Distinction in Detail, 136 Floor Plans' Worth

The Gramercy at Metropolitan Park, a 399-unit luxury high-rise in Pentagon City, is the first part of a planned eight-building residential development on 16 acres that until recently held nondescript warehouses.

Local developer Kettler plans to finish the other seven buildings over 10 to 15 years, bringing a total of 3,200 units to the parcel of land just east of Costco at Eads and South 15th streets. The complex will also have retail space, adding to a neighborhood where people can live, shop and work without driving.

"This really ties into what Arlington is trying to do with urban villages," said Karen Kossow, vice president of marketing for Kettler.

The Gramercy, which started leasing in October, is 42 percent rented and about 33 percent occupied, according to assistant property manager Andrea Clare. Like all of the buildings, it was designed by internationally known architect Robert A.M. Stern. The 18-story building shows off its design pedigree with interesting lines, two-toned brick, blue-edged windows and design elements around the roofline that look like little Washington Monuments.

"So many of the new buildings look the same. This one really stood out. It looked like a 1920s art deco building. It's a beautiful building," said resident Greg Heimsoth.

Resident Cedric Simon agreed. "The apartments are very differently made," he said. Simon is one of the longer-tenured residents, having lived there since December.

Heimsoth and his roommate, Angel Soto, who moved in last month, were new to the Washington area, but Soto's co-workers in Bethesda suggested that they search in Pentagon City.

Neither of them knew anything about Stern. As a move-in gift, though, all residents receive a large coffee-table book of Stern's designs.

"I got the book, but I haven't really looked at it," Heimsoth said. When he does read it, he'll learn that Stern is founder and senior partner of Robert A.M. Stern Architects and dean of the Yale School of Architecture.

Soto cared less about the name behind the design than he did about the look. "My first words were 'wow' -- definitely 'wow,' " Soto said. "The architecture -- it's brand-new. The location is absolutely excellent. It's very comfortable to live here, very convenient."

Among the things that make it comfortable and convenient for Soto is that the building is within walking distance of both the Pentagon City and Crystal City Metro stations. It's close to the shops at Pentagon Centre, across the street from the Fashion Centre, including Costco, Borders, Marshalls and Linens 'n Things. It's also near the 18-mile-long Mount Vernon Trail, a bicycle path that parallels the George Washington Parkway between Roosevelt Island and Mount Vernon.

The Gramercy itself has a full set of amenities. "I use the gym upstairs a lot. It's so nice to look out the windows at the city, the [Washington National] Cathedral, the Washington Monument," Soto said. "For me, I'm still like a tourist here."

Other building extras include a clubroom, a large, open "demonstration kitchen" where cooking events will take place, a billiards room, a rooftop swimming pool and sun deck, a massage room, a landscaped courtyard, a 24-hour front desk, Wi-Fi Internet access in common spaces, and a theater with comfortable lounging furniture.

In addition, a square park area in front of the building will eventually become part of a long, contiguous park running the length of the development, according to Kossow. The name Gramercy is supposed to evoke an exclusive urban park, like Manhattan's Gramercy Park, Kossow said.

The location is convenient for Simon, who splits his time between this residence and one in a different city. "I own my own company, and it's convenient to the location" of the Pentagon City office, two blocks away, Simon said.

"Location was the main selling point. It doesn't take me long to get anywhere," he said.

He sees some downsides, though. Sound travels through walls, he said. "It's easy to hear people. It's not very soundproof," a common complaint among residents of new buildings.

He also is not looking forward to having to pay $10 for overnight guests to park. "There's no parking around here," he said, so having a car means having to pay for garage parking, which costs residents $100 per month for one car.

Residents will not have to go very far for conveniences, though, after the first-floor retail shops open. They will include a bank, a dry cleaner and others yet to be determined. Construction on the building is scheduled to be completed in July.

For residents who are picky about their surroundings, there is a broad selection of options for unit layouts and ceiling heights. With 136 floor plans, "initially people can get pretty overwhelmed," property manager Clare said. "For us, it means we have a lot more options to get people exactly what they want."

And the staff is willing to spend time with residents to make sure they see as many units as they like. "We probably saw about 19 different apartments over two days," Soto said.

The leasing agents "were absolutely awesome," he said. The roommates eventually chose a one-bedroom with a den and balcony, but it wasn't ready, so they moved into a different unit and will relocate when construction is completed.

All the looking was worth it, though. "There's so much light in the apartments and a lot of space," Heimsoth said.