This used to be known as Silver Supermarket, a derelict building at the end of our block that had a pay phone on the premises used by drug dealers. I didn’t even like walking past there, it was that bad. When we moved back from Turkey in 2006, much to our surprise, the building had been totally renovated, although the shop front windows are still quite obvious. It was up for sale about a half year ago, with an asking price of around $1.3 million. Luckily we didn’t like the interior – far too open with very few doors and an odd floor plan – because we never could have afforded it anyway ;-).

NOTE: I subsequently learned that in the 1930s this used to be a Sanitary Grocery store, which was later changed to Safeway. This information came from a woman who was born and grew up on the next block, on 10th Street NE.

Quite by chance I came across listings for a new building by Eastern Market, not far from our house. Rather than preserve an older school (which in truth might not have been worth preserving), developers tore it down and built a large complex in its place. The monthly rent runs from $2,738 to $10,333 for 1-3 bedrooms (with the latter measuring 2,300 square feet), and today my neighbor said the highest priced unit was $14,000 a month. I can’t even imagine who would or could pay that much to rent what is essentially an apartment…

The old Capitol Hill Hospital, 'now leasing,' posted earlier: