Monumental Effort

Construction teams transform apartment project into one of Arlington's most unique condominiums

By Debra Wood

A shimmering wall of reflective glass rising from the rear of a neat row of elegant brick-faced town homes denotes the latest Arlington-area condominium project by Washington, D.C.-based developer Monument Realty LLC.

For the side facing the District, original plans called for window walls. During preconstruction, Donohoe Construction recommended curtain wall because it offered competitive pricing. Monument Realty liked the aesthetics it offered.

Developers today have to act quickly on market demand in fast-growing Arlington, Va.

So when Monument Realty of Washington, D.C., purchased an in-fill property in Arlington from Bernstein Brothers Management in 2003, it saw an opportunity to turn a pure apartment project into one that is predominantly high-end condos. All it needed was some timely tweaking by the design and construction teams.

"It is an excellent buoyant condominium market," said Nicolas Pasanella, vice president of Monument Realty. "To pay for the construction of this building, it was more profitable if we went to condo."

Monument Realty has three current condo projects in Arlington, as well as projects in the District of Columbia. The seven-year-old company develops residential, office and hospitality projects.

To become a reality, the $45 million Odyssey Condominium project required modified designs by Shalom Baranes Associates Architects of Washington, D.C., and the input of general contractor Donohoe Construction Co., also of D.C.

The 460,000-sq.-ft. project, which originally included 306 apartments, features 271 condominiums with prices on some units exceeding $1.5 million. It also includes 21 rental units, which were kept in the design as part of an affordable housing commitment inherited by Monument.

One of the features that the team added to help set the project apart from its neighbors is its striking glass curtain wall. The resulting structure, which is situated on the top of a hill between a residential neighborhood and Arlington's commercial Courthouse area, is a luxury glass-faced tower overlooking the District across the Potomac River.

"It is one of the most interesting glass curtain wall residential buildings in the entire state of Virginia," Pasanella said. "There are some residential buildings in other markets that have used glass curtain walls, including Washington and New York, but it's not done in Virginia."

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Shimmering idea

Shalom Baranes designed each of the building's four facades with a different appearance by incorporating one- and two-story balconies and brick facades with punch windows on three sides. For the side facing the District, original plans called for window walls. During preconstruction, Donohoe recommended curtain wall because it offered competitive pricing. Monument Realty liked the aesthetics it offered.

"The curtain wall makes this thing separate from a typical condo or apartment because it has a full-face curtain-wall system," Loftus said. "Once it's designed and fabricated, it goes on pretty quickly."

Emmitsburg Glass Co. of Emmitsburg, Md., installs the signature, curved EFCO glass curtain-wall system two floors at a time, and it takes two weeks to complete two floors. Crews hoist each 4-ft.-wide vertical mullion into place and anchor it to the concrete. Crews prep the framing system with silicone and glaze from the interior. Aluminum-composite panels provided by Mid-Atlantic Construction Supply of Landover, Md., hide the concrete slab and make the corner transitions.

"It's very, very sharp looking," said Chris Yokum, project manager for Emmitsburg Glass. "The panels are what make this look great. It gives it so much character and makes everything pop out at you."

Designers faced a steep, triangular parcel with elevation variations of between 20 ft. and 30 ft. The building sits on a concrete spread-footing foundation, with a parking garage underground to the north and above grade to the south..

At the roofline, above the curved curtain wall, project architect Andrew Taylor added what he called "a bold element" - a concrete column and steel-beam trellis framework that repeats the geometry of the curve.

Donohoe Construction hired a full-time quality-control manager to review installation of the various products, including the windows and curtain wall, and compare the installation to manufacturers' specifications. The manager also monitors construction of the building envelope's waterproofing and flashing.

Shalom Baranes designed the original 16-story, post-tensioned concrete structure before Monument acquired it and then wanted upgrades in the common areas and ultraluxurious "platinum penthouse suites" on the top five floors. The suites were enlarged from the original design and received upgraded interior finishes and appliances.

Mixed uses

The project includes a three-level, partially underground, slab-on-grade parking garage; two retail spaces on the first floor; a 15th-floor pool and deck with panoramic views; and a 16th-floor recreation center.

Donohoe began construction in February 2004 and expects to complete the phased turnover during the first quarter of 2006. The building topped out in January. About 200 craftsman are working onsite.

"Any job of this magnitude is a challenge," said Timothy Loftus, senior project manager for Donohoe. "There are a lot of details involved."

The site, near a Metro station, required demolition of several existing homes.

And designers faced a steep, triangular parcel with elevation variations of between 20 ft. and 30 ft. The building sits on a concrete spread-footing foundation, with a parking garage underground to the north and above grade to the south.

The structure contains a central mechanical plant, with individual air-handling units. The change from rental to condo added to the building's cost because the plumbing and mechanical shafts could no longer sit on top of one another, requiring the addition of a transfer area.

Automobiles enter the building though an inner courtyard to drop off passengers at the main lobby. On the opposite side of the building, a row of town homes face neighboring homes and low-density housing.

Taylor said the volume of the tower is set back from the property line on all sides, creating a lot of breathing room around the building. As a result, the town houses make a transition to the surrounding neighborhood while hiding the garage, Taylor added.

Loftus called the building "a classy landmark that will stand out amongst the other buildings. It's a pretty good project for us, and it's running well."

Useful Sources:

The Odyssey Condominium
http://www.odysseycondo.com/