Robinson Landing in Old Town Alexandria, Va., has high-end condos and townhouses in a location with lots of what someone might look for in a city neighborhood, such as walkability, ample shopping and places to dine along a scenic waterfront. But, after selling nearly 90 units since 2017, it has only nine condos left to buy.
Robinson Landing nears the end of the line in Alexandria, Va.
All the remaining units have two-bedrooms and two or three bathrooms. Prices range from $1,595,000 for 1,395 square feet to $1,895,000 for 1,450 square feet. Condo fees for these units range from $1,151 to $1,280 a month.
Betsy Micklem, a retired investment adviser, and her husband, Mark, a retired investment banker, both 63, moved into a Robinson Landing condo a little more than year ago after some serious downsizing. The house they left behind in Alexandria’s Belle Haven neighborhood “had six bedrooms with closets, a two-car garage and a full basement,” Betsy said. It used to appear on house tours.
Many prized possessions, Betsy said, are destined for whatever home her daughter buys and settles into. But Betsy is coming to terms with the smaller quarters, including the reduced storage space. “I didn’t want my possessions to decide how I lived my life,” she said.
It took some time for the Micklems to come to terms with Robinson Landing. When they first looked at the development, two or three years ago, Betsy said, they thought, ‘Whoa, that’s a big change’ and ‘Whoa, those are big prices.’ We weren’t ready, but it got us thinking.” With the onset of the pandemic, she said, “we started thinking about it more.”
The Micklems were considering places with warmer climates, including Arizona, Charleston, S.C., and Naples, Fla. But ties to the D.C. area turned them back to Alexandria. Betsy described the end game this way: “The day we saw the model, my husband said, ‘We want a one-bedroom,’ and I said, ‘No, we don’t.’ So we started there and kept going.”
They ended up with a two-bedroom unit — with a den and three bathrooms — that overlooks the Potomac River.
The Robinson Landing site — once occupied by two Washington Post waterfront warehouses — has an interesting history, some of which was illuminated by its redevelopment.
“Located in a historic district, the development team undertook more than 14 months of archaeological investigation and preservation prior to construction,” said Phil Salin of EYA Marketing LLC, the sales manager for Robinson Landing. “The team uncovered portions of three 18th-century sailing vessels, commercial building foundations and more than 100,000 artifacts, including foreign coins.”
Community amenities include on-site dining, concierge service, a fitness center, a yoga studio, a bicycle workshop, a pet-grooming spa and two parking spaces per unit in the on-site parking garage. The walkable destinations are another draw, Salin said. “Robinson Landing,” he said, “offers modern waterfront living in historic Old Town, a new pier featuring a cafe, outdoor seating and kayak launch, plus hundreds of acclaimed shops and restaurants just steps away.”
Betsy Micklem also expressed enthusiasm about the location. “We love walking on the river with friends,” she said, “the bike paths, strolling down the street to get a cup of coffee, or going out to dinner. This location is fabulous for the fireworks on the Fourth of July. They shoot them off right in front of the building. They do a boat parade at Christmastime, and we thought, ‘We should invite people over for this.’”
Schools: Lyles Crouch Elementary, George Washington Middle, Alexandria City High
Transit: The King Street-Old Town Metrorail station (Blue and Yellow lines) is about a mile and a half west. The Braddock Road station (also Blue and Yellow lines) is a bit farther, to the northwest. The Dash 34 bus runs on Royal Street and connects with the 30 and 31 Old Town Circulator buses, which run, respectively, on Duke Street, between the Van Dorn and Braddock Road Metro stations, and King Street, between the Braddock Road station and Northern Virginia Community College’s Alexandria campus.
Nearby: Old Town Alexandria, Potomac River, Alexandria waterfront, Founders Park, Shipyard Park, Windmill Hill Park, Torpedo Factory Art Center.
Robinson Landing
The sales gallery is at 7 Pioneer Mill Way, Floor One, Alexandria, Va. Twenty-six townhouses and 70 condominiums were built, and nine condos are still available to buy. Prices range from $1,595,000 to $1,895,000.
Developer: Robinson Landing Development Entities, JBG Smith and Mitsui Fudosan America
Features: The condos have panelized appliances (to match cabinets), frameless cabinetry, quartz countertops with a waterfall edge, Thermador appliances, hardwood floors and floating vanities. The condos also have “semiprivate” elevator lobbies — or more elevator locations in the buildings with fewer people sharing each one.
Bedrooms/bathrooms: 2 / 2 or 3
Square-footage: 1,355 to 1,520
Homeowners association fee: $1,151 to $1,280 a month
View model: To schedule a private appointment to tour a model, visit robinsonlanding.com/tour.
Sales: Philip A. Salin at 703-489-0661 or robinsonlanding@eyamarketing.com.
Source: WP
