10400 Detrick Avenue
Kensington, MD 20895
(240) 773-9000 (Phone)
(301) 949-4690 (Fax)
(301) 949-5326 (TTY)
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10400 Detrick Avenue |
Services With a Smile, Without Paying a PremiumBy Sara Gebhardt Low cost stands out as a top feature for residents of downtown Silver Spring's Alexander House apartments. Owned by Alexander House Development in partnership with Montgomery County's Housing Opportunities Commission, 187 of the building's 311 units are rented at market rate, while the remaining 124 are reserved as subsidized affordable units. "At market rate, we're still very reasonable, especially with the amenities we offer," said property manager Angela Bonsu, who works for McShea Management. Market rents for one-bedroom units start at $1,315 per month. "Being part of [the Housing Opportunities Commission], they're very careful with rent increases," Bonsu said. She said that the 15-year-old 17-story high-rise remains competitive in thriving downtown Silver Spring because "older buildings don't have the amenities, and the newer buildings are much more expensive." While Tessa Pantin is not too impressed with the amenities -- she thinks the gym is outdated and the pool is small, though her two young children like it -- she said that overall, the building is a good deal. "For us, it was really just convenience, cost and, of course, the location. It's reasonably priced, so you're not going to find luxury stuff," said Pantin, 33, who lives in a two-bedroom apartment with her husband and children. "The building is well-kept, clean and secure. It's definitely cost-effective to live here," she said. After living in a much older, less energy-efficient building a few blocks farther from downtown Silver Spring, Pantin said, the move to Alexander House last year has cut her energy bill in half. Not having a car also reduces the Pantin family's expenses. And there is little need for one. The Alexander House is less than two blocks from the Silver Spring Metro station and thus is also close to downtown Silver Spring's many businesses. Pantin and her family walk or use public transportation to go to playgrounds, doctors and summer concerts in Wheaton, Takoma and Bethesda. Moreover, having looked very closely at Silver Spring apartment buildings, Pantin concluded that it was difficult to land a reasonably priced place with individual washers and dryers. "Most places have shared laundry rooms, and that's not cool with two kids," she said. "It's not easy to find, and usually if they have it, they will rack the price up by a couple a hundred dollars . . . and this place didn't." In addition to washers and dryers, all Alexander House units have wall-to-wall carpeting, and most have balconies. The open kitchens still have their original stoves, dishwashers and built-in microwaves, though some cabinets and countertops have been upgraded. Bathrooms are spacious, even in efficiency units. And with central air conditioning and heating, residents are in full control of their climate. The property shares its outdoor pool with the adjacent Elizabeth House, a senior-living building. Next to the pool is a spacious and well-landscaped garden with plenty of benches and a small play area for children. Occasionally, Glynda Featherstone sits in the garden and reads. "I just love it there. It's peaceful and clean," she said. Featherstone, 43, is a 10-year resident and also uses the business center, which has just been upgraded with new computers. She said she is pleased with the amenities, particularly the convenience store and dry cleaner on site, as well as a 24-hour concierge who both serves as a sort of courtesy patrol and arranges things such as dry cleaning pickup, concert ticket purchases and personal shopping. But it was the location close to Metro, coupled with the building's appearance, that grabbed Featherstone's interest. "I liked the way it looked. The design of the buildings, the landscaping, the cleanliness of the exterior. It was just clean and neat and inviting," she said. The red-brick building has splashes of color from teal metal gates, partitions and balcony railings. Its interior still boasts the teal rugs and beige walls that were in fashion when the building opened in the early 1990s. Over the years, Alexander House has continued to live up to Featherstone's initial impression, which was that the rent was reasonable and her two-bedroom unit spacious. "What really got me were the bathrooms. The bathrooms are really big, and they have track lighting," she said. "I am very comfortable here. I have no intention of leaving . . . mainly because the Metro is so close." Because of the location, even those who have cars find that they often leave them in the three-level underground garage. "I do have a car, but I don't use it a lot," said Marietta Williams, 62, a retired school social worker from New Orleans. "I can walk to everything," she said. That includes the Borders bookstore and the other shops and restaurants in downtown Silver Spring, as well as Giant Food and Whole Foods supermarkets; two post offices; convenience stores; and the Silver Spring Library, where she volunteers as a literacy teacher. Displaced by Hurricane Katrina, which ripped her house off its foundation and effectively forced her into early retirement, Williams made her way to Silver Spring in 2005 to stay with her son. After she recovered enough financially to buy furniture, she moved to Alexander House in early 2007. In her time there, she has felt secure, whether walking around the neighborhood or in the controlled-access high-rise. She also has had good experiences with management staff members and said that their helpful demeanor upon first impression is "not a facade." "I just can't believe I got an apartment here. I was praying for a good place to come along," she said. "This place was such a godsend." |
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©2007 Housing Opportunities Commission, All Rights Reserved. Information current as of 4/21/2008. |
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