DEANWOOD

HISTORY

Deanwood is a two-square-mile enclave and neighborhood deeply steeped in history. It's the birthplace of singer Marvin Gaye, and has a rich history of African-American achievements in civil rights and community activism. The neighborhood was developed on a former plantation site and was once the home of women's rights activist, Nannie Helen Burroughs. Burroughs founded the National Training Institute for Women and Girls in 1909 to help females learn skills for independence. Deanwood was also the home of civic leader Howard Woodson, who lobbied for improvements in infrastructure and access to essential services.

Deanwood was established as a predominantly African American neighborhood and remains so to this day. It’s bordered by Interstate 295, Eastern Avenue—which is the Maryland state line—Division Avenue, and Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue. Black architects and craftsmen designed and constructed the Victorian, neoclassical, colonial, revival, prairie and craftsman homes that line the streets. Some are single-story and others are duplexes. Most of them have ample yard space.

Early residents were known to be church-going and civically-engaged. They frequented homegrown businesses and entertainment venues like the Suburban Gardens amusement park and the Strand Theatre. Deanwood was a stable, self-sufficient community.

LOCATION

Deanwood is located in the far Northeast corner of the District and is bounded by Eastern Avenue to the northeast, sharing a border with Prince George’s County, Md., and Kenilworth Avenue to the northwest, Division Avenue to the Southeast and Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue to the south. While Deanwood is one of the oldest Black neighborhoods in the District, longtime residents see a change is coming.

Deanwood, in Northeast D.C., has been named one of the 10 ‘hottest’ neighborhoods in the country by a real estate publication. (Google maps)

DEMOGRAPHIC

What makes Deanwood unique among District predominantly-Black neighborhoods is its housing stock. Many of the houses date back to the early 20th century and consists of low-density, small wood frame and brick homes with dense tree cover. This gives Deanwood a small-town character unlike other neighborhoods in the city.

Deanwood’s main thoroughfares are Nannie Helen Burroughs and Sheriff Road. The Burroughs Road is named after late 19th and early 20th century Black, civil rights activist Nannie Helen Burroughs who had her nationally-known National Training School for Girls and Women in the neighborhood.

One of the oldest neighborhoods in Washington, D.C., Deanwood encapsulates a small-town feel with big city living. People living in Deanwood enjoy a suburban lifestyle with a close-knit feel, easy access to local shopping, dining, and DC's major attractions, including the National Mall and the White House.

SPEND A DAY

Thanks to several recreation centers and numerous parks, there is no shortage of outdoor activities for you to enjoy in Deanwood, and many of these activities are free. Marvin Gaye Park is a large part of community life here; it hosts year-round festivals, concerts and other events. The park also offers the Deanwood Heritage Trail, a 90-minute self-guided walking tour that introduces you to the area's history and culture. The community's Aquatic Center and Recreation Center provide workout space and fitness opportunities, and they host sporting events as well.

CURRENT AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

An affordable mixed-use project in Ward 7's Deanwood neighborhood has received financing from the D.C. government. The D.C. Housing Finance Agency announced Friday it provided $19.5M in bond financing and underwrote $12M in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity for the project that will create 86 affordable apartments. The $37.6M project, branded as The Strand Residences, is being led by The Warrenton Group, The NHP Foundation and WA Metropolitan CDC, with PGN Architects designing the building. The team will develop a new, six-story multifamily building next to the historic Strand Theater on the corner of Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue and Division Avenue NE. The Warrenton Group is also renovating the theater and turning it into retail space. It recently finalized an 8,800 SF lease with Ivy City Smokehouse to open its second location in the historic theater building, CEO Warren Williams tells Bisnow. The restaurant's first location at 1356 Okie St. NE was included in the Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand list of D.C.'s top restaurants with relatively affordable prices in 2017. "The fact that Ivy City Smokehouse decided they would make an investment to come to the Strand proves that Deanwood has officially arrived," Williams said. "It's a viable location and destination in the District, and that's what we always hoped for. We can't wait to keep the momentum going." Williams said the team plans to hold a groundbreaking celebration later this month. He expects the apartment units to deliver in January 2021, and the restaurant could potentially open in the theater building before the end of 2020. The DCHFA deal is only financing the new ground-up building, which will include an additional 2,450 SF of retail. Its apartments will consist of 71 one-bedroom units and 15 two-bedroom units. The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development is also partnering on the project, which is part of D.C.'s New Communities Initiative. Twenty-eight of the project's apartments will serve as replacement housing for the nearby Lincoln Heights public housing project, with the units reserved for those earning up to 30% of area median income. The remaining 58 apartments will be set aside for households making up to 60% of AMI. The building will have a gym, a library and two multipurpose rooms as resident amenities. The Warrenton Group is working on three other developments in the Deanwood neighborhood: the 530-unit Kenilworth Courts redevelopment, the 150-unit Deanwood Hills affordable project and the 183-unit Deanwood Town Center, which sits across the street from The Strand Residences. "I was always amazed at the beauty of the Deanwood neighborhood, just how wide the street grids were and the trees and the parks," Williams told Bisnow last year. "The proximity to Metro and to downtown also were some of the reasons why that sleeping giant of a neighborhood was really attractive to me."

Read more at: https://www.bisnow.com/washington-dc/news/affordable-housing/dc-provides-32m-in-financing-for-affordable-housing-project-in-deanwood-100191?utm_source=CopyShare&utm_medium=Browser

In 2010, the city opened the modernized $33 million Deanwood Recreation Center and Library with meeting rooms, program areas, a pool, and gym. In 2011, D.C. cut the ribbon on H.D. Woodson Senior High School after its $102 million makeover. D.C. Public Schools opened the city’s only all-boys public high school at the refurbished Ron Brown Middle School.

The city has put $1 million into restoring the facade of the historic Strand Theatre, with the goal of transforming the former movie house into affordable housing, a small business incubator, and 9,000 square feet of retail as part of the New Communities Project.

The District government has plans in the works for Deanwood. Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue is a part of the District Government’s Great Streets Program where grants are available to small businesses for capital improvements.

The Warrenton Group, with the help of the District, is constructing Deanwood Hills, a 150-unit apartment building slated for opening later this year. The Warrenton Group also will be revitalizing the historic Strand Theater to a development retail-residential project.

Deanwood in 2017 received recognition as one of 10 hottest neighborhoods in the country for affordable residential living. It is becoming more popular for a number of reasons:

The neighborhood has access to two Metro stations, providing quick commutes to Capitol Hill and downtown. Second, there are a large number of single-family homes that are more affordable than similarly-sized homes in other parts of the city. You can get more home for your money, while staying within the city borders.

The median sale price on a home in Deanwood is $375,000, which is well below the District’s $545,000 average, according to Zillow.

HOMES

Deanwood’s housing market this year is continuing the upward trajectory observed in 2016. The 220 homes sold thus far this year is the fifth highest sales volume among neighborhoods in DC, and is a 33 percent increase over the 165 homes sold in the same period last year. Buyers are keeping pace with the higher prices, however, purchasing homes for an average of 99.3 percent of their listing price in 2017 compared to 98 percent last year.