The Washington Post Finds Serenity at The Corey

At the Corey, serenity is just a few steps from the bustling H Street corridor

By Michele Lerner October 18

Each unit at the Corey has an open floor plan with stainless-steel appliances, white quartz countertops, a vented microwave oven, pendant lighting and a kitchen island (Benjamin C Tankersley/For The Washington Post)

Now that the long-awaited streetcars run along H Street in Northeast Washington, residents in that neighborhood and in nearby Trinidad are linked with a new transit option to Union Station besides buses, Capital Bikeshare and their cars.

The area has long been touted as one of the hottest in the city, with rowhouses in Trinidad snapped up and renovated into small boutique condos and larger condos and apartments under development along H Street. One of the larger new condos in Trinidad, the Corey, recently welcomed its first residents.

The 49-unit, six-story building, already 55 percent sold, sits less than two blocks from H Street’s bars, restaurants and streetcar stop, but it offers a little quieter atmosphere on residential street.

“The residents can go out at night to Little Miss Whiskey’s or the Rock & Roll Hotel and then come back to serenity,” says David Klimas, a Vice President with McWilliams Ballard in the District.

Views of landmarks: In a nod to the nearby Atlas Theatre, the Corey was designed with an art deco curve to the building and a marquee with an art deco logo, says Megan Schlabaugh, operations coordinator for Lock 7 Development.

While living next to bars, restaurants and the Capital Fringe Festival’s headquarters are the main draw for buyers to the Corey, Klimas says the building includes amenities that many of the condo’s first-time buyers enjoyed in their previous rental apartments.

Residents can spend time outside their units at the rooftop “sky lounge,” which they can reserve for a dinner party. The lounge has a full kitchen, a dining table that seats 10 and a seating area with a TV for game days. Adjacent to the lounge is a “wellness room” wrapped in windows with city views where residents can do yoga or work out with weights. An outside terrace has views of the Capitol, the Washington Monument and the Washington National Cathedral, along with a grill, seating areas, a green roof and community garden plots. An interior courtyard on the first level provides additional natural light for some of the units.

The building also has concierge services and a package room.

“The developer came up with some nice little details like a filtered water dispenser near the front desk where people can fill their water bottles on the way out the door,” says Klimas.

Car-free lifestyle: The Corey was designed to appeal to buyers who want to live a car-free existence and has just eight parking spaces. Next to the elevator is a transit screen that updates bus arrivals. A bike room has been located next to the front door of the building so that bicyclists don’t have to drag their bikes through the lobby or into an elevator. The bike room includes a pump for adding air to tires.

The available units at the Corey range from a 461-square-foot studio with one bathroom, priced at $319,900 to a 1,050-square-foot unit with two bedrooms and two bathrooms priced at $609,900. One larger unit, priced at $700,000, has already been sold.

The master bedroom in the two-bedroom unit is shown. (Benjamin C Tankersley/For The Washington Post)

“Buyers can choose units with a warm or a cool color palette,” says Schlabaugh. “The cool palette has gray kitchen cabinets and a lighter floor, while the warm palette has a reddish floor and darker cabinets.”

The closets in each unit can be customized for maximum efficiency.

The two-bedroom, two-bathroom, 1,050-square-foot Unit 400 is priced at $609,900 with a condo fee of $499 per month. This unit has a large laundry room with extra space for storage and a large coat closet near the kitchen. The open kitchen, living and dining area has a wall of windows and glass door to a Juliet balcony. The master bedroom has a curved corner, two walls of windows and a pocket door into the bathroom. The second bedroom and bathroom are on the other side of the living area.

The two-bedroom, two-bath, 907-square-foot Unit 501 is priced at $579,900 with a monthly condo fee of $441. This unit has a balcony off the living and dining area, a pantry in the kitchen and bedrooms on either side of the living space, each with access to a balcony. One bedroom has a walk-in closet and private full bath; the second bedroom has a door to the hall bath.

The one-bedroom, one-bathroom, 608-square-foot Unit 508 is priced at $389,900 with a monthly condo fee of $276. This unit has a coat closet near the front door and a balcony off the living area.

What’s nearby: The H Street corridor has an array of popular bars and restaurants such as Maketto, Sticky Rice, Red Rocks, Smith Commons and the H Street Country Club. Music and theater entertainment are available at the Atlas Theatre, the Rock & Roll Hotel and the Capital Fringe headquarters. A Whole Foods Market is anticipated to open in 2017 at Sixth and H streets, and a CrossFit DC gym is nearby.

Schools: Wheatley Education Campus, Dunbar High

Transit: Numerous bus routes serve this area, including the B2, D4, D8, X1, X2 and X3. A streetcar stop nearby provides service to Union Station.

An outside terrace has views of the Capitol, the Washington Monument and the Washington National Cathedral, along with a grill, seating areas, a green roof and community garden plots. (Benjamin C Tankersley/For The Washington Post)