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As one of the oldest communities in DC, Tenleytown enjoys a long and rich history. It was originally built up as a rural village centered around a tavern that brought in wagon traffic traveling from farms to Georgetown.

In fact, at one time Tenleytown was called Tennally’s Town after the owner of the tavern. This Northwest neighborhood was also once home to a commercial area including a blacksmith shop, a few stores and a church.

It’s location, though, no doubt made it an important site during the Civil War. Tenleytown sits on the highest point in the District, making it the obvious choice for a fort and the location of Union forces.

Following the war, the site developed into Reno City. The mostly African American community built up homes,

One of the boldest additions to DC’s Chinatown neighborhood is now in line for repairs. The city recently awarded a $425,000 contract to help refurbish Chinatown’s iconic Friendship Archway.

The archway first went up in the mid 1980s as a nod to Washington’s friendship with its sister city of Beijing. The two cities worked together to construct the traditional archway, which serves as not only a bond between the two but also as a gateway of sorts into one of DC’s liveliest neighborhoods.

Chinatown’s Friendship Archway is similar in appearance to other intricately designed gateways used in other large Chinese immigrant communities. The colorful public display of art in Washington’s Chinatown neighborhood includes 7,000 tiles and several roofs.

If the thought of living in a more unique setting appeals to you, consider one of the many DC properties that offer up the opportunity to live in a former house of worship. One of the first such conversions in DC is now referred to as The Grace Church Condominiums. This Capitol Hill property changed over in the late 1980s, but the trend has really started to take off in more recent years. While many major cities are left with old industrial buildings to transform into loft-style condos, DC is more unique.

The district’s overflowing with hundreds of churches. Instead of tearing down some of the old, unused church buildings in the area, developers are repurposing some of them into new residential buildings.

One of the newest is The Bell Tower at

Close enough to DC but far enough away to enjoy its own unique setting, consider the many possibilities of living in Alexandria. For those in search of new construction townhome, Potomac Trace delivers with its location and its many attributes.

Part of the Mount Vernon neighborhood, this exciting area combines convenience and desirability into one. Potomac Trace townhomes sit close to several options in shopping and dining, plus not far from the many offerings of Downtown DC and from the new Amazon HQ2 headquarters.

The private luxuries available at Potomac Trace are just as admirable. Home to around three dozen townhomes, Potomac Trace offers buyers the choice of three different floor plans.

The Bennington is a three-story townhome with

Now the location of multi-story luxury townhomes, the site of Liberty Row once served a very different role in Old Town Alexandria. With ties to the hospitality industry, the site was originally built up as a conference center for a local motor lodge.

In more recent time it served as the setting for a late 1960s hotel with around 50 hotel rooms. The demolition of the old hotel in more recent time brought an end to one of the last inexpensive hotels in the area.

It’s since been replaced with four-story, upscale townhomes in colonial style architecture. With such desirable features as hardwood floors and gourmet kitchens, the brick townhomes of Liberty Row appeal to those in search of more space in a new construction setting.

Buyers can expect

Courtesy of Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP

A plan to connect up Crystal City with Reagan National Airport could be even closer to reality. Called CC2DCA, the plan calls for a pedestrian bridge or tunnel to connect Crystal City to an airport parking garage.

If this happens, it could mean a five-minute walk to the airport. Not only would it be convenient for area residents and visitors, but it could also mean big news in terms of economic development and sustainability for the area.

According to a feasibility study by the Crystal City Business Improvement District, a new walkway would likely attract new development, new businesses and new residents. It could also potentially someday lead to high-speed rail service.

While the airport is only

 Photo: Daniel Lobo

DC’s population is on the rise, so much so that the region faces a potential housing shortage in the future. According to at least one new report, DC needs around 374,000 new homes just to keep up with the expected demand.

Much of the concern has to do with the availability of affordable housing in the near future. In Arlington, in particular, data from the Urban Institute suggests Arlington needs thousands of additional housing units that rent for less than $800 a month.

On the flip side, the area currently has more housing than needed in terms of high rent units. The study recommends area leaders focus on allowing the construction of more multi-family projects on current single-family zoned properties.

A previously

From its diverse housing opportunities to plentiful outdoor recreation and an easy commute, there’s plenty to enjoy about living in the Idylwood neighborhood. Part of Fairfax County, Idylwood originally grew up along the old W&OD Railroad route.

New transportation routes helped spur even more development over the years and decades, adding in easy access to several major roadways, as well as providing easy Metro access for commuting around the rest of the DC area. For residents, though, they often don’t have to venture far to enjoy options ranging from shopping and recreation to entertainment venues.

The suburban area is actually bordered by the City of Falls Church to the east, Dunn Loring to the west, and Tysons and Pimmit Hills to the north.

The results are in, and once again the Arlington Public School District is tops in the state. Niche.com recently came out with its list of the “2020 Best School Districts in Virginia”, placing Arlington Public Schools in the top spot for the second year in a row. Niche looks at a variety of things when coming up with its ranking system, including data obtained from the U.S. Department of Education and test scores. It also considers millions of reviews and ratings from Niche users.

A large part of the ranking comes from academics. Niche assigns half of a district’s overall score based upon things like state assessment proficiencies, SAT/ACT scores and responses gained from students and parents.

It then factors in the teachers, culture and

If you’re looking for a family-friendly neighborhood that’s also more affordable, you’ll want to take a second look at Hillcrest. The quiet community is likely one of the best bargains in the city right now.

Hillcrest lacks some of the development that other neighborhoods have had over the years, but for some prospective and existing residents that’s part of its charm. It’s common for home buyers to get more home and more land for their money in Hillcrest. It’s possible to find up to a five-bedroom home in Hillcrest, as well as a large yard. Those are likely two of the reasons why Hillcrest is so popular with families.

Hillcrest is home to green space like Alger Park and the popular Hillcrest Recreation Center for plenty of family-friendly fun.