A Report From the Loree Grand Opening

• October 20th 2010

by UrbanTurf Staff

The Loree Grand hosted its official grand opening last night complete with fillable art, Dangerously Delicious Pies and a couple hundred people taking in the newest apartment building in NoMa.

Named in honor of Loree Harris Murray, a neighborhood activist whose efforts transformed the Northeast community into a safe place to live and work, the 212-unit project is the initial phase of what will make up the Union Place complex, the most substantial mixed-use development project to break ground in the area in the past 20 years. There will be about 700 units total, a child daycare center, and a half acre central plaza for public use.

While the attendees milled around the project’s courtyard eating food from local favorites like Taylor Gourmet and coloring within the lines of art provided by ArtJamz, UrbanTurf headed up to the 8th floor to check out the model unit that was on display.

The unit was described as a studio with den, but the 938 square-foot apartment seemed more like a one-bedroom unit without a door to us.

The den had been set up as the bedroom (which is what we would do), and the walk-in closet is almost big enough to serve as a small office if you don’t mind not having a window. Rates for a unit like this run about $1,700 to $1,800 a month.

After checking out the model unit, we headed out to the building’s roof terrace where Dangerously Delicious Pies (from the H Street location) were being served to attendees as they lounged in the secluded seating areas.

Back down in the courtyard, we ran into Lisa, a resident who had just moved back to DC after living in London for 20-odd years.

“I grew up in Shepherd Park, but I wanted to live downtown when I moved back,” she explained. “Now when I come home, I just pull my Mini Cooper into the garage and head to the courtyard or up to the roof. I love it here.”

To learn more about The Loree Grand, read our recent profile:

• The Loree Grand: Luxury and Artist Housing as One of NoMa’s First Apartments

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/a_report_from_the_loree_grand_opening/2588.