Foggy Bottom:
Students, Skyscrapers and the State Department

April 8, 2009
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Neighborhoods

by Liz Weiss

Borders: 17th Street, M Street, Rock Creek Parkway, and Constitution Avenue
ZIP code(s): 20052, 20036, 20037
Pricing data: Foggy Bottom real estate (Redfin)
Map: Click here for interactive Google Map

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The Watergate Hotel

Named for the fog and smoke that filled the streets when it used to be an industrial area a century ago, Foggy Bottom has a much different reputation today. The smoke and fog have disappeared and the area is now known for its bustling student population, easy access to public transportation, and being home to one of the most storied hotels in the country. However even though it is where you will find the State Department, World Bank and IMF (and the international set that works at these places), Foggy Bottom is something of a concrete jungle that lacks the character of neighborhoods like U Street and Capitol Hill.

Demographics

Foggy Bottom has an established student population through George Washington University, however it is also a place where young (successful) professionals are buying homes, due largely to its central location. According to Zillow, approximately forty percent of residents in the area are between the ages of 20 and 30, about sixty percent are single and only four percent of homes have children.

Property Prices

The median list price for a single-family home in Foggy Bottom is $674,000, according to Redfin, however for a condo (a much more popular property type in this area) the median list price is $507,000.

There is a two-bedroom, two-bath condo in Potomac Plaza currently on the market for $527,000. The 1,550 square-foot home is actually the combination of a one-bedroom unit and a studio unit. It has a spacious balcony, and the building has a roof deck that offers views of the Watergate, Kennedy Center, and Potomac River. For the full listing, click here.

There is a colonial townhouse at 2515 I Street NW that is on the market for $929,900. The three-bedroom, three-bath property has two fireplaces, hardwood floors throughout, and an outdoor patio. It is just about two blocks from the GWU Metro, but it also comes with two parking spaces. For the full listing, click here.

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A Building in Foggy Bottom

Market Fundamentals

Foggy Bottom is a neighborhood of townhouses, co-ops, and condos. (You won’t find many detached single-family homes in the area.)

Local agent Jen Angotti says that the investment potential is very good in the area, particularly if you are going to buy a home and then rent it out. “There’s a constant influx of people looking for short-term rentals in the neighborhood because of GW, the State Department, and the World Bank,” she told UrbanTurf.

Angotti noted that prices have dropped in a lot of the buildings in the neighborhood. “Some have fallen more than others which makes it seem like an opportune time to invest,” she said. “There are always people looking and our firm has continued to do brisk business, especially with studios and one-bedrooms.”

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George Washington University

Insider Tips

Affordable prime real estate in Foggy Bottom can be difficult to find, and proximity to everyday services and public transportation is definitely worth considering when you are looking for a place.

Also, despite its central and constantly buzzing location, safety is still a consideration. “In general, I feel safe walking around at night,” George Washington University sophomore Katie Zulandt told UrbanTurf. “But I wouldn’t venture down E Street at 2am.”

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Tonic at Quigley's Pharmacy

Parking & Transportation

Foggy Bottom is one of the most difficult places in DC to find street parking. If you can find a condo or property that includes a parking space in the listing price, consider yourself lucky.

However, it should be pretty clear by now that you don’t need a car in this neighborhood. The neighborhood is centered around the Foggy Bottom/GWU Metro stop on the Blue and Orange lines at the intersection of 23rd and I Street NW, and numerous bus lines crisscross the area.

Bottom Line

If you work downtown and don’t need to escape to a quieter locale when the clock hits 6pm, Foggy Bottom may be the place for you. However, because it does not offer many of the bar, restaurant and shopping options of a number of other DC neighborhoods, it remains an area in which people prefer to work, but not live.

Quick Answers

Noise Level
Foggy Bottom bustles during the day and quiets down slightly at night, but this is not a neighborhood where you move for peace and quiet.

Best Streets to Live On
I Street, New Hampshire Avenue

Closest Grocery Store
Trader Joe’s, 2425 L St NW

Neighborhood Picks

Best Sunday Brunch — Tonic at Quigley’s Pharmacy, 2036 G Street NW
Best Bar in the Area — The 51st State Tavern, 2512 L Street NW
Most Underrated Restaurant — Founding Farmers, 2401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW