By Patricia Kime
Special to The Washington Post
Saturday, December 2, 2006

Even at the height of the evening commute, when residents return to the Archstone Newport Village apartments in northwest Alexandria, the neighborhood is soothingly quiet. A few residents walk their dogs in the dusky twilight or take their children to an on-site playground, but most park their cars and head into their spacious apartments.

"It's really quiet. Even though there are a lot of people living here, it's a quiet, safe, family-oriented community," said Jeong McElderry, who has lived at Newport Village for more than two years with her husband, Air Force Maj. Bradley McElderry, and their dog, Cheol.

Newport Village, bordered by West Braddock Road and Beauregard Street, attracts residents for its location -- less than a mile from Interstate 395's King Street exit -- and its 56-acre landscape. Featuring towering oaks, treed medians in the parking lots, lush shrubs and vast swaths of green space between buildings, the complex obviously was constructed when land was plentiful in Northern Virginia. "There are a lot of people living here, but it doesn't seem crowded," said Anju Nair, 25, who moved into the complex with her husband in October.

According to community manager Lisa Nanni, the complex has 937 units in its brick buildings with shutters, brightly painted doors and wrought-iron details. Constructed in the 1970s, Newport Village includes one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and townhouses. Among the apartments' most notable attributes is their size: The smallest one-bedroom is nearly 900 square feet, while two-bedrooms are roughly 1,100 square feet.

Most have huge walk-in closets, separate dining rooms, eat-in kitchens with ceramic tile floors and washers and dryers, and French doors that lead to balconies or patios. Many have built-in microwaves, wall-to-wall carpeting, mini-blinds and high-speed Internet access.

"I like the square footage and the space, but the washer and dryer in the apartment, that's the best thing -- not having to take your laundry out in public, put it in your car and carry it somewhere," said Beena Korde, 27, a friend of Nair's, who moved to Newport Village in October as well.

Amenities at the complex include a large swimming pool, a fitness center, basketball courts, playgrounds, a common room and car-wash areas. Also, because residents can have dogs up to 35 pounds, there are outdoor pet stations where owners can pick up plastic bags and dispose of pet waste. The community is on both Metro and DASH bus routes and is walking distance to Northern Virginia Community College and several restaurants.

Both Korde and Nair selected Newport Village after looking at a number of high-rise apartment complexes. They liked the complex's garden setting, its balconies and terraces, and its pet policy. "Comparing them with other apartments of their size, I didn't think it was too expensive," Korde said.

But price is a sticking point with some other residents. In the late 1980s and the 1990s, Newport Village was known for being reasonably priced, and consequently, it attracted families and young apartment-dwellers just starting their professional careers.

In 2001, owner Charles E. Smith Residential Realty merged with Archstone, forming a nationwide apartment management company. Ever since, residents say, rents have risen. In addition, utilities -- once nearly entirely included in the rent, except for telephone -- are now charged separately.

"At first it was affordable, but now it's been increasing, and with the utilities, it's even more expensive," McElderry said. "My husband will be retiring eventually, and we'll move back home."

One-bedroom apartments ran between $1,245 and $1,860, two-bedrooms between $1,500 and $2,525, and three-bedrooms between $1,890 and $2,480 at the time of this writing, though it should be noted that the going rate can fluctuate from day to day.

The price differential is based on the length of the lease, as well as the market. Management says the rates are competitive with nearby rentals of comparable square footage, and it offers a variety of lease terms, from two to 12 months.

"We were finding that many of our customers were looking for short-term leases, and Archstone decided to test whether customers should receive price breaks for those leases," explained Jessica Janez, Newport Village's assistant manager.

Utilities remain a sore subject with some residents. At one time, they were included in the rent. Now, residents pay a monthly fee that covers electricity, gas, water, sewer and trash. According to Janez, the fee is calculated by square footage and occupancy. There is no utility deposit required.

"A lot of our residents who used to live here aren't happy with the arrangement because they were paying a smaller fee that didn't cover expenses. But the newcomers really like it because one, they find the fee reasonable, and two, they don't have to set up five different utilities and pay deposits," Janez said.

Newport Village enjoys a high rental renewal rate, Nanni said, with residents reporting that they enjoy their homes' "character and size."

She said: "We've got enormous floor plans, and it's unique in that it's old -- it's got some history and it's established. People just love buildings with character."