WELCOME HOME TO BRIGHTWOOD (a Northwest Subdivision in Washington, DC)

BRIGHTWOOD, Washington, DC, -- THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME

For many, home is a place where you live and a place that you won't think about leaving.  Is Brightwood such a place?

Brightwood's streets are lined with mature trees and well-tended lawns. Stately Colonial and Tudor homes -- as well as Wardman rowhouses, Bauhaus-inspired townhomes, established apartment buildings, and new condominiums -- WELCOME residents of all ages.

Brightwood is a fantastic place for you to find many good schools, lots of things to do (i.e. golf, tennis, basketball, bike trails in Rock Creek Park, swimming, tour Fort Stevens, several recreational centers,  visit Walter Reed's Museum, baseball fields, time with the kids on the playground, or simply wind down and relax at the Brightwood Bistro).  Also, there are many Strip Malls, eateries and convenient stores along the Georgia Avenue corridor.  One huge highlight, which takes place annually on Georgia Avenue -- D.C.'s longest business corridor -- features a parade, carnival rides, foods and live music along Georgia and Eastern Avenues, NW. Call (202) 723-5166 for more information.

In fact, more recreation opportunities abound in Brightwood.   Residents and visitors can play 18 holes of golf at the Rock Creek Park Golf Course, or utilize the ball fields, basketball courts and tennis courts at the Fort Stevens Recreation Center, Takoma Aquatic Center, and Emery Recreation Center.  In addition, neighbors are often seen biking, jogging or walking their dogs throughout the community.

WHERE IS BRIGHTWOOD?

Brightwood is a neighborhood located in the northwestern quadrant of Washington, D.C. Brightwood and the rest of Ward 4 are represented in the Council of the District of Columbia by Muriel Bowser.

As with most neighborhoods in Washington, D.C., the boundaries of Brightwood are difficult to define. However, the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) identifies homes in the Brightwood subdivision as follows:  the neighborhood's boundaries are Hemlock Street, NW, just north of Walter Reed Army Medical Center and 16th Street and Rock Creek Park to the west, 3rd Street, NW to the east, and Missouri Avenue to the south (NOTE: On the West side of Georgia Avenue, the boundaries extend beyond Missouri Avenue, heading southward, over to the 5900 block of 13th Street, NW)

MORE HIGHLIGHTS OF BRIGHTWOOD:

With Rock Creek as its western neighbor, residents can take advantage of all that the park offers including the Rock Creek Golf Course sitting on its border. Emery Mansion and Fort Stevens still remain in Brightwood, and for over 140 years, Fort Stevens Day is celebrated in July with Civil War reenactments and family activities. The Battleground National Cemetery, one of the nation's smallest national cemeteries, commemorates the soldiers who died defending Fort Stevens. 

Convenience is a buzz word for Brightwood. Piney Branch Road makes Takoma Park, Maryland, and Silver Spring minutes from Brightwood, or go northeast on New Hampshire Avenue to the Beltway, or take 16th Street or Georgia Avenue to downtown. Brightwood is just south of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and not far from the Takoma Metro station. It is the home of Coolidge Senior High School, Whittier Elementary, the Nativity Catholic Academy, the Jewish Primary Day School of the Nation's Capital, Paul Junior High Charter School, and Brightwood Elementary School.

A commercial district on Georgia Avenue serves the neighborhood with banks, a day spa, restaurants including the popular Brightwood Bistro, and a Safeway with an in-store Starbucks. The new Takoma Aquatic Center has an Olympic-sized swimming pool, basketball court, football, baseball, lighted softball and soccer fields, and tennis courts. It also has services and programs for all ages in the neighborhood. A community garden has been in place for over 10 years which is situated near Fort Stevens.  

Over the last few years, Brightwood has seen an influx of young professionals attracted to the detached homes with sizeable yards, the feeling of an established neighborhood, and new condominiums.

Yes, Brightwood is my home, and it can be yours, too.  So, why not take a visual tour of Brightwood with me?  Come along for the "visual" ride!!!

Our First stop is ROCK CREEK PARK:

Rock Creek Park at Sunset

Rock Creek (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Rock Creek Park is a large urban natural area with public park facilities that bisects Washington, D.C.The park is administered by the National Park Service.

The main section of the park contains 1,754 acres(7 km²) along the Rock Creek Valley - more than twice the size of Central Parkin New York City. In addition to the other green areas the park administers, (Glover Archbold Park, Montrose Park, Dumbarton Oaks Park, Meridian Hill Park, Battery Kemble Park, Palisades Park, Whitehaven Park, etc.) it is over 2,000 acres (8 km²). The major portion of the area lies north of the National Zoo, and was established by act of Congressmade law by PresidentBenjamin Harrisonon September 27, 1890, the same year that Yosemite National Parkwas established. A later addition of the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway extended the park along a narrow corridor from the zoo to the mouth of Rock Creek at the Potomac River. In 1933, Rock Creek Park, along with other National Capital Parks, was transferred to the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, and it is patrolled by the United States Park Police. Legislative language from its establishment, and the character of the park itself, suggests that it is among the oldest of America's national parks.

Recreation facilities include equestrian trails; sport venues, including a tennis stadium which hosts major professional events; a nature center and planetarium; an outdoor concert venue; and picnic and playground facilities. Rock Creek Park also maintains cultural exhibits, including the Peirce Mill and Civil Warfortifications, such as Fort Stevensand Fort DeRussy. Rock Creek is a popular venue for jogging, cycling, and inline skating, especially on the long, winding Beach Drive, as well as the path of a major traffic thoroughfare, the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, especially along the portion south of the zoo.

Beach Drive in the Fall Season

The parklands follow the course of Rock Creek across the D.C.-Marylandborder to connect with Rock Creek Stream Valley Park and Rock Creek Regional Park in Montgomery County. The Maryland parks are operated by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

Our next stop is WALTER REED

Walter Reed Army Medical Center (from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) is the United States Army's flagship medical center on the east coast of the United States. Located on 113 acres (457,000 m²) in Washington, D.C., it serves more than 150,000 active and retired personnel from all branches of the military. The center is named after Major Walter Reed (1851-1902), an army physician who led the team which confirmed that yellow fever is transmitted by mosquitoes rather than direct contact.

Since its origins, what is now the WRAMC medical care facility has grown from a bed capacity of 80 patients to approximately 5,500 rooms covering more than 28 acres (113,000 m²) of floor space. WRAMC will be combining with the Bethesda naval hospital by 2011 to form the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC).

Next Stop is FORT STEVENS 

 Fort Stevens now includes several Civil War-era cannons.

Fort Stevens, Washington, DC (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) 

Fort Stevens was part of the extensive fortifications built around Washington, D.C., during the American Civil War. It was constructed in 1861 as "Fort Massachusetts" and later enlarged by the Union Army and renamed "Fort Stevens" after Brig. Gen. Isaac Ingalls Stevens, who was killed at the Battle of Chantilly, Virginia, on September 1, 1862.

The fort came under direct Confederate attack by troops led by Maj. Gen. Jubal Early in the Battle of Fort Stevens on July 11 and July 12, 1864. President Abraham Lincoln rode out to the Fort on both days to observe the attack, and was briefly under enemy fire. On July 12, he was brusquely ordered to take cover, mostly likely by Union Maj. Gen. Horatio Wright, although a story has grown up (which probably is apocryphal) that future Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., then an aide-de-camp to Wright, yelled at Lincoln, "Get down, you fool!" This is believed to have been only the second time in American history that a sitting president came under enemy fire during a war (the first being President James Madison during the War of 1812).

The site, near Georgia Avenue at 13th Street and Quackenbos Street NW, is now maintained by the National Park Service. The remains of 41 Union soldiers who died in the Battle of Fort Stevens are buried on the grounds of nearby Battleground National Cemetery.

Now we will visit the GEORGIA AVENUE CORRIDOR

Georgia Avenue (from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) 

Georgia Avenue is a major north-south artery in Northwest Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County, Maryland. Within the District of Columbia, Georgia Avenue is also U.S. Route 29. Both Howard University and Walter Reed Army Medical Center are on Georgia Avenue.

Georgia Avenue begins north of Florida Avenue, which was the boundary of the Old City and is a continuation of 7th Street. Traveling northward, the street passes Howard University and Fort Stevens. At Eastern Avenue, the road crosses into Montgomery County and passes through Silver Spring.

Where it crosses Colesville Road a mile into Maryland, Georgia Avenue splits off U.S. Route 29 and becomes Maryland State Highway 97. Georgia Avenue ends north of Brookeville, Maryland, where it becomes Roxbury Mills Road.^[1] The total length of the road is about 24 miles (39 km), of which 5 miles (8 km) are in Washington, D.C.

Georgia Avenue was originally named 7th Street Extended, and later Brightwood Avenue, before receiving its present name. Prior to this, Potomac Avenue in Southeast Washington was called Georgia Avenue.

The Montgomery County Planning Board is undertaking a concept study to provide "a design framework for future master plans and projects from the District of Columbia to Howard County."^[2] The study covers each neighborhood in the corridor, examining pedestrian safety, urban design, and public transportation issues.

Every June, Washington holds the D.C. Caribbean Carnival, which includes a parade down the lower portion of Georgia Avenue, an area that is home to many Caribbean immigrants.

TRANSIT SERVICE:

1.1 Metrorail

Starting just north of the Silver Spring station, the Washington Metro Red Line runs roughly parallel to Georgia Avenue.

Metrorail stations on or near Georgia Avenue include:

• Georgia Avenue-Petworth  (Green Line, Yellow Line)
• Silver Spring  (Red Line)
• Forest Glen  (Red Line)
• Wheaton  (Red Line)
• Glenmont  (Red Line)

1.2 Metrobus

The following Metrobus routes travel along the street (listed from south to north):

• 70, 71 (Silver Spring station to 7th St.)
• 79 (Limited stop service from the Silver Spring station to 7th St.)
• 62 (Kansas Ave. to New Hampshire Ave.)
• 60 (Upshur St. to New Hampshire Ave.)
• K1 (PM southbound only from Eastern Ave. to Butternut St.; AM northbound only from Dahlia St. to Eastern Ave.)
• Y5, Y7, Y8, Y9 (Olney-Sandy Spring Rd. to Silver Spring station)
• Q2 (Veirs Mill Rd. to Silver Spring station)
• J5 (I-495 to Silver Spring station)

 1.3 Ride On

The following Ride On routes travel along the street (listed from south to north):

• 28 Van Go shuttle (Southbound only from Bonifant St. to 13th St.)
• 33 (Glenmont station to Arcola Ave.)
• 51 (Hewitt Ave. to Glenmont station)
• 53 (Prince Phillip Dr. to Glenmont station, express south of Norbeck Rd.)
• 52 (Both directions from Olney-Sandy Spring Rd. to Hines Rd.; northbound only from Norbeck Rd. to Hines Rd.)

1.4 MARC

The following MARC train stop lies near the street:

• Silver Spring      Brunswick Line

Next Stop:  TAKOMA METRORAIL

Takoma is a Washington Metro station in Washington, D.C. on the Red Line. It is the last station within the District of Columbia on the eastern end of the line.

The station serves the area of Takoma Park, Maryland and the Takoma neighborhood of Washington, D.C. and is located in Northwest at Cedar Street and Carroll Street, just inside the District of Columbia. Service began on February 6, 1978.

NOTE: Although no Metrorail stations lie within the Brightwood neighborhood, the Takoma Metrorail station is within walking distance from the northern end of the neighborhood.

ARE YOU HUNGRY?  I certainly am.  So, let's take a break and visit a restaurant along Georgia Avenue.  LET'S GO!!!   

How about the BRIGHTWOOD BISTRO?

Voted #1 Restaurant in the Brightwood Community (Zagat Rated!!)

The Brightwood Bistro is located at:

Neighborhood: Northwest (Brightwood Subdivision)

5832 Georgia Ave. N.W.

Washington, DC 20011

202-545-5014

http://www.brightwoodbistro.com/

This bright, cheery bistro serves classic American cuisine in a cozy setting. The menu will change often, but the dishes are variations on classic American favorites. Don't forget to check out their daily specials including drink and food deals you won't want to miss!

WHERE IS THEIR MENU? . . . I AM HUNGRY!!! . . .  HERE IT IS!!!

That was delicious!!! 

What do you think about their food???  Let's see what others have said about it . . .  Did you know that The Brightwood Bistro was in the News? No, let's see what they had to say!!! 

"Brightwood Bistro - in the News!!!"

"A Sit-Down Standout in Brightwood"

By Jane Black

Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 24, 2008; Page F03

"Washington diners often complain of a lack of good neighborhood joints. Brightwood Bistro (5832 Georgia Ave. NW, 202-545-5014) aims to be part of the solution.

The restaurant replaced the short-lived Meridian in August. The ambitious bistro is a venture of five friends, all of whom grew up in the Brightwood neighborhood. "We've lived in this area our whole lives and we've never had a nice sit-down restaurant. You had to go to Georgetown or downtown," says Daymon Anderson, general manager and co-owner. "So when the opportunity presented itself to us, we jumped on it."

The space looks much as it did before. The room is attractive, with a palette of soft blues and greens. Banquettes line one wall, and modern drum lights provide a flattering glow. What was missing on our early visit was customers. Only a handful of tables were full, though Anderson says the restaurant is starting to attract a lively happy-hour crowd, especially on Tuesdays, when drinks and appetizers are half-price.

As word gets out, the food, expertly prepared and reasonably priced, should draw in the crowds. Chef and co-owner Michael Walters has cooked locally at Citronelle, Galileo and Jaleo. His menu is an easy mix of international comfort food, including shrimp noodle soup and shrimp and grits.

Walters puts his fine-dining touches on even the simplest dishes. We started with a chopped salad: a lightly dressed mix of fresh greens, radishes and olives. It's the kind of salad you try to make at home but can never quite equal. We moved on to roast chicken and a burger. The chicken was a marvel: crisp skin, juicy meat on the breast and leg and, at $16, a very good deal. (Walters sears it skin side down, roasts it in the oven, then finishes it on the stove with lemon, vegetables and butter.) The burger, a blend of sirloin and top round on a homemade bun, could easily become a diner's weekday staple.

Service is still shaky, if well intentioned. Our overeager waiter had to repeat our order to us several times to make sure he got it right, then checked in at least four times to make sure we were happy.

It was a bit much. But it showed how Brightwood is making every effort to get the neighborhood restaurant right."

LET'S GO AND WORK OFF SOME OF THIS FOOD!!!  Next Stop are:  RECREATION CENTERS in Brightwood.  Yeah!!

Takoma Aquatic Center

Project Details:

Client: DC Department of Parks & Recreation
Location: 300 Van Buren Street NW
Type: Recreational
Target Area: Upper Northwest
Cost: $17 million
Size: 56,000 SF

JAIR LYNCH Development Partners, as part of a joint venture with Alpha Corporation, acted as fee developer for the DC Department of Parks and Recreation to renovate a 6,500 square foot historic bathhouse into a comprehensive community recreation center featuring a large meeting room, computer room, classroom, storage space, and restrooms. JAIR LYNCH also managed the development and construction of an Olympic-sized pool in a new natatorium behind the existing facility, which became the first public pool of this size in the District of Columbia. The 49,000 square foot building completed in 2005 also houses a weight room, aerobics room, concession area, and locker rooms.

Emery Park & Recreation Center

Project Details:

Client: DC Department of Parks & Recreation
Location: 5701 Georgia Ave NW
Type: Recreational
Target Area: Upper Northwest
Cost: $7.6 million
Size: 27,000 SF

JAIR LYNCH Development Partners, as part of a joint venture with Alpha Corporation, acted as fee developer for the DC Department of Parks and Recreation to build this state-of-the-art recreation facility. Using an alternative delivery method in which the joint venture held all contracts, JAIR LYNCH participated in the delivery of this neighborhood-serving project to Ward 4, which had previously lacked a quality recreation facility. Completed in 2002, the 27,000 square foot facility houses an indoor gymnasium with locker rooms, multi-purpose rooms and classrooms.

HAVE CHILDREN???  Let's visit a few of Brightwood's neighborhood schools.  LET'S GO!!!

NEXT STOP:  Elementary Schools (Brightwood ES and Whittier ES)

Brightwood Elementary School is over seventy years old and is located in the Northwest quadrant of Washington, DC. The faculty and staff of the school strive to provide our community's youth with an excellent education in a safe, fun, and nurturing environment that is conducive to the overall development of the child. We invite you to browse the pages of our site and learn more about our exciting institution.

As you peruse the site, please keep in mind that it is constantly under construction. Nevertheless, we are sure you will find this site to be useful and informative, and we urge you to visit frequently.

 For more information, visit their website at:  http://www.brightwooddc.org

Next Elementary School is:

WHITTIER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

6201 5th St. NW
Washington, DC 20011

 

 

 

 

There is also a Middle or Junior High School AND a Senior High School == NO, schools are plentiful in Brightwood subdivision:

The Middle/Junior Public Charter School is:  PAUL Public Charter School

Paul Public Charter School is a public school that serves students from all quadrants of the city. The school's structured and highly individualized program provides vital support for students during the critical middle school years. A strictly enforced Code of Conduct based on checks and balances helps students modify behaviors and attitudes to develop the character and academic prowess they need to become the leaders of tomorrow. 

Paul Public Charter School offers students in grades 6-8 a quality education, which enables them to become responsible and productive individuals, critical and independent thinkers, open-minded and cooperative team players, and outstanding community leaders. Paul has high expectations and believes that all children can learn and benefit from a rigorous academic program, which includes Sciences, Humanities, Mathematics, English Literature, Spanish, French and Fine Arts. Coupled with leadership and community service opportunities, the Paul PCS program promotes activism and a strong work ethic.

 

For more information, please visit their website at:  http://www.paulcharter.org

The SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL is:  CALVIN COOLIDGE Senior High School

 

Calvin Coolidge Senior High School is situated at:

6315 5th St NW

Washington, DC 20011

(202) 576-6143

 

 

Now that you have seen many attractions in the Brightwood Subdivision, perhaps you may want to consider MOVING TO BRIGHTWOOD . . .

WE HAVE SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST. . . Let's talk REAL ESTATE . . . starting with the History of Brightwood!!!

James White in 1772 built a log cabin on his 536 acres in today's Brightwood. His family was one of the area's few inhabitants. In 1790 the area was added to the city, and in 1810 Congress granted a charter for a system of turnpikes. The Seventh Street Turnpike was completed in 1822, and tollgates were constructed, one of which was located in Brightwood. From the 1820s freed slaves settled in Brightwood in a community called Vinegar Hill. By the mid 1850s there were just over 30 property owners from Rock Creek Church Road to the District Line along the turnpike. Only a few had holdings of more than 100 acres.  Four of the five black owners were women.

Thomas Carbery with his working farm called Norway served as city mayor from 1822 until 1823 and was also a city council member. Two other landowners, William Cammack and John Saul, used their farms and greenhouses to support their downtown businesses. Three neighborhood clusters developed along the turnpike in Brightwood -- Oak Grove to the District line with its post office and blacksmith shop, Crystal Spring Race Track with accompanying hotel and tavern, and the tollgate with four homes, a hotel, a Methodist Episcopal Church, and Vinegar Hill. In 1861 the neighborhood received the name Brighton after the local post office.  Because a post office in Maryland was also called Brighton and mail was misrouted, the name was changed to Brightwood.

The neighborhood has particular historic significance because of a military fort, Fort Massachusetts, that was built during the Civil War on land belonging to a black dairywoman. Military Road was built to connect this and other forts in the western section of town. The fort, renamed Fort Stevens to honor Brigadier General Issac Stevens who died in a victory in Chantilly, Virginia, was the setting of the only Confederate attack on Washington. Abraham Lincoln watched the battle from the fort, making him the only sitting president to come under enemy fire during a battle.

To avoid the expensive turnpike toll, the neighborhood residents extended Piney Branch Road. The city government eventually acquired the turnpike and made it a free highway. Alexander "Boss" Shepherd bought a portion of the original Carbery estate and built a home valued at around $15,000. Matthew Gault Emery, city mayor between 1870-71 built the second most valuable country house. More than 20 years after the Civil War, there were still less than 150 households in Brightwood, almost two-thirds white.  In 1893, when Congress extended the street plan of old Washington, the older streets and roads were straightened and widened. (Several of the old roads remain including Rock Creek Ford Road, 12th Street, and Shepherd Alley.) As heirs to farms abandoned agricultural life, more subdivisions arose. By 1910 there were three times as many homes as thirty years earlier. Louis Shoemaker, a real estate agent whose family sold 350 acres for Rock Creek Park, pushed for the continued development of the region and was instrumental in changing the name of Brightwood Avenue (or Seventh Street Extended) to Georgia Avenue. Other developers included the renowned Harry Wardman. Low-rise apartments began to appear in the 1920s, and additional apartment buildings and townhouses replaced single-family dwellings in the 1930s and 1940s.

MODERN REAL ESTATE IN BRIGHTWOOD (The following numbers have not been verified and are strictly public record):

In 2008, 71 single-family homes sold in Brightwood. In 2007, there were 84 sales, while 123 homes sold in 2006. The average sale price for 2008 was $405,616 which is an approximate $17,000 drop from the mid-year average. This compares to $454,604 and $469,296 in 2007 and 2006, respectively. The average list price was $418,175 in 2008, $464,092 in 2007, and $474,093 in 2006. In 2008, house were on the market for an average of 117 days. At the end of 2008, nine houses were under contract with five of them listed for under $300,000. The contracted houses were either sold as-is and/or HUD or bank-owned. Thirty-nine houses were on the market at year's end with all but two under $500,000. Listed below are the sales by price range for the past three years.

Single-Family Homes	2008	2007	2006
Below $500,000	55	62	84
$500,000-$999,999	16	21	38
$1,000,000-1,499,999	0	1	0
$1,500,000-$1,999,999	0	0	1
$2,000,000-$2,499,999	0	0	0
$2,500,000-$2,999,999	0	0	0
$3,000,000+	0	0	0
TOTAL	71	84	123

Brightwood has a combination of the best of the old and the best of the new when it comes to architecture. Harry Wardman, probably the most well-known Washington residential architect of the past, built several homes in Brightwood before the turn of the century. Between 1920 and 1938 he constructed another 500 in Brightwood. The current styles of homes combine the predominant Colonials with Tudors, contemporaries, bungalows, and split levels. The majority of homes are detached or semi-detached single-family homes followed by low-rise apartments and townhouses. Many of the homes are being renovated by new owners, while long-time residents have begun to upgrade and make additions. Modern lofts have recently entered the scene.   

One more recent project in Brightwood is:  THE LOFTS @ BRIGHTWOOD

The Lofts at Brightwood (& Home of the Brightwood Bistro)

 

www.loftsatbrightwood.com

Address: 5832 Georgia Avenue, NW
Neighborhood: Brightwood
Number of Units: 32
Completed: 4th Quarter 2006

The Lofts at Brightwood consists of 32 one and two bedroom condominiums with 18 parking spaces. The project is a successful adaptive re-use of an existing historic building at the corner of Georgia and Missouri Avenues. The Brightwood Lofts is also the home of the Brightwood Bistro which offers upscale dining with an eclectic bar area. All of the units have been sold.

AHHH! THE TOUR IS OVER. 

Tell me, after taking this tour, Is the Brightwood Neighborhood -- located in Washington, DC -- a Wonderful Place to Live?  Judge for Yourself!  PLEASE COMMENT.

To learn more about the Brightwood Community, please visit their Official website:  http://www.BrightwoodDC.com 

If you want to learn more about Residential Properties in Brightwood, visit:  http://www.2hdb.com/BrightwoodDC 

Yes, Brightwood is my Home, and I hope that you will make it yours, too.  Welcome Home!!!  Thank you for taking this tour with me!!!