The first LEED-certified condo in the state of Virginia is located in Old Town Alexandria. Cromley Lofts is an eight-unit residential condominium that was converted from a warehouse constructed in 1910. The building has a storied history with uses ranging from warehouse to laundry to Masonic meeting hall to artists lofts. Local developer William Cromley purchased the building in November of 2004 for $880,000 and added a third story to create eight custom residences before completing construction in 2007.

Converting an existing and under utilized structure to a residential use combined with environmentally friendly upgrades like a green roof, custom bamboo cabinetry, dual flush toilets and recycled glass tile baths led to a LEED-Gold rating by the U.S. Green Building Council. The USGBC created LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) in 2000 to promote sustainable and energy efficient design and construction practices. The council awards a rating ranging from simply being LEED-certified to LEED-Platinum. Cromley Lofts received the second highest rating of LEED-Gold.

Currently the LEED program is undergoing some changes after a thorough study period. The program has been criticized in the past, not surprisingly, due to the high costs of implementing construction methods and design features to earn a certification. However, the program has also been criticized for being unfair at times by rewarding points equally for easy and inexpensive improvements compared to more costly and higher tech green features. The Washington Business Journal reported that the classic example of this is the installation of a bike rack receiving the same point value as the installation of a costly HVAC system. The new changes are expected to remedy such inconsistencies as well as simplify the overall process of becoming LEED certified.

In addition to the building’s design, the location of Cromley Lofts also receives points from the U.S. Green Building Council. The property is located at 1210 Queen Street, which is two blocks from the retail offerings up and down King Street and about six blocks to the King Street Metro and Amtrak station. Being located near retail and mass transit reduces the need for car thus improving the overall environmental score. There is no off street parking at Cromley Lofts, but residents are reportedly happy with the availability of street parking.

Just two of the eight residences at Cromley Lofts remain available for sale. Unit 1 is a two bedroom / two bath residence of approximately 1,250 square feet on the basement level currently listed for $525,000, down from $585,000 in June of 2007. While the home is mostly below grade, abundant large windows and an east facing exposure help lighten up the space. The residence features a light stone flooring throughout and exposed brick pillars that contribute to a unique look.

The layouts of the homes are generally the same (except for two one-bedrooms on the 3rd floor) with a large and open kitchen and living area and smaller bedroom and bathroom spaces with walls that stop about two feet from the ceiling – an L.A. loft look according to listing agent Susan Isaacs of DCRealEstate. The wall design continues in the bathrooms helping ventilation, but detracting from privacy. Isaacs noted that some purchasers have had glass installed in the gap between the wall and the ceiling as a nice compromise between maintaining privacy while allowing light to transfer through the space. The residences sport high-end GE appliances and custom made bamboo cabinetry. A charcoal grey soap stone is the material for the large kitchen countertops and goes nicely with the stainless steel appliances and light brown cabinetry.

The other residence available for sale is unit 5 on the second level above grade. Similar in layout to the basement unit, but without the exposed brick on the columns, unit 5 is currently listed at $625,000 down from $645,000 earlier this summer. Although the size and floor plan are basically the same this residence definitely is worth more than the basement residence. The space is much more light filled and features reclaimed wide plank pine floors throughout providing the home with a warm feel.

Cromley Lofts is a unique property intended for select group of discerning purchasers. The pricing could be considered high by some especially with no garage or off-street parking included, but the high quality features and great marks for environmental design are appealing.

To see a pricing summary from the MLS click here

To see photos click here

To learn more visit www.cromleylofts.com

Source: CONDOAUTHORITY.com.

Back to the CONDOAUTHORITY.com News and Info.