As we celebrate President's Day here in the District, it is time to take a look at how the District has chosen to honor some of our past presidents.  Looking past the monuments, DC has honored past presidents with by naming neighborhoods after them including Adams Morgan, Fort Lincoln, Garfield Heights, Lincoln Heights and Washington Highlands. 

Contrary to popular belief, Georgetown was not named after George Washington, but either King George II of England or its founders George Gordon and George Beall.

Over the years, DC developers have honored past presidents by naming condo projects after them.  Here are several DC condo developments that were named to honor one of our nations presidents:

• Adams Alley
• Adams Row
• Adams Station
• The Fillmore
• The Grant
• Jefferson House
• Jefferson Row
• Lincoln Condos
• Lincoln Park Terrace
• Lofts at Adams Morgan
• Rutherford Condos
• Washington Harbour Condos

We would welcome reader input if there others condos honoring presidents that we have omitted.

The most expensive condo to sell in the District during December 2011 was in the West End at 22 West, located at 1177 22nd Street NW #9E, Washington DC.  This 3 BR / 3 BA / 2,790 SF condo includes two parking spaces and a roof terrace.  The selling price was $2,653,500 / $951 SF which was 100% of asking price.

Congratulations to Bill Hounshell of TTR Sotheby's International Realty for closing the most expensive condo sale in the District in December 2011.

Spectacular Adams Morgan and Capitol Hill Lofts currently on market

While much of DC is playing out on the Eastern Shore, there might not be a better time than the dog days of summer to fulfill your dreams of owning a stunning DC loft. These are the kind of places that make you say WOW the minute you walk in the door.

The DC loft movement started in the Adams Morgan neighborhood and over the years various developers have continually one-upped prior projects in their quest for the quintessential loft development. Many obsolete industrial-era Adams Morgan buildings have been re-born as luxury loft developments.

DC's most stunning loft currently on the market is a penthouse unit located at The Lofts of Adams Morgan. This 2-story loft features a 2 BR / 3 BA floor plan with 3,200 SF of living space. A 1,900 SF private rooftop deck with wonderful DC views is a party waiting to happen. Soaring ceilings, walls of glass, bamboo floors and industrial finishes further enhance this true loft unit currently listed for $1.995M.

Another stunning Adams Morgan penthouse loft is available at 1700 Kalorama Lofts. This 2 BR / 2 BA unit offers two-level living with an open floor plan. Two private outdoor terraces and garage parking for two cars round out eh luxury package at this unit currently listed for $1.175M.

Not to be outdone by Adams Morgan, a spectacular loft is available on Capitol Hill at the Landmark Lofts at Senate Square development. This 2 BR / 2 BA unit with a den and a private terrace was created by Abdo Development at the site of the former DC Children's Museum. Finishes are the ultimate in luxury in this loft currently listed for $1.125M.

The DC Condo Boutique team at TTR Sotheby's is available to guide you through the process of purchasing a DC Loft.  Here is a resource to learn more about DC lofts and view active DC loft listings.

It has been a while since a new condo development was delivered in Adams Morgan.   Adams Morgan was one of the first NW District neighborhoods to see industrial conversions to residential lofts, but much of this activity has been completed for over a decade.  Also, there are fewer large infill parcels in this neighborhood as the riots following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King did not impact Adams Morgan nearly as much as neighboring communities.

Located at the corner of Wyoming Avenue and 18th Street, WY18 is the complete renovation and conversion of the Warrington and Wilmington apartment buildings.  These twin buildings were built in 1909 as the Adams Morgan neighborhood expanded with the street car service from two trolley lines.

Construction is underway at WY18 and much of the charm associated with Classic Revival Style architecture including high ceilings, large windows and articulated roof moldings is being saved and restored.  The $4.8M renovation,  which started in October 2010 by Urban Investment Partners, is expected to be completed in a year. Fifteen exisitng tenants will purchase or rent following the conversion in accordance with the District of Columbia's Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA).

New units will range from 900 SF to over 1,300 SF with studio, one and two bedroom configurations.  Systems being replaced include heating, cooling, wiring and plumbing as well as new windows and rooftop decks.  Units will feature modern open floor plans, GE Cafe Series appliances and quartz countertops.  Prices at WY18 start in the $500s. Here is a resource to view active listings at WY18.

DC condo buyers can qualify for 3.5% down mortgages at FHA approved buildings.  This represents a major savings over the 20% of more down payments required for condos with conventional financing.

The FHA maintains a website with a list of FHA approved projects.  We have extrapolated that list for the Adams Morgan neighborhood and offer one-click access to all the available MLS listings in an FHA approved building.  If Adams Morgan isn't your neighborhood of choice, check back as we will be highlighting FHA approved buildings in other neighborhoods over the next several days.

The FHA approval list changes routinely, these are selected Adams Morgan FHA approved developments at the time of this posting:

Balfour
Beekman Place
Erie
Kalorama Court
Park Tower
Viya

 

Valley Vista is a venerable beaux arts art deco (thanks Stuart!) building overlooking Rock Creek Park and the Taft Bridge on the Adams Morgan - Kalorama border.  This 6-story, 169 unit building built in 1928 had interior common space renovations completed in 2007.

With a WalkScore ranking of 89/100, Valley Vista offers convenient walking access to Woodley Park Metro Station, Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle. Lined with tall old trees and facing Rock Creek Park, this leafy section of Belmont Road offers urban serenity for its residents.

Condo options at Valley Vista include studios, 1 BR and 2 BR options.  Currently there are three condos available at Valley Vista ranging in  price from $229,000 to $625,000.  Here is a resource to view active Valley Vista real estate listings.

In a city obsessed with new residential construction, many of our pre-war historic condo buildings are overlooked during the buying process.  This is easy to do as there is significantly more media and real estate industry hype about the latest project from DC residential developers.

The District is truly fortunate to also have a large number of wonderful residential buildings constructed in the pre-war years of the 20th century.  While there are venerable pre-war condo projects throughout the city, many of our favorites are located in the Kalorama and Adams Morgan neighborhoods.  

It is wrong to assume that an older condo building automatically means outdated floor plans, ugly appliances and tired common areas.   Many of DC's pre-war buildings and units have been meticulously restored and updated to standards and finishes rivaling luxury new construction.

Five of our favorite DC pre-war condo buildings are:

The Mendota
The Northumberland
2029 Connecticut
2101 Connecticut
The Dresden

Please comment below if you have a favorite DC pre-war condo building that deserves consideration for this top five list.

While the Logan Circle area around Church and 14th is often viewed as the epicenter of DC's loft movement, Adams Morgan comes in a close second.  The Adams  Morgan loft inventory includes instances of both industrial re-use lofts as well as new construction infill developments.

The PN Hoffman developed Lofts at Adams Morgan is a new construction infill development completed in 2002 featuring 59 upscale units and a 300-car parking garage.  PN Hoffman has left its mark on this block of Champlain Street, as it also developed Adams Row which is located directly across the street.

The design of the Lofts at Adams Morgan, utilizing dark red bricks, exposed metal roof trusses and over-sized industrial windows mimics the feel of a rust-belt industrial era factory.  Couple these design elements with a unique bridge of metal and glass and you have one bold architectural statement.

Units feature open floor plans with soaring ceilings and large walls of glass.  Finishes include bamboo flooring, maple cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and exposed ductwork.

Currently there are two units available at the Lofts of Adams Morgan including a 2 BR / 2 BA  with 975 SF listed for $524,555 and a 2 BR / 3 BA penthouse with 2,300 SF listed for $1.295M.  View active Lofts at Adams Morgan listings.

2424 Lofts is a four unit luxury industrial loft project located on 18th Street in Adams Morgan.  The project was completed by D.B. Lee Development, a luxury-oriented DC residential developer, who also has completed The Erie and The Kalorama in the Adams Morgan neighborhood.

The building, located at 2424 18th Street, NW, was in its earlier life an automobile dealership.  The project included a renovation of the building as well as a 10,000 SF addition on top of the existing structure.  With 14 foot ceilings, lots of original brick, stained concrete floors and exposed ductwork, 2424 Lofts delivers the true feel or a SoHo or Tribecca loft.

Currently, one unit is listed for sale for $1.85M / $487 SF  at 2424 Lofts.  It is a 3,800 SF 3 BR / 3 BA penthouse unit with three levels of living space plus a private roof-top deck.  This unit is at the back of the building, providing some distance from the excitement of 18th Street when a quiet moment is called for.  The kitchen is as close to a commercial grade chef's kitchen as is currently available in DC, with two islands for cooking and entertaining.  A modern private elevator and garage parking round out the amenities of this unit.