Logan Circle / Shaw

I have a particular soft spot for this area. My theater was housed over here for the past four years, and I grew well acquainted with much of the area. We were right across the street from the Studio Theater, which is a force of nature in itself. One thing I found myself loving about this area was how so many amazing bars, shops, and restaurants were housed so tightly on just one street. Here you have Black Cat, El Centro, Miss Pixie's Furnishings (a classic mainstay of DC independent retail culture), and Churchkey, to name only a few. Housing-wise, you can find several fantastic, affordable options, and you can also find some less than savory real estate pickings. You just have to know where to look. But frankly, this is where true DC-ites either live, or love.

Logan Circle / Shaw is a neighborhood located in the northwest section of the city with approximately 36,558 residents. this population estimate incorporates the area towards U Street, which many consider part of the neighborhood as well. In general the neighborhood is defined by M Street N.E, 15th Street N.W., S Street N.W and New Jersey Avenue N.W. In 2010 the average sales price for homes sold in the expanded neighborhood was $539,551 with 26% of the homes being owner occupied. Here you will find a mixture of commercial buildings, multi-family homes as well as attached and detached single family homes. Many are quite nice.

There are a number of schools in the neighborhood including Garrison Elementary School, Kipp DC :Will Academy, Center City PCS - Shaw Campus and Community Academy CS - Butler. Recreational facilities include the Kennedy Recreation Center. Shopping and restaurants can be found within the neighborhood as well. Green space is limited but there are several parks for residents to use including Logan Circle Park Cardozo Playground and the Bundy Playground. The neighborhood offers several places of worship. The Mt. Vernon Square Metro station is located here and there are also numerous Metro Bus stops within the neighborhood. All in all a really nice neighborhood that is definitely on the way up.

Crime against people and property does occur frequently according to the most recent crime data. As always, review the most recent crime data and make an informed decision as to the crime risk before moving into any neighborhood.

Logan Circle is one of those historically black neighborhoods that, except for a brief period in the seventies, has remained that way. Like many, it has experienced ups and downs, but right now the trend is definitely up. Although Logan Circle itself is largely residential, with little retail and few restaurants, this is not the case everywhere in the neighborhood. Rather, the area we refer to more as Shaw is home to plenty of jazz clubs, night life, restaurants and even a Whole Foods! Needless to say, there is something for almost everyone in the area, except for the most trendy people. That constituency is better off with Dupont Circle or Adams Morgan, where the trendiest, most upscale establishments are. Overall, Logan Circle is a middle class Black neighborhood, although since it is close to Howard University there are some students. That wouldn’t stop ME from living there, but if you like your quiet then as a total package Logan Circle may not be your thing.
A lot of the big old houses became apartments and even boarding houses. Although many of these have been renovated back to their original use, nonetheless those smaller units are great for singles and students. Any way you go though, Logan Circle is a nice historic neighborhood to consider.

If you're looking for an up-and-coming area of DC to live in, but one that retains the historical flavor of the late 19th century, look no further. The Logan Circle/Shaw area, like most of the other neighborhoods in Northwest DC, has experienced it's ups and downs over the decades. Beginning in the 1880s as an area where the upper middle-class lived in Victorian row houses and larger houses, by the middle of the 20th century the houses were subdivided into apartments for more middle-class Washingtonians. The area of 14th Street NW became a major shopping area, including prominent automobile dealerships, as well as the dividing like between the white Logan Circle area and the African-American Shaw neighborhoods. After the events of April 1968, the white middle class fled the area along with the businesses along 14th Street. The 1980s and 90s saw the area decay further, becoming known as a dangerous area rife with prostitution and drug use. Today, however, young middle-class professionals have come back into the area and are revitalizing the neighborhood, which now boasts a variety of shopping establishments and a lively theater and nightlife. The area is also convenient to DC's Metro system through the Shaw/Howard University station on the Green and Yellow Lines.

If you're looking for an up-and-coming area of DC to live in, but one that retains the historical flavor of the late 19th century, look no further. The Logan Circle/Shaw area, like most of the other neighborhoods in Northwest DC, has experienced it's ups and downs over the decades. Beginning in the 1880s as an area where the upper middle-class lived in Victorian row houses and larger houses, by the middle of the 20th century the houses were subdivided into apartments for more middle-class Washingtonians. The area of 14th Street NW became a major shopping area, including prominent automobile dealerships, as well as the dividing like between the white Logan Circle area and the African-American Shaw neighborhoods. After the events of April 1968, the white middle class fled the area along with the businesses along 14th Street. The 1980s and 90s saw the area decay further, becoming known as a dangerous area rife with prostitution and drug use. Today, however, young middle-class professionals have come back into the area and are revitalizing the neighborhood, which now boasts a variety of shopping establishments and a lively theater and nightlife. The area is also convenient to DC's Metro system through the Shaw/Howard University station on the Green and Yellow Lines.