Luxury Condominium Properties for Sale
You would be hard-pressed to find a wider variety of luxury condominiums than in the Washington Metropolitan area. Here, in a region where there are so many different urban, suburban and cosmopolitan communities, the mighty condo reigns supreme.
Before getting into all of the subtypes, however, just what exactly does condominium ownership mean?
Basically, in a condominium, residential units are individually owned while the land and common elements—such as hallways, elevators, pools, roofs and exterior walls—are owned by the condo association. As a result, association fees are paid by all owners to fund the maintenance of common areas and amenities.
Although there is no exact, universally-accepted definition, the height of condo buildings is generally categorized by low-rise (one-to-three stories), mid-rise (four to 11 stories), and high-rise (12 or more stories).
Luxury Condominium Properties for Sale
Washington, DC has some of most stringent height restrictions in the nation, generally limiting buildings to around 130 feet, although there are less severe limits in Arlington and other counties. For example, the new Central Place tower in Rosslyn will set a record for commercial buildings at 390 feet.
Compare that with New York City’s One World Trade Center at 1,792 feet, or 432 Park Avenue in NYC—the tallest residential building in the country, standing 1,396 feet and 89 stories!
But perhaps height restrictions led to the unusually wide variety of other condos types in the Washington area.
For instance, countless grand old hotels and apartment buildings from a bygone era have since converted to condos for sale.
Similarly, there may be no city that still has as many existing examples of historic row house architecture—these tall narrow, side-by-side buildings are the bread and butter of DC condo ownership.
There are also more historic garden-style apartment complexes in Washington Metro than anywhere else in the country. These brick Colonial developments were built in mass quantities from the late 1930s through to the mid-1940s, with lesser examples thereafter.
The reason for the building craze was simple—World War II brought a huge influx of federal and wartime workers to the nation’s capital and they needed quality places to live. The largest of these communities is Fairlington in Arlington, Virginia—once the largest apartment complex in the country with 3,439 residential units at its peak.
In more recent years, Fairlington and dozens of other similar garden communities in the region converted to condos for sale, ranging from studio units to two-story townhouses.
You can also find an amazing number of buildings that were never originally anticipated to be condos.
For instance, an office building for sheet metal workers in Alexandria was recently transformed into The Oronoco. These stunningly modern million-dollar flats overlook the western banks of the Potomac River.
Or what about the dozens of historic schools that have converted to condos for sale? These include the Bryan School, Carberry School, Lenox School and Pierce School—all amazing loft transformations.
How about a former roller rink in Adams Morgan, or a submarine factory in Alexandria? There’s the Uline Arena in DC where the Beatles once played that is being considered for mixed-use retail and residential, as well as a number of alleyway liveries—once home to DC’s horses, these are now upscale lofts!
From old Gothic buildings to brand-new luxury townhouses, condos in Washington Metro are many things to many people, and, are very much in demand! To learn more, call District Partners at Compass, at (202) 400-3070.
