The Top Five Condo Rooftops in the DC Area

• November 10, 2008
• 5 Comments
• Lists & Rankings

by Mark Wellborn

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Roof at Kenyon Square

When looking for a new home, outdoor space is always an amenity that ranks high on people’s wish list. Today’s article takes that into consideration and looks at the condos in the DC area with the best rooftops. “If you are comparing two buildings in similar price points, then you are probably more likely to go with the one with the better roof,” Jamie Test of CondoAuthority told UrbanTurf. “Most people are willing to pay five or ten grand more for that type of amenity.”

Bocce on the roof, anyone? The enormous 12,000 square-foot roof deck at Kenyon Square is perhaps the only roof in the DC area that has the perfect patch of grass for lawn bowling. While there is no pool and the views are nice but not exceptional, the roof of this Columbia Heights development is the perfect place to lounge on the lawn in the summer and entertain about 100 of your closest friends.

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Views from Roof at Waterview

Jamie Test said that the 133-unit Waterview in Rosslyn may have the best views of any condo in the DC area, a claim that is pretty hard to argue with. The roof, thirty stories above the Potomac River and a stone’s throw from Key Bridge, has views of Georgetown, the Kennedy Center, virtually every major Washington monument and many parts of Arlington. There is no pool or grilling area, but there are tables and chairs for you to relax in as you take in your surroundings.

While not the most impressive one on this list, the roof at Ten Ten Mass deserves a spot because of the privacy that it makes available to its residents. “The roof at Ten Ten is cool because it wraps around the whole building and there are different pockets of sitting areas everywhere,” Test said. The views are not all that impressive (mainly office buildings in Mount Vernon Square), but there is a small lap pool, and it is a great place to watch the July 4th fireworks. For a virtual tour of the rooftop area, click here.

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The Pool at The Residences at Liberty Center

The roof of The Residences at Liberty Center, a 233-unit condo development in Arlington, has the look and feel of a Mediterranean villa. From April to September, residents take advantage of the rooftop swimming pool, sun deck and sand-colored furniture, as well as the fitness center that looks out on downtown Ballston.

The building originally housed one of downtown DC’s largest steam laundry facilities, but now the Yale Steam Laundry has some of the most impressive loft condos in the city along with a small but inviting rooftop. The units in the Mount Vernon Square development are true lofts with 14 to 16 feet ceilings, over-sized windows and large open floorplans. The roof terrace of the larger of the two buildings in the development has views looking down New York Avenue to the Capitol, and the roof of the smaller building has a stainless steel pool with a sun deck and seating area.

5 Comments

1. Michael said at 3:29 pm on Friday November 14, 2008:

   Seriously?  No mention of The Cairo?

1. Lance Horsley-Long & Foster said at 11:06 am on Saturday November 15, 2008:

   While I agree these five selected are nice NEW additions, there are many others that DC locals would argue are superior.  Take the phenomenal landscaped roof deck at 2707 Adams Mill Rd (okay it is a COOP)...it is like a giant landscaped flower filled garden.  I agree, the views at The Cairo are super.  The views of downtown Rosslyn and Potomac River from the roof top swimming pool and roof deck at 3303 Water Street are awesome!  Some other newer large roof decks that are really great can be found at Madrigal Lofts, The Clara Barton, The Lafayette, and Residents at Gallery Place.

1. Rick Bosl-ArlingtonCondo.com said at 11:29 am on Wednesday November 26, 2008:

   How can you leave off The Odyssey in Courthouse? If you put Liberty Center on the list, you have to have the Odyssey. Awesome views from the National Cathedral to the DC monuments to National Airport to the Masonic Temple in Alexandria.

1. knhthfvf said at 7:57 am on Thursday March 26, 2009:

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1. WDC2 said at 3:34 pm on Saturday March 28, 2009:

   I’d agree with Lance that the rooftop at 3303 Water St in Georgetown is spectacular.

   http://cid-90fa92cc213d5194.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/.res/90FA92CC213D5194!107

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