Where: 220 20th St., Arlington
The Neighborhood: This new 19-floor apartment building is in the heart of Crystal City, just south of the Pentagon. The neighborhood’s tree-lined streets are walkable—pedestrians can easily get to parks, shops, hotels, and restaurants. Chef Morou Ouattara recently opened his newest restaurant, Kora, a block away. The building also features underground access to the Metro’s Blue and Yellow lines, so there’s no need to step outside in the winter.
Floorplans and Prices: The building opened this summer, and about half of the 265 residences have been leased. Floorplans range from one-bedroom, one-bath residences with or without balconies to two-bedroom, two-bath penthouses. One-bedroom apartments range from $2,155 to $5,235 a month. Two-bedroom apartments range from $2,940 to $6,365 a month. Apartments feature nine-foot floor-to-ceiling windows, full-size washers and dryers, and walk-in closets. Kitchens have granite countertops, cherry cabinets, and stainless-steel appliances.
Building Amenities: The apartment has a 24-hour front desk and concierge. There’s a lounge-like common room with a coffee bar, billiards table, flat-screen television, and computer area with Macs, PCs, printers, scanners, and free WiFi. The rooftop pool and sun-deck is really something to see. 220 Twentieth is one of the tallest buildings in Crystal City, which allows for an incredible view of Washington and the monuments. Residents can sit pool-side and soak up the sun, or sit at the bar and surf the Internet.
Hungry? McCormick & Schmick’s is next door. Or, just give ‘em a call and they’ll deliver. There’s also a fitness center, controlled-access parking, and pet-sitting and walking services.
Green Living: Before these were luxury apartments, there was the old Crystal Plaza 2, a 13-story office building constructed in 1969. Vornado/Charles E. Smith decided to “recycle the good bones” of the building, which kept more than 17,000 tons of building waste out of the landfill. Builders also installed Energy Star appliances in all the units, and used eco-friendly paints, carpets, adhesives, and sealants during construction.
220 Twentieth Street is designed to achieve Silver LEED-certification. It's also the first apartment building in Northern Virginia or DC to be completely smoke free, in both the common areas and the residential units.
