1960s apartment building made over
as luxury condos
Assigned the task of transforming a deteriorating 1960s apartment building into luxury condos, Monarc Construction and Tenacity Group delivered Takoma Overlook.
Tenacity Group purchased the Takoma Park complex in 2006, and despite the real estate market downturn — which saw several area condo projects made into apartments — began converting the building to condos in 2007.
Mike Portal, chief executive officer of Tenacity Group, said the primary difference between converting apartments to condos instead of condos to apartments is the buyer’s expectations.
“With apartments, people are satisfied with having things replaced. With condos, people want something that is brand-new,” Portal said.
Units in the old building were falling apart. Tile in some of the bathrooms still was pale pink or teal. Kitchen appliances were old and inefficient. Fall Church-based Monarc Construction gutted the entire building and installed new plumbing, insulation, HVAC systems, electrical, sliding doors and balconies. “We replaced all the core systems,” Portal said.
While maintaining the apartments’ square footage, Monarc used creative layouts to maximize the space. Greg Coupe, project manager for Monarc, said pass-throughs and half-walls eliminated barriers and created a more open, spacious feel. “It’s a major transformation,” Coupe said. “The original building was dingy, outdated.”
The kitchens are new and feature sleek, frameless 42-inch cherry cabinets, built-in wine racks and granite countertops. Appliances are stainless steel. With walls removed, kitchen islands and peninsulas act as room dividers.
Steven Henry
www.takomaoverlook.com
Monarc Construction
www.monarcconstruction.com
Monarc had to incorporate standard features that were considered luxuries in 1967, such as in-house laundry units. Tenacity selected European-style, under-counter GE washer/dryer units that fit into the kitchen layout. They kept the laundry rooms on each floor and offered free full-size washers and dryers at no charge to residents who wish to wash large items. Closetmaid shelving systems were installed, allowing buyers to upgrade and customize their closets.
The best use of space is found in the 456-foot studios. These efficiencies look like full-size apartments. The units have a slimmer refrigerator, which allows for more countertop space and a large walk-in closet.
New hardwood floors are installed in all units. The original apartments had parquet floors.
“Instead of ripping them out, they were used as an extra layer of insulation,” said Steven Henry, project sales manager for Tenacity Group.
