Located in the District’s Ward 5 between North Capitol Street to the east and Second Street to the west is the revived and close-knit community of Bloomingdale, a neighborhood at one time synonymous with drug dealers.
With a great location and affordable, 20th-century Victorian-style row homes, the up-and-coming area has turned a corner and is on the brink of booming, thanks to the community-minded efforts of residents and the emergence of several quirky businesses.
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“There’s no reason not to live here,” resident Daniel Premack says.
Victoria Leonard bought one of the neighborhood’s row homes in 1991, and for her, the decision came down to price. “Bloomingdale was affordable,” she said, and on that front, not much has changed in 19 years.
Average house prices in Bloomingdale for February were just under $400,000, according to multiple listing statistics, compared with
February 2010 Average sold price: $397,640
Average list price: $420,983
Average days on market: 60
February 2009 Average sold price: $371,146
Average list price: $412,947
Average days on market: 118
prices over $500,000 for other parts of Northwest, such as Logan Circle and Dupont.
“You get more bang for your buck here,” Premack says. “This is the perfect neighborhood for someone willing to put time and effort into their home, as well as their community.”
Leonard was an Advisory Neighborhood Commission representative from 1999 to 2005 and together with other members of the community worked to “get the pay phones removed and get the drug dealers off the street corners,” she said.
As the dealers moved out, more and more families and young professionals moved in. “It used to be that once residents had children they left the neighborhood,” she said. “But people start families here now.”
Premack bought a house in 2001 and credits much of the turnaround to the appearance of business, such as Windows Cafe & Market and Big Bear Cafe.
“Big Bear revitalized the area in a lot of ways,” he said. “It really created a positive focal point for the community. This area used to be pretty sketchy. But now it’s beyond belief pleasant. Residents here are vigilant. We look out for each other and keep an eye on the neighborhood.”
Hunegnaw Abeje, owner of Windows Cafe since 2001, has watched the community flourish, noting that today his customers are a mix of students, professionals and families. “The neighborhood is more diverse,” he says.
Matt Ficke, who just began renting a one-bedroom apartment near Second Street and Florida Avenue, agrees. “It’s a very active community,” he says. “It’s a small enough area that’s somewhat inaccessible, so you see the same people over and over. You know each other.”
Bloomingdale may not have the Metro right at its doorstep, but it still is a great commute to downtown. The Green Line’s Shaw/Howard University stop is about a seven-block walk, and the Red Line’s New York Avenue stop is just five blocks.
“Bloomingdale is wonderfully located,” Leonard said. “I can be downtown in 10 minutes and to the shops at Friendship Heights in 25 minutes.”
It also is close to Howard and Catholic universities, which makes it an ideal area for students to call home. Its business district is still growing, and the neighborhood boasts a bed and breakfast, yoga studio, fitness studio, and a popular farmers market that is open every Sunday during the summer months.
“Bloomingdale is still coming into its own,” Ficke says. “Once a couple of more businesses open up, it will really solidify things. It’s close.”
