Saturday, February 20, 2010

Del Ray Residences to Open Soon


Alexandria's newest residential building is almost complete, as the developer puts the final touches on Mt. Vernon Commons, a 141-unit apartment building in Del Ray. By April, developer Mount Vernon Commons, LLC hopes to finish the "neo-contemporary" building at the intersection of Mt. Vernon and Commonwealth Avenues for a spring opening.

The apartments replaced 11 commercial
spaces, for which it will partially atone by adding a small retail space to the ground floor. Though originally conceived as green condominium, the developer is not pursuing LEED certification for the project, which will consist of leased apartments rather than for-sale condos. The three to four-story wood-framed superstructure will sit on top of a two-level parking garage. To enhance the design, the developer is also planning a public art piece at the intersection.

According to architect Jim Heffner of Heffner Architects, "the biggest challenge of the project was the site itself," sitting on a narrow wedge of land with a 20-foot change in elevation, peaking at 100 feet in width, that had to accommodate a triangular cut-out in the middle. A townhouse design will help the project transition away from the adjacent single family residences, and the facade will incorporate "metal skin components unique to wood framed buildings."

The residences were devised by Carr Homes, which later sold the project to its current owner, a process which entailed significant delay in its delivery. Heffner is also the architect of Penrose Square and Rhodes Hill Square, both now under construction. Clark Builders Group is the general contractor.

Alexandria Virginia real estate development news

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Neo-contemporary sounds oxymoronic. Kind of like neo-modern. I might call it neo-urban. Very nice!

Anonymous said...

Several months ago, this project was renamed "Del Ray Central".

http://www.delrayapts.com/

Nick Partee on Feb 22, 2010, 12:47:00 PM said...

Very exciting project. I think it will continue to drive development towards the least-utilized area in the DC area: Arlandria.

Anonymous said...

is this still in progress?
i thought this had been held due to recession. is that true?

Glenn on Feb 22, 2010, 3:43:00 PM said...

looks like a pretty small building to have 141 units/ They must be tiny

Anonymous said...

The photos posted don't give accurate scale. It's a very long series of buildings, or at least facades.

I've never seen photos of the Commonwealth Avenue elevation posted, which is a shame because its unique, at least for this neighborhood.

I think this is going to turn out fairly nice looking. Lots of materials changes break up the facade, and the styles mix traditional, Deco-ish, and contemporary, all which can be found in the surrounding context.

With the forthcoming Calvert rehab and many nearby infill projects, Mt. Vernon from W Glebe down to about Oxford is undergoing a bit of a facelift.

Ken on Feb 23, 2010, 12:36:00 PM said...

The first story we posted about this project had an image of the elevation. I have added a link to that story in this one, so you can see it.

Anonymous said...

This is one of several new projects sprouting up in Del Ray. I'm hoping this type of upscale multi-use housing will continue to attract more young urban professionals and lead to additional happy hour destinations and lively nightlife for the neighborhood.

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