December 2012

The DC Metro System is now the second busiest subway system in the nation behind NYC with over 700,00 rides every weekday.  The popularity of DC's Metro has created a significant demand for housing within walking distance of Metro Stations.  With a plethora of Metro Stations, car sharing services like Zip Car and Car2Go and Capitol Bikeshare, many District residents have made the decision to forgo car ownership.

A big challenge for many Washingtonians is finding homes and condos close to Metro Stations.  Some Realtors definition of "close to the Metro" as described in a property listing does not jive with the realities of making the walk carrying a bag of groceries on a cold winter night.  

To assist in locating condo and home listings near Metro Stations,

The most expensive condo to sell in the District during November 2012 was in Foggy Bottom at the Watergate South located at 700 New Hampshire Ave NW #1204, Washington, DC 20037.  This 3 BR / 2.5 BA / 3,414 SF co-op with panoramic river views includes three parking spaces.  The selling price was $3.85M / $1,128 SF, which was 91% of the asking price.

Congratulations to selling Realtor Stan Kelly of TTR Sotheby's International Realty for closing the most expensive condo sale in the District in November 2012.

Honorable mention for the second most expensive DC condo sold in November 2012 was in Dupont Circle at Dumbarton Place located at 1414 22nd St NW #61 Washington, DC 20037.  This 3 BR / 2.5 BA / 2,496 SF penthouse condo includes two parking

A new condo development named The Calistoga is moving forward on California Street in Kalorma.  The five story, nine unit project was designed by Ralph Cunningham of Cunningham Quill and is being developed by Murillo/Malnati Group (MMg), who most recently delivered the Woodley Wardman project in Woodley Park.

Located in Sheridan-Kalorama Historic District on the 2200 block of California Street across the street from St. Roses Catholic School, the Calistoga will have a mix of two and three bedroom units ranging in size from 900 SF to 1,850 SF.  Delivery is currently planned  for 2014.  Here is a resource which will provide additional information about the Calistoga as it is available.

The Logan Circle neighborhood is a hot bed of new construction activity with both condo and apartment projects delivering this year.  Developers have targeted the former industrial buildings along the 14th Street Corridor and have given them new life as upscale residential projects.

The first wave of this redevelopment hit along the 1400 Block of Church Street with the conversion of several automobile showrooms into loft-style condos.  New development activity has moved north along 14th Street blending together the Logan and U Street neighborhoods.  New construction projects now selling in the Logan neighborhood include:

• The Aston
• Lock & Electric
• Northern Exchange

If you are interested in exploring Logan Circle new construction opportunities,

DC Condo Boutique team member Mansour Abu-Rahmeh represented the buyer of a condo at Meridian Crescent located at 2200 17th Street #104 in DC's Adams Morgan Neighborhood.  This townhouse-style condo featured 1 BR / 1.5 BA / 1,238 SF, and one garage parking space. This unit sold on November 30th, 2012 for $490,000 / $396 SF.

Meridian Crescent is located in Adams Morgan adjacent to Beekman Place and a block from the 16th Street commuting corridor.  This location offers quick access to Meridian Hill Park and all the venues in Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle and the U Street Corridor.

At the end of the Civil War, the population of DC exploded as both soldiers and freed slaves flocked to the District.  During the decade after the War, the population of DC grew from 60,000 to over 110,000.  To accommodate this growth, small residential homes were built in alley ways throughout the District.  These homes were often only 11 ft wide and 700 sq. ft. or even less.  Often several poor families called one of these structures home.

Over time, these alley homes deteriorated and living conditions for the District's poor worsened in the cities alleys.  Rampant crime and extreme poverty eventually led Congress to pass the Alley Dwelling Elimination Act in 1934.  A large number of DC's alley homes were torn down and today only a few pockets of these