Scoop: One of D.C.'s storied salt-and-pepper houses is for sale

Scoop: One of D.C.'s storied salt-and-pepper houses is for sale

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.