May 22nd, 2008:

The Bearings South are aptly named: here, in the heart of historic Alexandria, one could never feel lost.

Built in 1941 as garden-style apartments and originally called Boulevard of Old Town apartments, these seven buildings were converted into a condominium community in 2006. The 158 units combine solid, red-brick construction with contemporary finishes such as granite countertops, Brazilian hardwood floors, crown molding, and stainless-steel kitchen appliances.

Studios, 1 bedroom, 2-bedroom and loft units are available, with both traditional and open floor plans. The Bearings condos feature galley kitchens, walk-in closets and ceiling fans supplemented by individual air-conditioning units.

Located in the 800 block of South Washington Street, the Bearings opens to the brick sidewalks and shade trees of Old Town, the oldest part of Alexandria — originally laid out in 1749 — and a nationally designated historic district. Immediately to the south is St. Mary’s
Catholic Church Cemetery, the oldest public Catholic cemetery in Virginia and the oldest active cemetery in all of Alexandria.

Six blocks east is the Potomac River—a pleasant stroll for Bearings residents and their dogs. Nearby are Oronoco Bay Park, the gourmet grocer Balducci’s and restaurants such as The Fish Market and Union Street Pub. Cyclists have easy access to the bicycle path to Mount Vernon.

The Bearings condominium association provides:

• Maintenance of a common laundry room
• Maintenance of the grounds
• Maintenance of the exteriors
• Salaries of management staff
• A master insurance policy
• A reserve fund
• Snow removal
• Trash removal

Each condo is assigned a space in the complex parking lot, and on-street parking is available as well. A short walk away is the turn-around for the King Street Trolley, a free shuttle that connects the waterfront with the King Street Metro station. King Street station serves Metro’s blue and yellow lines, the
Manassas and Fredericksburg lines of the Virginia Railway Express, and
Amtrak. It is also a hub for Alexandria’s DASH buses and Metro buses, and it features a taxi stand.