Building Blocks; Amid Dealers and Boarded Windows, Brian Brown's Vision Took Root

Chasing an ad for a new apartment in Northwest, three Arlington roommates are driving down a busy stretch of New York Avenue near North Capitol Street when yellow balloons and an "open house'' sign catch their eyes.

"The New York in Washington . . . Luxurious and State of the Art," says the sign at 115 New York Ave. NW.

Luxurious? Here?

Panhandlers bob in and out of the traffic rushing relentlessly toward downtown. Down the street stands a crumbling vacant building with cinderblock sealing the windows. Some of the adjoining Victorian row houses have been better loved…