The Washington Post: First residents move into former Fannie Mae headquarters

CATEGORY: NEWS, RESIDENTIAL

Thank you to The Washington Post for featuring City Ridge! Read the original article here.

The transformation of the former Fannie Mae headquarters on Wisconsin Avenue NW, anticipated to be complete by the end of the year, will include 1.1 million square feet of residential, retail and office space along with green space such as the one-acre front lawn where community events will be held. A Wegmans grocery is scheduled to open in July. And residents have moved into the Branches, the first of four apartment buildings in the community, known as City Ridge.

Its joint venture partners, Roadside Development and North America Sekisui House, chose architect Shalom Baranes for the Branches building, which has interiors by Akseizer Design Group. Bozzuto will manage the 157-unit building. The environmentally conscious design of City Ridge earned it the LEED v4 Neighborhood Development Gold certification, making it the first community in D.C. and the second nationally to achieve that designation. The landscape design is by Michael Vergason Landscape Architects, which also created the current landscapes at Washington National Cathedral. The community connects with Glover Archbold Park.

Three more apartment buildings — the Coterie, Crescendo and Botanica — are expected to open for residents this summer and fall for a total of 690 units. Residents of all buildings will be able to take advantage of the community’s amenity system, which will include six rooftop areas with a greenhouse, gardens and space to relax and entertain; an aerial yoga studio; a multisport simulator; private event spaces; 24-hour fitness studios; a co-working space with private alcoves and a terrace; libraries; a makerspace studio with workshops for residents; a residents-only playground; and a restaurant-style pizza oven and smoker. The Branches has two connected towers and units with one to three bedrooms, nearly half including private outdoor space. The apartments range in size from a 591-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit that rents for $2,579 a month to a 1,627-square-foot penthouse unit with two bedrooms and two bathrooms that rents for $8,959 a month.

The apartments have floors that resemble wood, a washer and dryer, stainless-steel appliances, quartz countertops, porcelain tile backsplashes and a pantry.

Residents and office tenants at City Ridge can join the Ridge Club, a swimming pool and social club with indoor-outdoor dining, a theater screen for community events, swimming pools, cabanas that can be reserved, a locker room and lounge space.

Other retail coming to City Ridge includes King Street Oyster Bar, Tatte Bakery & Cafe, Taco Bamba, KinderCare, Bank of America and an Equinox fitness center.