Art, Artists and Luminaries Celebrate Gables Old Town North
New upscale community embraces art, local history.
Alexandria, VA. (October 1, 2019) – History and art blended together last week under the contemporary roof of Gables Old Town North, as Alexandria officials, including Mayor Justin Wilson, and business leaders, leaders including Gables Residential CEO, Sue Ansel and EDENS CEO, Jodie W. McLean, joined to celebrate the new residential community anchoring the city’s Old Town North emerging arts district.
Art, artists and history buffs took center stage at the evening ceremony which unveiled new original artworks, echoing the city’s emphasis on promoting high-quality architectural and urban design within the confines of Old Town North.
“We worked closely with city officials to ensure the property fit into the Old Town North arts and cultural district,” said Eddie Meder, Gables Residential’s Development Director. “We shared in their vision to create a well-planned and attractive building for the people who live, work, shop, recreate and visit the district, and we believe the art and history we have curated here contributes to that goal.”
The upscale apartment home community, with its mercantile-styled architecture located at 525 Montgomery Street, is the latest community in Virginia developed by Gables Residential, a leader in the development and management of multifamily communities across the country.
Gables engaged notable Washington artist Maggie O’Neill, whose acrylic masterpieces are widely recognized, to paint her impression of the building and unveil the work at the ceremony. The company also commissioned works by artists Tom Fruin and Joyce Lee. Fruin created the 18-foot tall, glass mosaic sculpture that sits at the entrance of the property. It is made of steel and acrylic and includes lights inspired by the historical shipping canal that once occupied the site. Lee’s piece, located in the lobby, is an animated a 3-D dimensional video of moving water onto a seven-foot diameter glass disc, commemorating the former waterway.
Paying homage to the 19th century canal that once conveyed horse-drawn boats from Georgetown to the Potomac River, Gables also created a historical display by incorporating photographs, detailed descriptions and early maps to form a virtual gallery in the lobby.
“EDENS has been deeply invested in this community for over a decade as we have established longstanding partnerships within the community, each of whom have been an integral part and inspiration in the creation of this property,” said Jeff Kaufman, EDENS Managing Director. “This was a personally rewarding project where we created an authentic place in harmony with its history and distinguished Old Town North within the Alexandria community.”
Gables Old Town North offers 232 apartment homes, including a mix of one- and two-bedroom and townhouse units, starting at $2,100 per month. A LEED-Silver certified community, this property offers the latest in refined living: Residents enjoy concierge services, underground parking, a swimming pool with sundeck with private cabanas, theater, outdoor activity area, oversized terraces, community and game rooms, private work spaces and conference rooms, state-of-the-art fitness center, dog wash and bike repair station.
Apartment interiors include expansive windows, gas stoves, quartz countertops and islands, chrome fixtures, designer light fixtures, and energy efficient stainless-steel appliances. In a nod to resident preferences, Gables Old Town North also welcomes cats and dogs.
First floor shops and restaurants by noted, national retail developer EDENS include furniture store West Elm, restaurant Oak Steakhouse and fitness studio Rowhouse, which will further connect Gables Old Town North to the neighborhood. The tree-lined community is four blocks from the Potomac waterfront, a ten-minute walk to the Braddock Road Metro Station, a ten-minute drive to Washington Reagan International Airport and easily accessible to local highways and public transportation.
“Our goal was to create an eclectic, artistic style community that honors the historical past of Alexandria but includes the latest features and amenities,” Meder said. “We believe that’s a style that is attractive to residents of Old Town North.”
ABOUT GABLES RESIDENTIAL
Gables Residential is an award-winning, vertically integrated real estate company and privately held REIT specializing in the development, construction, ownership, acquisition, financing and management of multifamily and mixed-use communities. Gables Residential owns, develops and manages communities in high-growth U.S. markets including Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Houston, South Florida, Southern California and metropolitan Washington, D.C. Gables Residential also provides third party management services in the New York, Baltimore, Frederick, Tampa, Phoenix, Seattle, Charlotte, Central and North Florida markets.
Gables Residential manages approximately 30,000 apartment homes and approximately 225,000 square feet of retail space and has received national recognition for excellence in development, construction, management, sales, marketing, learning and development, benefits and corporate accommodations. These achievements reflect the impact of the company’s experienced and dedicated team members, superior knowledge of the markets served, and expertise in development and management. For additional information about the company and its real estate portfolio and services or visit www.gables.com.
ABOUT EDENS
EDENS is a retail real estate owner, operator and developer of a nationally-leading portfolio of 125+ retail places. Our purpose is to enrich community through human engagement. EDENS has 250 employees across offices in key markets including Washington, D.C., Boston, Dallas, Columbia, Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte, Houston and Denver. For additional information about the company and its retail real estate portfolio, visit www.edens.com.
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