Newton House has become a modern eight-unit condominium in a neighborhood that’s a half-block from bustling 14th Street NW and not far from the U Street corridor, Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights and Logan Circle.
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Albert Lee had been looking to buy a two-bedroom condo for a couple of years but couldn’t find one that struck a chord. “Frankly, a lot of the new buildings look very much the same and didn’t appeal to me,” he said.
But when he took a hard-hat tour of Newton House, walking through the private entrance of a one-bedroom unit facing the street, his excitement was palpable. “He came in looking for something else and fell in love instantly with this home,” said Liza Pence, sales manager with Urban Pace, which is handling sales.
“When I saw this unit I thought, ‘It will be snapped up if I don’t do something,’ ” Lee recalled. He was the first person to view the property and the first to sign a contract. The renovated and expanded Newtown House is a work in progress, but the buyers are expected to be able to move in relatively soon.
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The house had been converted into a three-family building before the developers bought it. A major challenge of the current project was to satisfy various interested parties — the neighbors, the Advisory Neighborhood Commission and the city’s Historic Preservation Review Board — “while delivering a high-quality contemporary product,” said Patrick Bloomfield, speaking on behalf of the development team.
“We spent countless hours with HPRB staff to perfect the restoration of exterior details . . . while at the same time creating a contrasting modern addition that would accentuate the details of the historic restoration,” Bloomfield said.
Lee remarked: “What I liked was that [the developers] took old bones and made them look new and modern. The building isn’t just the same old thing.”
There are two units on each of the four floors. Four one-bedroom units face the street. Four two-bedrooms are in the rear. The top-floor two-bedroom unit is a penthouse with a private rooftop deck. Lee’s unit and the two units on the lowest floor have private entrances.
CJ Caputo also bought a one-bedroom. “It has lots of windows and natural light with amazing views that look down the street out of both sides rather than directly at the neighbors. I like that aspect a lot,” he said.
Caputo was attracted to the location because so much is nearby. “It will be great to walk to work and to the shops and restaurants in all directions. Newton House is high quality because it’s new but also has character and is boutique, which makes you feel connected to the street and neighborhood.”
Lee likes the central location, as well. “It has a walkability index of 97 percent. Where I live now, in Chesapeake, Virginia, the index is 1 [percent],” he said, laughing.
The furnished model unit, the penthouse, has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Entry, from inside the building, is into the unit’s open-plan kitchen, dining area and living area. Floor-to-ceiling windows face the hillside in the rear, where there will be a fence and flower boxes.
The kitchen has a pantry and a storage closet. The microwave is hidden behind a cabinet door. The sink is extra wide and deep.
A staircase leads to the penthouse’s private roof deck from the living area. The master bathroom has a double vanity, a shower, marble walls and a marble floor.
Newton House is named after Mary Newton Foote Henderson, who championed the creation of Meridian Hill Park in the District and was known as the “Empress of 16th Street.”
“She represents urban planning at its best,” Bloomfield said. “She realized that creating green spaces that intertwine with the cultural fabric of a modern city are integral to its long-lasting success.”
What’s nearby: Whole Foods Market is on P Street. Trader Joe’s and Yes Organic Market are on 14th Street. The 14th Street corridor is buzzing with shops, restaurants and bars. Lincoln Theatre, Studio Theatre and U Street Music Hall offer entertainment.
Schools: Garrison Elementary and Cardozo Education Campus (grades 6-12).
Transit: The neighborhood is an easy place to walk and bike. It has resident and metered street parking and is near the U Street-Cardozo Metro stations on the Green and Yellow line. Major traffic arteries are 16th Street and Rhode Island Avenue.
To see more photos of Newton House, go to washingtonpost.com/realestate.
Newton House
1469 Florida Ave. NW, Washington
There are eight condominium units. Five are for sale, ranging from $449,900 to $949,900.
Builders: P.T. Blooms Real Estate Development and WOD Development.
Features: Ten-foot-high ceilings are standard in all units. Floors throughout are made of five-inch-wide orchard walnut. Kitchens have GE Cafe stainless-steel appliances, including a six-burner stove, handmade ash cabinetry and extra-thick custom Corian counters with a wide overhang on the island. Elfa shelving is installed in all closets. Secondary bathrooms have gray tile floors and an oversize tub with shower. There’s bike storage in the lower level.
Bedrooms/bathrooms: 1 or 2 / 1 or 2
Square-footage: 580 to 996
Condominium association fee: $244.50 for one bedroom and $367 for two bedrooms.
View model: By appointment.
Contact: Liza Pence at 202-740-1695 and Anthony Graham at 202-774-6022 or NewtonHouseDC.com
