Altamont

The Altamont


PROPERTY DETAILS
Neighborhood:	Kalorama
Street Address:	1901 Wyoming Avenue, NW
Type of Property:	Cooperative
Number of Units:	51 approximately
Size of Building:	7 floors plus basement
Monthly Fees:	Based on unit size, ranging from approx. $256 to more than $1,000
Management:	William C. Smith & Co.
Amenities:	Roof-top Terrace with Two Summer Pavilions, 24-Hour Front Desk, Waiting Room Off Lobby to Receive Guests, Extra Storage Room for Each Unit, Bike Room, Elevators, Laundry Room, Rear Parking Lot (for approximately two dozen cars)
Parking:	On-site parking is available for rent for a monthly fee (as of 2006 that fee was $150/mth). (There normally is a wait-list for parking.)
Pet Policy:	Small dogs & cats allowed. (25 lb maximum)
Types of Units:	Studios Jr. 1 Bedrooms 1 Bedrooms 1 Bedrooms w/Dining Rooms 2 Bedrooms Plus Den
Year Built:	1915-1916
Special Features:	The Altamont has a unique Renaissance-inspired lobby, showcasing a barrel-vaulted ceiling with an elaborate gilt design. (The period effect is further enhanced by the minimal lighting.) But by far the Altamont's crowning jewel is its glorious roof-top terrace, which boasts two summer pavilions and breath-taking city vistas. A parlor adjacent to the lobby still bears the same collection of Tudor Revival furniture and the Oriental carpet that were installed when the Altamont first opened its doors nearly a century ago. The parlor also features oak floors laid in a herringbone pattern and a beamed ceiling encrusted in intricate plaster designs. Apartments at the Altamont run the gamut from the 2,000+ square feet units to the much smaller studios and Junior 1BRs, some of which seemingly have been tucked under the eaves. Indeed, the building has gone through a few transformations -- most notably when it was sold in 1919 and the new owner subdivided the original 27 units to 58. Since then space in the basement and on the 7th floor (both areas that were not originally designed to be apartments) has been reconfigured to add units. Conversely, some owners have purchased adjoining units to form a single larger apartment. One unit in the building that was formed by the combination of two units (#61/63) was featured in "Private Washington," a coffee-table book featuring approximately two dozen of DC's most notable residences. The unit, which purportedly is the only remaining unit to occupy an entire wing of the building, has 11' high ceilings, 2,500 square feet, and 24 6'-high arched windows.