Road to Nowhere in Cleveland Park

I was looking at condos for sale in Cleveland Park last week and, as always, I noticed a few front yard signs saying “Save Klingle Road” or “Save Klingle Park.” The Klingle Road debate is many years old by now. It concerns a half-mile stretch of “reclaimed” parkland based on the providentially washed-out remains of a section of Klingle Rd. It used to connect Mount Pleasant to the southern part of Cleveland Park, via an off-shoot of the bridge over Rock Creek at Porter St.

The D.C. City Council finally voted to repair and reopen the road, and proposed a $7 million budget for this. Now, the measure has been blocked again, and a public hearing on Thursday night packed the room full of “Save Klingle Park” supporters. While I am personally happy that the squirrels and walkers don’t have to run for cover quite yet, at the same time I am getting tired of this debate and at some point we have to respect the public process. Don’t we? Or maybe you’d rather buy a condo there knowing you can take a walk in Klingle Valley without breathing in exhaust fumes ….
Keep your eye on DCWire and The North West Current for updates. The Council is voting on the budget next week. You can get some basic facts and background from www.klinglevalley.org or www.repairklingleroad.org (which seems to have more money behind it, although not necessarily more supporters.) Also, for some thoughtful words on this and other urban development issues, try Richard Layman’s blog.

So, what about the condos in Cleveland Park, which is better-known for its large and historic single-family homes? Well, the condos are generally in older buildings (30-80 years old), sometimes very charming, clustered near Connecticut Ave., and not cheap for what you get. People go for them because this is a well-heeled, long-established urban community with everything you need within walking distance. I used to work in Cleveland Park, so I felt it was my neighborhood for at least several hours a day. The Metro will take you to K St. in five minutes, if you should be so lucky/unlucky to work there (or you could walk there in 30 minutes). You can walk to the Zoo. There are always people about, lots of restaurants, some interesting stores and small businesses, schools, and a very active set of residents. You can learn more at www.clevelandpark.com.

There are over 20 condos for sale in Cleveland Park now, mainly 1-bedroom apartments in the $300-400k range. Condo fees vary widely depending on the state of repair/renovation. The two listed below are open on Sunday – including a rare 3-bedroom unit – but check Redfin for more before you go out:

- 2712 ORDWAY St, #23 – $315,000, 1 bed/1bath, 727 sqft. Monthly condo fee is $258. This is a quiet street, right in the heart of Cleveland Park and close to the action. Open Sunday 1-4 pm.

- 3411 29TH St NW, #4 – $539,000, 3 bed/2 bath duplex, 1300 sqft. Monthly condo fee is $718. The MLS pictures are gorgeous! Open Sunday 2-5 pm.

Cheers, Allison