|
Bethesda’s not the only local community that’s experiencing a luxury
condo boom. In Potomac, Rockville, Silver Spring, Gaithersburg and Wheaton,
thousands of new condo units are currently on the market or will be in the
coming months and years. And most will cost considerably less than luxury
condos in downtown Bethesda. Here’s the skinny on eight of the projects
By Ira Apfel
Park Potomac Place
Where: Montrose Road and Seven Locks Road in Potomac next to I-270
Developer: Foulger-Pratt
Opening date: First phase will open this fall; two more phases are
planned
What: First phase consists of 425 condo units, with two- and three-bedrooms,
in two nine-story buildings. Building No. 1 will open this fall and building
No. 2 will open in summer 2007. In all, six six-story buildings in three phases
are planned
Prices: $600,000 to $1.9 million
Availability: 40 of 125 units in the first building are available
Metro: White Flint
Web site: www.parkpotomacplace.com
The Skinny: Park Potomac Place will offer a club room, catering kitchen,
fitness center, meeting room, pool and green space.
All units have hardwood floors, marble baths and Sub-Zero
and Viking kitchen appliances. Park Potomac Place also
will offer apartment units, office space, a hotel, a
grocery store and service-oriented retail. “This
project is a self-contained community where you can
walk to shops and eat,” says Ron Smith, senior
vice president with The Mayhood Company, which is handling
condo sales. “We’ve found a lot of Potomac
empty nesters are buying here. They want to get rid
of the big home and stay in the area.”
Windows on Rockville Town Square
Where: East Montgomery Lane and Maryland Avenue in Rockville
Developer: RD Rockville
Opening date: December 2006
What: 644 units, ranging from studios to three-bedrooms in four five-story
buildings
Prices: Approximately $200,000 to $1.2 million
Availability: 10 percent remain in the first building. 50 percent remain
on the second building. The third and fourth buildings have not sold yet
Metro: Rockville
Web site: www.squarewindows.com
The Skinny: As part of the private-public venture to redevelop Rockville
Town Square, Windows on Rockville Town Square aims to
provide all the amenities of downtown living. “It’s
meant to try to keep the automobile as a support, not
a primary component,” says Scott Ross, president
of Ross Development and Investment, the lead developer.
“You can put your car in the garage, pick up a
coffee at Starbucks, walk to the Metro and work, come
back home, pick up your groceries, go upstairs, and
come down and work out at the fitness center.”
Windows gets its name because of its 6,000-plus windows,
many of which overlook the new Rockville Town Square.
Each of the condo’s four buildings will have a
fitness center and club room.
The Fitz
Where: 501 Hungerford Drive in Rockville
Developer: The El-Ad Group
Opening date: Open
What: 221 one- to three-bedroom units in a four-story building
Prices: $300,000 to $490,000
Availability: 40 percent remain
Metro: Rockville
Web site: www.thefitzatrockville.com
The Skinny: The Fitz features an outdoor swimming pool, Internet café,
fitness center, courtyard with gas grills and a media
center. “The Fitz’s location and value make
it unique,” says Andrew Spinelli, sales manager
with BFC, Inc., the company selling them. “We’re
priced in the middle of the road.” The Fitz has
been converted from an apartment complex. It is located
a block away from the new Rockville Town Center.
White Flint Station
Where: Old Georgetown Road about half a block from Rockville Pike
in North Bethesda
Developer: Toll Brothers
Opening date: Open
What: 261 one- to three-bedroom units converted from an apartment complex
Prices: $200,900 to $700,000
Availability: All units remain
Metro: White Flint
Web site: www.whiteflintstation.com
The Skinny: Toll Brothers purchased this last fall, when it was the
apartment community known as Windsor Villa. “It’s
across the street from the Metro and the future North
Bethesda Town Center, which will include a Harris Teeter
supermarket, and within walking distance of a wide variety
of restaurants, shopping and entertainment,” says
Louise Valdov, senior marketing manager for Toll Brothers.
Floor plans range from approximately 579 square feet
to 1,400 square feet. The condos feature 9-foot ceilings
and some have gas fireplaces. On-site amenities include
a grand club room, fitness center and resort-style swimming
pool. White Flint Station is Toll Brothers’ first
condo building in Montgomery County.
The Colonnade at Kentlands
Where: 23 Arch Place, near Quince Orchard Road and I-270 in Gaithersburg
Developer: The El-Ad Group
Opening date: Open
What: 307 one- to three-bedroom units. Eleven floor plans, including
some lofts
Prices: $300,000 to $525,000
Availability: 50 percent remain
Metro: Shady Grove
Web site: www.colonnadeatkentlands.com
The Skinny: The Colonnade features a library, movie theater, two-story
fitness center, wine-tasting room, pub, Internet café,
business center, conference center and spa. “The
amenities are unbeatable,” says Brian Curtis,
sales associate with BFC, Inc., which is in charge of
selling the units. “It’s conveniently located
in the heart of the Kentlands with a neo-traditional
architectural design.” All units include kitchen
islands, walk-in closets and are cable and Internet
ready.
National Park Seminary
Where: Linden Lane and Woodstock Avenue in Silver Spring
Developer: Forest Glen Ventures
Opening date: Sales have begun and units will open in late 2007
What: 90 condo units as well as 90 town houses and 66 rental units,
ranging from one to three bedrooms
Prices: $300,000 to $900,000
Availability: All remain
Metro: Forest Glen
Web site: www.nationalparkseminary.com
The Skinny: Located on a 13-acre parcel in the Forest Glen neighborhood
of Silver Spring, this mixed residential development
is located in a conservation area and offers nature
trails, seating areas, historic statues, a recreation
room and fitness center. An historic interpretive trail
has signs to teach hikers about the history of the site,
which was first developed as a hotel in the 1880s. A
three-story ballroom on the property also will be restored.
“The site abuts Montgomery County parkland and
you can take the trail to Rock Creek Park,” says
Brian Jackson, development executive with EYA in Bethesda,
who with The Alexander Company of Wisconsin is developing
the project. “You’ll feel like you’re
out in the country but you’re actually inside
the Beltway.” Ride On service will stop at the
development as well.
Silver Spring Gateway
Where: Blair Mill Road and East-West Highway in Silver Spring
Developer: Silver Spring Gateway Residential, LLC
Opening date: Sales begin in spring 2007. Units will open in spring
2008
What: 173 units, studios to two-bedrooms
Prices: Not available
Availability: All remain
Metro: Silver Spring
Web site: Not available
The Skinny: Silver Spring Gateway features a public park, community
room, party room and fitness center. It is part of a
larger mixed-use project that includes a 284-unit apartment
building and 15,000 square feet of retail, all new construction.
“We’re hoping for a restaurant and other
service-related retailers that would be good for the
residents,” says Gene Smith, managing director
with The JGB Company, the developer of the project.
“We’ve spent considerable effort trying
to come up with very good floor plans. This project
dramatically changes South Silver Spring.”
Leesborough
Where: Georgia Avenue and Arcola Avenue in Wheaton
Developer: Batchellor’s Forest, LLC
Opening date: Late 2008
What: 45 two- and three-bedroom units
Prices: Not available
Availability: All remain
Metro: Wheaton
Web site: Not available
The Skinny: Built on the current site of Our Lady of Good Counsel
High School, Leesborough will be part of a larger community, and each unit will
have its own entrance and garage. There will be a playground, a park and possibly
a public recreation center. The school anticipates vacating the site at the
end of 2006. Razing of the existing building and site work will begin in 2007.
Writer Ira Apfel lives in Bethesda.
|
