Stanley Martin: A Builder With A New Approach
October 7th, 2007 Categories: Arlington Urban Villages, Around Arlington County, Buyers, Neighborhoods, Shirlington
During 2006, I started seeing construction equipment on the hill overlooking Shirlington. Then the fence went up. When the fence goes up– I know something is coming. A quick search on the Arlington County website revealed the plans for a whole new development of garaged townhomes– 171 of them! I had no idea that the small garden apartments, Green Valley, was sitting on that kind of lot!
Shirlington Crest
Shirlington Crest is an ambitious project by local builder, Stanley Martin. There hasn’t been much information available other than us locals watching the hills clear over these past weeks and months, a stone entrance erected and more construction equipment arrived. I received emails with information of pre-construction sales. Still not a whole lot of emails- just teaser information.
Just from being a realtor, I know Shirlington Crest is going to be a community of luxury garage townhomes, with large master suites, great looking kitchens, open floor plans and maybe even a fireplace.
When the news first hit the Arlington County website sometime in 2006– it was clear that these townhomes were going to be priced in the low $700,000s. But now that pre-construction sales have started, & we’re in a different market, Stanley Martin isn’t committing to a price, only to say that they are in the $600s. I’m sure if you are a buyer, a price list would be available. Smart.
Their website hasn’t been updated to reflect the emails I’m getting with a few of the details: Shirlington Crest and three other communities are open for sales, the builder will pay the closing costs up to $15,000 on the townhouses & $20,000 on the single family homes and it this offer ends on October 31, 2007.
Why the Shirlington Crest Project is Ambitious
This is the first large scale project on this kind to go up in Shirlington since the Village at Shirlington Condominium & West Village at Shirlington- but those are condos. They are the first townhouses built since the Windgate townhouses in the 1980s. But even Windgate is a condo. So– this is the largest non-condo project to go up in Shirlington since Fort Barnard Heights in the 1940s.
If you are familiar with the area, you would also know that there were single family homes build up Glebe Road in Nauck in the 1990s & a few other townhome projects over the past few years. Most recently, Bowman’s Hill Towns. Technically– that’s not Shirlington. Or maybe Shirlington Crest is technically not being built in Shirlington? Who’s to say? Shirlington ends at Four-Mile Run after which the Nauck neighborhood begins. Nauck also has plans for expansion- but that’s for another few posts.
Arlington County seems to think that giving these townhomes the Shirlington name will make them more attractive. Maybe it will. Maybe it won’t. Whatever it’s named, right now it’s still across the street from the cement factory. Aside from the cement factory, the location has other great things going for it: it’s next to the W&OD Bike Path, walkable to Shirlington, close to I395 & easy access to other commuter routes and we can’t forget to mention the Weenie Beenie.
I’m interested to see what happens with this project. I want nothing more for it to succeed. I think it will do wonders for the neighborhood. If you are interested in buying, give me a call, because you are going to need a buyer’s agent.
Stanley Martin Is A Builder With A Fresh Approach
In addition to this townhome community, Stanley Martin is starting two other new projects inside the beltway.
- Beauregard Station in Alexandria: “Quaint community” of 41 townhomes priced in the $600s
- The Courtyards at Falls Gate in Falls Church: “An exclusive enclave of 19 homesites” priced in the $800s
AND– just this past week, Stanley Martin began marketing it’s new “Build on your own lot” program- where they are seeking out “tear down” homes all over Arlington, Falls Church and anywhere else in the metro DC area and will built a custom home for any buyer willing to wait for it.
When all the other builders are running from this slower market and announcing falling profits, Stanley Martin has turned inside the beltway, where things are not as slow. And instead of developing large-scale neighborhoods, they scaled down their business to smaller communities and even custom homes.
Will it work? I think they may be onto something. And bravo to Stanley Martin for remaining committed to the DC area. They have not been frightened away and turned everything into a rental apartment. They’ve looked at the market, adjusted their business plan and are moving forward.
It’s the experienced builders like this who have and WILL survive a slow market.
No doubt, very bold and risky…good luck to him on his efforts.
Mary - you make a great point - so often buyers don’t understand the benefits of having a REALTOR help them with “new construction” - especially when the builder pays the marketing fee why wouldn’t you want an advocate on your side. Keep us posted. - Cyndee Haydon
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