I would consider the Kona Dew.
Your commuter bike will get banged around, scratched, scraped, dented, and maybe even stolen.
Make the cheaper bike the choice for your commuter. You might have less stress that way.
The Dew is essentially cyclocross geometry. It is a sturdy and forgiving bike, and very easy to upgrade. The bar set-up gives you powerful control over the front end of the bike. Intuitively "yanking" on the bars lets you lift the front wheel up and over curbs and other road hazards. The leverage advantage lets you keep control when the front wheel gets knocked by a rock or crack.
You may find the limited hand position bothers you on longer rides.
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