Our Take on Modern DC Metro's Real Estate Market

The Mid-Century Watergate Endures as a Vital Washington Destination

The Iconic Watergate Community

It has been nearly 58 years since the Watergate complex first broke ground and 50 years since its completion. History may best remember the sprawling waterfront property as the site of the nation’s most famous political scandal, with the 1972 break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters leading to the impeachment and resignation of President Richard M. Nixon.  Intrigue aside, the luxurious residential cooperatives for sale at the 10-acre complex certainly endure as elite places to live.

There has always been a distinct sense of style associated with the Watergate. The curvilinear concrete structures in Washington’s Foggy Bottom neighborhood embody a trailblazing mid-century modernist vibe, courtesy…

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3 Best Mid-Century Neighborhoods in the DC Metro Market

Mid-century modern architecture has enjoyed a surge in renewed popularity in recent years. And so, it makes sense that Washington Metro home buyers would look for the greatest concentrations of these intriguing homes.

We have singled out three particular examples in the greater DC area, based on livability, local amenities and iconic styles that embody the best traditions of modernism.

Hollin Hills, Alexandria, Virginia

There was certainly no way to omit Hollin Hills from the list. Located in Hybla Valley in the southern portion of Alexandria, this national historic district contains some 457 single-family homes built between 1949 and 1971. The neighborhood was the brainchild of developer Robert Davenport and architect Charles Goodman. The…

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CityCenter is the New Urban Center of Washington, DC

CityCenter

The new Residences at CityCenter offers luxury condos for sale with an amazing combination of style, features and amenities. In fact, there’s everything one would ever need inside this 10-acre live, work and play environment. But there’s also a world outside this incredible community.

The redevelopment of the Washington Convention Center which was demolished in 2004, posed logistical challenges to be sure. The site was at least three time larger than any normal city block. But there was also enormous benefits if done correctly—the sheer size allowed the CityCenter project to connect with other prime Downtown DC neighborhoods like Penn Quarter, Chinatown, Mount Vernon Triangle and Capitol Hill. This place is huge!

The 216 upscale condos…

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Charles Goodman and His Impact to the Washington DC Area

When it comes to modern homes in the Washington DC area, there may have been no bigger impact than that of Charles M. Goodman—an American architect whose heyday was a half-century ago.

Born in New York City in 1906, Goodman grew up in Chicago as a child and received his training as an architect at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Influenced by modernist pioneers like Frank Lloyd Wright and Richard Neutra, Goodman moved to Washington, DC in 1934 and became an architect for FDR’s Public Buildings Administration, the Treasury Department and the Army Air Forces Airport Transport Command during World War II.

While government buildings can seem monolithic and staid, Goodman sought to instill a contemporary sense of style, including the U.S. Federal…

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The Penthouse Collection, October 2020

Penthouses have long represented a certain big city ideal, and that is certainly true in Washington, DC as well as other parts of the DC Metro area such as Arlington, Virginia and Bethesda, Maryland. The sky-high luxury residences are found at the upper levels of buildings, and often include private outdoor spaces that provide the perfect place to lounge and take in the surrounding cityscapes below. These elite abodes come at a cost, and indeed, each of our showcase penthouse condos for sale in October have a list price in access of a million dollars.

Our spotlight journey begins in Washington’s super trendy U Street Corridor, with Unit #PH03 at the 2020 Lofts building. Listed at $1,325,000, this two-story penthouse has three bedrooms, 2.5 baths,…

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Building of the Month, October 2020 | Turnberry Tower

Representing the pinnacle of luxury when it comes to upscale condos for sale is Turnberry Tower. Perched near the Potomac River in Arlington’s Rosslyn waterfront neighborhood, the 26-story glass and steel was designed by Robert Swerdroe, together with ACG Architects. It remains the tallest residential building in the Washington Metro region, and is known for its superb views of the river and the DC skyline on the other side. There’s also tons of amenities to enjoy, including a heated indoor swimming pool, 24/7 front desk and concierge service, a screening room with catering kitchen, valet service and more. The Rosslyn community has long been known as the Gateway to Arlington, due to its location on the banks of the Potomac. The Rosslyn Metro Station is…

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The Luxury Home Collection, October 2020

Luxury homes for sale come in many sizes and styles in the Washington Metro area. The region includes the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia and parts of Maryland, and is sometimes cheekily referred to as “the DMV.” It’s a place where densely populated urban neighborhoods comingle with quiet suburbs, all within a conveniently commutable distance. For our October spotlight on fancy properties, we have selected an intriguing variety, ranging from a 10,450 square foot mansion on an acre of lush green land in McLean to a revamped 3.325 square foot Washington, DC townhouse originally built in 1885.

You can read about four of our favorites below. You can also click right here to see the entire October Curated Collection.

It is not that often that…

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Mid-Century, Modern and Contemporary Spotlight, September 2020

Mid-century modern and contemporary architecture has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, and the trend seems to be continuing unabated. The period of construction for these iconic dwellings began after the end of World War II and continued until the early 1970s. Styles morphed during that period, not only as time progressed but also depending on the geographic region. After all, modern architecture has often embraced its surroundings.

While mid-century modernism has often been associated with the west coast and southwest in this country, the Washington Metro area has its own rich history with the genre. There are numerous neighborhoods and subdivisions throughout Northern Virginia, Maryland and even D.C. itself that are lasting testimony to a design…

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Mid-Century Modern Neighborhood of the Month, August 2020

One of the most scenic mid-century modern neighborhoods in the Washington Metro area has roots that preclude modernist design by more than two centuries. Wessynton is associated with the Mount Vernon community in southern Alexandria. The neighborhood’s first mention can be found in George Washington’s own diary, in an entry dated April 6, 1785. The president sowed the land, which was one of several large properties within his massive riverfront estate, with holly berries. As it turns out, the name Wessynton is Old English for Washington, the family ancestors having changed the spelling of their surname years before arriving in this country in the 1650s. 

Prior to the colonization of America, the Wessynton area belonged to the Doeg tribe, coastal…

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Old Town Alexandria, August-September 2020 Spotlight

Old Town Alexandria is the crown jewel of the City of Alexandria. Both a mecca for visitors and a highly popular place to live, the waterfront community is ideally located on the western banks of the Potomac River. The history here is long and involved; home to tobacco warehouses during the colonial era, raided by the British during the War of 1812 and known for its beer breweries in the pre-prohibition era! These days, the highly walkable Old Town offers the best of old and new, from original cobblestone streets to upscale shopping boutiques and top restaurants along King Street.

When it comes to red-hot real estate markets, Old Town has that covered as well. Properties don’t tend to be available for long before going under contract. As for…

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