$1,950 a Square Foot? Inside DC’s Highest End New Condos

• November 16, 2015
• 3 Comments

by UrbanTurf Staff

Inside a unit at Wardman Tower. Click to enlarge.

DC has only had a handful of new condominium projects where prices start out in seven-figure territory, and the Wardman Tower now not only joins that group, but could set a new bar.

Sales recently started for the 32 luxury units at the Wardman Tower, the iconic residential building at the corner of Connecticut Avenue and Woodley Road NW (map) that was constructed by Harry Wardman in the early 1930s. The building has been renovated by a development team of the JBG Companies, a U.S. branch of Japanese builder Sekisui House, and architect Deborah Berke Partners over the past few years. Sales are being handled by McWilliams|Ballard.

Click to enlarge.

Aside from the iconic address and renovation, the headline for this project has to do with the prices. Residences at the Wardman Tower will start out at $3 million and head to upwards of $9 million, possibly setting a new bar for luxury condo project prices in the District.

Click to enlarge.

The new units will range in size from two to four-bedrooms, and 2,200 to 4,600 square feet. In addition to six-inch wide oak flooring and kitchens and baths with high-end finishes, the building offers the type of amenities that one will expect at this price point: a 2,000-square-foot fitness center and yoga studio, a resident library and lounge area with a private garden, at least two parking spaces per residence, and a 24-hour concierge that will cater to every resident’s whim.

Click to enlarge.

The city has not had many condo projects that touch this level of price and luxury, but that is changing. Last year, 1055 High in Georgetown sold out in weeks to all-cash buyers, despite prices starting at $3.6 million. UrbanTurf learned about a month ago that condos at VIO, a project being developed at The Wharf, has already gone under contract on units at prices above $1,000 per square foot.

At 4,600 square feet and $9 million, the highest priced unit at Wardman Tower would fetch just north of $1,950 per square foot if purchased at the list price.

Correction: In an earlier version of this article, Deborah Berke’s name was spelled incorrectly.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/1950_square_foot_inside_dcs_highest_end_new_condo_project/10586

3 Comments

1. Jason said at 9:43 pm on Monday November 16, 2015:
   I don't understand. Outside of Manhattan, why not just buy a house around that price point? You can have a row house in Dupont or Logan or any neighborhood you want. The condo fees alone are like adding another $1M to the price.

1. Alan Greenwald said at 10:20 pm on Monday November 16, 2015:
   Two reasons: Convenience. Lock the door and go. Particularly important for owners whose primary residence is elsewhere. On-site amenities.

1. Nathaniel Martin said at 4:30 pm on Tuesday November 17, 2015:
   This looks awfully bland and traditional for Deborah Berke (whose name is misspelled in the article, by the way). Why does DC always have to get famous architects' sloppy seconds? A number of local architects could have done much more lively and modern interiors than this.