Marshall Heights

Like the title of this review suggests, this place leaves a lot to be desired in terms of original housing design. Some places look like a giant brick was dropped onto an open field. Others are too perfect and candy colored, smashed together into a row of uniformity. One wonders whether it would have been more visually appealing to just leave the field as it was.

It's also not especially centrally located. This comes in handy for families looking to escape DC's hectic streets after the 9-5 day. Not so much for college students, or up-and-comings in their early twenties. But there plenty of other neighborhoods for them farther north.

Marshall Heights is a neighborhood in the southeast section of the city and is home to approximately 5,865 residents. Located along the Maryland state line the boundaries of the neighborhood are defined by East Capitol Street N.E., Benning Road S.E. and Southern Avenue S.E.. Homes here are relatively affordable with the average price for a home sold in 2010 being $116,041. Approximately 22% of the homes are owner occupied. The neighborhood features a mixture of commercial and residential uses. Here you will find a variety of multifamily homes as well as attached and detached single family homes.

One of the striking features of the neighborhood is the number of dedicated recreational centers here. Residents will enjoy Benning Park Recreation Center, Harris Recreation Center, Fletcher-Johnson Recreation Center and the East Capitol Community Center. In addition, the Evans Recreation Center is just outside of the neighborhood. H.D. Woodson Senior High School, Nalle Elementary School and C.W. Harris Elementary School are located here as well. Although residents will find a few markets and restaurants, most will want to travel to other neighborhoods for shopping and restaurant opportunities. There are at least 12 places of worship with Marshall Heights. Capitol Heights Metro station is located at the intersection of East Capitol Street S.E. and Southern Avenue S.E. and residents enjoy numerous Metro Bus stations as well.

Crime is a mixed bag according to the most recent crime data. Most crime appears to be focused upon property crimes, however there have been numerous serious crimes against people as well including sexual assault and assault with a deadly weapon. As always check the most recent crime statistics and make an informed decision as to the crime risks associated with any neighborhood.