Located at 1530 Key Boulevard in Arlington, Virginia, the Atrium Condominiums sit on a hill just between the Rosslyn and Courthouse Metro stations in the heart of Arlington. Appropriately blending into the cityscape of nearby Rosslyn, the Atrium can easily be mistaken for a hotel at first glance. The sky-high, glass enclosed front entrance of the building and the grandiose lobby and foyer area are at once noticeable and are the result of extensive renovations done to both the interior and exterior of the building in 2006. The Atrium features a 24-hour gym, a hot tub, an on-site dry cleaning service, private tennis courts, and breathtaking views of Washington D.C. and the Potomac River. 

One of the major highlights of the Atrium Condo community is the location. Featuring an Arlington shuttle bus stop directly in front of the building, the Georgetown metro bus across the street, a Pentagon City shuttle one block away and situated directly in between both the Orange and Blue Metro lines, the Atrium is a Washington commuter's safe-haven! In addition, the Atrium is located minutes away from Safeway, CVS, and wide range of restaurants including Cafe Asia and Ray's Hell-burger. The location and convenience of the Atrium is by far the most attractive feature of this well-kept condo community. 

Rosslyn Metro Station is located in Arlington, Virginia in Rosslyn at a point where the Blue and Orange Lines come together. The Blue and Orange Lines share a track for a trip under the Potomac by tunnel into Washington, D.C. Because Rosslyn is on a bluff overlooking the Potomac River, and the tunnel to Washington passes through a rock-bored tunnel under the river, this means that the Rosslyn station is quite deep---further underground than any station on the Orange and Blue Lines.

South and West of Rosslyn, the Blue and Orange Lines part ways. Rosslyn is a planned stop on the new Silver Line route, which is expected to start operations in 2012.

The station has entrances on the west side of North Moore Street between Wilson Boulevard and 19th Street North and on the east side of Fort Myer Drive between Wilson Boulevard and 19th Street North. A street elevator to the mezzanine (upper) level of the station is on the east side of North Moore Street, across the street from the Metro station entrance. The station is a stop for several express Metrobus lines, including the 5A to Dulles International Airport and L'Enfant Plaza.

There are 20 bike racks at this station and car sharing is available at Rosslyn. There is no parking available at the Rosslyn Metro Station. Nearby condominium homes include Belvedere and Atrium.

For some people one of the benefits of condo living is that everything is on one level. Many there are no stairs inside the unit of some condominiums. For those in wheelchairs, for the elderly, or for those who just like life without stairs, this is a big advantage. But for some people, life on one level is just not enough.

Lofts and bilevel condominiums offer condo-style living, but doesn't limit life to just one level. One of my favorite examples of this is found in the top floor units at the Tiers of Manchester.

The Tiers are "swiss-style" condominiums. Their roof lines echo the high-pitched roofs favored in Alpine cottages. In Switzerland these roof provide the pitch needed to get excess snow off the roof. But in Manchester Lakes, these roofs provide opportunities for dramatic overlooks in the condo itself.

The pitch of the roof allows for high angled ceilings and the placement of a loft over-looking the living area.

It's difficult in a photograph to show how this brings a real feeling of spaciousness to the condo. The lofts here also provide bonus space for storage and closets under the eaves of the roof. The loft is easily accessed by way of a spiral staircase that only adds to the dramatic feel of these condos.

In Kingstowne has a good many condominiums with lofts and the Tiers of Manchester and Eton Square are just two of my favorites. To check pricing and availability on these go to Tiers or Eton Square.

Lofts are dramatic and very appealing but they aren't for everyone. Another alternative in you're looking for a multi-level condo is the townhouse style layout found at the Sycamores at Van Dorn.

The Sycamores is one of many garden-style condos in this area that offer townhouse-style floorplans in a garden-style condo. This give you all the benefits of condo life (low maintenance, amenities) with the homey feel of a townhouse. In condos such as these, the bedrooms are upstairs but the kitchen and living room are downstairs. In some condos like the Sycamores and Old Town Village, most or all units have a townhouse style unit. In other condos, such as Eton Square in Kingstowne or Worldgate near Reston, on the the top floor units have the townhouse-style unit.

But there is yet one more way to get a multi-floor condo.

Some high-rises offer units with multiple floors. For example the Fountains in the West End of Alexandria VA, have units that occupy two floors. The Fountains is also one of the most affordable condominiums in Northern Virginia and features a convenient location that is easily accessible via I-395 or public transportation. The Atrium in Arlington VA is a high-end condominium in Rosslyn that has dramatic two-level units with two-story windows.

There are plenty of choices these days. Contact us to find a property that will fit your tastes, budget, commute!

About the Author --- Will Nesbitt is the principal broker of Condo 1 Alexandria and Will Nesbitt Realty. Will specializes in condos, townhouses and single family residences in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County, Crystal City, and Kingstowne. Will resides in Belle Haven Estates just outside Alexandria VA in Fairfax County.