U Street Corridor

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

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As reported in the WaPo, VIDA fitness center and Bang hair salon owner David von Storch has a knack for picking great locations for his establishments.  A Bang or VIDA opening is a huge stamp of approval on a District neighborhood.

Busy Washingtonians with very limited windows of time to exercise are drawn to the exclusive and upscale VIDA fitness centers.  VIDA targets clients in the 25-49 age range with incomes over $80,000.....who are able and willing to pay a few more dollars a month for a less crowded gym with high-end finishes.  From the fingerprint scanners to endless pools and Japanese soaking tubs, VIDA delivers the goods.

If you are interested in working out a a VIDA Fitness Center, what could be better than living near one of these

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Residential new construction activity in the U Street Corridor continues with 1900 Vermont Town Residences.  This six unit project at the corner of Vermont Ave NW and T Street combines the beauty of DC Victorian rowhouse architecture with modern open floor plans.

1900 Vermont units range in size from 2,005 to 2,441 SF with both 2 BR  and 3 BR configurations.  Standard features include gourmet kitchens with Sub-Zero and Bosch appliances, master baths with white Carrera marble flooring and parking.

Construction is scheduled to start in 2010 with delivery planned for 2011.

  In a city fixated with new construction, there is much excitement around the pending groundbreaking for our first new major residential condo project in four years. This week the developers of the residential condo project at 14th and S unveiled the name.....the District Condos.   Clever most definitely yes, but not necessarily the most Google-friendly option for those searching for the place.  
With very few new construction units left in the popular Dupont - Logan - U Street Corridor, the District Condos will arrive to market at a very opportune time.  This project helps to further meld the all the action on 14th near P Street and Church Street with the action of U Street.  It is a good bet that we will see additional announcements along this…

 

Have you heard about the new mezzanine-level people watching perch at the P Street Whole Foods?  Now you can sit high above the action and watch health-conscious mid-city-ites shake melons, squeeze oranges and occasionally sneak a grape or two. People watching doesn't get any better than this!

For those who like to people watch.....and who doesn't in DC...how about a DC condo with a prime-time people watching balcony?  What could be better than checking out the scenery from your private balcony?

Much of the DC housing stock has outdoor balconies and space orientated away from the action towards the rear property.  After much introspective thought, here are our picks for the best people watching balconies in the District:

Q14 - Tough to top a balcony

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Harrison Square Townhomes is a community of modern DC row houses with a commanding presence on the block bounded by 12th, 13th, V and W Streets NW.  This location just a block north of Ben's Chili Bowl is very convenient to the entertainment, dining and transportation of U Street.  Harrison Square is truly a walker's paradise with a WalkScore rating of 97/100.

The Harrison Square community consists of 98 three-story townhomes designed to seamlessly blend with the existing architecture in this historic neighborhood.  The community was developed by EYA on the site of the former DC Children's Hospital.  EYA has developed other large scale townhouse projects in the District including Bryan Square Townhomes, Capital Quarter Townhouses and Hillandale.

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With a stellar track record for bringing older structures back to life in an exciting manner, Robertson Development has a star on our virtual DC Developer wall of fame.  Standout projects by Robertson Development include: The Beauregard; Moderno; and Visio.

Just hitting the MLS is a Robertson Development resale in the U Street Corridor. 1918 12th Street #1 is a loft-like 2 BR / 2 BA offering 1,545 SF of living space. This condo is tricked out with Pogenpohl Cabinets, concrete counters, low voltage lighting, 20-foot ceilings, a private patio with a spa and secured parking.  Located on 12th St NW between T and U,  this location weighs in with a WalkScore of 98/100. The asking price is $849,000.

 

Interesting post on Housing Complex titled Neighborhood-making in Midcity, about the efforts to brand the 14th and U Street corridors as Midcity.  The neighborhood business association has landed a $200,000 grant from the city to further these efforts.

The Midcity neighborhood is bounded by 16th Street to tthe west, Florida Avenue to the north, 7th Street to the east and Rhode Island Ave to the south.  Most of us know and view this area today as the Venn diagram (hopefully you paid attention during 8th grade geometry) where the Logan, Dupont and U Street neighborhoods come together.

With an office in the 1500 block of 14th Street and an obsessive-complusive fixation with analyzing our website users search keywords, I can unequivocally state that the

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3.5% Down Opportunities in U Street Corridor

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 U Street Corridor and offer one-click access to all the available MLS listings in an FHA approved building.  If the U Street Corridor 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 U Street Corridor FHA approved developments at the time of this posting:

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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

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