D.C. condos near Rock Creek Park and Metro

“What really jumped out was not having to change neighborhoods,” Beiner said, ticking off the things he had come to appreciate about Columbia Heights — the restaurants and bars, for instance, and the proximity to the Metro. “It’s super unique and has a lot of character. I was happy to be able to stay.”

The five-story building, completed late last year, was built on the site of a 1920s rowhouse, sandwiched between a low-rise apartment building and another rowhouse. The condo building peeks above its neighbors but doesn’t overwhelm the block.

The five-sided building provides each unit with at least two exposures, offering plenty of light in the morning and afternoon. The lower level, built below grade, has a bumped out window well that lets in natural light.

The condos have one to three bedrooms and one or two bathrooms. The kitchens have granite countertops, a wall of cabinets, and an ample island with a sink and seating for dining.

Three two-story penthouses feature spacious decks with expansive views of the city, including nearby Rock Creek Park. Two of the penthouses have wraparound decks, and one has a built-in wet bar. In the units with two bathrooms, one has a tub and the other has a shower. All the units have a stacked washer and dryer.

Most of the units are notable for the non-box-like feel created by the architecture firm R. Michael Cross Design Group, which angled walls to maximize floor space and light.

“They are uniquely shaped. Every unit is a little different, so they are not the same as anyone else in the building,” said real estate agent D’Ann Lanning, senior team leader and executive vice president at Trent & Co., the real estate firm handling the property.

Beiner’s second-floor condo is 450 square feet. He said he is working on the Pinterest website to decorate his new interior space. “I’m looking forward to doing things that are not just renter-friendly and make it feel homey,” said Beiner, who is an architect.

Beiner said the “sparkling new” building, with its new appliances and systems, was a selling point, along with the modest condo fees.

“Money is tight, so the odds are better that everything works,” he said. “The condo fee was a real plus. D.C. is notorious for crazy condo fees.”

Another attraction: walkability. The area has a rating of 96 out of 100 on the walkability scale, Lanning said. The near-perfect score is important to Beiner, who doesn’t own a car and travels the city on foot and by bicycle and Metro.

Even on a snowy January day with a biting wind, Spring Road was bustling with pedestrian traffic as shoppers with their loaded grocery bags navigated the snow banks along the curbs.

Expecting the buyers to include bicyclists and dog walkers, the builder set aside two rooms for them.

Address: 1421 Spring Rd. NW, Washington, D.C.

Transit: Columbia Heights Metro station, on the Green Line, is about a half-mile away.

Nearby shops and restaurants: The stores within a short walk include a Target, a Lidl and a Giant. Also nearby are corner stores, mom-and-pop shops, an international market. neighborhood bars, and block after block of ethnic restaurants — Mexican, Vietnamese and Korean, among others.

Schools: Dorothy Height Elementary, Powell Bilingual Elementary, Latin American Montessori Bilingual Public Charter School, McFarland Middle School, Roosevelt High School.

Parks: Rock Creek Park, with its extensive network of hiking and biking trails and picnic areas, is three blocks away. Upshur Recreation Center has a baseball-and-multiuse athletic field, basketball courts, a playground, picnic tables, a dog park and a swimming pool.

• Builder: Congressional Properties LLC
• Type of housing: Condominium
• Prices: $299,900 to $715,000
• Condo fees: $123 to $258 a month
• Number of units: 15, including two designated as inclusionary zoning units, set aside for buyers who meet the income limits. Thirteen are still available.
• Square-footage: 450 to 1,200 square feet
• Website: Trent & Co. at Compass Real Estate https://trentandco.com/