Living in Shaw, Washington DC

The Walter E. Washington Convention Center's superblock sits along Shaw's southern edge, a few blocks from Howard University's campus, which has anchored the neighborhood's northern half since 1867. The O Street Market, a market hall built in 1881 that lost its roof in a 2003 blizzard, reopened after a lengthy rebuild with a Giant grocery store now operating out of part of the restored historic structure. Rowhouses and converted warehouses fill the blocks between, many tied to Shaw's long history as a center of Black civic and religious life in the city, from its historic churches to its 19th-century meeting halls. The Shaw-Howard University Metro station serves the neighborhood's center, putting the Green and Yellow Lines within an easy walk of most addresses.

Shaw's safety rating lags well behind neighboring Logan Circle and Dupont Circle, and rapid redevelopment over the past two decades has left a visible mix of new construction and older buildings still waiting their turn.

Between Howard University, the convention center, and a rebuilt 19th-century market hall, Shaw wears its history more openly than most Washington neighborhoods, even as new restaurants and apartment buildings continue to reshape its blocks.