The place is always bustling with people.

That area has had a lot of drug traffic and drug violence since way before the big developments went in. I'm not some huge fan of big box stores, but I was among the people who though that investment was a good thing becasue it meant money coming into the neighborhood and it felt like an opportunity to address the major crime issues. There was this moment after they did the streetscape with the splash park and when the store fronts were really full when the whole thing felt like a success in terms of turning the neighborhood around.

But people like Nadeau didn't understand the history there. Crime actually spiked in the neighborhood AFTER the developments came in, because the development moved a bunch of people into the neighborhood, many with money and a lack of awareness about what the neighborhood was like, and there was a spike in muggings and break ins. The development also led to some additional turf wars concerning the drug trade and rival gangs. It was a highly combustible situation that needed focused attention to mitigate in order to move things in the right direction.

Instead a bunch of well-meaning but ignorant politicians and activists made it the "vibrant urban corridor" it is today. Thanks!

The developers ruined Columbia Heights. It had more charm before they swept in like locusts. I am not anti development, I am anti greedy, bad development. GGW urban vibrancy is a Brooklyn Bridge for sale that too many bought.

My guess is that housing prices have not dropped as much as one might think just because there is not a lot of housing stock of that size available. Mt Pleasant is more expensive. U Street---which has much smaller houses---is super busy and the prices are astronomical. Hill is a great neighborhood but a difficult place to live if you have to commute to work anywhere else in the District.

The problem with Columbia Heights was always that there was simply too much high poverty subsidized housing concentrated in Columbia Heights Village and the older large apartments lining and adjacent to 14th Street. There was a lot of crime in Columbia Heights PRIOR to the building boom around the metro in 2008-2012. Jim Graham, crook though he was, was tough on crime and vigilant about holding MPD to account to try to maintain order to protect the redeveloped businesses. Brianne "decriminalize everything" Nadeau is the opposite. In contrast to 14th street, the areas between 13th Street and Sherman Avenue have a better feel---they were always more rowhouse residential; the restaurants along 11th Street were local and grew organically into the older retail spaces along that block.

What puzzles me is that housing prices have not dropped significantly in CH/Petworth despite the out-of-control crime. Maybe they've dropped a little since the 2022 boom, but not much. Who is paying $1M+ to live in this area?

Anonymous wrote:^Also could not stand the pot smell everywhere.

Any will to re criminalize pot?

Good news! We’ll have a chance to re-elect Nadeau in two years.

Let’s finish the job.

^Also could not stand the pot smell everywhere.

Bummer. Yeah we used to live there but left after a random stabbing at the Chipotle, and then a shooting in a nearby PLAYGROUND in the middle of the day. Shortly after we left, someone I know was assaulted really badly walking home.

Anonymous wrote:Seems like maybe the city council shouldn't have decriminalized everything

Who could have possibly seen this coming?

Seems like maybe the city council shouldn't have decriminalized everything

It is a freakin' disaster. 10 years ago, that whole area had great promise. We took our kids to the splash park (now overrun by drunks). We shopped regularly at Target, which, though always crowded and a little jumbled, was perfectly serviceable. The now defunct Bed Bath & Beyond was extremely well stocked. Now the out of control street vendors block the sidewalk with their crap (often stolen) (thanks Brianne Nadeau for "enlivening" our streetscape by decriminalizing unlicensed vending). The whole area reeks of pot. There are shootouts on the street and in the metro. I won't go over there at all except for taking the metro and I won't go there alone after dark at all.

Tried to buy my kids body wash from that Target last week. It was locked up. I pressed the buzzer and waited about 10 minutes before giving up.

Situation isn't great over there.

I once had to park there over a weekend because of parking issues on my street. I was so happy my car wasn’t stolen

I went to the mall in Columbia Heights yesterday for the first time in a VERY long time. Wow, had it changed.

Target was TERRIBLE! I mean terrible. Dark, dirty, and everything was locked up. The entire ULTA section was behind glass. I thought - why should I go here when I can go to Ulta or Sephora and nothing is locked up. There was a woman sitting there - on her phone. Not a single person was in there. The shelves in the store were empty. It's a self fulfilling prophecy. It looks terrible so people stop going so they stop investing. I'd rather go to the upper nw locations in shepherd park and tenley.

The new Burlington makes Ross look like Neiman Marcus. Wow. Awful, trashing and dirty.

The Marshall's was GREAT! It used to be awful. It seems like Marshall's said if Target and Burlington are going to be trashy, we will step up. It was organized and clean with great merchandise. There were still only 2 cashiers with 40 people in line so they didn't change that. I was really surprised at how nice it had become.

All of the stores had a ton of security at the door.