Washington DC's Logan Circle neighborhood

Logan circle has known many identities over the last century, from being home to prominent African Americans, to a home of numerous car dealerships, to the decline into prostitution and drugs after the riots of 1968 to the urban luxury neighborhood it is today.  It is now a pricey area however with that high price comes access to numerous forms of transportation, amazing restaurants, and upscale apartments, condos, and row houses. 

History of Logan Circle, DC

Pierre L’Enfant envisioned Logan Circle in his master plan of DC and up until the start of the 20^th century the area was actually called Iowa Circle.  It was then renamed to honor former hero of the Civil War John Logan.  Originally it was an elite area home to powerful black leaders and was a very desirable neighborhood up until the middle part of the 20^th century.  Numerous car dealerships starting moving into the Logan Circle area however what caused the downturn of the neighborhood were the 1968 riots which spiraled the neighborhood into drugs and prostitution.  During the 80s and 90s, the local community, fed up with all the crime, stepped up and created groups that reported illegal activities to police and this helped to make the neighborhood safer and more attractive.  The addition of Whole Foods in 2000 was the icing on the cake that turned this neighborhood into what it is today.  With that anchor in the neighborhood, developers started to realize how much potential the area had and began to rebuild and renovate throughout the area. 

Logan Circle’s Vibe 

Logan Circle is most well known for its remodeled historic row houses that contain some of the most beautiful architecture in all of DC.  There are also brand new condo developments and apartments.  Logan Circle is an expensive area to live and within a close proximity are all types of stores, restaurants, and transportation options.  The gentrification of Logan Circle is evidenced by the numerous art galleries like Transformer, Yoga gyms like Flow Yoga Center and organic food outlets like Whole Foods Grocer. 

Shopping in Logan Circle, DC 

Logan Circle is home to many boutique retailers from furniture stores like the eco friendly Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams, the upscale Bang and Olufsen electronics store, wine bars like Cork Wine Bar, and numerous art galleries.  The great thing about these retailers is that they are all within a short walk of each other and provide for an interesting and unique pedestrian experience. 

Recreation, Parks, and Gyms in Logan Circle, DC

Residents in Logan Circle are very active and the neighborhood is considered very pedestrian friendly.  Biking and walking or jogging around the area is popular and there are many boutique gyms to take advantage of like One World Fitness, B-Fit, and BodySmith .  Logan Circle Park is a beautiful part of the neighborhood where you can walk around or enjoy a picnic.  Every year there is also a walking house tour of some of the historic mansions and row houses in Logan circle.   

Logan Circle Real Estate

There is also a wide range of high end residential options including row houses, apartments, and condos from some of DC’s most noted developers including Jim Abdo and Monte Hoffman.  Although Logan circle has been home to many new developments it retains a lot of its historic features as some developers have preferred to renovate and do condo conversions as opposed to building new.  There is plenty of housing available however finding an affordable deal might be a little difficult.  It is not unusual to pay upwards of one million for the upscale housing options in Logan Circle especially with some of the former car dealerships turned luxury lofts that are so common in this area. 

Transportation options in Logan Circle, DC 

Logan circle is known as a very walkable community and residents love to see the boutique stores, restaurants and the arts scene that has called Logan Circle home in recent years.  Although the neighborhood doesn’t have its own metro stop it is walking distance to several others including McPherson Square, Dupont Circle, Farragut North as well as the Shaw/Howard stop.  Walkscore gave Logan Circle a 96 out of 100, or in other words, a walker’s paradise.  It is also has access to several metro bus lines and the Circulator.  Zip Cars are another popular mode of transportation in Logan Circle.  Like many gentrified neighborhoods, Logan Circle is extremely bike friendly and even has several independently owned bike stores including The Bike Rack and Rollin Cycles.

Logan Circle’s Boundaries

According to the Logan Circle Community Association its boundaries are defined as “S Street to the north, Massachusetts Avenue to the south, 9^th Street to the east, and 16^th Street to the West.” 

Entertainment and Restaurants in Logan Circle

Today there is a diverse and upscale commercial strip featuring wine bars, chic restaurants of all cuisines and a great selection of coffee shops including the DC renowned Peregrine Espresso.  Logan Circle has a great collection of wine bars within a small distance from each other including Cork Wine Bar and Veranda.  The available restaurant cuisines include Birch and Barley for American, Ristorante Posto for Italian, Lalibela for Ethiopian and many more. 

Nightlife in Logan Circle, DC

Logan Circle has great access to nightlife including several bars, clubs, and even a theatre.  Some of the local neighborhood bars include Helix, Stoney’s, and Churchkey.  Studio Theater is a great place to catch a variety of shows and has been established in the neighborhood for over 30 years.   

Conclusion

Logan circle is one of DC’s great historic neighborhoods and still retains a lot of its historic charm even with the new developments and renovations that have been drawn to this unique area.  It has great accessibility whether you are walking, taking a bus, driving, or using the metro.  Also the commercial strip is home to numerous upscale stores including furniture, fitness, art galleries, wine bars and more.  The neighborhood is great and many residents love the accessibility to everything however because of the plentiful options available here you must be willing to pay significantly more than other parts of DC to live here.