The trials of living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (SE), Washington DC

Several years ago, a new apartment building went up at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue SE in Washington DC. That's a few miles from the better known 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, aka the White House. A car lot was previously on the apartment building property, then registered as 1550 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, but the developers thought it would be a hoot to petition for the 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue SE address. They got it. From WTPO:

Residents say they often get funny looks or disbelief when they have to give their address or hand over their drivers licenses. Carlos Gutierrez, 39, and other residents said they get asked: You live at the White House?

The address has produced headaches for some residents. One early resident of the building, Daniel Perry, 36, said Amazon.com initially wouldnt take orders to the address, though thats since been sorted out. Another resident said even now, she sometimes has difficulty ordering online. A recent order for a pair of summer sandals required calling the company, she said.

Residents have to make sure that anyone sending them mail puts the all-important SE after the address. The correct zip code 20003 is also key. The White Houses ZIP code is 20500.

A goof means the mail might eventually get to the correct recipient, but because the presidents mail gets extra security screening, any residents mail with an incomplete address could be significantly delayed.

Mail mix-ups happen the other way, too. Errant letters for the first family arrive at the building every so often and sit unopened by the residents mailboxes until the U.S. Postal Service redirects them.