A Stroll, a Run or a Ride From Where Residents Need to Be

From her apartment at Camden Potomac Yard in Arlington, Hana Rollins can look out over Metro's Blue Line tracks, the runway at Reagan National Airport and the Potomac River and then across to the District's monuments.

"We fell in love with it," Rollins said. "I have a beautiful view of the Capitol and the airport at night. We have the curtains open all the time. We love staring out our windows -- we'd look out all day," she said.

Leasing at the 10-story, 378-unit building began in August 2007. The first residents moved there in September, and construction was completed in April. The building, owned by the national apartment company Camden Property Trust, is about 60 percent occupied.

Although being so close to an airport runway could seem a liability because of noise, residents said that the windows block nearly all the sound.

"I really don't hear [the planes]. Having an airport there is not an issue at all," said one of Rollins's neighbors, Jeremy Ferguson, who moved into the building in June.

"I am a very light sleeper and the only thing that wakes me is my dogs," Rollins said. "If I have the windows open, it's louder, but when you have the windows shut it's not loud at all."

Several residents mentioned the windows as a favorite feature. "They go all the way to the floor, so [the dogs] can look out," Rollins said. Her two dogs, Ronnie and Tonya, are both 16-year-old mutts who enjoy their walks around the property.

There is a small park just beyond a neighboring building, also suitable for dog walking. From there, it's easy to connect to the Four Mile Run bicycle trail for longer walks or runs through Arlington to the west, to the George Washington Parkway and along the Potomac River to Mount Vernon to the east and south, or Roosevelt Island and the Washington & Old Dominion bicycle trail to the north.

Residents are within walking distance of groceries (Harris Teeter across the street) and the large Potomac Yard strip mall, which has a number of big-box stores, as well as a 16-screen movie theater. Crystal Drive's many restaurants are also within walking range.

There's a pedestrian-friendly path so residents don't have to walk out on Route 1. "It's convenient because there's a shortcut to the big shopping center," said Ferguson, who often walks the path with his wife, Apollina.

"I like the location. It's close to public transportation and it's not too far from D.C. I was mainly looking for an apartment without a long commute and I wound up here because the agents were really friendly," said resident Jocelyn Tanner.

Adam and Debra Alexander said they value the access to public transportation, restaurants and shopping. They moved in on March 31 and recently signed an extension to their one-year lease. They found the apartment online from Columbus, Ohio, and when they toured the building, they were sold.

"We really liked it because it's near Crystal City and all of the things there. You have decent access to the Metro, and there's good bus service," Adam Alexander said.

Many residents incorporate the mile to the Crystal City Metro station in their daily exercise routines. "It's a 20-minute walk. I leave early, and there are always several of us out there," walking from the apartments to Metro, Adam Alexander said. Metrobuses run nearby, too.

As part of a program that developers in the Potomac Yard area have set up to encourage transit use, residents can get $36 per month deposited on a Metro SmarTrip pass, good on Metrobus or Metrorail. Those who work in Crystal City and whose walkable commutes thus minimize their carbon footprints are also eligible for a $500 rebate every six months.

"A lot of people are moving in because of higher gas prices," property manager Adam Schultz said.

Ferguson said: "I wanted to find a place that was close to Metro that wasn't really, really expensive. Here we're close to shopping and major establishments so you don't have to drive so much."

The rebates are part of wider environmental efforts. The building has been "LEED-certified" in a number of categories, a widely accepted mark that it meets green construction standards. "We have fluorescent bulbs in all light fixtures; we treat our own runoff," including waste water, Schultz said. Other LEED-certified elements include windows, blinds and the rooftop coating, which is "white and reflective so you don't have to work so hard to keep the building cool," Schultz said.

Because many residents work within walking distance, the property is livelier during the day. "A lot of people work in Crystal City and come home for lunch or to walk their dogs," said Schultz, who also lives in the building.

The property has an active on-site management presence: All three leasing associates, the assistant community manager and the community manager live there. Schultz enjoys the building from a resident's perspective. "I hang out at the pool a lot and use the gym," he said.

Besides the view, "the other good thing here is the gym," said Rollins, an Army captain. She is impressed with the quality of the equipment compared with other apartment gyms she and her husband visited. "The treadmills are sturdy. They don't shake when you go fast, and it has a little television you can watch," she said.

There is a variety of types of units, including 15 lofts with 14-foot ceilings. Standard apartment finishes on the upper floors include maple cabinets, granite counters and stainless steel, and laminate counters and white appliances on the sixth floor and below.

The lofts are all on the first floor, facing the courtyard, and they have private patio areas. Unlike other units, they have stained cement floors rather than carpet and hardwood. "Those were really popular. If we had more, we could lease more," Schultz said.