To home buyers seeking a walkable community and access to public transportation, the Arbor at Takoma in D.C. offers both — big time. Close at hand are lots of places to shop, lots of places to dine and one very conveniently located Metro station.
Those are qualities that attracted the condominium’s first buyer, a world traveler looking for a pied-à-terre in the city. The buyer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that access to Metro was the number one priority but that he also wanted a homegrown neighborhood — with more mom-and-pop, less cookie-cutter national chain — and a sense of community.
The five-story building, still under construction, is set to be completed this month.
Advertisement
Rising on the former site of a 7-Eleven, the Arbor at Takoma — the only new residential condominium construction in D.C.’s Takoma neighborhood — has one- and two-bedroom condos, with prices starting at just under $400,000.
The first floor will be dedicated to retail space, though no tenants have signed yet.
The 36 units range from about 500 to 1,100 square feet, and penthouse units have large balconies that add to their living space in pleasant weather. More than half of the units have some kind of outdoor space, including the Juliette balconies of some smaller units.
Advertisement
Penthouses have a view of the top of the Washington Monument in the distance and, next to their balconies, they have a “green roof,” filled with plants, as required by D.C. rules for new construction. “It’s a garden in the sky,” said Desiree Blackstone, sales manager with Urban Pace, which does sales, leasing and marketing.
Kitchens have a full wall of cupboards and a gas stove. Bathrooms have either a tub-shower combination or a walk-in shower. All units have subway tile and brass fixtures in kitchens and bathrooms. They also come with a stacked, full-size washer and dryer. Double-paned windows mute the noise from Metrorail trains and the neighboring bus hub.
Advertisement
Five indoor parking spaces are available to buy for $40,000 each. There is also street parking by permit nearby. Fifteen storage lockers can be purchased for $7,000 each, and there will be a bike storage room.
The city of Takoma Park, Md., is less than a mile away, with shops and eateries, two farmers markets, a flea market, and parks and trails.
“It’s a hybrid, best of both worlds,” Blackstone said of the Arbor’s location. “It’s metropolitan, but with a small town feel.”
- Address: 218 Cedar St. NW. Washington, D.C.
- Transit: Takoma Metro station on the Red Line and a bus hub.
- Shops and restaurants: Safeway, Whole Foods and the Takoma Park Co-op are all less than a mile away. CVS is a block away, and Busboys and Poets is a few doors down. Also within a block of the Arbor are the Sticky Fingers Bakery and the Big Bad Woof pet store. Stores and eateries abound in D.C.’s Takoma neighborhood and Takoma Park, the Maryland city. Dining options include seafood, Nepalese, Ethiopian, Japanese, Korean, Mexican and vegan soul food.
- Parks and recreation: The Takoma Community Center has an indoor pool and a fitness center. The rec center also has the Takoma Community Garden (with 16 plots for residents), basketball and tennis courts, and a dog park. Nearby, on Cedar Street NW, is the Takoma Neighborhood Library, built in 1911 with a gift from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Takoma Park, Md., has parks and the 10-mile-long Sligo Creek Trail, which weaves through parts of Prince George’s and Montgomery counties, both in Maryland.
- Builder: Neighborhood Development Co.
- Type of Housing: Condominium
- Prices: $379,900 to $879,900 (with $10,000 in closing assistance available for March sales)
- Condo fees: $286 to $507 a month (includes water, sewer and trash service)
- Number of units: 36, including seven set aside for buyers who meet affordable-housing income limits.
- Square-footage: 484 to 1,100
- Schools: Takoma Elementary, Ida B. Wells Middle, Coolidge High.
- Pet policy: Dogs and cats are welcome with a two-pet limit.
- Website: The Arbor at Takoma, thearborattakoma.com.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZK%2B2v8innKyrX2d9c4COaWpoaGZkrrOuzqtkmqxdqa6su8yaZJynnpm8rrXNoqymq12srrS0yKeeraeeZA%3D%3D