pm and on Sunday for Brunch from 11am – 3pm. Any fans out there? Recommend any specific dishes?

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This condo is located at 646 Irving Street, NW:

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The flier says:

“HIGH END RENOVATIONS, MODERN & ELEGANT. 2 LEVEL 2BR/1.5 BATH UNIT WITH STEEL APPLIANCES, CHERRY HARDWD FLOORS, GRANITE CNTPS, SPACIOUS CLOSETS, CEILING FANS, CHEERY CABINETS, MARBLE FLOORS, JACUZZI, KEYLESS DOOR LOCKS, FULL SIZE WASHER/DRYER. CLOSE TO TRIVOLI, HOWARD UNIVERSITY, WASHINGTON HOSPITAL, METRO, LOW CONDO FEE $116/month. BEST VALUE IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS HURRY. last unit left. FHA & VA APPROVED.”

More info and photos found here.

I’m thinking this seems like a pretty good deal. Does $249,930 sound reasonable? Oh I just saw that the status says “Contingent” so maybe the question is – was this a good deal?

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