Ditch Your Commute: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

One big problem: parking

By KATIE KNOROVSKY

Updated 5:00 PM EST, Thu, Oct 29, 2009

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United States Patent and Trademark Office

A few blocks from the King Street Metro in Alexandria, the five-building campus for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) teems daily with 8,900 federal employees. Surrounded by the developing Carlyle neighborhood, the USPTO has served as the area’s unofficial anchor since late-2004. New condos and restaurants have been popping up along neighboring blocks, offering plenty of nearby living options for USPTO employees looking to ditch their commutes.

Unlike Old Town, with its time-weathered row houses and historical charm, Carlyle feels new and sparkles with a not-yet-worn-in gleam. Dominated by high-rises and garden-style condominiums, Caryle’s real estate market features one-bedroom units starting around $300,000 and two-bedrooms going for more than $400,000, according to Will Nesbitt, principal broker for Condo 1 Alexandria.

Properties

The developments below are in Old Town and Carlyle, and are all within about a 1/2 mile of the USPTO.

The Duke at Old Town is the area’s newest condo community, featuring 18 brick townhomes and roomy “flats” — two-bedroom condos that range in size from 1,311 to 1,571 square feet. Every property comes with two parking spaces. “It’s going to look like Old Town on the outside and act like Carlyle on the inside,” Nesbitt says. The Duke’s model units will open for public viewing on Saturday, October 31st.

Perched above Alexandria’s Westin Hotel, the 79-unit Jamieson offers one, two, and three-bedroom condos from the upper $200s. The building features a rooftop terrace, swimming pool, and reserved parking.

Carlyle Towers led the area’s boom 10 years ago, with three 20-floor luxury towers that house a whopping 549 units. The community also offers an on-site gym, tennis courts, two outdoor pools, shuffleboard court, putting green, and nearby dog park. Trulia lists a one-bedroom, 750-square-foot condo for $400,000 and a two-bedroom, 1,087-square-foot condo for $450,000.

Pros

The market surrounding the USPTO is “as strong as anywhere in the region,” Nesbitt says. “It’s a pleasant place to live, with Metro access, a huge job magnet in the USPTO, and easy access to Old Town, which has as much culture and nightlife as anyplace in Northern Virgina.”

Cons

“Parking is almost impossible,” warns Nesbitt. “Plus, there are only three routes in and out of the neighborhood, and rush hour can get ‘choked up,’” Of course, that’s not a problem for USPTO employees commuting by foot.

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