Comp and Circumstance: Old Washington Vs. New Washington

• July 14th 2010

by Rebecca Ortega

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Comp and Circumstance presents two listings of roughly similar prices in DC and compares the pros and cons of each. This week, we pit a classic one-bedroom condo in Kalorama against a chic industrial one-bedroom near the Convention Center. Both units are on the market for $389,900. Let us know in the comments which of the two you feel is the better buy. See all our past Comp and Circumstance features here.

One-Bedroom in “Classic Washington”

This week’s Comp and Circumstance is an opportunity to compare old and new Washington. One condo represents the historic style that typifies classic Washington, while another offers the more modern, emerging version of the city that has started to take hold over the last decade.

2032 Belmont Rd NW is an Art Deco-style building, steps from Rock Creek Park and an 11-minute walk to the Woodley Park-Adams Morgan Metro station on the Red line (map). The unit (#108) is unusually spacious for a one-bedroom (a product of the building’s age), including not only the standard bedroom, kitchen and living areas, but a separate dining room, sun room and small utility space as well. It has hardwood floors throughout, high ceilings and crown molding, and a staffed front desk.

The location is likely ideal for many, close to the sought-after amenities of Dupont and Adams Morgan, but far enough away to not be bothered by the traffic on Connecticut Avenue or the drunken masses on 18th Street.

There are downsides to this unit: it is on the first floor of the building, sports a dated kitchen and radiator heating, has a shared laundry facility, and does not include a parking spot. The price is a bit deceptive as well, as it comes with a hefty $665/month condo fee.

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One-Bedroom in “New DC”

437 New York Avenue NW is also known as Yale Steam Laundry, a converted industrial building just to the east of the Convention Center. The development is only two years old, meaning the maintenance concerns will be few (as compared to the Kalorama unit), and the renovation retained the industrial history of the property, keeping the floor-to-ceiling windows and loft-like boxy feel some buyers go crazy for. Additional pluses include in-unit laundry, a small balcony, and a slew of building amenities including a rooftop pool, gym, and several pool tables. The unit also includes a garage parking space, which is worth at least $25,000 in this area.

For all that this building offers, there are some cons. Aesthetically, the unit has mixed flooring (tile in the kitchen, carpet in the bedroom, hardwood in the main living space) which detracts from its visual flow. Buyers will also fork over a $453/month condo fee. This isn’t nearly as high as the Kalorama unit’s fee, and it can be justified by the building’s many amenities, but it’s still not cheap.

The location of the building is probably the biggest question. It straddles the border between southern Shaw and Mount Vernon Triangle, on busy New York Avenue (map). Buyers will find themselves at the mouth of I-395, which, while convenient for drivers to get out of the city, is loud and a far cry from the Kalorama unit’s across-the-street view of Rock Creek Park.

It is close to the Metro, though, with the Convention Center station just eight minutes away. Also, the highly-desirable retail amenities of CityVista — Safeway, Busboys and Poets, Taylor Gourmet, etc. — are just a (long) block away, and the heart of Chinatown is just another six or seven minutes beyond that. So while the New York Avenue unit’s immediate surroundings might not be the most charming, it is certainly convenient.

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So, what do you think? Is the neighborhood appeal and Art-Deco charm of the Belmont unit your cup of tea? Or would buyers be better off taking a chance on the more modern New York Avenue property? Let us know your preference in the comments.

	2032 Belmont Rd NW #108	437 New York Ave NW #509
Bedrooms	1	1
Bathrooms	1	1
Square footage	879	746
Pros	Spacious, quiet, Rock Creek Park, pretty close to Metro	Rooftop pool, gym, garage parking space, even closer to Metro
Cons	High condo fee, few included amenities	Faces a busy street
Price	$389,900	$389,900
Neighborhood	Kalorama	Convention Center
Links	Full listing — Map	Full listing — Map

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.production.logicbrush.com/articles/blog/comp_and_circumstance_old_washington_vs._new_washington/2257.