This month’s real estate story switches focus from a single architectural style to the diverse and historic communities that have developed in and around the southern mid-Atlantic. Chevy Chase, Maryland is our first profile —an area that is rooted in history and has weathered the turbulent economic and political times of the last century.
Founded by Francis G. Newlands and William M. Stewart in the 1890s, the Chevy Chase Land Company was formed and set the stage for the development of Chevy Chase in the 20th century.The two men purchased thousands of acres of land in the area just north of Washington, DC, then built an electric railway, roads, and installed a water and sewer system. “Francis Newlands was the brainchild of Chevy Chase. He built a streetcar line first to bring people to the area. Then he built some model homes and some enticements including a lake with a pavilion for dancing and rentable boats. He made it a desirable destination just outside the city of Washington, DC,” says Kim Williams, historian and co-author of “Chevy Chase: A Home Suburb for the Nation’s Capital.”
Real development in Chevy Chase did not come until after World War I, as the use of the automobile finally began to make living outside the District a viable option. The town officials were always ready to safeguard the city from retail or commercial businesses being built in the municipality. “Newlands’ plan was very progressive for the time; he excluded any commercial or light industrial development. Chevy Chase is a very quiet, bucolic place with very little noise,” explains Williams.
The Village of Chevy Chase was one of the first sections of land to be developed and is a self-governing municipality located in Montgomery County, Maryland. The incorporated boundaries of the town extend to East-West Highway on the north, Connecticut Avenue on the east, Bradley Lane on the south and one block east of Wisconsin Avenue on the west. “Subdivisions of the land began in 1892 and today Chevy Chase is divided into five sections [The Village of Chevy Chase, The Town of Chevy Chase, Martin’s Addition, Section 5, and Section 3],” says Williams.
Today, Chevy Chase is very much preserved and many of the residences have been declared historic. “Having grown up in Chevy Chase, I was always struck by the maturity of the trees. The tree-lined streets that serve as a buffer for the homes contribute to a neighborhood feel that seems largely unchanged in a hundred years. And that quality is monitored and maintained,” says Greg Wiedemann, AIA, principal of Wiedemann Architects in Bethesda, Maryland.
Over the last century, Chevy Chase has grown and the community is still considered a haven for affluent Washington DC politicians. “When Chevy Chase was developed, Newlands wanted to make it an exclusive area so the prices of real estate were high and people had the flexibility of building custom homes. The houses were stylistically diverse and were located between two country clubs,” notes Wiedemann. He adds,
“All of our projects have been restoration, renovation, or additions. The historic homes in Chevy Chase are so wonderful that you wouldn’t want to tear them down and start anew.”Paul Butterfield licensed ReMax real estate broker for 20 years says, “You have people in Washington, DC who make a lot of money and want access to good public and private schools, but they don’t necessarily want to live in the District. Many people who consider Chevy Chase are looking for a nice, safe place to raise a family without a long commute to the city,” says Butterfield. He adds, “Chevy Chase sells itself. It’s prestigious; it is the who’s who of DC elite. It’s a remarkable place; it’s a seller’s market in a buyer’s market. It is close to shopping and downtown; you have access to the city but you are not in the city.”
The last section of Chevy Chase to be developed was an area called Martin’s Addition, named after Harry M. Martin who acquired the land in 1896 from the Chevy Chase Land Company. “The homes in Martin’s Addition were developed later and some of those are a bit more modest and affordable like the Craftsman bungalow homes of the 1920s,” says Wiedemann.
Many people covet the private and somewhat exclusive area of Chevy Chase, a charming, historic town nestled in the suburbs of Washington, DC. No matter what section you happen to live in, you’ll find a beautiful landscape, good schools, and the best shopping and dining within walking distance.
Listing Agent: Marion Webster/Long & Foster Real Estate. (301-983-0060)*
Chevy Chase, MD
This 1942 colonial has four bedrooms, four full and one half baths, a total square footage of 4,179, and is situated on .11 acres. It is an active listing with an asking price of $1,095,000.
Listing Agent: Susie Gordon Maguire/Washington Fine Properties, LLC. (202-567-2711)*
Chevy Chase, MD
This 1994 traditional has four bedrooms, four full and two half baths, a total square footage of 7,900 and is situated on .24 acres. It is an active listing with an asking price of $3,200,000.
Listing Agent: Linda Rosenkranz/ Rosenkranz-Coley-Reed Team. (301-215-4141)*
Chevy Chase, MD
This contemporary condominium unit built in 1989 has four bedrooms, four full and one half baths, and a total square footage of 3,650. It is an active listing with an asking price of $3,350,000.
Jennifer K. Dansicker is the Special Projects Editor for ChesapeakeHome.
Contacts:
Wiedemann Architects: wiedemannarchitects.com or 301-652-4022
Paul Butterfield/ReMax: paulbutterfield.com or 301-538-5503
These listings were compiled with the help of Lynn Summerlin Hoeckel, Residential Agent for Yerman Witman Gaines and Conklin Realty (410-583-0400 or lsummerlin@ywggrealty.com). *The status of all listings was current at the time of printing.
