Washington City Paper: D.C. Neighborhood Guide - Deanwood, Burrville, Lincoln Heights

Affordia

Demographics

Population: 14,113
Percent Black: 98
Percent White: 0.7
Percent Hispanic: 0.6
Percent Foreign-Born: 0.7
Percent Children: 29
Poverty Rate: 29 percent
2005 Median Home Sale Price: $257,121
2007 Violent Crimes Per 1,000 Residents: 22
2007 Property Crimes Per 1,000 Residents: 42

Sources

Touchstone

The Strand Theater, opened in 1928, was the hub of Deanwood’s cultural life for three decades, hosting movies and dances. Now owned by the city, it’s abandoned and crumbling—a foot of water was reportedly found in the basement last summer. Ward 7 leaders like Councilmember Yvette Alexander are hoping to bring some of the redevelopment funds for the Lincoln Heights and Richardson Dwelling housing projects to remake the Strand as a mixed-use hub.

More Touchstones

D.C. Neighborhoods Flickr Pool

Deanwood, Burrville, Lincoln Heights

For bargain-hunters and developers, this may be the last frontier in the District.

Read Mark Athitakis's Full Essay

Photograph by Darrow Montgomery

Arbitrary Rankings

Kid-Friendliness: 7

Ronald Brown Middle School has been sharing space with Village Academy, a private school, due to underenrollment; Merritt Middle School is slated for closure, as is H.D. Woodson High School. Hailed as the “Tower of Power” when it opened in 1972, Woodson has fallen into severe disrepair (“End of an Error,” 2/22/2008). It has a date with the wrecking ball this summer.

Housing: 11

If you don’t mind enormous complexes, Lotus Square Apartments on Kenilworth Avenue NE is renting two-bedrooms for $1,329. McMansions pop up even here—a 3-floor, 9-bedroom, 7-bath jobber on Sheriff Road is available for $575,000. More typical is a 2-bedroom, 2-bath home on 56th Street NE. Built in 1945, it’ll run you a mere $245,000, though the listing includes those three ominous words: “sold as is.”

Eats: 1

There’s a smattering of fast-food and carryout joints, but nothing that merits a trip.

Consumer Goods: 0

Beer, gas, and keys. If you need more, I-295 isn’t far away.

Nightlife and Culture: 1

Church and school events carry much of the entertainment load around here.

Intangibles: 5

What Affordia lacks in amenities it makes up for with folks with deep roots who mind their neighbors. “People come here looking for affordability,” says Sylvia Brown, president of the Deanwood Citizens Association “But they’re also looking for that small-town neighborhood feel, where they can call Miss Maggie up the street and she’ll look out for you while you’re on vacation.”

Affordia in the City Paper Archives

Chairman of the Boards

End of an Error
Thirty-six years ago H.D. Woodson Senior High School was dubbed the "Tower of Power." These days? "It's a tower. There ain't no power."

Overkill
Officer Kristopher Payne piled up some big numbers as a D.C. cop: hundreds of arrests, dozens of guns captured, and multiple convictions. He also had five citizen complaints, three civil suits, and two contested shootings.

Burned Out
Man vs. neighbor. Man vs. car. Man vs. thief. Man vs. fire.

The River Wild
Litter is the least of it at a Northeast stream park.

Swamp Thing
An angry Northeast neighborhood drags Habitat for Humanity into a morass.

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Maceo Thomas Jun. 22, 2008
1:31 pm

Thanks for mentioning the Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest!! For more info please go to www.capitalhiphopsoulfest.com or our social network site www.liberatedmuse.com

I'll also plug another great music show in the park this Saturday (June 28th) in Marvin Gaye Park.

For both of these events please consider using Metro to and fro and walking into the park from Capitol Heights Metro on the Blue Line or Minnesota Ave. on the Orange Line.