Reader quiz:  Where can you live within a few blocks of four Metro Stations, Downtown clubs and restaurants and countless office buildings?

If you answered 1010 Mass Ave you would be correct!

Ten Ten Mass is a stylish modern condo development located at the corner of 11th Street and Massachusetts Avenue in the Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood of Washington, DC.  Busy Washingtonians who would rather enjoy their limited free time as opposed to spend valuable hours commuting are a natural fit for Ten Ten Mass.

Delivered in 2007, Ten Ten Mass is a 14-story building with a total of 163 condo units.  Developer finishes at Ten Ten Mass include custom wood cabinets, black granite, stainless appliances, floor to ceiling windows, maple hardwood floors and travertine baths with vessel sinks.  Many units convey with underground parking and dedicated storage units,

Common building amenities at Ten Ten Mass include a stylish contemporary lobby with a 24-hour front desk and one the the better rooftops in the city.  Ten Ten's roof is a party waiting to happen and includes a lap pool, two barbecue grills, several seating areas, landscaping, bathrooms and 360-degree unobstructed city views.

Currently, seven units are available for sale at 1010 Mass ranging in price from $525,000 to $2.199M.  Here is a resource to view active Ten Ten Mass listings and learn more about this exciting development.

While the Sonata condo development in Mount Vernon Triangle shares a name with a Hyundai sedan, this building is all Lexus!  Building amenities are first class including a fitness center, rooftop with great city views, underground parking and a luxurious lobby.

The Sonata features loft-style units with industrial touches including open living spaces, high concrete ceilings and exposed ductwork.  Upscale unit finishes include hardwood floors, granite countertops, high-end cabinetry, walls of windows and oversized closets.  The 12-story Sonata has 75 units in one, two and three bedroom floor plans including eight penthouse units.

The Mount Vernon Triangle location of the Sonata weighs in with a WalkScore of 97/100, a true walker's paradise.  Four Metro Stations are within walking distance as are the venues at City Vista, Union Station, Gallery Place and Chinatown.  The Sonata is on the Circulator Bus route and is real close to the entrance to 395 for outbound commuters.

Currently, five units are for sale at the Sonata ranging in price from $319,000 for a 1 BR / 1 BA with 600 SF to $539,000 for a 2 BR /  2 BA with 1,100 SF plus a private outdoor patio and underground garage parking.  Here is a resource to view active Sonata real estate listings.

Located at the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and 3rd Street, the Sonata serves as the unofficial gateway to the revitalized Mt. Vernon Triangle neighborhood.  The Sonata, the first new upscale condo development to be built in the neighborhood, masterfully combines lofty urban living with classical, contemporary  elegance.  Quadrangle Development and the Wilkes Company, who also developed Madrigal Lofts, have delivered the goods at The Sonata.

Condo units at the Sonata have all the positive elements associated with loft living including high-ceilings, exposed ductwork and concrete ceilings, but also contemporary kitchens and baths with high-end cabinetry.  An abundance of windows, over-sized closets and hardwood floors round-out the luxury appointments at the Sonata.  Building amenities include a super-luxurious lobby, fitness center, underground parking and a rooftop with awesome city views.

Getting to work is a breeze from the Sonata.  It is located within walking distance of both the Gallery Place-Chinatown and Metro Center Metro stations, is on the Circulator Bus route and near the entrance to I-395 with easy access to Northern Virginia.  Shopping is available nearby at City Vista and numerous eating and entertainment venues are in the neighborhood.

The Sonata has a total of 75 condo units in one, two and three bedroom floor plans.  Currently, there is one unit listed for sale at the Sonata......a 2/2 priced at $549,00.  Here is a resource to view Sonata active listings.

Yale Steam Laundry Condos, located on New York Avenue in Mount Vernon Triangle, is kicking off 2011 with an aggressive buyer incentive program.  Yale Steam represents one of the last opportunities to purchase new construction units in the District.

In mid-December, prices on developer listed units were reduced across the board by an average of 10%.  Buyer incentives currently being offered at Yale Steam include one year of pre-paid condo fees and $5,000 towards closing costs.  Yale Steam is an FHA approved project with financing available for as low as 3.5% down.  

With the developer incentives, coupled with the FHA financing and the DC First-time Buyers Tax Credit, Yale Steam is now a viable option for many first time buyers in the District.  Here is a resource to view the currently available Yale Steam Laundry Condos.

The results of a recent survey on home design trends by the American Institute of Architects reads like a play book for recent DC new construction. It is refreshing to see several of the trends that we all appreciate about the DC market becoming more prevalent across the nation.  Community design trends that are gaining in popularity include infill development, access to public transportation, mixed-use facilities, and dedicated open space. 

Here in the District, it is easy to trace the development that followed the extension of Metro lines throughout the city.  The vast swaths of vacant land created by the 1968 riots provided a critical mass of infill space that have allowed for neighborhood transforming development in the Columbia Heights and U Street Corridors.  It is no coincidence that investment in these neighborhoods didn't come until after the Metro stations were opened.  Today with over 800,000 daily riders it is hard to imagine what the District would look like without the Metro System.  Certainly, the inner-District investment in housing infrastructure may have shifted further outside the Beltway.

Mixed-use facilities are another housing trend cited in the AIA survey as gaining in popularity.  The all-important neighborhood review process here in the District has in many cases forced developers to build welcoming street-level retail space.  Popular newer condo developments with active ground floor retail include Metropole in Logan Circle, Union Row and Langston Lofts in the U Street Corridor, City Vista in Mount Vernon Triangle and the Georgetown Madelon in Georgetown.

The inclusion of open space is another growing trend cited by the AIA survey.  Thanks to the L'Enfant and McMillan Plans and several administrations that pushed through open space initiatives, the District is blessed with an abundance of open space.  Much of the recent development in the District have been infill projects where new development is completed between existing structures.  Many of these infill projects have invested in creating exciting roof-top common space.  Some of the better rooftops with common "open space" built in recent years include The Whitman, and City Vista in Mount Vernon Triangle, Jenkins Row on Capitol Hill, Kenyon Square in Columbia Heights, 3303 Water St in Georgetown and Clara Barton and Madrigal Lofts in the Penn Quarter. 

Yes, we are fortunate to have so many of these trends are already widely adopted here in the District.

Most interesting blog post on the Streets of Washington blog about the colorful past of the parcel in Mount Vernon Triangle where City Vista is now located.  This parcel was previously home to the District's first convention center.  The first auto show in Washington's history was held at this location in 1900.  In 1925, the second floor of this building was converted into 50 bowling alleys, thought to be one of the largest in the world at that time.  Other interesting uses included an international food market and housing the National Historical Wax Museum.  The old building had a date with the wrecking ball in 1985.

City Vista now proudly sits on this historic block bounded by K, L, 4th and 5th Streets.  The size and scope of City Vista, made possible by a completely vacant city block, is truly a refreshing change from the typical infill construction so common in the District.  There is some irony in the fact that supermarkets dealt the final blow to the international food market previously operating in the old building and now City Vista arrives with a Safeway supermarket.  

City Vista is an FHA approved development with opportunities to purchase a condo for as little as 3.5% down.  There are condos available for purchase at City Vista with 1 BR units starting in the the high $300s and 2 BR units starting in the mid $600s.  Here is a resource to view active City Vista real estate listings.

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 Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood and offer one-click access to all the available MLS listings in an FHA approved building.  If Mount Vernon Triangle isn't your neighborhood of choice, we have highlighted FHA approved buildings in other popular DC neighborhoods.

The FHA approval list changes routinely, these are selected Mount Vernon Triangle FHA approved developments at the time of this posting:

• City Vista
• Quincy Court
• The Whitman
• Yale Steam Laundry

What could be better for a busy Washingtonian than coming home from work and having a friendly place in the building to have an adult beverage and dinner?  While everyone makes fun of Norm on Cheers.....there is something to be said for having a seat at the bar where everyone knows your name!

A trend that is gaining momemtum here in the District is to develop condo buildings with ground floor retail and dining options.  While residential over retail won't work on the leafy streets of Kalorama, it certainly does in the the more urban neighborhoods of the District.  Developments with this configuration are proving very popular with their residents. 

While there are many other developments in the District with ground level dining, here are some of my favorites:

• Georgetown - Georgetown Madelon - Cafe Milano
• Mount Vernon Triangle - City Vista - Busboys and Poets
• Penn Quarter - Residences at Gallery Place - Bar Louie, Clydes & Zengo
• U Street Corridor - Langston Lofts - Busboys and Poets
• U Street Corridor - Union Row - Eatonville

Hopefully, as the new construction opportunities start to percolate, future developments will be designed with exciting street-level establishments.  Hey readers.....what other developments that belong on this list?

photo courtesy of flickr user M.V. Jantzen

The Yale Steam Laundry changes the face eastern edge of the Mount Vernon Square neighborhood with the melding of a gritty industrial building with a modern industrial-style new construction tower.  Yale Steam Laundry development includes the original circa 1902 3-story 16-unit Yale Laundry Building with 16 true NY-style lofts, a purpose built 12-story tower with 133 condos and a future second tower with 218 units.

Yale Steam Laundry is located across the street from City Vista which provides easy access to the extensive collection of urban amenities including Safeway, Starbucks, Busboys & Poets, Results Gym  and more.  Together these two projects have been game changers in section of the district.  The Convention Center Metro Station and all the excitement of Mt Vernon Square are just a few blocks from Yale Steam Lofts. With a WalkScore of 94/100, Yale Steam Laundry is rated as a Walkers' Paradise.

Amenities at Yale Steam Laundry include a roof-top pool and deck, fitness center, courtyard/outdoor common area, community room, garage parking and storage.  Units include studios, 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom condos.  Currently, there are six active Yale Steam Laundry listings in our MLS ranging in price from $349,900 to $684,900. View Yale Steam Laundry Listings.