Tag: Eckington

At City Homes in DC, condo-living is a multilevel thing

By Connie Dufner, Washington Post | October 19, 2021

Jordan Mixter said she knew one thing for sure when she and her partner were searching for a new home: The dining room table as office was done, and so was pandemic-style work-life imbalance.
So, when they started contemplating a move from their apartment in D.C.’s NoMa neighborhood, space and lifestyle were priorities. They looked at a mix of options, including existing rowhouses, a Brookland bungalow and new homes of various types.
“My partner is much more into new things than I am,” said Mixter, director of operations and strategy for a think tank. “I loved the charm of a bungalow, but I kept thinking about the upkeep and the repairs. It was more than I wanted to bite off.” At City Homes Eckington, in Northeast Washington’s Eckington neighborhood, the couple found a pleasing blend of new construction, urban neighborhood romance and, most importantly, a feeling of spaciousness, both mental and physical.
“I wasn’t against buying a condo,” Mixter said. “I just wanted it to feel like we were buying a home.” They chose a two-story residence in the City Homes community of 45 townhouse-style condos, which opened for sales in September. About 30 percent of the units have been sold, and owners are expected to begin moving in over the next few weeks.
City Homes is one of three residential communities in the Quincy Lane mixed-use development, along with the condos at 1625 Eckington and the Judd & Weiler rental apartments.
When complete, Quincy Lane will have a variety of shops and restaurants connected by a pedestrian-friendly cobblestone street. Businesses open there now are Union Kitchen, a commercial kitchen, and Brooklyn Boulders, an indoor rock-climbing gym.
City Homes units have mostly two- and three-bedroom configurations in three floor plans. (One of the units is a one-bedroom.) Most units have two floors; the penthouses have three. Each unit has at least one private outdoor space.
Interiors were designed by the firm Cecconi Simone, and the building’s corridors feature three seven-piece collections — by painter Steven Cushner and multimedia artists Teal Price and Julie Wolfe.
Grosvenor Group is the City Homes developer. KTGY did the architecture, and McWilliams Ballard is doing sales and marketing.
Mixter’s unit, which she hopes to move into this fall, has a walkout patio and plenty of storage space. “We love that it’s two-story and lives like a home,” Mixter said. “The appliances are beautiful. I love gas cooking, so the gas range was a big plus.”Mixter added: “We have been stuck in an apartment without even a small balcony, so we appreciate the designated outdoor space. There’s plenty of interaction with the urban environment around you.”Another homeowner, Michael Moore, a real estate broker with Compass, said he learned about City Homes from a sales presentation on Zoom. “I went to look at the model on a Saturday, and through the weekend, I kept thinking, ‘I really like them,’” he said.
He liked the two walk-in closets in the primary bedroom and the one in the guest bedroom. The construction was solid, Moore said, and the outdoor space inviting. “It checked all the boxes for me,” he said. “As a real estate agent, I’ve seen a lot. I asked to come back a second time, with a different set of eyes, looking at it for my personal use. I’m very picky about quality, and I found it excellent in 95 percent of the categories.”

Moore selected the community’s model unit, which will become available after the project is built out.Quincy Lane is “very forward thinking, like CityCenter, with a large pedestrian walkway and lights across the alley. I can walk up from my home and grab a coffee or groceries,” Moore said.

Nearby: City Homes is about a half-mile from Union Market, across the street from Alethia Tanner Park and a quarter-mile from the Metropolitan Branch Trail. It is less than two miles from Union Station and about 3.5 miles from Nationals Park.
Schools: Langley Elementary, McKinley Middle, Dunbar High

Transit: City Homes is about a half-mile from the NoMa-Gallaudet Metro station, on the Red Line. Many buses serve the area, including routes on North Capitol Street, R Street and Florida Avenue.

City Homes Eckington
1500 Harry Thomas Way NE, Washington
The community of 45 townhouse-style condos has a two-level, one-bedroom unit from $699,900; two-level, two- and three-bedroom units from $795,900; and three-level, three-bedroom penthouse units from $999,900.
Developer: Grosvenor Group
Features: Kitchens have Fisher & Paykel appliances, including gas cooktops, double ovens and double-drawer dishwashers; flat-panel cabinetry with soft-close hardware; built-in trash and recycling drawers; soapstone quartz countertops; and Perla white quartz backsplashes. Each residence has one or more private outdoor spaces in the form of a patio, terrace or balcony. Penthouse units include private roof terraces. Primary bathrooms have matte-black plumbing hardware by Pfister, Kohler fixtures, a frameless shower door and a deep soaking tub by Kohler. A parking garage is under the building, and 43 spaces are available for purchase.
Bedrooms/bathrooms: 1 to 3 / 2 to 4
Square-footage: 950 to 1,470
Homeowners’ fees: $310 to $489 a month, depending on unit size
Contact: David Klimas with McWilliams Ballard, 202-431-1272 or dklimas@mcwb.com

City Homes & Area DC Developers Double Down on the Power of Art

By Keith Loria | July 9th, 2021

It isn’t enough for developers to just make pretty buildings anymore; to be truly engaged and seen as community builders, many developers say they find it wise to invest in public art projects that are in line with the communities that surround their projects.

That’s why many developers in the Washington region are now incorporating paintings, sculptures and other art installations in their projects.

Here is a look at some recent projects in the region utilizing art.

City Homes

Grosvenor Americas has always had a deep commitment to patronizing local artists and, over the last decade, has contributed more than $500,000 to local artists in D.C. through its development projects.

“We’re seeing a lot more interest in art right now in the multifamily space, as well as in commercial and office,” Ryan Stewart, Grosvenor Americas’ senior development manager, told Commercial Observer. “People are gravitating toward things that feel authentic, and these pieces really feel that way — they stand out and provide something pure and true that someone put their blood, sweat and tears into.”

It’s newest development, City Homes, a townhome community in D.C.’s historic Eckington neighborhood, includes a creative art walk experience within the unit corridors featuring three seven-piece original collections by local artists Caitlin Teal Price, Julie Wolfe and Steven Cushner.

“This area has a deep artistic history, and we have partnered closely with local artisans to curate art for the space,” Stewart said. “We decided to make a large investment in order to feature art in the corridors, because we really wanted to recognize the artisan members of our community and applaud their contributions to Eckington and D.C. as a whole.”

Another art piece in the region that Grosvenor Americas is proud of is Crossroads, a 30-foot-tall, stainless-steel sculpture at Central, an apartment community in Silver Spring, Md.

It’s a beautiful reminder of consequential decision-making. Importantly, this piece is a part of the public realm and is meant for all community members to enjoy,” Stewart said. “For us, our investment in public art boils down to creating a healthy environment. We know that experiencing true artwork is good for mental health — it challenges our thoughts and makes us look at things differently. It also brings us moments of joy in the day we otherwise wouldn’t have. We really see these art pieces as extensions of our goal to create strong, vibrant, lasting communities.”

Bryant Street

Byran Street is a new development in D.C.’s Edgewood neighborhood, offering apartments, retail and public spaces. Developer MRP Realty has taken specific care to understand the community it is entering and has invested more than $75,000 in local artists’ work, honoring the community’s history, both inside the building and outside in public art spaces.

“From a residential perspective, we know there is only so much we can do within the units themselves, so we are always looking for what else we can do,” Matt Bailey, development manager of MRP Realty, told CO. “In the past couple years, it seemed like we were in an amenity race to build the biggest gym, pool or lobby, but now we are seeing the prioritization of public art space as the ultimate community amenity.

“Amongst developers here, we are seeing an arts race of sorts,” he added. “Developers are pushing each other to incorporate dynamic art concepts from local and unique artists into their developments.”

The first residential building in Bryant Street, Coda, has more than 2,300 square feet of local art in five murals, and, overall, artists have created more than 5,000 square feet of art throughout Bryant Street.

“Much of the inspiration for the designs came from the existing community murals on the site. We wanted to be sure any public art was a true value-add and an authentic reflection of the community,” Bailey said. “For Bryant Street, community-curated art has been a great avenue to connect with the community. In fact, there were some existing murals commissioned years ago that we wanted to add to when we entered the space. We commissioned local artists to create complementary murals that connect the neighborhood to its history and future.”

Inside the buildings, MRP Reality has also incorporated the work of local artists that feature subjects that speak to the narrative of the neighborhood.

“We’ve found that public art generates a lot more interest in a development and helps add to the personality of those projects within their neighborhoods,” Bailey said. “It helps elevate and complement our architectural designs, both on the interiors as well as exterior, and we’ve found that residents really appreciate and value consciously created art installations in the place they call home.”

The Station at Riverdale Park

Calvin Cafritz Enterprises continues to develop The Station at Riverdale Park, a 36-acre development in Prince George’s County that, when completed, will feature 119 townhouses, 850 multifamily units, 160,000 square feet of retail and 20,000 square feet of office. The active mixed-use community also includes art from all over the world, which is featured throughout the property for the public to enjoy.

“As the DMV area continues to reopen, residents and visitors will continue to look for beautiful, relaxing spaces to spend time outdoors with friends and family, and many of those spaces will revolve around art,” Jane Cafritz told CO. “Art can be intimidating for many of us, making the artistic process feel out of reach. By putting curated works out in the open, it creates new energy, and inspires creativity and an appreciation for the arts within a community.”

The area includes a wing mural by renowned artist Kelsey Montague, known for her Taylor Swift-inspired mural in Nashville; and “The Soul of Words I and II” sculptures by Spanish sculptor and artist, Jaume Plensa.

“Art, like the pieces featured at The Station, can help add character and beauty to the spaces they inhabit,” Cafritz said. “Some, like our Riverdale Engineering Research Corporation plane from 1946, can be a beautiful nod to the neighborhood’s history. And others, like ‘Sir Rulean’ by Kim In Tae, can be a symbol for gathering at Bear Square — The Station’s central meeting point, with family and food-oriented programming, that brings the community together throughout the year.”

The Redevelopment of Downtown Columbia, including the Merriweather District Neighborhood

In 2010, The Howard County Council in Maryland adopted the Downtown Columbia Plan to guide the redevelopment of the center core of the city, calling for works of art to be incorporated into new amenity spaces and private developments, and suggesting that “the walls of buildings and parking garages could become the surfaces” for works of art.

“People today — everyone from CEOs to young adults joining the workforce and young families — are looking for an urban core within a community offering an active, outdoor lifestyle,” Greg Fitchitt, president of the Columbia region for The Howard Hughes Corporation, which is developing the area, told CO. “Public art, and the arts in general, have always been central to the vision and appeal of Downtown Columbia, notable for its natural, open setting and progressive institutions.”

Merriweather District is the first ground-up development in the Downtown Columbia Plan, and is envisioned as a regional hub for culture and commerce. Once completed, Merriweather District will include 4.9 million square feet of mixed-use development, including public spaces, residential, office, and varied street retail.

“One of our team’s early investments was “Azlon”, one of the largest kinetic sculptures in the state of Maryland, by internationally renowned artist Anthony Howe,” said Vanessa Rodriguez, vice president of marketing for The Howard Hughes Corporation. “Azlon presents a slow-motion dance of steel and light at such a large scale that it can mesmerize viewers for long, extended moments. When the wind is calm, the sculpture’s 22 finely balanced, curving wings remain perfectly still, but a breeze sets them into a majestic, spiraling vortex.”

HHC also commissioned Vicki Scuri Siteworks to create “Rainbow Sunset”, a dramatic graphic installation on the north and west sites of the parking garage for One Merriweather, the first building developed in the Meriweather District. Inspired by what Scuri has described as “the warm hues of Maryland’s sunsets”, the work interacts with sunlight, creating changing shades of color.

“As an arts activist, I have enjoyed seeing how this region continues to embrace the powerful role that the arts can play in shaping communities,” Rodriguez said. “Especially now, as we emerge from the pandemic, people are reconsidering just how important art can be in activating the public realm and ensuring the success of development by creating vibrant public experiences.”

1625 Eckington – DC Condo Building Is In the Thick Of Mixed-Use Development

Jan. 19, 2021 at 8:00 a.m. EST

The streetscape is changing rapidly in part of Northeast Washington’s NoMa neighborhood as redevelopment transforms more than three acres into a mixed-use residential and retail destination. Eckington Yards will have a 12-story, 179-unit condominium building — 1625 Eckington at Quincy Lane — two rental apartment buildings and a structure containing ­townhouse-style condos.
The 179-unit condo building is at ­Eckington Place and Quincy Lane NE, a new street that is an extension of Quincy Place. The lane runs east of Eckington Place between the four new buildings to create a retail corridor open to pedestrians and slow-moving vehicular traffic.
“This is a ‘woonerf-style street,’ ” said Chris Masters, executive vice president of McWilliams Ballard, which is handling sales. “It’s common in Europe and is called a ‘living street.’ ”The first two floors of 1625 Eckington will be occupied by shops and restaurants. The building’s residential units will occupy the third to 12th floors. Base prices for the condos range from $359,900 to $1,299,900. About 20 percent have been sold. A furnished model unit is on view at 1625 Eckington. And the McWilliams Ballard sales gallery, at 1485 Ninth St. NW, has a scale model of the entire development and a mock-up of a kitchen and another of a bathroom.
Boxes checked: Rachel Sinderbrand and Wesley Williamson have lived in NoMa for a few years. “When we started looking to buy, we knew we wanted to stay in walking distance of where we are now,” Williamson said. But they had a growing list of prospects before they saw an ad for 1625 Eckington.
They went to the sales gallery and chose a seventh-floor unit after studying floor plans and researching the developer. “It was very much a trusting situation for us,” Williamson said.
On a hard-hat tour of the unfinished unit, they “got a sense of the space and view,” Sinderbrand said. “We liked the light, especially compared to our home now, which has just one smallish window. And there’s a terrace. It was important to have some outdoor space.”
She added: “It checked all the boxes. Hopefully, we can move in the spring.” Masters confirmed that the unit should be ready to occupy in the spring.
Eckington Yards is in a vibrant, up-and-coming section of D.C. The building at 1625 Eckington has a “warm, residential aesthetic [that] blends mid-century, classic modernist design with industrial touches, evoking the heyday of Eckington’s industrial past,” said Rhea Vaflor, associate principal and lifestyle director at Hickok Cole, the interior designer.

“When residents want to get away without going too far from home, the rooftop [clubroom] features a see-through fireplace with a picture-perfect view of the Capitol, downtown D.C., the Washington Monument and National Cathedral,” she added.The building’s amenities include a rooftop pool, a fitness center, a cafe with a hosting kitchen for entertaining, a green roof and rooftop grilling station. The building lobby will have a full-time concierge.

Eric Colbert & Associates is the architecture firm.

Nearby: Alethia Tanner Park, 2½ acres and open since June, is a neighborhood highlight, with gardens, grass, a playground, a dog park and a connection to the Metropolitan Branch Trail. The park is named for Maryland native Alethia Tanner, who was born enslaved and bought her freedom and the freedom of some relatives in 1810. She promoted education for D.C.’s Black children.

Gallaudet University’s grounds are an inviting place to walk. Union Market weathers the pandemic as a venue for takeout food, with tables outside. The market also has shops such as District Cutlery, Harvey’s Market and Red Apron Butchery. There is a Whole Foods Market on H Street and a Trader Joe’s on Florida Avenue.
Schools: Langley Elementary, McKinley Middle, Dunbar High.
Transit: The closest Metro station, NoMa-Gallaudet U on the Red Line, is within easy walking distance and is one stop from Union Station. It has 10 bike racks. Eckington Yards is near New York and Florida avenues and North Capitol Street. It is steps away from a streetcar line that traverses H Street. Resident-only street parking is prevalent.
1625 Eckington at Quincy Lane
1625 Eckington Pl. NE, Washington

There will be 179 condos in the 12-story building. Base prices range from $359,900 to $1,299,900. About 20 percent are sold.

Developer: JBG Smith
Features: Ceilings are nine feet high. Hardwood floors run throughout the units. Floor-to-ceiling windows let in natural light. The color scheme is neutral white with black matte fixtures. Bosch appliances, Porcelanosa cabinetry and quartz counters are standard. A below-ground parking garage has about 100 spots available for purchase for $45,000 each. There’s also bike storage.
Bedrooms/bathrooms: 1 to 2 plus den/ 1 or 2
Square-footage: 510 to 1,380
Condominium association fees: $325 to $810 a month
See model: By appointment.
Contacts: Kate Hanley at 202-568-3045 or Timur Loynab at 571-215-6554 and 1625eckington.com

City Homes Takes Spacious, Multi-Story Living To The Next Level

As Featured by dcist | January 11th, 2021

City Homes, Grosvenor Americas’ new condominium building centrally located in Northeast D.C.’s Eckington neighborhood, seamlessly blends multi-story living with contemporary features and private outdoor spaces. This limited collection of 45 multi-story residences is anticipated to deliver in early Spring featuring distinct architecture and interior design elements across one-, two-, and three-bedroom offerings.

Situated just east of Bloomingdale, north of NoMa, and minutes from Union Market, City Homes stands at the center of urban convenience, providing easy access to restaurants, retailers, parks and transit. As part of JBG LCOR’s larger Quincy Lane Project, which upon completion, will contain four residential buildings and 80,000 square feet of curated retail, this new community will offer a truly unique combination of the comforts of home and the excitement of the city.

A unique property, City Homes exclusively offers two- and three-story condominiums providing multi-story living in the heart of the city. The ample space creates a separation between office, entertaining, and private bedroom retreats allowing for the home to serve more than one purpose. Work, family life, and gathering opportunities are able to happily coexist throughout these expansive floorplans.

Each of the 45 residences feature at least one natural, breathable outdoor space in the form of a private patio or balcony providing an inviting escape in the heart of the city. Fifth-floor units even include access to private roof deck terraces with sweeping views of the Washington monument and Basilica in select units. Airy floor plans invite residents to connect with nature from the inside out, with oversized eight-foot casement windows that bathe each home in natural light and maximize space utilization and functionality.

City Homes is a collaborative project between international property group, Grosvenor, and award-winning interior design firm, Cecconi Simone. With a track record of more than 340 years, Grosvenor is the name behind some of the world’s most recognizable addresses. For the boutique collection of residences at City Homes, Cecconi Simone’s thoughtful design balanced the industrial influences of Eckington’s past, including black fixtures and oversized factory-style windows, with bright, top-of-the-market finishes. The care with which this globally recognized team delivers City Homes is unmatched in the luxury space.

Choose between a variety of flexible floor plans and price points to select a space that not only meets but surpasses your every need, with pricing starting in the low $700s. Connect today with the sales team, McWilliams Ballard, to get a first look at City Homes: https://www.cityhomeseckington.com/

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