The Duke, a neighborhood of 18 new townhomes and flats (large single level condos), will soon come to life in the 1300 block of Duke Street in Old Town’s Historic District.

Marquis Homes, a member of the Van Metre Family of Companies, made

the announcement  this week that final approvals had been obtained from the city.

“It’s such a privilege to be creating a new neighborhood in the Historic District,” said Laurie Shultz, director of sales and marketing for Marquis Homes. “We worked closely with the Board Of Architectural Review to ensure the highest level of detail and historical accuracy of our exterior designs.”

Schultz added that The Duke will “look and feel like a natural extension of Old Town with, of course, one notable exception. All of our homes include two garage parking spaces–definitely not something you find with most homes in the Historic District.”

The Duke is designed around a landscaped community courtyard with paved walkways creating a sense of connectedness to immediate neighbors and the greater community of Old Town.

The townhomes are limited editions — just 18 are available at The Duke. Each townhome boasts three levels of finished living space, an owner’s suite with private balcony, gated rear courtyard that opens to the community green space, and high-style features and finishes throughout.

Sizes range from nearly 2,000 square feet to over 2,300 square feet. Most of the townhomes front Duke Street and overlook historic homes built in the mid 1800’s.

The flats are large by today’s standards for a new condo. “We keep hearing from condo buyers that bigger is better,” Schultz said. “So we responded with designs that are truly grand, ranging in size from 1,311 square feet to 1,571 square feet.”

Available with a variety of room configurations, the flats feature open floorplans, light-filled living spaces and great entertaining spaces inside and out. Each flat includes two parking spaces and a storage unit located in the private-access underground parking garage.

“Our heritage as a custom homebuilder will definitely shine through at The Duke,” added Shultz. “Every exterior is masonry. The townhomes and flats feature period-style detailing and brick on all sides. This attention to quality construction will result in homes that reflect the elegance of the Historic District.”

Schultz added that the “walkability” factor is “second to none.”

The Duke’s sales center is scheduled to open in early spring. Early homebuyers may take advantage of pre-construction pricing, Schultz said.

For more information about The Duke, and to receive progress updates, register at http://TheDukeOldTown.com or contact Laurie Shultz at 703-837-0364.