By: Brian S. Last night, Town & Country Movers attended “Taste of Crown” at the brand new Crown development in Gaithersburg, MD. As mentioned in a previous post “The New Suburbia“, the entire development covers over 180 acres, and looks to fill over 260,000 square feet of commercial retail. The three current builders, KB Home, Pulte Homes, and M/I Homes showed off models of their phase one town homes. Starting in the mid 500′s and reaching upwards of $700,000 (depending on what finishes are chosen), the town homes have drawn attention from not only people looking to downsize (relatively), but from first-time home buyers as well.   The goal of the event, which catered to real estate agents and contractors alike, was not only to showcase the homes, but to give a glimpse into the various restaurants that will fill Downtown Crown. Asia Nine, Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar, [...]

By Brian S. Perched atop the oh-so-eclectic 18th street in the heart of Adams Morgan, bar/restaurant Southern Hospitality (a.k.a. Soho) is bringing a little Southern comfort to the city of Washington D.C. One of the first (of soon to be many) establishments looking to “civilize” the notoriously rowdy neighborhood , Soho, which opened in 2012 caters to all crowds, from the Howard University Alumni Club, to young professional families, to Monday Night Football devotees. The Soho staff was strategic in picking the pineapple as a logo: It’s a symbol of hospitality. If it’s raining, they’ll search high and low to equip you with an umbrella on your way out the door; and after just 3 visits, the whole staff knew my name. In a city where it’s difficult to get a friendly wave from a passing jogger, such warmth is refreshing. Ambiance. Check. Service. Check. But what about the food? Full disclosure: [...]

By: Brian S. Since the late 1940′s, a shift in traditional suburban living has taken place. A shift that is bringing city-living to what were once quite neighborhood streets. Planned Unit Developments (PUD’s), which incorporate residential, recreational, commercial, and industrial aspects into one contained development, have become extremely appealing to buyers… and therefore developers. And it makes sense; you get the convenience of city-living with the comfort (and often times safety) of a suburban neighborhood. Washington D.C. has long been known as a commuter city. High crime rates (although declining), poor schools, and high cost of living are three main reasons people, typically families, flee to places like Northern Virginia and Maryland. Take the new Crown Development in Gaithersburg; occupying 180 acres, the development is said to house a mixture of town-homes, single-family detached homes, multi-family units and over 260,000+ square feet of commercial use. The development will take place [...]

By Brian S. Chevy Chase based development firm, The JBG Cos. has been very busy leaving their mark on what has been described as the center of D.C.’s music scene. The U Street Corridor has undergone pretty significant changes over the past 20 years, and there are no signs of slowing down. Close to completing a 268-unit mixed-use apartment complex at 14th & U (complete with a Trader Joe’s), and plans for a 135-unit mixed-use apartment complex at 13th & U (across from U Street Metro Station), JBG has also just broken ground on a two building mixed-use project that will boast a total of 375 residential units and close to 24,000 square feet of retail space located right next to the 930 Club (see rendering above). Through the first half of the 20th century, U Street was defined by its rich music culture. Somewhere along the way, U Street [...]