• Recently purchased Rockville residential building the Monterey will be renovated as a rental-apartment complex, reducing its number of condo units. [WBJ]

• The Jamieson Condominium in Old Town, just three blocks from the King Street Metro, had its grand opening yesterday. More than 70 condo units are up for grabs. [DCmud]

• Busboys and Poets owner Andy Shallal plans to open Eatonville, a  6,000-square-foot eatery at The Flats at Union Row condominiums. [WBJ via Prince of Petworth]

One of Washington’s premiere architects, Robert Gurney was just awarded an American Institute of Architects Housing Award for this contemporary home in Bethesda’s woodsy Glen Echo neighborhood.  The only Washington-based architect to win an award this year, Gurney also garnered the most votes in The Washingtonian’s top architects survey, which was published in March.

In the Barnaby Woods neighborhood in Northwest DC, Gurney is creating another masterpiece—for himself.  To read how he is transforming a 1934 center-hall Colonial into an all-white brick and metal contemporary, click here.

Where: 3006 Albemarle St., NW
Listing price: $8,250,000
Time on the market: 13 days
Bedrooms: Seven
Bathrooms: Eight

In the market for a new house? Franklin Raines is selling. The former Fannie Mae head’s Forest Hills home went on the market two weeks ago. Called Beechwoods, the 98-year-old stucco Colonial sits on more than an acre and has views of nearby Soapstone Valley National Park. Highlights include a family room with cathedral ceiling, a library, a movie theater, a recreation room, and an exercise room. The remodeled kitchen has granite countertops, a skylight, a SubZero refrigerator/freezer, and double Wolf ovens. Outside is a pool, a cabana, a shared tennis court, and a four-car garage. 

 Click here to see a slideshow of the house.

Instead of paying a contractor hundreds to install new toilets, Heather did the project herself.

I asked around for moving help, hoping to recruit at least two friends, but somehow won the lottery and ended up with five volunteers, a truck, and an SUV. This was going to be a snap. We met early on a Saturday morning at my apartment, loaded up both cars, and headed the 15 blocks to my house.  

We arrived on the first trip, and I unlocked the back door. As I walked inside to drop off the first bag, something didn’t seem right. The lights were off, and the windows covered, but somehow, the floor was . . . wait, was it glistening?  

The entire first floor—my brand-new hardwood floor—was covered with water. Flooded. Water was dripping down the stairs, through the drywall, and pooling everywhere. Bulging paint bubbles covered the ceiling, and the bathroom door under the stairs was completely water-stained.

It took me less than a minute to realize what had happened. I had taken it upon myself to replace the toilets in the house, which the squatters had used. Rather than pay hundreds of dollars for what was a relatively simple home-improvement task, I bought a toilet set and did it myself.  And yeah, you’re probably thinking what I was: Totally boffing my first task as a renovator did not bode well.

Do you have a rooftop deck or balcony with sweeping views of the city? If so, we'd like to hear about it. We are looking for Washingtonians who can watch the Fourth of July fireworks, barbecue with friends, garden, or get some sun on their rooftop.

Please send an email—with pictures—to Mary Clare Fleury at mfleury@washingtonian.com.

On the heels of completing Waterview, the soaring contemporary towers at the foot of Key Bridge, Chevy Chase-based developer JBG announces plans for Central Place, another mixed-use development in Rosslyn. [Bisnow on Business]

Plans are underway to demolish the Nehemiah Center on 14th Street to make room for a residential project. [DC Mud]

The White Cross Bakery—better known to most as the Wonder Bread factory—on 641 S Street in DC’s Shaw neighborhood may soon be converted into retail and office space. [renewshaw.com]

Chevy Chase-based Wentworth Studio took home two Contractor of the Year Awards for this Bethesda renovation:”Best Residential Addition under $250,000” and “Best Kitchen $100,000 to $150,000.” The awards are an annual competition sponsored by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.

The new owners of this 50-year-old Carderock home wanted to open up the kitchen, family room, and breakfast area. Wentworth knocked down the wall between the kitchen and family room and added an island and eating counter. They expanded the breakfast room and added floor-to-ceiling glass on three sides. To maximize the view of the wooded backyard, Wentworth raised the roof over the breakfast area. The updated kitchen has a glass tile backsplash in earth tones, black granite countertops, and teak cabinets. See our photo slide show below.