Contact Us
News

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.

Placeholder

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. 

Placeholder

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.

Placeholder

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

Placeholder

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.

Placeholder

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. 

Placeholder

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."

Placeholder

The model unit has 2.5 bathrooms, including this marble-tiled master bathroom. The bathroom mirrors come with HDTV screens installed in the bottom. 

Placeholder

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. 

Placeholder

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. 

Placeholder

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.  

Placeholder

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."