Like its cousin in Virginia, Chain Bridge Road in Northwest DC is one of Washington’s most exclusive and prestigious streets. Part of the pricey Kent neighborhood, it has a quiet and isolated feel. Most of the homes line one side of the street and face Battery Kemble Park, the woodsy haunt of dog-walkers and joggers. The majestic houses—three-quarters of them are assessed for more than $1 million—range from Lego-like modern homes with large glass windows to traditional houses with sweeping verandas. Bold-face residents include NBC’s Andrea Mitchell and former chairman of the Fed Alan Greenspan as well as former EPA deputy director Robert Sussman.
Halfway down the winding, shady road is a five-bedroom, five-bath stone house on the market for just under $5 million. Assessed by the city for $3.4 million, the house is reminiscent of a small castle and sports a wine cellar, stone balcony and patios, and two-car garage. A builder bought the home in 2005 and completely gutted and renovated the interior, adding more than 1,000 square feet to make a grand total of more than 7,000 square feet. Wide windows overlook the park, and it shares a tennis court and pool with five neighboring houses. The pool, at 42-by-18 feet, is more than twice the size of the average residential pool.
Residents are fighting to keep Chain Bridge as it is. They’re winning a battle to stop development of 13 new houses on the street. If they have their way, the $5-million home for sale may be one of the few chances to buy on the street. It’s been on the market since November—listing agent Anne Hatfield Weir says no one has put in an offer yet.
