DC Metrocentric

Call it the curse of the PriceChecker, but another unit previously featured in our price guessing game has gone under the chopper. The almost 3000 sq-ft of luxury at the Watergate is now listed for only $3.5 million, which is exactly one MILLION dollars less than it was listed for this time last year (that’s six zeros)!

It’s a great looking unit with incredible views but we guess for only two bedrooms the unit wasn’t moving, what do you think of the new price? More reasonable?

What’s a Million dollars among friends right? The 3,000 sq-ft condo in the Watergate that we featured on PriceChecker last August is still on the market, but for a cool million less than the $4.5 million it was originally asking. That’s over a 22% discount, but our question is, does $3.5 M bring it into the good deal range, or is $1,200 a sq-ft for Potomac views still a steep price to pay?

Well that was fast! In only eight days, the M Street Flats project is sold out. The project by Community Three Development is only ten units… but even still, people must have just been waiting to pounce on this property in Mt Vernon Square right by the Convention Center.

The combination of the location and the historic Victorian exterior with a modern interior, must have had something to do with it, but we suspect they also had many contracts lined up for a long time and the eight day sell out is a bit of a concoction. Irregardless, it is nice to see condo buildings starting to move again!

Editors Note: Contributing editor KB takes a weekly look at our city focusing on covering historic preservation / restoration, architecture, public space, beautification, and transportation issues. This week a little trip to the National Building Museum.

I was lucky enough to be invited by a friend to be his “plus one” at the National Building Museum gala last week. I usually don’t go to events like that – especially in such a beautiful building as the old Pension Building – but my friend works for the Department of Housing and Urban Development and he thought it would interest me.

But I mention it really because the event saluted three “civic innovators” who have improved the built environment:
- Perkins+Will, an architecture firm specializing in “green” architecture;
- The U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathalon;
- And the founders of the New Orleans Habitat Musicians’ Village.

Though these three organizations are not directly linked to the urban spaces of the Washington, DC area, the work they have done could, in fact, affect the way we live or think about the spaces around us…

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The HGTV series “My First Sale” is coming to town to cast first time home sellers in the DC area for their second season! If you fit the bill and are interested in your very own 15 minutes of fame, check out their website for all the details. We guess reality TV is still going strong.

[Photo: KendraLR]

Earlier this week we reported on the sale of the old Italian Embassy in Adams Morgan to Valor Development, and now we know what they are planning to do with the beautiful Renaissance style building… turn it into condos of course! The project is being called the Flats at il Pallazo.

Apparently the building doesn’t need much work, because the developer is planning to start delivering units next summer.

 Home Prices Rise - The NAR’s new quarterly data for metro areas shows that home prices in DC were up 4.7 percent year over year for single-family homes (though down from last quarter). [Realtor]

We reported way back in 2008 that the DC Housing Authority received a $20 million Hope VI grant to bring redevelopment to SE and now finally the money is being put to use with the ground breaking on phase 1 of the 344-unit Sheridan Station. The project is a mix of low income and public housing and will be some much needed space in the Districts housing inventory, it should be ready by 2011.

Known for developing communities such as the Hyattsville Art District, we got our hands on some renderings of developer EYA’s newest project Chancellors Row. From the look of it, they are sticking to a very classic plain design for the four story row homes that is reminiscent of many of the homes built in the neighborhood during the 50s and 60s.

Given the proximity to the Brookland metro it is a bit surprising they aren’t going with a higher density design, but we understand in keeping with the current scale of the area.

[Renderings: ArchiBIM and EYA]

An interesting case is unfolding in Arlington over the land that is under Pentagon Row. Last year, the owners of the commercial and retail complex were ordered to sell the land under Pentagon Row to Federal Realty Investment Trust. Predictably, Vornado is planning to appeal this ruling but given there is already a parking garage under the majority of the structure we are not sure what the big deal is here, or what the value is in the land under the buildings?

Anyone have any ideas? [Photo: fletch37]

Last night may have been just the perfect Spring night to have a new apartment building launch party, and the folks behind the new WestEnd25 pulled out all the stops to make the party match the weather. The location was the Penthouse and rooftop pool of the 283 unit building which overlooks Georgetown.

We really liked the look and feel of the building which has a set back entrance from 25th street and floor to ceiling windows that look out over the park across the street and from the higher units, Georgetown, the Potomac, and the Rosslyn skyline. Along with some great views there was food (and open bar) from local restaurants, including Ris, Bourbon Steak, and our favorite Blue Duck Tavern.

The building started leasing last year and is only 53% occupied (a lot of which is corporate housing) but given the location, views, amenities, and the prices that go with them, we imagine they expect to fill up slowly. At the end of the day, this has to be one of the nicest new buildings we have seen in a long time. More photos after the jump including the view and the pool…

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To follow up on a recent Names to Know post, Left for Ledroit is reporting that Community Three Development has withdrawn its application with the Historic Preservation Review Board to renovate a 19th-century country house in LeDroit Park.  Due to an unsupportive ANC and a costly zoning variance needed to satisfy a Historic Preservation Office staff report, it appears that the restoration of this home will be on hold indefinitely. 

Grant Epstein, President of Community Three, shared his thoughts regarding the unfortunate turn for the project, saying, “[T]he economic and physical constraints inherent in the redevelopment of this site require all participants to contribute to a solution that benefits the greater whole, and in this case, we unfortunately found that certain stakeholders were unwilling to do so.”  While, in this day and age, it should come as no surprise for a project to be canned after briefly whetting the public’s interest, this plan in particular stands out as quite a missed opportunity for not only the developer, but the community as a whole. 

[By Nick Jessee]

Editors Note: Contributing editor KB takes a weekly look at our city focusing on covering historic preservation / restoration, architecture, public space, beautification, and transportation issues. This week a little healthy comparison and reflection on the suburbs.

I am one of the victims of the dreaded ash cloud. I was supposed to fly to London from Boston last week, but my flight was cancelled that morning.

I mention this because I had planned a posting that would compare London and Washington. I had not decided what exactly I would be comparing – some ideas included British willingness to embrace challenging contemporary architecture for their capital city, or their ability to create zoning regulations that protected historic sightlines while still allowing for stunning high-rise architecture. Both are things DC does not seem capable of doing.

But I am unable to explore any of these topics – and I toss them aside for another day (whenever Aer Lingus allows me to reschedule my reservation).

Instead, I enjoyed a week in the Boston suburb of Needham with one of my sisters and brother-in-law and their 17 month-old son. Which leads to a (hopefully) interesting alternate topic – Boston suburbs verses DC suburbs…

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Remember last year when we reported on the lawsuit being brought against the Views at Clarendon? Well after months of waiting, the US District Court has finally dismissed the case clearing the way for construction to start on the 10 story residential project.

The premise of the lawsuit was a violation of the separation of Church and State because Arlington had approved a tentative $4.5 million loan for the project from the county’s Affordable Housing Investment Fund for the project which is being directed by and built on the property of the First Baptist Church of Clarendon (as you can see in the rendering above). Once complete, the Views at Clarendon will provide Arlington County with 70 affordable and 46 market rate apartment homes, comprised of a mix of efficiencies, one, two and three bedroom homes. What do you think of the mixture of secular housing above the current church? 

[Renderings: Bozzuto Development]

We did a double take when we first saw this amazing renovation underway in Arlington. Studio 27 Architects is leading this project to take what is essentially the cookie cutter two story brick home design found all over Arlington and turn it on its head with a modern update.

This is truly a unique project. Despite the fantastic design, we can’t help think about how difficult and out of place the finished building is going to look.

The building is planning on achieving LEED Platinum Certification.

What do you think?

[Renderings: Studio 27 Architects]