Monday, November 28, 2011
Reviving Hearts and Homes
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Your Next Place
Anyway, this is sort of how I felt when I saw this house. Plenty of places have a stunning facade, or a spectacular great room, or a state-of-the-art kitchen, but this place hit every single point on the checklist. Right off the bat, walking up the front walk through the landscaped yard and onto the wide front porch, I was taken in by the picturesque quaintness. And then you go in the front door and it's like someone is bludgeoning you in the face with a lead pipe of awesomeness. (Too much?)
A sweet classic fireplace and louvered ceilings makes for a striking living room; next is the huge, sunny formal dining room, and then through a set of french doors is a chef-caliber kitchen – one of the most well-appointed I've seen – with another, adjacent, dining area. Upstairs, the master bedroom is very spacious, with tons of built-in shelves (there are built-ins throughout this house – one of my favorite features), and a fine master bath. The other three bedrooms on the floor are also very generously proportioned. In the basement, there's a rec room, another full bath, laundry, and a kitchenette, in case you want to secretly break your diet in the middle of the night by baking yourself a chicken pot pie. (I've done it.)
Also! In back, across the expansive yard, is a separate freestanding sort of studio guesthouse, with a half-bath, that you could use as a mancave or an office or a writing studio. If I lived here, this is where I'd spend most of my time. (See what I mean about the misanthrope thing? I'm already planning how to emotionally withdraw from my nonexistent theoretical wife and family.) Like I was saying, this is the house that has it all! The only thing I didn't absolutely unconditionally love was the price, and that's only because I couldn't afford to buy it in full on the spot. (I'm more looking for a home in the one to three thousand dollar price range – all I've found so far is a stripped Kia Sportage on blocks. I'm waiting to hear back about my offer.)
6 Bedrooms, 4 Baths
$1,595,000
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Looking Back, and Forward: 15th and V
Labels: jair lynch, U Street, WDG Architecture
After noting that the Jair Lynch Development Partners' 9-story, 95-unit apartment designed by WDG Architecture will be built at 2005 15th Street, NW, a reader felt the site's former life should be acknowledged. The new Jair Lynch apartment will rise up on what is now a surface parking lot next to the 10-story, 171-unit Campbell Heights Apartment at 2001 15th Street, but low and behold, the parking lot wasn't always there. In 1978, the Campbell
Heights Association constructed its eponymous apartment as subsidized, unassisted, one-bedroom apartments for senior citizens aged 62 and older. But first, the property on site had to be demolished. A grand Victorian structure stretching the entire block of 15th between U and V Street, built at the turn of the 20th century as "The Portner Flats," a high-end luxury apartment building offering 485 rooms (with baths!) and an entrance flanked by ornate Viennese-style sculptures.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Next Steps for New South Capitol Street Bridge
The District's forthcoming purchase of land needed in order to construct a new South Capitol Street/Frederick Douglass Bridge across the Anacostia has been aided by the dedication of $68 million in federal funds, with the next phase of development beginning by the end of the year.
Land acquisition followed by preliminary engineering for the bridge portion of the $806-million South Capitol Street Corridor project will be underway within the next month or two, confirmed the District Dept. of Transportation's program manager for the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative, James T. (Tom) Ryburn. The extension is part of the National Capital Planning Commission's vision to make South Capitol Street a "civic gateway," replacing the worn bridge with 6 traffic lanes and a bike path.
The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), which selected a low-arched bridge design, was approved this summer (the picture at right is a stereotype). Ryburn cautioned that current designs are preliminary. "Everything is conceptual at this stage – there’s still a lot of design to be done."
The team plans to submit the initial financial plan in early 2012. Though it's been estimated that a budget of $806 million is required for the project, DDOT will be refining the cost figures in the preliminary engineering phase. And although federal funds will help with land acquisition, construction is currently unfunded, and the start date is entirely dependent on funding, as "[DDOT] Director Bellamy said on NBC," added Ryburn. "If we had the money, [there could be a new bridge in] six or seven years."
(Click to enlarge the plan to renovate the entire South Capitol Street Corridor)
Washington D.C. real estate development news
Anacostia Riverwalk Trail Gets a New Extension
Labels: Anacostia River, Capitol Riverfront, Forest City, Southeast
The new bridge will rise up to 18 feet above the average waterline to allow service boats to access the O Street pumping station, which pumps water to the Blue Plains treatment facility. The incandescently lit pier will offer interpretive graphics talking about the use of water and history of DC water.
Diamond Teague Park, just below Nationals Stadium, now becomes the western terminus of bike trail. Michael Stevens, Executive Director for the Capitol Riverfront Business Improvement District, says the next westward expansion depends on development of the Florida Rock development site, which is still in the planning stages. Stevens predicts that by 2013 the trail could connect the baseball stadium to Minnesota Benning.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Your Next Place
If you were watching a made-for-tv movie and the main family lived in this house, you'd immediately say to yourself, “oh MAN, are they in for something horrible!” Because it's just, like, too perfect. According to the laws of television, any family who lived in a place like this, a palatial five bedroom colonial in Chevy Chase, would have to have some serious dark secrets. And I'm not talking “Saved By the Bell” caffeine pill hijinks, I'm talking Meredith Baxter-Birney in “Taliban Junkie Mom.”
Luckily, this is real life, so having a dark secret isn't a prerequisite for living here. (Having a million dollars is, but let's not talk about that now.) I was really taken in by this beautiful, sunny, spacious legitimately four-leveled home. I tend to be really critical (ask my exes), but there wasn't one thing I'd change about this place. From the large brick patio and larger yard to the quaintly classy dining room to the sprawling living room (with fireplace), everything was just right.
The kitchen is modern and large, the five bedrooms are varied and spacious, and the renovated basement has legitimate “rumpus room” potential. There were hardwood floors throughout, and the apple of my eye, a huge screened-in porch. I've always loved screened-in porches; when I was a kid, my mom would let me sleep in our screened-in porch in the summertime and it was probably the highlight of my entire childhood. (Well, either that or the time my babysitter's bikini top flew off on the slip-n-slide. One of those two.)
3314 Tennyson St. NW
5 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths
$969,000
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Shotgun Domicile: Speed Decorating in the District
On your mark, get set, go! It’s like a round of speed dating: learning all you can about a candidate, usually over a 10-minute glass of wine, before moving on to the next table. Those who’ve done it say an uber-sized glass of Pinot Grigio helps, but knowing the right questions to ask will get you what you want.
For interior designer Beverly Glover-Wood, of Glover-Wood Interiors, the right questions came in handy as the speed part remained, though the “dating” word became “decorating” (sans the wine) when the call came from a proper Bostonian. Poised to head up a D.C. commission with an eight-week countdown to lift-off, the client needed a home in the District fast. Choosing an apartment in the Penn Quarter’s prized Lansburgh, 425 8th Street NW, she would be spending six years in Washington in her new role and abode, though jetting home to her old life, family and friends in Boston on weekends whenever possible.
“I had a commission to do this quickly and not too expensively,” Glover-Wood said of the relatively temporary 744 s.f. residence, affirming the client would be maintaining dual households for the duration of her term. Noting that typical decorating protocol involves time to get to know the client—perhaps even shopping with her, a tight schedule in another city precluded this. “We had one conversation where she talked about what she liked,” the designer said, which was articulated by the two of them combing through catalogues. Preferring “clean and simple,” Glover-Wood said her client did not want this objective manifested in a severe environment, but rather a shabby chic look– slipcovers and comfort so she could just come home, relax and get away for a while.
In true stopwatch form, Glover-Wood did a quick run-through of all the places people shop in the District where things can be obtained relatively quickly. With Pottery Barn, Crate ‘n Barrel, Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams, Ballard Designs, Upscale Resale, Home Goods and Room & Board topping the list, Glover-Wood peppered her client with dozens of photographs she’d taken on a spin through each venue (Ballard’s was strictly catalogue and web, however). The final design was determined to include a red, yellow and blue palette “to keep it cheery and soft,” with the client’s favorite sage green reflected in bathroom features and a feminine bedroom desk.
Deliver dilemma
With furniture choices taking anywhere from 7 days to 12 weeks to ship (predicated on in-stock colors vs. other design requests, Glover-Wood explained), and in an effort to expedite things under the circumstances, the outgoing tenant offered to leave behind his furniture, with the designer choosing what was suitable and donating the rest to D.C. nonprofit organization A Wider Circle. Though a remaining sleigh bed was to be the focal point of the bedroom, the client wasn’t thrilled with the furniture in general because it was all very dark, Glover-Wood said. The challenge, then, was to involve selecting light and lively fabrics, lighting, art and other pieces to offset the space’s existing complexion. At the proverbial 11th hour, however, the dark bedroom pieces went too, opening the bedroom to prettier possibilities but leaving even less time to fill it.
Accordingly, the designer found an antique white headboard from Pier 1 Imports. A Terrific Trio glass top table was obtained from Ballard Designs, with a cloth cover in "celery" from their fabric selection. A white wicker desk and chair for under $50 from Upscale Resale were spray painted deep hunter green, with the desk also serving as a bedside table (Glover-Wood said the client appreciated having a desk tucked into the bedroom). Two framed prints of old Harper's Bazaar magazine covers flank the head of the bed, and a voluminous window dressing and ruffled shams add elegance and tranquility to the space.
In the 273 s.f. living/dining space, Glover-Wood purchased a table and chairs from HomeDecorator.com and consulted with Ballard’s to acquire two bamboo folding chairs in a tortoise shell hue for extra seating. In the compact but adequate 80 s.f. kitchen, a bar encircles the room and faces the dining room, and a couple of bar chairs will effectively utilize the space.
Though two sofas were left behind by the previous tenant, they were donated and a sleeper sofa from Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams (winners, according to Glover-Wood, in the “how fast can you ship?” contest) was obtained to accommodate occasional visits from the client’s two 20-something children. A floral rug in front of the sofa with reds and oranges from Home Goods reflects the wood hue of the dining room chairs, knitting together the two spaces.
Over the dining room table, a standard chandelier with adequate light remained and a large glass slider channels abundant light throughout the living/dining space. “I think lighting is pretty inexpensive as it is, but you want it to be decent,” Glover-Wood said of the question of fixtures and lighting accessories, adding one can purchase a good lamp for $125. To that end, she explained a lot of really inexpensive lighting has low wattage, which inhibits reading, so she opted to spend a little more for two substantial reading lamps and a floor lamp.
Revealing there are buried (and not-so-buried) treasures in D.C. and Maryland consignment shops such as Gallery St. Elmo and Upscale Resale, Glover-Wood said she frequents those entities for furniture, accessories and art. Decorative plates for the kitchen wall were discovered on one particular expedition, and suitable art was obtained from Capital Consignment, as well as Ballard’s and Art.com.
“The client had a wonderful attitude, saying all she really needed was a bed,” Glover-Wood said of the mandate to design like Nike: the goddess of strength and speed. “Hers was surely a unique situation, but overall if you’re coming in and trying to set up quickly, especially as young people often do, it’s nice to know about all of these places you can go.”
Friday, November 18, 2011
GW to Demolish Last of Pennsylvania Avenue Rowhouses
Labels: Foggy Bottom, Gensler Architects, George Washington University
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Jair Lynch's 15th and V Street Apartment Approved by HPRB
The apartment's original design (below) has been tweaked to become more sympathetic in scale to the surrounding historic district. In order to do so, WDG increased the percentage of masonry (to glass) on the facade, reduced the height of the corner tower (by one foot on V Street and 4 feet on 15th), decreased the size of all windows, created slimmer bay projections (by a foot-and-a-half), and added more masonry between the ground-floor glass and the tower. Two kinds of glass will now be used in the bays, clear and "fritted" (i.e. enameled).
Included in the development will be two levels of underground parking, 95 apartments - 87 market rate units and 8 subsidized (at 50 to 80% of AMI) - a fitness room, club room, shared interior courtyard, and roof deck.
The property, located at 2005 15th Street, will overtake an existing parking lot that serves the adjacent Paul Laurence Dunbar Apartment (formerly Campbell Heights) at 2001 15th Street, a 10-story, 171-unit apartment designated as affordable senior housing, which is property owned in large part by Jair Lynch. Lynch acquired majority ownership of the Dunbar apartment last year - as the website states - after having "structured a complex package of debt and equity totaling $43.3 million to facilitate the rehabilitation of the property." According to the U Street Neighborhood Association, "The [15th and V Street] project subsidizes a portion of the renovation work being performed on the ... Paul Laurence Dunbar Apartments."
Washington D.C. real estate development news
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
A Candyland Vegas, Built inside the District
Your Next Place
A beautiful historic rowhouse in the West End, with gleaming hardwood floors and tons of light, it's a live/work property, so the upstairs is still totally residential, with two very large bedrooms and a fine bathroom. Out back is a wooden deck and a large brick patio with a quirky little fountain, and lots of privacy. And the salon level could easily be converted to a regular house-type house where you do normal life stuff like sitting around and watching the entire first season of “Night Court” online while eating out of styrofoam takeout containers and then in a fit of existential disgust afterwards asking yourself, “yes, I'm biologically alive, but am I really living?” (I decided the answer was no. Then I watched Season 2.)
*Update: the present owners are going to remove the hair salon before the sale, so yeah ... no big chairs with air helmets attached in the living room.
2 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths
$1,299,000