One aspect of their co-op apartment at Watergate South that Cynthia Lee and her husband, John, especially like is its fourth-floor location.
“Other people like higher views, but we really liked the fourth floor, that level,” said Cynthia, who also has a home in Middleburg, Va. “You really feel like you are a part of the landscape, instead of looking down onto the landscape. The trees, they’re right there. We live in the country, and you kind of feel like you still are.”
In fact, a bit of country living moved right onto their Northwest Washington apartment’s nearly 200-foot wraparound balcony. One day the Lees discovered 10 eggs had been laid by a duck in one of their planter boxes.
“We kept waiting for them to hatch, and we didn’t know what to do,” Cynthia said. “Sure enough, they hatched, and we weren’t there, and all these little ducklings were walking around the balcony.”
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The Lees called Watergate South’s front desk for help. The staff contacted the District’s animal welfare agency, which safely removed the ducklings.
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The Lees had been thinking about buying a home in Washington when Cynthia was seated on a plane next to a woman who lived at Watergate South. Her enthusiasm for the cooperative building prompted Cynthia to contact a real estate agent to look at apartments. One look at the view from this home and Cynthia was sold.
“My jaw dropped open,” she said. “The view, I’ll never forget it. The scullers were out on the water. The sun was sparkling. It was just spectacular.”
The apartment, which is two units combined, had been so well renovated by Outerbridge Horsey Associates in 2010 that the Lees haven’t changed a thing since they bought it in 2012. The public rooms are laid out along the balcony overlooking the Potomac River to capitalize on the expansive views. A sequence of geometric spaces — a round foyer connected by a rectangular gallery to an octagonal hall — provides a thoughtful entry into the spaces.
The focal point — as in most homes — is the kitchen. Cynthia said that although she enjoys cooking, she didn’t use the apartment’s large kitchen much for that purpose because the Lees enjoy dining out when they are in the city. However, the kitchen still ended up being the most used room in the apartment because it is so comfortable.
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Lee isn’t sure whether it is because of Outerbridge Horsey’s color scheme or the tranquil views, but she says visitors to the apartment find it serene.
Share this articleShare“I can’t tell you how many people walked into that apartment and they just said it is so peaceful here,” she said. “They walk in, they see the water. I had a really good friend and she said, ‘Cindy, I just want to come to your apartment for the day and sit down and read a book and look at the water.’ I had several friends who said that.”
The unit comes with four contiguous parking spaces in the garage. The monthly co-op fee of $7,380 includes property taxes, utilities, Internet, cable TV, maintenance and Watergate amenities such as a 24-hour concierge service, doorman service, a saltwater outdoor pool and a fitness center.
The three-bedroom, four-bathroom, 3,690-square-foot home is listed at just under $4.4million.
Listing: 700 New Hampshire Ave. NW, No. 404/405, Washington, D.C.
Listing agent: Gigi Winston, Winston Real Estate
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