Inside The Lauren: A High-End Bethesda Condo Building With A $10.5M Penthouse
Wealthy DC-area residents looking to buy an ultra-luxury condo now have a place in downtown Bethesda just for them. The Lauren Residences, developed by 1788 Holdings and Persimmon Capital Partners has begun moving in residents, and this morning Bisnow got to take a peek inside.
The seven-story condo building sits on the corner of Woodmont Avenue and Hampden Lane in Downtown Bethesda. From the outside, pedestrians can see the buildings granite façade and balconies.
Portland-based designer Savoy Studios hopes The Lauren will become an iconic downtown Bethesda landmark. A floor-to-ceiling glass sculpture in the two-story lobby is visible from the street.
Condo sales are being handled by McWilliams Ballard. At a broker welcome event Tuesday, McWilliams Ballard's Roger Cornell (left), who gave the tour to Bisnow, poses with The Bacchus Group's Laura and Neil Bacchus.
The 2,500 SF model unit Bisnow toured came furnished with a touch of green moss, but residents will customize the units to fit their style. The prices range from $1.5M to $4.5M, except for the $10.5M, 7,300 SF penthouse. 1788 principal Larry Goodwin tells Bisnow that 15 of the 35 units have sold, and the residents are mostly in their 50s and 60s.
"We viewed the target resident as an independently wealthy couple, who is well traveled, and has houses in other cities," Larry says.
The units each have a touchpad automation system that connects to a smartphone or tablet app to control everything from the thermostat to the lights, speakers, window shades and fireplace. The kitchen, above, has marble countertops and a fridge (right) designed to blend in with the cabinets.
The model two-bedroom unit had a master bedroom, above, with a king-sized bed.
Larry says he saw a lack of high-end luxury condos in downtown DC, so 1788 sought to provide a one-of-a-kind product.
"We've had feedback that versus some of the luxury product that’s going up and has gone up in DC, The Lauren in terms of finishes is a cut above," Larry says. "For anybody who has developed in multiple markets, the condo specs in DC's market are much more pedestrian when it comes to high end."
The model unit has 2.5 bathrooms, including this marble-tiled master bathroom. The bathroom mirrors come with HDTV screens installed in the bottom.
The unit also has three outdoor terraces, including the one above in the den. If residents get tired of the terraces in their unit, they're just an elevator ride away from the massive, furnished rooftop terrace.
In addition to this shared rooftop terrace—which features a kitchen for catering events—seven private rooftop spaces ranging from 500 to 1k SF are available for individual purchase.
Residents also have access to the 1,500 SF wine lounge, The Onyx Club, which can be rented out for private parties. On one wall of the climate-controlled lounge, individual wine storage units are available for each residents.
As another amenity for residents, this lobby-level fitness room includes ellipticals, machines and free weights.
Larry says marketing The Lauren differed from his experience in other cities, where buyers would often be willing to make a purchase based on the plans without seeing the unit.
"Buyers here wanted to see the product first," Larry says. "Now, we've had a tremendous response since we've delivered and people could walk the building."
