When Sheila Khatri moved to D.C. from Bethesda, Md., she worried most about her plants. A former U.S. Botanic Garden volunteer, Khatri was looking for an amount of outdoor space uncommon in a city dwelling. She found it in this Watergate West co-op apartment.

The rooftop terrace, at more than 1,200 square feet, is one of the largest in the building and, according to Khatri, offers an unusual amount of privacy because it sits above neighboring roofs.

“There’s not a lot of terraces that are super private,” she said. “You could go out there and suntan yourself completely in the buff, and nobody’s really going to notice because we’re a little higher.”

The terrace has plants blooming for much of the year, and some, like the peonies, bloom months earlier than usual for the region. Khatri said that, at home, she spends most of her time on the terrace, which has a gas grill hookup, a water source, lighting, a retractable awning and views of much of the city, including, in the distance, Washington National Cathedral.

Advertisement

She bought the two-bedroom Watergate West unit — at 2700 Virginia Ave. NW — in 2015 and renovated most living spaces, including the original kitchen and the bathrooms. She removed walls in the main living spaces to create a great room that captures more natural light.

In the primary suite bathroom, Khatri added a Japanese soaking tub, a smaller shower and a new two-sink vanity. In the second bedroom — next to the primary bedroom suite — she installed a Murphy (hideaway) bed and pocket doors to create a space that can be used as a bedroom or for other purposes.

Completed in 1969, Watergate West, one of three Watergate residential buildings, has 13 stories and 143 apartments. The first owner of Khatri’s unit was Jacob Javits, who was New York state’s attorney general from 1955 to 1957 and a U.S. senator from 1957 to 1981. He lived here during his later years in the Senate.

Advertisement

An August 1969 Life Magazine article proclaimed that “Just Everybody Lives There” and featured a full-page photo of Javits launching himself off a diving board.

The photo caption said: “At 7 p.m., after a long hot day at the office, Senator Jacob Javits swans into the pool belonging to Watergate West, where the New York senator recently purchased a $70,000 two-bedroom apartment.” (Now, of course, searching the internet for “Watergate” and a politician from the 1970s is likely to yield quite a different result.)

The unit, on the market for $1.695 million, has a two-story foyer with glass upper walls that overlook the terrace. The bedrooms are on one side of the foyer and a hall bathroom is on the other.

Stairs in the foyer lead up to the terrace and an enclosed loft. A powder room is near the staircase.

The living room, straight ahead and on the right, has a wood-burning fireplace and oversize windows, and it connects to a dining area. Beyond the living and dining areas is the kitchen, which has quartz countertops and a large pantry.

The monthly co-op fee of nearly $3,400 includes property taxes, utilities, internet, cable, maintenance and Watergate amenities such as 24-hour concierge service, doorman service, an outdoor saltwater pool, a fitness center and two underground parking spots.

$1,695,000

Watergate West, 2700 Virginia Ave. NW, No. 1504, Washington, D.C.

• Bedrooms/bathrooms: 2/3
• Approximate square footage: 1,815 interior, 1,200 terrace
• Features: This unit has one of the largest private rooftop terraces at Watergate West. A monthly co-op fee includes utilities and two parking spots in an underground garage.
• Listing agent: Gigi Winston, Winston Real Estate

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZK%2B2v8innKyrX2d9c3%2BOamdoamBkf3h8j2atoqqXnruqrYyarZ5lnqx6coGPbWY%3D