The Sussex House on Battery Lane

Sussex House on Battery Lane is a small condo community with only 54 units on six floors.  There is lots of surface parking available for the residents. There are a variety of units in Sussex House, including 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom and 3 bedroom floor plans. Sussex House was built in 1974 so it is solidly built and very functional. You can expect large rooms with floor to ceiling windows in the living rooms and parquet floors through out.  The lobby is a stunning example of  mid-century architecture with its open staircase that seems to float in the air.  Unless the bathrooms have been redone, they have ceramic tile floors and traditional vanities. Many of the kitchens have been remodeled so granite countertops and stainless steel appliances are common.

The location really can’t be beat.  It is on Battery Lane, close to two metros, the Woodmont Triangle, and the Battery Lane Park.  At the end of Battery Lane is the Harris Teeter and the large Trader Joe’s will be open soon on Wisconsin Avenue.  There are lots of shops and restaurants in the Woodmont Triangle, inviting you to stop by for a cup of coffee and a pastry or to find that perfect gift.

The complex has a small exercise room, common laundry facilities, and bike storage. In addition, the condo building is located on Battery Lane next to a community park with a children’s play area, tennis courts and pathways.

The condo fee at the Sussex House on Battery includes heat, air conditioning, electricity, gas, water and sewer, common area maintenance, insurance, and amenities including property upkeep. The condo fees vary based on the size of the unit.  In 2016, the condo fee was about $660/month for a one bedroom unit and $783 for a two bedroom two bath. The fee for the same sized two bedroom two bath unit was still $783 in 2018 while the three bedroom was now $979!  In 2020 the condo fee for a two bedroom two bath was $793.  In 2022, the condo fee for a two bedroom two bath ranged from $780 to $807, depending on the size of the unit.

This part of Bethesda is quieter than the area near the Anthropologie store at Woodmont and Bethesda Avenue. There are lots of restaurants and shops  and nearby necessities (such as the grocery stores, Starbucks, quaint diners, dry cleaner, banks) but there are no big chain stores like Lululemon, Pottery Barn or the Apple Store which you find in the area south of Old Georgetown.

You are so close to the Woodmont Triangle shopping area with great restaurants and shops.  There is an iconic restaurant there – Bethesda’s Tastee Diner that I remember from my childhood, but it has been joined by other great choices like the Woodmont Grill, Jetties for wonderful sandwiches and salads, BGR for great burgers, and House of Milae for Korean food.  The wonderful thing about Woodmont Triangle is that most of the restaurants and shops are independently owned – and there are lots of moderately priced ethnic restaurants.  In a sense, Woodmont Triangle is old Bethesda while the area south of Old Georgetown, with Anthropologie, Lululemon, 5 Guys, the Apple Store, Blue Mercury, and Bonobos is the location for the national stores.

Shopping is easy here with Blue House and Random Harvest for home design, Reddz for repurposed clothing,  Daisy Too Boutique and Ecker’s Clock and Watch Shop. There are lots of great reasons for a leisurely stroll through the neighborhood!  When you are hungry be sure to stop for a pastry at Tout De Sweet Pastry Shop for a great cup of coffee and a delicious macaron in beautiful colors.

The Sussex House condos are a great place to call home. You will not be disappointed if you end up living here. You can find condos for sale in Sussex House (if there are any available today) as well as all available Bethesda condos on my website.

As more and more families choose to remain in downtown Bethesda, there are lots of children waiting for the school bus at each condo building!  The Sussex House is in the Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School cluster, so children at the Sussex House attend Bethesda Elementary, Westland Middle School and Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School.

There are approximately 2,000 students enrolled at B-CC from more than 55 countries.  Approximately 75 percent of students go on to attend a four-year college; 20 percent attend a two-year college.  BCC High School recently completed a 94000 square foot addition for new classroom space. The new addition includes two wings that connect the existing building to enhance circulation. The design featured collaborative learning areas adjacent to classrooms and found spaces near vertical circulation for gathering, performances, and learning. A naturally lit stairway was incorporated in the new addition as well as a large dance room. The stadium and sports fields were completed in March 2019.

B-CC has been participating in the International Baccalaureate Program since 1996. The program provides students a liberal arts, interdisciplinary education leading to a diploma recognized throughout the world. Instead of pursuing a full IB diploma, students at B-CC may choose to take one or more IB courses (except Theory of Knowledge) and obtain a certificate for the successful completion of the requirements for each course (more on B-CC’s IB program).

Nearby private schools include Alef Bet Montessori, Bethesda Community School, Landon School for Boys, Holton Arms, Stone Ridge and Georgetown Prep.

My favorite question or amenity is whether a condominium is pet friendly or not.  This one is definitely pet friendly! Fido will enjoy it here and will think the park next door is picture perfect!

Major employers in Bethesda include Marriott, the Walter Reed Medical Center, The Howard Hughes Institute, The National Institutes of Health, Capital One Bank, Lockheed Martin, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Chevy Chase Park condos is not only close to  the Red Line Metro in downtown Bethesda and the new purple line but also the Beltway and I-270, so that you can always get around the metro area from here.

If you want to live at Sussex House on Battery, just click here to see what is on the market now.  Since Sussex House is so small, there may not be any condos on the market at this moment, but just be patient!  Give us a call at the Lise Howe Group at 240-401-5577.  Since we love Bethesda condos, we may know of something that is coming on the market but not listed yet.  Lets talk!

If you don’t want to wait, then click here to see all the condos and coops currently on the market in Bethesda.  Just give us a call to start exploring your choices!

What if you don’t like the condos on the market at Sussex House on Battery? Or worse yet, there are no listings for sale when you are looking.  What are some other options to consider?

If you are interested in a mid century modern condo, you might consider the West Lake Park condos near Montgomery Mall, the Whitehall also on Battery or Parkside near the Grosvenor metro.  Do you want a small building so that you get to know your neighbors?  Check out Bradley House in Chevy Chase or 4720 Chevy Chase Drive.   If what you really want is to be close to the Woodmont Triangle, then start your search with some medium sized modern high rise buildings like the Christopher, the Chase, Fairmont Plaza,  Madison Park and the City Commons in addition to the new luxury buildings like the Lauren, Cheval and Stonehall.

If you already live at the Sussex House, are you curious now about the value of your condo?  Sadly,  you can’t rely on the online valuation sites to produce a value for your home.  Home sales frequently take several months from the closing date to appear in the public records.  The data used by the different valuation sites like Zillow and Trulia are usually months old.  In addition, those sites never see your home or the ones they are comparing yours to. How can a valuation like that be “valuable?”

Our free comparative market evaluation of your condo or home in Bethesda is based on current data of nearby properties similar to yours that have recently sold. We will put provide you with a sales valuation of your home in today’s market. Receive a market analysis of the value of your condo in Bethesda MD.

In February 2022 unit 105 sold for $315,000.  That condo is a two bedroom two bath unit with 1062 square feet.  Unit 403 sold in December 2021 for $345,000.  That condo is 1135 square feet with a private balcony overlooking the Battery Park.

If you would like detailed demographic reports about Bethesda, Maryland, as well as school reports or market trends and statistics, please visit my website,  www.homesinchevychasebethesda.com.  As the Bethesda Condo Queen, I am confident that I can answer all your condo questions about which community will be the best fit for you!  You can reach Lise Howe, Keller Williams Capital Properties at 240-401-5577 with a quick phone call.