On the Threshold Between Two Centuries of Style

Renovations Keep Up With the Times

Just north of the Van Ness Metro station, the shops and restaurants that dot Connecticut Avenue NW give way to a long, tree-lined corridor of condominium and apartment buildings, including one that is not only a well-preserved example of art deco design but also a home that provides residents with an array of modern amenities.

Those elements, combined with a location that allows quick access to shopping, dining and downtown, draw tenants to the Chesapeake, an eight-story tan brick building at the corner of Connecticut Avenue and Chesapeake Street.

Among the aspects residents rave about is the building's convenience -- there's a stop for the L1, L2 and L4 Metrobuses right out front. It's less than a 10-minute walk to the Van Ness Metro, a newly renovated Giant, a CVS, several dry cleaners, and a number of restaurants and shops. Bookstore and literary hangout Politics and Prose is also nearby.

And those who own cars don't have to worry about parking, said Barry Lodge, the leasing manager. The building's reserved spaces cost $115 to $160 a month.

The convenience doesn't stop at the stately glass-block entry. Inside, residents share a number of amenities with the building's connected sister property, the Saratoga. A business center off the art deco lobby offers three computers with Internet access, as well as several laptop stations for those who want to bring their own. Paper is free, as is use of the fax machine, printer, copy machine and scanner.

Rachelle Shinbein, who has lived in a studio apartment for a little more than a year, said she likes the fully equipped gym because it's easier to get to than other workout facilities. Soon, residents who want to relax after their workout will be able to walk down the hall to the new clubroom, which is decorated in black and gray and has comfy seats, two plasma-screen televisions and a billiards table.

Outside, a large courtyard full of flowers and plants provides another place for residents to gather. The courtyard has chairs and benches to seat a crowd, and a grill is available for barbecuing.

The Chesapeake houses a handful of longtime residents, such as Virginia Williams, a retired federal government worker, who has lived in a one-bedroom apartment since 1967. However, like many apartment buildings convenient to downtown, it constantly attracts new tenants, many of whom are just starting out in professional life. "We get a lot of grad students from AU and Howard Law, and young professionals who are new to the city," Lodge said.

When roommates Elizabeth Stafford and Diana El-Osta moved to Washington last summer to start their first post-college jobs after graduating from the University of Virginia, the Chesapeake was the first building they looked at and the one they came back to after checking numerous others. The pair said they have made good friends in the building and feel as if the management has shown an interest in them and other tenants.

"We had an issue with [the pilot light in] our oven one night at 3 a.m.," Stafford said. "I thought it was dangerous, but not enough to call 911." Instead, she called the maintenance staff and was pleasantly surprised that they acted immediately. "The head maintenance guy came out, and the next day they replaced our oven," she said.

The Chesapeake was constructed around the beginning of World War II by the father of the founders of Horning Brothers, the District company that now owns and manages the building and a number of others around the region. The Chesapeake has never left family hands, Lodge said. "Construction began in 1939, but it wasn't finished until 1941 because of a shortage of materials due to the onset of World War II," he said.

Since June 2005, almost a third of the building's 184 units have received a complete makeover, with all-new maple cabinetry; ceramic tile; and appliances, including dishwashers and above-the-range microwaves. Fresh tile and cabinets update the bathrooms. There are new light fixtures and ceiling fans in all renovated units.

The renovations are continuing, with apartments being remodeled as people move out, Lodge said. "We've tried to maintain the art deco flair of the building," he said. The management even researched original art deco colors before redoing the hallways and embarking on the 2004 lobby renovation.

That attention is easy to see in the well-preserved original details such as the mail chute that runs down the center of the building, as well as in additions like the light fixtures that meld with the building's vintage elements.

Stafford and El-Osta said the appearance of the building and apartments, including touches such as the built-in glass-front cabinets in their apartment's dining area, played into their decision to move into the Chesapeake.

"We lived together in college, too, mostly in old places," Stafford said. "They have more character."