Logan Circle - A Neighborhood to Consider

Local History of Logan Circle

The Logan Circle neighborhood, on and around the circle at the intersection of Vermont Avenue and 13th Street, N.W., is almost a textbook illustration of the beauty of the L’Enfant Plan’s vision for the evolution of the federal city. At the point where a diagonal state-named street crosses the underlying grid pattern of numbered streets, the creation of a large open urban space (the circle itself) is the focus of a graceful residential area. In the case of the Logan Circle historic district, whose late 19th-century character is preserved almost intact, the elegance and simplicity envisioned by L’Enfant and implemented by his successor Andrew Ellicott can be seen today.

This neighborhood, very close to downtown, is a delight for the pedestrian. Almost all the townhouses that line the circle and the streets radiating from it were built between for their prosperous owners between 1875 and 1900 in the Late Victorian and Richardsonian architectural styles. While the houses are varied in detail, displaying a fascinating array of turrets, porticos, and roof lines, their unity of scale and character give Logan Circle a unique charm. Visitors can easily imagine that they have gone back in time to the century before last. The neighborhood was originally very fashionable. After falling on hard times, it is now a hive of revitalization and once again becoming a prized place to live.

A bronze equestrian statue of Union Major General John Logan is in the center of the circle. Logan, who also represented Illinois in the House of Representatives and the Senate, is buried in the Soldiers’ Home National Cemetery. As commander in chief of the veterans’ organization, the Grand Army of the Republic, Logan began the practice of putting flowers on the graves of the Civil War dead, an observance that led to the establishment of May 30th as the national Memorial Day.

South of Logan Circle, at 1318 Vermont Avenue, is the Mary McCleod Bethune Council House, a grand Second Empire house that was the headquarters and sometime home of Mary McCleod Bethune, founder of the National Council of Negro Women. An educator and national political leader, Bethune was one of America’s most influential African American women. The house, a National Park Service site, is now a museum and archives and an important place for studying the history of African American women and the black community.

Logan Today

These days, the Victorian-architecture-filled zone could be called Condo Central, with loft-apartment buildings going up on what seems like every block. And it's no wonder people want to lay down urban roots here: Some of D.C.'s hippest cafes, shops and theaters line 14th Street Northwest and surrounding blocks.

As areas to the west (Dupont Circle, Georgetown) became too pricey and developed, Logan Circle once again became a desirable zone. Neighborhoods to the south, west and north of Dupont Circle were all already well-established at that time, and Logan's close-in location made it an obvious choice for developers.

"Logan Circle remains a trendsetting market due to the smaller boutique-style buildings and location," said Mark Franceski, an analyst for a market research company in Alexandria. Logan's proximity to downtown, Dupont, U Street and the business districts of McPherson Square and K Street make it attractive to professionals looking to live close to work. Residents and business owners also cite the appeal of the Whole Foods grocery on P Street Northwest, which has become an ad-hoc town center for everyone from taxi drivers to moms and kids on play dates. Plus there are countless other city-cool shops and restaurants.

But architecture may be what truly sets the area apart. Late 19th-century town houses, the finest of which ring the circle itself, now mingle with modernist lofts and early 20th-century storefronts. "Washington, as a city, just has such great bones," said Scott Pannick, president of Metropolis Development, the company behind the condo complexes the Metropole and the Cooper Lewis, two hot properties on P Street Northwest between 14th and 15th streets. "Much of the original architecture is intact, and restoring the existing buildings has been paramount in the neighborhood's renaissance."

This rampant gentrification -- and Logan Circle's increasing prestige as an address -- has blurred the boundaries of the neighborhood, especially to the east. But the Logan Circle Community Association (LCCA) continues to define the neighborhood as the area between 10th and 16th streets Northwest, running north-south from S to O streets.

And condos, many of them quite luxe, have been a big part of Logan's rebirth. Take the Metropole, Metropolis Development's latest venture at 1515 15th St. Northwest. Metropolis has designed other area buildings, but the Metropole may be the showiest, with its illuminated glass tower rising at 15th and P streets Northwest. Among the amenities: an interior courtyard, full concierge service, the on-site, state-of-the-art gym Vida, and guest suites for out-of-town friends and family of residents. Developers hope these perks make the building stand apart from its many, many neighbors.

"It's a changing marketplace. Buyers today are more able to differentiate between different developers and different products," said Pannick. "Originally, the focus was on the fact that 14th Street was a bit edgy and cool. Now we're dealing with a more sophisticated marketplace. Every unit has got to have a 'wow' factor."

And like many newer projects, the Metropole trends away from the loft apartments which originally appeared in the neighborhood, said Pannick. "We're headed toward more traditional layouts. What we're going to go toward is buildings that have smaller units and more amenities -- more public spaces, things like that. We think people are a little past the loft concept." Metropole offers 630- to 2,400-square-foot units, which are available as single- and two-story floor plans. Prices began in the $300s, with the first units delivering in 2007.

Other showy developments include The Matrix (1529 14th St. NW), a rehabbed building from the Holladay Corporation that will bring more retail to 14th Street on its lower floors. Residents get to live behind a historic facade in 44 units with ultra-mod appliances and floor plans. Prices range from the $400s to the $700s for 700- to 1,700-square-foot flats. For even fewer neighbors, Logan Row, in the 1400 block of 11th Street Northwest, boasts only 28 units in a complex that merges renovated historic buildings with new construction.

One of the first companies to start putting up condo complexes in Logan in the early 1990s was Abdo Development. "It had a real stigma attached to it," said Jim Abdo, president and CEO of Abdo. "Logan Circle was an area of significant transition, and there wasn't a lot of confidence in this area. My vision was to re-establish the housing and the retail corridor."


Abdo, in particular, began renovating the vacant space already available, mostly repurposing early 20th-century townhouses and apartment buildings. Condo projects included The Willison (1425 Rhode Island Ave. NW) and The Ashton and The Dalton (both at 14th and Q streets Northwest). Like a sign of things to come, ragged, often-decrepit buildings morphed into sleek lofts.

These redos were all part of an attempt to balance historic preservation with the growing market for urban living spaces fed by yuppies, empty nesters and gay couples. "We didn't want to just build residences or businesses; we wanted to build communities," said Abdo.

"Gentrification doesn't have to be an evil thing. It can be a good thing provided there's an inclusive approach. That means jobs and opportunities for small businesses."

This ability to renovate "found space," as Studio Theatre Artistic Director Joy Zinoman calls it, is why her then-upstart theater company moved into a shabby warehouse on Church Street in 1980, converting it from a hot-dog cart storage center into a performance space.
These days, Studio is far from fledgling. Its sleek, glass-walled four-theater venue in a former auto showroom sits at the corner of 14th and P streets Northwest, a kind of cultural capstone to the ever-more-artsy neighborhood. "We're a deeply urban theater and the building is a reflection of that," said Zinoman.

Zinoman and her fellow theater folks were really the first organizations back on the block after the 1960s riots. Groups that made their homes here included the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (now relocated to Penn Quarter) and the now-defunct, fringy Source Theatre. The latter's black-box building at 1835 14th St. NW was recently saved from being converted into a pool hall by the Cultural Development Corporation, a local arts advocacy group that plans to run it as a performance center.

Living in a zone that mingles fresh complexes with older businesses and architecture appeals to many residents. "There are a lot of other neighborhoods that are being developed and coming up, but this neighborhood is particularly appealing because of the new mixed with old," said Philippa Hughes, 37, who bought a condo in the Metro complex on Church Street in December 2003, moving in when the building was finished in late 2004.

That melting-pot feel also means home-decor businesses are opening up almost as fast as developers put up "for sale" signs. Last year, Kimberly Hessler relocated her Reston, Va.-based Asian import store, Dragonfly Design and Decor, to a former auto repair shop between 14th and 15th streets Northwest on Church Street. In a space with exposed brick walls and a showy skylight, Hessler shows off Qing dynasty altar tables and gilded Buddhas, which she said look swell in the surrounding modern lofts. "We get a lot of condo buyers, because our pieces mix so well with the contemporary homes," said Hessler, who, like many Logan Circle business owners, also lives in the area. "Most likely, you're going to furnish your place with modern, sleek designs. When you incorporate an older piece, it provides some warmth and an element of surprise," said Hessler. "What's unique about Logan is that there's always a new restaurant or new boutique open, so you can stay in a four- or five-block radius and meet all your needs."

Other businesses thriving here include P Street's Logan Hardware (1416 P St. NW) and a slew of art galleries. Annie Gawlak, owner of G Fine Arts (1515 14th St. NW), set up shop here in 2001 because she saw so much else going on. "The neighborhood is vibrant, and there's a real love for the arts community," she said. Her gallery's stock features young, cutting-edge artists, which seems on target for this neighborhood.

Some days, Logan Circle also feels like one of the final frontiers for mom-and-pop shops, albeit sophisticated ones. Besides Hessler's Zen den, residents enjoy browsing at Candida Mannozzi's travel bookstore, Candida's World of Books (1541 14th St. NW) and Reincarnations (1401 14th St. NW), a furniture store with dramatic, yet well-priced chaises, gilded mirrors and statues. At the edge of the neighborhood, between R and S streets Northwest, one of the city's most vibrant blocks holds Garden District (1801 14th St. NW), an urban plant store, Muléh (1831 14th St. NW), a chic clothing and furniture shop, and several other businesses.

Many residents and business owners point to the addition of Whole Foods in December 2000 as the moment when Logan turned from edgy to livable. "Before we opened the store, that whole corridor was quite dark at night. It was almost as if the neighborhood had two different profiles, one during the day and one at night," said Sarah Kenney, Director of Marketing for the Mid-Atlantic region for Whole Foods. "The first day we opened, that night, the streets were literally full of people. People want to be able to walk out at 9 at night and get an ice cream cone."

New residents are attracted to Whole Foods for its stock of French wines and Maryland organic veggies, but longtime Logan and Dupont Circle dwellers themselves helped bring the cavernous gourmet grocer to the area. "They went out of their way to reach out to Whole Foods, to tell the story of Dupont and Logan, and whenever there is a group that is that passionate, it's hard to say no," said Kenney.

This cohesive community spirit is no accident: The Logan Circle Community Association is one of the most active residents groups in the city. In addition to art events and Memorial Day celebrations -- Maj. Gen. Logan was the grandfather of the holiday -- the association organizes popular summertime jazz concerts in Logan Circle.

Overall, the personal investment of this diverse group makes the neighborhood a warmer place to live. "Everyone knows each other, and you always run into people," said Jennifer Trock, President of the LCCA (and neighborhood condo owner). "It's such a changing neighborhood and people are invested in it. You have a real opportunity here to be part of where the neighborhood is going."

And look for continuing changes and additions to the neighborhood. "As soon as you get over [to 14th Street Northwest], you can build up to seven stories," said Trock. "It has to do with the zoning of 14th Street, really, the street is zoned for 7,500 square feet and very few buildings are that tall. If I say to somebody 'I'm looking at land on 14th Street,' they'll say, 'Oh, isn't that already all built up?' And my response to that is that we've barely started."

Hughes also detected the area's strong civic spirit when she moved into the area. "I figured Logan would be the typical urban environment where you don't even say hello to people in the elevator," she said. "It turns out it's really easy to get involved on the condo boards or organizing activities on our street."

"The people who move here are very like-minded," said Hughes. "We're people who appreciate art and good food, those kinds of things."