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Real Estate & Finance
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1. An unobstructed view of the DC skyline. 2. A kitchen functional for cooking, styled for entertaining. Photos Courtesy of PERS Development.
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SKY DC Condominiums
Hot Under the Radar
by Heather Schoell
he Hillcrest neighborhood is is a true suburban enclave that is just minutes from Capitol Hill and downtown. Exurb-sized homes nestle on quiet, hilly streets just off Pennsylvania Avenue SE, five minutes from Capitol Hill’s Harris Teeter. SKY DC, a 15-unit condo building, is a new restoration in this lovely, well-established neighborhood. an iPod system, including the stereo to play tunes, an iPod to go with it, and the place is wired for sound. “It’s cool, hip, young, geared toward first-time homebuyers.” Bassam continued, “It’s boutique, not usual for the price range. Our niche is cool products, more bang for your buck, at a below-market price.” to the full gym, where there are flat screen TVs to watch while you tone up on the elliptical machine, treadmills and one of those big multi-functioning systems. On your way to work out, stop off to stick something in your locked storage area. If you would rather hang out, you can go out to the pergola to grill or up on the roof deck to swill. If you’re baking in the summer heat, cool down on the deck’s outdoor shower (a feature that Bassam gleaned from a trip to Spain). If you’re expecting friends, they can call up on the intercom. The building is secure, alarmed with ADT, and under watch with 24-hour surveillance cameras. The condo fee, priced per unit, buys you weekends free from shoveling snow, raking leaves and mowing the ample lawn.
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A Day in the Life
Starting from the beginning (say from Harris Teeter), drive down Pennsylvania Avenue, take a right on 30th, then a right on R. Park in the lot. Use keyless entry to get through the locked gate, and head into the building. Run up the carpeted stairs, pass the main entrance with the water feature, and head to your unit, where you’re greeted by the mocha walls and bamboo floors, and in some units, a skyline view. “You can see RFK to the National’s Stadium, and everything in between,” said Bassam. (The sky was thick with rain clouds on my visit, but the picture corroborates.) Pass the kitchen with White Galaxy granite (a refreshing change from black) and sleek cabinetry, pass the interior door with frosted glass (lets in light, even when closed), and head to your master bedroom. The jumbo units have a master bathroom and walk-in closet, while the junior units offer access to the single bathroom through a frosted glass pocket door. Feel like working out? You can head downstairs
Cool, Hip, Young
Ramin Bassam, a construction worker turned developer, bought a condo unit – his first home – in 2004. While he was proud to own, the unit was “affordable,” meaning without amenities, and he promised himself that “when I become a developer, I promise to do it to the highest ‘nth,’ so people will be proud to live there,” he said. Now on his fourth DC property renovation, he still sticks by that standard. “We don’t substitute luxury with giving less to people” under the guise of “affordable housing, stripped of amenities.” “It’s in the details,” said Bassam. This property, six months ago a burned-out building, is affordable – even the larger of the units are not priced over $249,500 – and are all about amenities. “Everything comes standard – the iPod system, the wine cooler, the stainless steel appliances,” he said. That’s right …
East of the River | November 2008
Try Before You Buy
Of the 15 units, four were already in the acquisition process by mid-November. To check out SKY DC, call ADMC realtor Manuel Churion at 202415-6053, or go to www.admcrealtygroup.com for a virtual tour. The address is 1620 29th St. SE, and open houses are held Sundays from 1 until 4 p.m. Heather Schoell is a regular contributor to the Hill Rag. She can be reached at hschoell@verizon.net. ★