by Susanna Monroney Luddy

Ritz-Carlton and Millennium Partners have teamed up to develop the most expensive apartments ever builtin Washington, The Residences at the Ritz-Carlton. Scheduled to be finished in September, the condosaverage about $600 per square foot, which adds up to $500,000 for a one bedroom, or $5,000,000 for athree-story penthouse. But you are not just paying for the adaptable floor plans and the convenience ofDowntown…in a prime location, here most of all, you are paying for a lifestyle.

You are paying for a top-of-the-line kitchen, and for a concierge who will assure that you never have touse it. You are paying to order-in anything you'd like, and to have your dirty dishes whisked away. Youare paying not to worry about the manufacturer's guarantee that you can put your ear right up against thedoor of your Miele dishwasher and not be able to tell if it is on or off. You are paying for a conciergewho will run out and pick up a pair of Size 11 running shoes because you left yours at the New YorkAthletic Club, and you want to grab a quick workout in The Residences' 100,000-square-foot Sports ClubLA/DC. Or per-haps you left your bathing suit at the Palm Beach Bath and Tennis? No matter, he will getyou both. You are paying for a concierge who will get you those Concord tickets to London, reservationsat San Lorenzo, and tickets to the Bob Fosse Tribute at the Prince of Wales Theatre.

You can drive up to the front door, drop your car off with the valet, hop the elevator to your $800,000two-bedroom apartment, walk across your Bolivian mahogany floors, shower in your Malaysian marblebathroom, change into your tux that has been pressed and placed in your walk-in closet, and receive yourguests for cocktails and dinner, which have been sent up from a four-star restaurant.

The Washington Post is reporting that Michael Jordan is not moving his residence here butwill commute from Chicago. Unconfirmed reports are that he has picked The Residences as his pied-á-terre.We had hoped he'd buy Glenstone, Washington Fine Properties' $18.5 million listing in Potomac, butThe Residences is a hop, skip, and a limo drive to and from the MCI center. Location, location, location!

Fellow Chicagoan of a different political persuasion, and confirmed Residence purchaser, StantonAnderson, is a partner in the Chicago-based law firm, McDermott, Will & Emery. He has served asCounsel to the 1980 Reagan-Bush Campaign, and also in senior positions at the Republican NationalConventions in 1980, 1984, and 1988. Anderson and his wife Carol, a venture capitalist withDelaware-based TFG International, have purchased two one-bedroom apartments that they are combining, anda third, smaller apartment on a separate floor for their visiting children and guests. Since MichaelJordan is endorsing Bill Bradley in campaign ads, can you imagine the political sparks that might fly inFirst Class on shared commutes to and from Chicago!?

William F. X. Moody, of Sotheby's Washington Fine Properties, has also bought a two-bedroom unitat The Residences. Moody was extremely lucky as his unit had already been sold, but when its originalpurchaser decided to upgrade to a larger apartment, Moody snapped it up. Looking to simplify his life,Moody chose The Residences for the "lifestyle," and several of his clients followed suit by alsopurchasing units. They will all no doubt enjoy cocktails on Moody's 40-foot terrace, and dinnersdownstairs at the private club for residents.

Shopping in a seller's market can be very competitive and it might interest readers to know the sellingprice for even a small rowhouse in Burleith. Last month, Washington Fine Properties put a Reservoir Roadtownhouse in Burleith on the market for $344,000. One open house and ten offers later, it sold for$385,000.

With the Time Warner-AOL merger scheduled before the end of 2000, there should be a lot of high-endreal-estate activity in the next year. AOL stock options will vest one year from the date of the merger,and Virginia will be home to many new millionaires. Steve Case is comfortably ensconced in theAlps Drive, McLean home he purchased in 1996 for $1,125,000. By 2001, his home will probably beaffordable to just about any AOL intern who managed to walk away with a reasonable number of stocks.

Across the street from Case, 1209 Alps Drive just sold for $1,300,000. The six-bedroom Colonialsits on two acres with a swimming pool. Sue Huckaby of Weichert Realtors listed the home for Dr. Cornelius Reing, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon, and his wife Susan. The purchasers are Kurt and Marice Wiese. Mr. Wiese is an incoming executive with Exxon-Mobil.

Sue Huckaby also listed 1133 Towlston Road in McLean. The five-bedroom Colonial has threemarble fireplaces and a stone fireplace in the wood-paneled library. It was sold by Alan W. Smith and Patricia Waterfield to Marshall and Karen Barker for $1,150,000. NancyItteilag of Pardoe/ERA represented the purchasers.

In Great Falls, also popular with AOL executives, 443 Springvale Road was purchased for$1,200,000. Richard A. Buckner and Maria J. Chaloux sold it to Randall L. Baughman and Laurie B. Smilan. Penny Yerks of Weichert listed and sold the property.

In Spring Valley, Philip and Nina Pillsbury sold 5036 Sedgwick Street for $1,750,000to Rachel Wilder, of the Austin Grille, Jaleo-restaurant Wilders, and her fiancé PhilLerman, executive producer of "America's Most Wanted." Giselle Theberge of Pardoe/ERArepresented the sellers, and Tracy Davis Jordan of Pardoe/ERA represented the buyers.

Chuck Holzwarth gutted, renovated, and decorated 4545 Klingle Street in Wesley Heights, andthen sold the 5-bedroom home for $1,275,000. Chuck Holzwarth of Pardoe/ERA represented himself!

In Forest Hills, Edward and Teresa Ann Carr sold 4924 30th Place for $2,450,000. Thefour-bedroom Colonial has seven full baths, a master suite with loft, and a black-bottom pool. MarkFleisher of Long and Foster represented the Carrs. Jim Lake and Cynthia Hudson soldtheir nine-bedroom fieldstone Colonial at 16 Kalorama Circle for $2,100,000. Mark Fleisher of Long and Foster represented the sellers.

C.S. Bowie and C.R. Nicholson sold 2942 Macomb Street in Cleveland Park for$1,210,000. Chuck Holzwarth of Pardoe/ERA listed and sold the property.

Interior decorator Marcia Hayman sold 5126 Palisade Lane for $1,010,000. The six-bedroomhome sits on a 14,411-square-foot lot in Kent. Cathie Gill of Cathie Gill, Inc. Realtorsrepresented the purchasers.

In Alexandria, Bonnie Alchin sold 2 Wolfe Street to Philip B. Rogers for $1,725,000. Susan Koehler of Washington Fine Properties represented the seller. Sissy Zimmerman ofMcErnearney represented the purchaser.

Representative Jim Leach (R-IA) sold 2124 Kalorama Road to the Embassy of Benir for$1,600,000. Congressman Leach is Chairman of the House Committee on Banking and Financial Services. Bobbie Brewster of Pardoe represented the buyers.

Leon Wieseltier bought 1800 Mintwood Place in Kalorama for $825,000. Wieseltier edits thebook pages of The New Republic, and is the author of Kaddish. William F.X. Moody and Patrick Chauvin of Washington Fine Properties both listed and sold the property.

James J. Kilpatrick and his wife Marianne Means sold 1521 31st Street in Georgetownto Teresa Cudahy. Kilpatrick, right-wing conservative syndicated columnist and Means, longtimeliberal columnist, matched right up like James Carville and Mary Matalin. Jean Smith of Remax and Gigi Winston of Winston and Winston represented the sellers, and Nancy TaylorBubes represented the purchaser.