Best Condo Conversion: View 14

• December 16, 2009

by Mark Wellborn

This week UrbanTurf is taking a look back at the best that DC’s residential real estate market had to offer in 2009. From the best deals to the best trends to, of course, the best listings, we believe we have sussed out the cream of the crop.

Rendering of View 14

For far too long, View 14 sat empty and under construction on the corner of 14th Street and Florida Avenue NW. Despite being one of the first projects in the District to have the foresight to convert to apartments rather than deliver as condos before the housing crisis was in full swing, unfinished construction seemed to result in perpetual delays.

In late October, the City Paper’s Housing Complex blog reported that the development’s leasing office would open on November 1st, and shortly after that, we dropped by to take a look. We liked what we saw.

Monument views from atop View 14.

The 184-unit property is an impressive if expensive apartment complex (monthly rents start around $1,750). Amenities are plentiful: a game room with billiards and Nintendo Wii; a fitness center; Zipcar vehicles on site; guest suites; and a quiet garden in back. Its location is hard to beat, and, true to its name, View 14 offers some of the best views of downtown DC in the city. The units are spacious for new construction, many coming with floor-to-ceiling windows to take advantage of the building’s views.

View 14 is also considering a policy that UrbanTurf fully endorses: no-smoking for the entire building, including the units themselves. Extreme as it may sound, David Blum, one of the developers, conducted an informal survey of the tour group that UrbanTurf visited with as to whether individuals would choose not to rent in a building that had such a policy. Only one person in 25 raised his hand, evidence that in fact a comprehensive no-smoking rule might not be so extreme after all.

On Tap for Tomorrow: The Best Tip for New Condo Buyers and The Best Listing of the Year (For Well Paid Lobbyists)

Previous Best Of 2009 entries:

• Best Up-and-Comers in 2009: Redfin.com, Streetcars and FHA Loans
• Best Live/Work Space: Fathom Creative
• Best Neighborhood Debate: Is H Street Worth It?
• Best New Tech for DC Real Estate Scene: Google Street View
• Best Deal of 2009: The $419,000 Three-Bedroom
• Best Record Set This Year: Mortgage Rates Hit All-Time Low
• Best Local Real Estate Idea (That Went Nowhere): Inauguration Rentals
• Best New Listing of the Year

3 Comments

1. jj said at 11:33 am on Thursday December 17, 2009:

   Monthly rents at both the barclay and ravenel apartment buildings at 16th and corcoran at 1900 bucks - and their elevator (note…only one elevator) isn’t operational all the time. With the pending condo shortage, perhaps this building should consider returning to the sales rather than rental arena. It’s not too late.

1. Peter said at 11:45 am on Thursday December 17, 2009:

   Agree, I ‘d be the first one to take a good look if these are condos. It’s hard to go back from rental property. Too bad. Maybe they reconsider ?

1. dmt said at 10:03 pm on Thursday December 17, 2009:

   meanwhile, the view is better from the building than looking at it.  what was the architect thinking with the cinder blocks on the first level?  for a luxury building the design is horrendous…