Green complex attracts renters

Some of the most earth-friendly apartments in the Washington area also are some of the most popular.

The Blair Towns apartment complex in Silver Spring, the first multifamily project to gain special certification for environmentally sound construction, is about 80 percent leased and has blossomed into a key component of Silver Spring’s redevelopment.

The 78 apartments, constructed by the Tower Cos., a Bethesda developer, began renting last spring and were the first built in Silver Spring in more than 12 years. Tower partner Jeffrey Abramson said that because of the low interest rates that have encouraged many people to buy homes rather than rent, the leasing pace of the high-end apartments beat the company’s expectations. Blair Towns apartments rent for $1,400 to $2,200 per month.

“Blair Town leased up faster than we thought it would in this interest rate environment,” Mr. Abramson said.

Part of the development’s popularity may be its uniqueness. Tower built the complex following a set of strict guidelines known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED.) The guidelines are set by the U.S. Green Building Council, a development industry group that promotes the construction of buildings that are environmentally sound and healthy to live and work in. To become LEED certified, projects must be built with a certain amount of recycled materials, use less energy than other buildings and meet strict standards for clean air and other environmental issues.

Before Blair Towns, LEED certification was granted only to commercial buildings.

Tower previously built the Tower Building in Rockville and the Millennium Building at 1909 K St. in the District.

Tower executives said they hope that the green building concept catches on as more people begin to insist on buildings that use less energy and are healthier to live and work in. There is a perception that following the LEED rules makes construction more expensive, but Blair Towns cost just 1 percent to 2 percent more than they otherwise might have, Mr. Abramson said. That money will be recouped easily by decreased energy costs, he said.

“We don’t want to be alone,” Mr. Abramson said. “It’s good to be first, but what good is it if you’re the only ones saving the environment?

“People are beginning to say ’I need to take control of my health.’ Real estate does have to catch up, and the only way it will catch up is getting developers who can show they can build more responsibly.”

In other news…

• Lawrence Ruben Co. chose CB Richard Ellis as the leasing agent for 601 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, a 185,000-square-foot office building at the intersection of the avenue and Seventh Street. CB Richard Ellis will be asked to fill 7,050 square feet available in June, 6,200 square feet available in February 2005 and 85,000 square feet available in May 2006.

• Henderson Global Investors sold Ashton Woods, a 204-garden-apartment complex in Ellicott City, for $28.68 million to Stellar Advisors LLC. CB Richard Ellis helped broker the sale.

• Peter Lawrence of Virginia Inc. chose Trammell Crow Co. as leasing representative for its Northern Virginia portfolio of office properties.

• Property Lines runs Fridays. Tim Lemke can be reached at 202/636-4836 or tlemke@washingtontimes.com.