All Blog Entries by Mark Washburn

From valet parking to private wine storage and public art on display, a CityCenterDC lifestyle offers unmatched amenities. Made up two condo buildings, two apartment buildings and much more, this massive urban development is filled with options.

You’ll find world-class boutiques from top designers in the downtown neighborhood, along with culinary delights sure to temp even the most seasoned customers. Residents of CityCenterDC enjoy some exclusivity too, made possible by using their Benefit Card to make reservations and purchases in the neighborhood.

Residents can order chef-prepared meals or have groceries and take-out delivered to their own homes. This sophisticated setting additionally offers 24-hour concierge service, two rooftop terraces

DC may be home to some the nation’s most prominent landmarks and historic attractions, but it’s also growing in terms of its distinctly modern architecture and appeal. From rooftop swimming pools to yoga, some of DC’s most famous modern condo buildings have it all.

Westlight

Situated in the West End, Westlight offers the advantage of sitting close to some of DC’s most popular neighborhoods. It also includes a heated rooftop swimming pool, a clubroom with a catering kitchen and a grilling terrace. In addition, you’ll find 24-hour concierge service.

The modern glass building has a sophisticated filtration system which brings in fresh outdoor air to each of its units. The property also come with floor-to-ceiling windows, wide plank hardwoods and

They’re right across the Potomac River from each other, but DC and Arlington each have their own unique qualities. The location you choose probably has a lot to do with your lifestyle needs.

DC

If you want to be close to available nightlife and everything else going on in the city, DC is the place to be. The city boasts thousands of restaurants, plus it’s also home to the National Mall and the Kennedy Center.

The area also boasts some of the nation’s top universities, like George Washington University, Howard and Georgetown. It’s elementary and high schools typically rank lower than those in nearby Arlington.

In terms of walkability, DC is ahead of Arlington, although it sometimes depends on which Arlington neighborhood you choose.

Some of the most colorful artwork in DC isn’t housed in area museums. Instead, you’ll find it outside, boldly lighting up area streets. It’s common to find street murals in several popular DC neighborhoods, with hundreds of displays of outdoor artwork found throughout the area.

An entire building in the Southwest Waterfront has become its own piece of art. The former Baptist Church was first built in the late 1800s but is now called Culture House DC. It’s painted with just about every color in the rainbow.

Inspirational messages are on display in Union Market. One of the latest additions to the NOMA food hall is a Mural Project put up in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

A larger than life tribute to Vice President Kamala Harris is

Photo: Geoff Livingston

In many cities alleys are used for things like parking and trash collection, but some of DC’s alleys are now being transformed into living spaces. It’s not exactly a new idea.

Generations ago, DC’s alleyways served as home to some of the city’s poorest residents. While the city dealt with a serious shortage of housing in the 1800s, some people needed a place to live close to downtown and couldn’t exactly afford the high prices.

That drove them to DC’s alleys. The alleys were racially segregated and close quarters that some claimed were prone to the spread of disease. Still, residents were able to create their own close-knit communities in those alleys.

For a time, the alleys were used to build settlements for poorer

A long-standing neighborhood staple returns to Capitol Hill, but this time with condos. Frager’s Hardware has been open in the DC area for around a century, but sadly fire devastated the historic building several years ago.

Now the hardware store is back, and so are some new additions. Developers have since added condo units on top of the restored building.

Officially known as Penn Eleven, the nearly three dozen condos come in one- and two-bedroom layouts. There are also some large two-bedroom condos that include a study that can be used as a third bedroom.

Typically, the units of Penn Eleven range from around 800 square feet to more than 1,900 square feet of living space. Because of the way the new building addition was constructed, no two

Live right on the waterfront with one of the available units at The Bower. This newer construction building is home to more than 130 condos, all topping ground level retail space and underground parking.

Located in The Yards, the condo building is just one block from the Anacostia River, plus within walking distance of several dining options and not far from shopping and entertainment venues. It’s also close enough to Nationals Park, which sits only about a half-mile away from The Bower.

Noted as the very first condo building in The Yards, The Bower is red brick on its lower levels and is topped off by glass and steel designed for modern appeal. The Bower offers your choice of a studio, one-bedroom or two-bedroom layout.

The building also

Photo: Elliot Margolies

Arlington may not be the most inexpensive place to live in the nation, but it seems it is extremely budget-friendly when it comes to dating. According to a new study, Arlington is second on the list of the “Best Cities for Budget-Friendly Dating” in 2021.

The ranking comes from the personal finance website SmartAsset.com. In coming up with the list, analysts looked at a variety of metrics, including date affordability. More specifically they considered things like the cost of a bottle of wine, takeout and even the cost of two cappuccinos.

They also looked at date access. For this, analysts considered restaurant, snack shop and coffee shop density. They also considered the percentage of parkland and the percentage of

Perhaps more popular in some European cities, a woonerf-style street in the Eckington neighborhood is starting to grab more and more attention. Essentially, this type of street is called a “living street”.

While normally streets are designed for automobiles here in the US, a woonerf-style street commonly gives equal priority to vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles. That’s what makes the idea so unique in Northeast Washington.

A new redevelopment aims to transform several acres in the area into a mixed-use retail and residential area. The new Eckington Yards development is bringing a new condo building, two apartment buildings and townhouse-style condos to the Eckington neighborhood.

A new street running between the four new buildings is being

For luxury overlooking Francis Field, 2501 M is definitely an appealing option. The property not only offers some outstanding views, but it’s also just minutes away from prime dining, shopping and entertainment offerings.

The high-end building is the only new condo property in the area that overlooks the park. A path leads to Francis Dog Park, while it’s just as easy to bike through Rock Creek Park.

Buyers are also treated to an upscale lobby, concierge service and a clubroom. In addition, the ground floor of the building is home to Nobu Restaurant.

As well, you’ll find a fitness center and yoga studio, access to a personal trainer and a landscaped roof terrace with sweeping views. Every unit comes in the building comes with two reserved