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The pending development of The Lofts at Brightwood is welcome news for the Georgia Avenue corridor. When work begins next month, construction crews – and later homeowners and diners -- will replace an eyesore at the prominent corner at Missouri Avenue.
The 32-unit condominium and ground-floor restaurant will replace the building’s
former occupant, the IBEX Nightclub. It has the notorious distinction of ranking as one of the few clubs ever shut down by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, which in this case acted after the murder of a Metropolitan Police Department officer.
A subsequent furniture store briefly occupied the site, which has otherwise remained vacant.
The developer, Neighborhood Development Co., often selects run-down buildings. It is also preparing to renovate an abandoned warehouse at 700 Lamont St. in Columbia Heights.
At Brightwood, the units will feature large kitchens, stainless-steel appliances, bamboo floors, granite countertops and natural wood cabinets.
We believe the project will provide a real boost for the neighborhood and the city. It will rehabilitate a long-vacant building and add new housing stock – without displacing any current residents.
Residents have waited a long time to see the revitalization of Georgia Avenue. It is too early to know whether it has come at last, but the planned groundbreaking for The Lofts at Brightwood is a positive signal.
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