One of the first questions I ask people who are thinking about downsizing is what they want to do with the time they’ll get back. Sometimes the answer is travel. Sometimes it’s more afternoons at a museum. And sometimes it’s simply, “I’d like to buy groceries in the rain without getting wet.” At Van Ness North Cooperative, that last one may be easier than you think.
Van Ness North, at 3001 Veazey Terrace NW, is a mid-century cooperative just off Connecticut Avenue in Forest Hills. It has the combination many of my downsizing clients ask for: apartments with room for the furniture they love, a monthly fee that rolls several household bills into one, and a neighborhood where they can get quite a bit done without taking the car out. There are two outdoor pools, a front desk staffed around the clock, and a Red Line station a block away.
Is Van Ness North Cooperative a good place to downsize in Washington, DC?
Van Ness North Cooperative is worth considering if you want a spacious Northwest DC apartment, a monthly co-op fee that bundles utilities and other expenses, and easy access to the Red Line. The building has two outdoor pools, a 24-hour front desk, and an underground garage connection to Giant. Compare the full monthly cost and floor plan of the specific apartment you’re considering.
You can downsize and still keep the dining room table
One reason I like showing Van Ness North is that some of the apartments have the generous proportions people remember from older buildings. In the larger layouts, you may have room for a proper dining table, a comfortable seating area, and a favorite piece of furniture you’ve been wondering whether you’ll have to give up. The building dates to the 1960s and has layouts ranging from efficiencies to three-bedroom homes, as well as some combined apartments. Many have balconies or terraces. The floor plans vary, so bring measurements for the pieces you want to keep. That’s a much more useful test than square footage alone.
As time has gone by, most unit owners have changed their homes to suit their wants and needs. You will find homes with bookcases in the dining rooms, walk in tubs or whirlpool baths, opened walls, coffered ceilings and so much more! If Van Ness North meets your wants and needs, you will no doubt find a unit that seemed to be remodeled with you in mind. In the meantime, you will have so much fun looking at what is available for sale or rent and getting new ideas for your own design choices!
Compare the monthly cost as well as the purchase price
Van Ness North can offer good value if you want a spacious Northwest DC apartment and are comparing it with newer buildings. The purchase price is only part of that comparison. The monthly co-op fee can look high beside a condo fee until you look at what each one covers. For example, the published fee for Unit 426 includes electricity, heat, air conditioning, water, sewer, property taxes, and a parking fee, along with building services and amenities. When you compare apartments, add up what you would actually pay each month in each one. A smaller fee can come with a longer list of separate bills.
I’d also review the fee breakdown and current co-op documents for the specific apartment before buying. Ask what’s included, how parking is handled, and whether there are planned building projects or assessments. If you’re moving to simplify your finances, those answers matter as much as the number on the listing. If you are uncertain about what is involved in a co-op purchase, you can learn more by reading about the differences between co-ops and condos.
Groceries on a rainy day and museums on the Red Line
One of my favorite practical details is the garage connection to Giant. It’s the sort of thing you may barely notice on a sunny afternoon and appreciate enormously when you need milk in a downpour. The Van Ness–UDC Metro station is also a block from the building. You can take the Red Line to Gallery Place for the National Portrait Gallery or the Smithsonian American Art Museum, then come home and meet a friend for dinner on Connecticut Avenue. If the underground route is a deciding factor for you, let’s walk it together on a tour and check exactly how the connection works today.
A building where it’s easy to meet people
Leaving a house can also mean leaving the neighbors you’ve known for years. That’s one reason I ask buyers to pay attention to how a building feels when
they visit. At Van Ness North, you can stop by the library, take a swim in one of the two outdoor pools in summer, or join an activity that interests you. Residents have organized book groups, movie nights, vegan cooking gatherings, and exercise groups. The calendar can change, but the appeal is simple: you have a reason to say hello to someone you might otherwise only see in the elevator. This is definitely a community that enjoys celebrating together. There was a recent party for Halloween and there will be one for Valentine’s Day again. They have swap meets in the lobby and weekly wine and cheese.
And on a day when you’d rather have some quiet, the terrace off the lobby looks out over Soapstone Valley Park. That leafy setting is part of what makes this address feel so different from the busy stretch of Connecticut Avenue just around the corner.
Is Van Ness North a good fit for your next move?
If you want room to host dinner, fewer household bills to keep track of, and the option to spend a Saturday downtown without thinking about parking, I’d put Van Ness North on your list. When we visit, we can look at the floor plan, compare the monthly costs, and walk the routes you’d use in everyday life. Bring the dimensions of your dining table if it’s coming with you. I understand completely.
What are some other co-op buildings to consider?
While DC and the surrounding metro area do not have as many co-op buildings as New York does, there still are some fantastic pre-war and mid century modern buildings to consider. Here are my favorite seven buildings in DC, known for their history and graceful style.
I’m Lise Howe, an associate broker with RLAH RE LLC. I help buyers and sellers across the Washington, DC area figure out what they want their next home to do for them. If you’re considering a move to Van Ness North or comparing it with other DC co-ops and condos, email me at lise@lisehowe.com. You can also read my Van Ness North Cooperative building guide.
What is for sale now at Van Ness North?
FAQs
What does the monthly co-op fee at Van Ness North cover?
The fee bundles several expenses that buyers might otherwise pay separately. For example, the published fee for Unit 426 includes electricity, heating, air conditioning, water, sewer, and property taxes, along with building services and amenities. Ask for the current fee breakdown for the apartment you’re considering, including how parking is handled.
Is Van Ness North Cooperative affordable for downsizers?
It can offer good value if you want a generous floor plan in Northwest DC. Compare the purchase price and total monthly cost with other homes on your shortlist. Include any loan payment, the co-op fee, and expenses you’d still pay separately. That gives you a better comparison than looking at the asking price or monthly fee on its own.
Can you live at Van Ness North without a car?
For many everyday errands, yes. Giant, restaurants, and neighborhood services are nearby, and the Van Ness–UDC Red Line station is about a block away. You can take the train to Gallery Place for the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Can residents reach Giant and Metro without going outside?
The building’s garage connects to Giant. If staying indoors all the way to the Metro station matters to you, let’s walk the route together during a showing so you can see how the connections work.
Are the apartments large enough to keep my dining room furniture?
Some are. Van Ness North has layouts ranging from efficiencies to three-bedroom homes, plus some combined apartments. Bring your table measurements when you tour. I’d check how much room you’ll have to pull out the chairs and walk around the table, especially if you still like to host dinner,
What can residents do at Van Ness North?
The building has two seasonal outdoor pools, an exercise room, a library, and a party room. Residents have organized book groups, movie nights, vegan cooking gatherings, and exercise groups. Ask what’s on the calendar when you visit or check out the information screen in the lobby by the mail room.
Does VNNC have in unit washers and dryers?
No but there are at least two and dryers on each floor and they never seem to be used. They work with a key card that you can resupply in the lobby by the front desk.
Is Van Ness North pet friendly?
Van Ness North is not a pet friendly building but it complies with local and federal laws concerning therapy, service and emotional support animals. Once you move in you have to make an application to the Board for your pet to be allowed. Since the building follows appropriate federal and local laws and regulations, this approval cannot be withheld for documented requests, but the application can only be made by owners after closing.