Bozzuto’s New Property Aims for ‘Renters-By-Choice’

The retail section of D.C.'s Cathedral Commons Apartments is open, and is expected to draw luxury renters.

cathedral commonsBy Dees Stribling, Contributing Editor

Washington, D.C.—The retail component of the Cathedral Commons Apartments in the Cathedral Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C., which connects the property’s two residential buildings, has been opening shops all summer. In June, the openings included Le Village Marche, a 1,515-square-foot boutique-style home furnishing store; Pure Barre; Core 72; and Raku, a 3,321-square-foot Asian dining, sushi & sake restaurant. In August: Allure Spa, Zengo Cycle and a dry cleaners, along with Washington Ballet, in a 6,850-square-foot studio.

The retailers are the icing on the cake for the property, developed by the Bozzuto Group, which began residential leasing in the spring. The retailers in place also include a Giants Food Grocery and a Starbucks, and all together the retail space totals 125,000 square feet to go with 137 apartments and eight townhomes.

As an upscale property, Cathedral Commons is competing for renters-by-choice. “It’s a very competitive marketplace, and so many things contribute to attracting renters and retaining them,” Hartman Design Group president Phyllis Hartman told MHN. The Bozzuto Group tapped Hartman Design to design the property’s common areas and amenity spaces.

Besides the neighborhood amenities—which now include the property’s retail—other important aspects in attracting and keeping residents include first impressions, Hartman says. “The interior design must be impactful and speak to the demographic—at a property like Cathedral Commons, quality is key.”

Also, she noted, “the interior amenity package as well as the outdoor living spaces must provide the lifestyle that the renters expect; management service must be excellent and personalized; and the property must have great unit finishes and interior layouts.” Among other features, the South Building has large outdoor living spaces and a roof deck and courtyard with views of D.C. and the National Cathedral; the North Building has a “hotel aesthetic” in its lobby, clubroom, fitness center, corridors and outdoor amenities.