A Greener Demeanor: Logan Circle

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SURE, THERE MAYBE be a downturn in the national housing market these days. But there are still a few neighborhoods where homes remain a hot commodity. D.C.'s Logan Circle is one of those beacons of light. It's still selling. And the centrally located community boasts a number of new eco-friendly retail and residential developments, making it a great, green place to live.

With its burgeoning art and theater scenes, mix of sleek and funky home decor stores, the ever-popular Whole Foods Market, packed restaurants and bars, and a groovy vibe, Logan has the "It" factor.

"It is on the city grid, has great retail - from art galleries to mom-and-pop shops to Bang and Olufson - good Metro access, and historic architecture combined with modern design. And it's still a diverse, laid-back neighborhood," says Todd DeLorenzo, who moved into Logan Circle's new, eco-friendly Metropole condo building in November. "Name another neighborhood that offers that."

But what makes Logan Circle truly stand out is its confluence of old and new, history and hipness, tradition and transformation. The Circle itself is, to many, the most majestic in a city of circles, studded with imposing Victorian rowhouses. The area also boasts some of the city's most exciting, innovative new architecture and design, from starkly modern limestone and glass to weathered Victorian brick.

Logan Circle is also ahead of the green curve. If one of the quickest ways to shrink your carbon footprint is to ditch your car, then Logan Circle is intrinsically eco-friendly.

Logan Circle scores a whopping 98 out of 100 on the walkability scale on Walk Score (Walkscore.com), a Web site that ranks neighborhoods in 40 U.S. cities based on how walking-friendly they are and how easily their residents can live "car-lite" lifestyles.

DeLorenzo says Logan Circle makes it easy to go green. "I drive a Prius, but since I've lived in the Metropole, I think I've taken it out only a couple of times," says DeLorenzo, 38, who is chief of staff in the executive office of the chairman and CEO at the Motion Picture Association of America. "I walk or Metro everywhere. It doesn't get more green than that."

To meet the demand for eco-living in the neighborhood, condo developers and designers have been incorporating green features into their newest multi-story loft and condo buildings (in which units generally start in the $400s), including sustainable materials, energy-efficient HVAC equipment and appliances, high-performance glass, and green roofs. They're finding a steady stream of customers attracted by those features, too.

Case in point: the Metropole, an environmentally friendly building located at 15th and P streets NW, in which the prices of the 90 condo units range from $450,000 to $2.1 million. The Metropole is slated for completion this spring, and 25 occupants already call it home.

The high-end units in the building are selling particularly briskly, says DCRealEstate.com's CEO, Ken Johnson, whose company is marketing the Metropole. Two recent contracts in the "slice of South Beach in Logan Circle" exceeded $1.9 million apiece, Johnson says.

Metropole resident DeLorenzo gushes about the building's "amazing detail," and its eco-friendly features such as large expanses of glass to bring in natural light, high-efficiency boilers and Energy Star appliances, including Bosch water-conserving washing machines. "I think it is smart construction for today's living, designed with the future in mind," DeLorenzo says.

New green condo units are also up for sale at Lofts 11 (1125 11th St. NW), a nine-story brick and glass building featuring 27 units, including a $1 million-plus penthouse with a private elevator. Currently, there are several units for sale in the $300,000 to $400,000 range, says Gail Montplaisir, the president of Lofts 11 developer and marketer Taurus Development Group.

Like the Metropole, Lofts 11 features innovative, sustainable design. Its roof is 70 percent green, Montplaisir says, which means its rooftop vegetation reduces rainwater runoff and increases energy efficiency.

Inside each unit, tinted windows and screening devices block out the heat of the sun. The devices also reduce the need for heat during daylight hours, Montplaisir says. Kitchen cabinets in each condo - which are traditionally constructed using formaldehyde and toxic glues - were instead custom-built using wheatboard and nontoxic glues and faced with recycled bamboo. And countertops are made from either recycled plastics or recycled glass. As a whole, Lofts 11 offers "great design that makes people smile when they live there," Montplaisir says. "People come for the design."

With its thriving real estate market and increasingly green-minded community, it's hard to imagine that Logan Circle was once considered dangerous. "When I moved into my house in 1991, I was told never to walk toward 14th Street because I would be harassed by the prostitutes," recalls resident Keith Eby, 41, a marketing consultant. "I used to find needles, packets of drugs, empty liquor bottles and condoms in my parking space all of the time. I don't see much of that anymore."

Logan Circle went into serious decline after the 1968 race riots, and the area lay dormant for decades as businesses and residents packed up and moved to suburbs. "Many properties had fallen into disrepair or had actually fallen down," recalls Tim Christensen, 52, a consultant and at-large member of the Logan Circle Community Association Board of Directors. But trendsetting developers, architects and pioneering residents saw an opportunity in the rubble. One by one, vacant or underused lots have been reclaimed and redeveloped.

"Because the area wasn't - and still isn't - completely 'established,' there has been room for new, innovative construction that still maintains a sense of history," says Tony Hain, associate broker and founder of the Art of City Living group at Long & Foster.

And then, of course, there's the Whole Foods factor. When the organic food mecca opened its doors on P Street in 2000, Logan Circle became a veritable breeding ground for design-minded developers and retailers.

"Whole Foods was the catalyst, the icing on the cake. It attracted a wave of new interest in the area," explains Bill Bonstra, the founder and managing partner of Bonstra Haresign Architects. Bonstra designed the newly completed Citta 50 (1450 Church St. NW), which features one- and two-bedroom condo units with bamboo floors. The 27-unit building currently has 16 condos for sale, priced from the low $400s to $1.2 million.

Even as it attracts newcomers, Logan Circle has retained its own identity, residents say.

"It is a strong community and a diverse community," says Christensen. Logan is a "little village within a big city. You can't really walk around without seeing people you know."

HOT SPOTS
Logan Circle is bounded by S Street to the north, Mass. Ave. to the south, 9th Street to the east and 16th Street to the west, according to the Logan Circle Community Association. Many of its popular destinations and amenities also contribute to the green scene.

Public Transportation
» Metro: In addition to several bus lines, four Metro stops are within walking distance: U Street (Green and Yellow lines); Mt. Vernon Square (Green and Yellow lines); Dupont Circle (Red Line); and McPherson Square (Blue and Orange lines).
» zipcar: Logan Circle has 12 locations where vehicles in the car-sharing program are parked.
» SmartBike: D.C.'s new self-service public bike rental program has a rack near the intersection of 14th Street and Rhode Island Avenue NW.

Groceries
» Whole Foods Market: Stock up on organic eats (1440 P St. NW; 202-332-4300).

Fitness/recreation
» Logan Circle: Where residents and their dogs get exercise the old-fashioned way (playing Frisbee, jogging, etc.).
» VIDA fitness: A gym inside the Metropole building (1517 15th St. NW; 202-588-5559).
» BodySmith Training Gym (1622 14th St. NW; 202-772-0001).

Dining
» Posto: You may have to endure a long wait to get a table at this trendy Italian eatery (1515 14th St. NW; 202-332-8613).
» Cork Wine Bar: The brainchild of Logan Circle residents Diane Gross and Khalid Pitts, Cork offers small plates and an extensive wine list (1720 14th St. NW; 202-265-CORK).
» Rice: A sleek Thai restaurant that's moderately priced (1608 14th St. NW; 202-234-2400).

Bars
» Logan Tavern: An inexpensive neighborhood restaurant and bar (1423 P St. NW; 202-332-3710).
» Halo: A straight-friendly gay bar (1435 P St. NW; 202-797-9730).
» Stoney's: Nosh on bar food such as grilled cheese and chili dogs (1433 P St. NW; 202-234-1818).
» Helix Lounge: A hip hotel bar (1430 Rhode Island Ave. NW; 202-234-1454).

Entertainment
» Studio Theatre: Take in live theater (1501 14th St. NW; 332 3300).
» Vegas Lounge: Regularly hosts blues shows and dancing (1415 P St. NW; 202-483-3971).

Galleries
» There are four galleries at 1515 14th St. NW, including: G Fine Art (202-462-1601), Adamson Gallery (202-232-0707) and Hemphill Fine Art (202-234-5601).
» Other notable spaces include Transformer Galley (1404 P St. NW; 202- 483-1102), Gallery plan b (1530 14th St. NW; 202-234-2711) and Irvine Contemporary (1412 14th St. NW; 202-332-8767).

Retail
» Future Green: Stocks organic, nontoxic gifts, clothing, home furnishings and fair-trade goods (1469 Church St. NW; 202-234-7110).
» Muleh: Shop for modern Asian home furnishings and furniture made from renewable organic materials (1831 14th St. NW; 202-667-3440).
» Garden District: Two shops sell nursery and gardening supplies for both inside the home and outdoors (1520 14th St. NW; 202-797-0657; 1801 14th St. NW; 202-797-9005).

Written by Express contibutor Catrin Morris
Photos by Nate Lankford, Kevin Clark, Leah L. Jones/ The Washington Post