RSS FeedFire Breaks Up Mah Jong Tables In Chinatown (605 I St NW)!
This is from the DC Fire Department’s website:
- April 12, 2007…Vito Maggiolo
Some big money activity in a Chinatown gambling den came to an abrupt halt when firefighters arrived to fight a small blaze there on Thursday, April 12.
The fire involved the window frame and vent fan assembly on the basement level of a row dwelling at 605 I Street N.W. As firefighters began to attack the blaze, players at several high stakes mah jong tables in the basement grabbed their cash and made for the doors.
The fire was quickly controlled with a box alarm assignment.
It is interesting to note that Gould development’s 600 Mass Ave project, which spans from 609-631 I St NW, is slated to envelop most of the empty space in the 600 block of I street. However, it appears that 605 I St NW will be spared from the development.
This reminds us of the “Tanning Salon” on 521 G St NW. It seems like buildings that are involved in organized forms of illegal activity are able to escape redevelopment.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
I consider the 600 block of H and I, and the 800 block of 6th to be Chinatown.. at least at the moment. Besides, I think it makes more sense for this article because the peeps were playing Mah Jong.
That is definitely Chinatown. I think it is realtor types that like to extend the boundaries of Penn Quarter because it is associated with higher prices and curb appeal. Just like Extending Dupont to include Logan/Shaw (Dupon East), or extending Logan Circle well into Shaw, or extending U Street up into Columbia Hieghts.
Well, I can’t blame the realtors in some cases.. “Chinatown” indicates an area where there is a community of Chinese people and stores. While standing on the corner of 7th and F St, “Chinatown” is an impossible sell.
I know a lot of older residents are accustomed to calling the huge swath of downtown land “Chinatown.” But, neighborhoods change.
Penn Quarter envelopes what people refer to as “Chinatown” these days. So, it’s just easy for people to call the whole area Penn Quarter and be done with it.
Yes, it’s like calling that area over by 5th and Mass that’s littered with condo buidlings, “Penn Quarter”
what happened to Gallery Place? Or did some new real estate person decide that doesn’t exist either?
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
LOL why iz it when something is good, it’s called Penn Quarter and when it’s bad it’s called Chinatown?