Washington, DC — Construction recently began on 460 New York Avenue, NW, in Washington, D.C., an 11-story condominium in the rapidly redeveloping Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood. The 63-unit residential tower’s prominent site is among the last available in the sought-after 
community just north of the city’s Central Business District. WDG Architecture designed the 66,000-square-foot project for Bozzuto Homes in joint venture with NV Capital Advisors. Eagle Bank is providing the construction financing.
A three-level warehouse/garage constructed in 1929 once occupied the triangular site, which borders New York Avenue to the north and L Street to the south. The aging structure had been vacant and deteriorating for many years, yet the building stood as one of few remaining examples of the city’s industrial heritage. The design of 460 New York Avenue incorporates and renews a portion of the textured facade, involving careful replication of the articulated brickwork using a vintage beehive kiln process. New, energy-efficient fenestration recalls the original steel, single-pane windows.
While repurposing one façade of the existing brick structure and replicating the remaining facades at the first three levels, WDG Architecture’s design creates a compelling modern counterpoint with a metal and glass tower rising from the horizontally scaled base. A pattern of zinc paneling and corrugated metal along the façade signals a contemporary twist on the building’s original character. Vertical stacks of angled bay windows and a corrugated metal spine add a dynamic dimension, providing natural light and expansive views for residents.
“Retaining part of the existing warehouse provided an industrial context that we wanted to respect,” says Sean Stadler, AIA, LEED AP, principal-in-charge for WDG Architecture. “The building was utilitarian and not overly ornate, but it had an elegance to it, and an orderly rhythm to the façade. Our approach was to design a modern complement. The vertical bays enabled us to adhere to the rigidity, yet provide a fresh visual statement. The zinc panels are an important element. The zinc and metal façade is unusual for a multifamily building in D.C, but zinc is a natural, industrial material that is in harmony with the existing building.”
The architecture also introduces an artful play on the site’s geometry, with the vertical bays along New York Avenue aligned with L Street to the south, and the bays along L Street aligned to New York Avenue. The building’s tripartite design incorporates the existing building as a plinth and the tower as a gateway element along the corridor, while a sleek metal penthouse caps the angular composition and creates a signature roofline.
The tower features large common areas and generous amenities, including the 3,500-square-foot rooftop penthouse with a community lounge and adjacent skydeck. A marble lobby overlooks a corner park along the site’s western edge. In addition to large windows, some units offer balconies; and all feature hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, European cabinets, and energy-efficient systems designed with ENERGY STAR components. Condominium floor plans include studio, junior one-bedroom, one-bedroom, one-bedroom-plus-den, and two-bedroom options, ranging from 474 to 1,071 square feet. Early buyers have the opportunity to choose many of the fixtures and finishes within their units.
The building will offer a vertical lift parking system with 36 spaces, a space-saving innovation more common in Europe that addresses the challenges of the narrow site. Vehicles will enter on the ground level to park in one of 12 available lifts, each housing three vehicles. The lift will be the second parking system of its type in the city.
Along the exterior walls of the garage, patterned glass will serve both aesthetic and practical purposes. While the translucent glass minimizes the appearance of dust and dirt, car lights and movement inside will create a lively defraction of light, animating the building along the street level.
The project is the first new condominium option in the Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood, and is close to two Metro stations. “Consumer demand is shifting toward a more efficient and economical urban lifestyle—without sacrificing quality, innovation or design—and 460 New York Avenue will deliver exactly this type of living in the heart of Washington, D.C.,” says Toby Bozzuto, president of The Bozzuto Group.
“We were challenged to be more creative than if we began with a clean slate,” adds WDG’s Stadler. “We might not have been as ambitious had we started from scratch at this site. The design of the tower not only acknowledges the building’s original character, but celebrates it. At the same time, the building is designed to appeal to young, urban residents who appreciate a clean, modern aesthetic.”
WDG Architecture provided architecture and interior design for the building. Team members also include TCE Structural Engineers, and Vika Capital for civil engineering and landscape architecture. Bozzuto Construction Company is the general contractor for the project.
Project sales began in mid-March 2014. For more information on the project, visit www.460NYA.com.
About WDG Architecture
WDG Architecture is a leading architectural, planning, and interior design firm with a national practice in mixed-use, multifamily residential, university, hospitality, office, and government design projects. The firm, which has offices in Washington, DC and Dallas, has designed numerous projects for public- and private-sector clients and consistently appears in the “Top 25 Architectural Firms” rankings in the Washington area according to the Washington Business Journal. Nationally, WDG Architecture is an ENR “Top 500” design firm, is ranked in the top 50 in the nation by ENR for “Green Design,” and is ranked first in the nation in green design for multi-unit residential projects. The firm has received many awards from AIA, the Congress of New Urbanism, NAIOP, and other organizations. For more information, visit www.wdgarch.com.
About The Bozzuto Group
The Bozzuto Group is part of The Bozzuto Group of companies. Headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area, and celebrating its 25th year in business, The Bozzuto Group is a diversified residential real estate company that provides a broad range of real estate services throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. The company’s areas of expertise lie in homebuilding and multifamily development, as well as construction and management both for themselves and their clients. Their skills have been attested to by the National Association of Home Builders, who recognized Bozzuto as the nation’s premier apartment development company, and twice as management company of the year.
Throughout The Bozzuto Group’s 25-year history, the company has developed, acquired and built more than 35,000 homes and apartments and currently manages nearly 40,000 apartment spread along the Atlantic Coast between Northern Virginia and Boston. The company is committed to providing quality housing for individuals of all income levels, producing and managing everything from luxury homes and apartments to affordable housing solutions. For more information, please visit www.bozzuto.com.
