The neighborhood of Brookland in Northeast Washington encompasses two universities, Catholic and Trinity, the Franciscan Monastery and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, along with numerous other houses of worship. So it’s not surprising that the community has always had a spiritual vibe as well as a reputation for solid homes that stay in the same family for generations.
Brookland’s housing mix of older single-family homes, rowhouses and a few apartments has been expanded with new townhouse, apartment and condo options. Now 34 stacked townhouse-style condos are ready for buyers at Jackson Place Flats, 3221 12th St. NE, on five lots that formerly held a frame gallery, a church and empty land.
Sas Gharai, president of SGA Companies, the architect of Jackson Place Flats, envisioned a modern condo building but liked the idea of adding warmth with a cedar-siding exterior and a green roof.
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Gharai loves green roofs. “We’ve put all kinds of energy-efficient features into these condos, but most of them are just baked into the way we build homes today, so I don’t feel the need to promote each of those features,” he said. “But green roofs are attractive as well as environmentally smart.”
Gharai says he deliberately kept the units at Jackson Place Flats a little smaller to make them more affordable, but at the same time gave them clean, modern lines so they feel larger.
“Each home has two levels, with two bedrooms and two baths on the upper level and a half bath on the main level,” Gharai said. “The homes have about 900 to 1,000 square feet.”
Affordability: To keep condo fees as low as possible at $195 per month, Gharai opted not to install amenities in the building such as a clubroom, fitness center or roof terrace. The neighborhood surrounding Jackson Place offers numerous options for recreation and entertainment, including Fort Bunker Hill Park and the Turkey Thicket Recreation Center, which includes an indoor pool, a gym, a weight room, a toddler room and a computer lab.
Pets are allowed at Jackson Place, and parking spaces are sold separately for $19,995.
“We’re not sure if everyone who buys here will be a first-time buyer, and honestly, I have a hard time thinking of a home that costs more than $400,000 as a ‘starter home,’ but so far the potential buyers on our waiting list are mostly in their late 20s and early 30s,” Gharai said.
The upper-level end units, which are slightly larger residences with about 1,000 square feet, are priced at $529,000. Unit 102 has an open floor plan with an entrance into the living and dining area, which has a wall of windows at the front of the room and an adjacent powder room. At the back of this open level is the center-
island kitchen, which has a wall of windows. A double-door coat closet is next to the center island. This level has maple hardwood flooring, dark espresso kitchen cabinets, stainless-steel appliances and granite counters.
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“We picked a very clean, modern package of fixtures and finishes for our standard homes, but buyers can change a few things like the floor finishes, the granite, the cabinets and the bathroom tiles if they want,” Gharai said. “The only other option is to add a smart-house system so the buyers can operate everything on their iPhone or iPad.”
Upstairs are two master suites, each with a private bath. One includes two closets and a full bath with a combination tub and shower. The other bedroom has a walk-in closet and an oversize shower in the bathroom. This level also has a closet with an Energy Star washer and dryer.
Upstairs are two master suites, each with a private bath. (Benjamin C Tankersley/For The Washington Post)
What’s nearby: The Brookland neighborhood has a WalkScore of 85, indicating that it’s very walkable. Restaurants, bars and cafes are abundant in the neighborhood, including the Brookland Cafe, Little Rick’s D.C., the Brookland Grill, Menomale Pizza, the Silvestre Cafe, Murry and Paul’s Restaurant and the Flip It Twice Bakery and Deli.
Nearby at the Monroe Street Market development are new restaurants and shops. Other businesses include the Yes! Organic Market, a pet store and a hardware store.
The artistic vibe of the neighborhood can be experienced in the Arts Walk at Monroe Street Station, which has art galleries and studios and frequent performances, as well as at the nearby Dance Place studios and theater. Nearby are Catholic University and Trinity Washington University, the Franciscan Monastery and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Schools: Noyes Elementary, Brookland Middle, Dunbar High.
Transit: The community is walking distance to the Brookland-CUA Metro station for Red Line service, Capitol Bikeshare and a car-sharing station. Numerous bus lines serve the community, including the H1, H2, H3, H4, H6, H8, H9.
Michele Lerner is a freelance writer.
3221 12th St. NE, Washington, D.C.
The condos range from $439,000 to $529,000.
Developer/Builder: Jackson Place LLC and SW Construction
Features: Each home has two levels with eight-foot-high ceilings, large energy-efficient windows, maple flooring in the living areas and stairs, carpeting in the bedrooms, a programmable thermostat, recessed lighting and a stacked washer and dryer. Parking spaces cost $19,995.
Bedrooms/bathrooms: 2/3
Square footage: Approximately 900 to 1,000
Condo association fees: $195 per month
View models: 2 to 7 p.m. Thursday to Sunday and by appointment.
Contact: www.JacksonPlaceFlats.com or call Rachel Ward at 202-330-1556.