9 hours ago - Real Estate
Scoop: One of D.C.'s storied salt-and-pepper houses is for sale
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One of the much-talked-about "salt-and-pepper houses" on Foxhall Road is for sale.
Why it matters: The twin black-and-white homes have made local headlines several times over the past decade:
- They were built using prefabricated panels assembled by robots — and billed as higher quality — by a development group backed in part by Steve Salis, the well-known restaurateur behind spots like Ted's Bulletin, Federalist Pig and Kramers.
And, in 2022, the homes became the subject of local online scuttlebutt after a Washingtonian article detailed the litigious saga behind the properties.
- The owners of both properties sued Salis and other parties in 2021, claiming the houses had serious issues — including a rotted structural beam, mold, faulty A/C, leaks, basement sewage — and that the developers concealed these problems. (Salis and his partner both denied wrongdoing.)
- The lawsuit was settled last year, with the parties agreeing to dismiss all claims and counterclaims, according to D.C. Superior Court records.
What they're saying: The black house of the duo — on the market for $2.3 million — has undergone extensive renovations, says listing agent Daniel Heider.
- "The home today is fundamentally different from the one described in the 2022 article," Heider tells Axios. "The issues that were the subject of that reporting have been addressed."
- A home inspector examined the home twice, and renovations included work like "comprehensive structural repairs," "resolution of the water intrusion" and a new HVAC, says Heider.
Zoom in: The 4,600-square-foot house has 5 bedrooms and 4.5 baths, with a retractable wall, wine storage and a dog-washing station, per the listing.
- The home briefly went on the market earlier this summer for $2.7 million before the listing was taken down for a few months.
- The buyers purchased it for $1.8 million in 2019.