
By: Joyce Finn
Hip urban dwellers in our national capitol have David Franco and Jeff Blum of Level 2 Development, LLC to thank for new exciting apartment options. Founded by the two partners in 2003, the firm has prospered through the economic recession by addressing the increased need for rental and mixed-used buildings. Level 2 Development delights in bucking the more traditional architectural styles common throughout the city in favor of its distinctive bright and sustainable designs, and both Franco and Blum believe building locally gives their work a stronger focus. According to Franco, “We're Washingtonians and have watched the city change since we were kids, and we want to be a creative part of these changes. We also see so many opportunities in DC right now.” Those opportunities continue to result in new projects, including the View 14 apartment complex.
The 14th and U streets corridor, once notorious for the start of the 1960s race riots, is now one of the most sought-after areas in America’s cosmopolitan seat of government. View 14, a high-rise apartment building completed near the intersection in the fall of 2009, with spectacular views of the US Capitol and the Washington Monument, is a monument itself to responsible construction and community engagement.