Washington City Paper: D.C. Neighborhood Guide - Chevy Chase, Hawthorne, Barnaby Woods, Pinehurst Circle

Upper Caucasia

Demographics

Population: 12,724
Percent Black: 11
Percent White: 78
Percent Hispanic: 4.5
Percent Foreign-Born: 13
Percent Children: 18
Poverty Rate: 4.8 percent
2005 Median Home Sale Price: $848,498
2007 Violent Crimes Per 1,000 Residents: 0.7
2007 Property Crimes Per 1,000 Residents: 15

Sources

Touchstone

The neighborhood had been home to the longest continually operating movie theater in Washington in 2001, when Loews Corporation shut its doors. Rather than mourn its passing, local residents raised the money to restore and reopen it. Since 2003, the Avalon has operated as a nonprofit cinema showing a combination of Hollywood and art-house hits. The Chevy Chase Players, a community theater troupe, meanwhile, stages plays at the community center that run from Broadway hits to Woody Allen scripts.

More Touchstones

D.C. Neighborhoods Flickr Pool

Chevy Chase, Hawthorne, Barnaby Woods, Pinehurst Circle

They’re not a city so much, and certainly not the suburbs, in spite of the nicely manicured lawns. More of a well-heeled village, with ample stock of well-built houses, a smattering of apartment buildings, and enough combined disposable income to support the upper Connecticut Avenue commercial strip with all the hallmarks of upper-crusty consumerism.

Read Christine MacDonald's Full Essay

Photograph by Darrow Montgomery

Arbitrary Rankings

Kid-Friendliness: 10

Backyards, sidewalks, and playgrounds galore make the area a great place for kids. Lafayette Elementary School is one of the better D.C. schools. And if you want private schools, some of the very best are within a quick drive of Upper Caucasia.

Housing: 4

Let’s face it, this is not a “starter house” neighborhood. The market’s sweet spot has steadied around $800,000 to $900,000 even in this down real estate market, with condos demanding an average of about $500,000. One charmer, a 5-bedroom, 5.5-bath Craftsman on the edge of Lafayette Park, is on the market for $2.15 million, about twice as much as it sold for three years and one major addition ago.

Eats: 7

American City Diner provides an experience, if not the best fare; Arugula is a perfectly good Italian spot; Pumpernickel’s Deli does pizza with savvy and a smile.

Consumer Goods: 7

This is your classic retail Mayberry. From the diner to the salon to the amazing toy store to the kids’ shoe store to the grocery, this strip meets your family’s everyday shopping needs.

Nightlife and Culture: 3

Upper Caucasia has few options for a raucous night on the town. The Chevy Chase Lounge is the one watering hole; the rest of the options is in the family way. In summer there are outdoor concerts at the community center and kiddie flicks at the Avalon. Sounds like a real party.

Intangibles: 4

The proximity to Rock Creek Park plus streets lined with trees so old and tall they form canopies make this nabe a sea of tranquility. Children growing up in Upper Caucasia take away a cool legacy—the “street cred” of city kids with all the middle-class coddling of those over the border.