Historic Districts In/Around Shaw

Some very close friends of mine are looking for a new place to call home in or around the Shaw area. They seek something that they can really make their own, and they don't want to have to be subject to the restrictions placed on properties in historic districts.

I've always known there are several historic districts in and around the Shaw area, but haven't really taken note of where one starts and another begins.  Using the Historic Preservation Office's online catalogue of PDFs of historic district maps as a guide, I made the following mashup showing historic districts in the area (lawyery note -- don't rely on this map for determining whether a specific property lies in or out of a district; it's meant only to give a rough idea of where the districts boundaries are).  Interestingly, it appears that the Logan Circle Histroric District and the Blagden Alley/Naylor Court Historic District are located within larger districts.

View Historic Districts In/Around Shaw in a larger map

I totally understand my friends' desire to live outside of a historic district, especially given the fact that one is a super talented and creative architect.  I also know that many people think historic district restrictions are sometimes enforced inconsistently, are subjective or stifle investment/development.

That said, I actually love living in a historic district. I think overall the effect is to ensure quality and beauty (and to avoid monstrosities like this!).