Dragone Realty Investments Renovates an Apartment Complex in Disrepair

Before Dragone Realty Investments transformed the decades-old Lynnhill Condominiums in Prince George County, Maryland, it was a building in disrepair with many safety violations. A pest infestation, filthy corridors, and mold-stained carpets were problems for condo owners, renters, and squatters who lived there. After multiple violations and a string of court battles, Prince George County’s Fire Chief, Ben Barksdale, closed the building, stating it had too many code violations, making it uninhabitable. Today, the structure, renamed Verona at Naylor Metro (Verona), has undergone an amazing transformation.

The multifamily complex is 260,000 square feet with 219 units and common areas near shopping, parks and recreation, the airport, three institutions of higher education, and three military installations. The rebranding and renovation took two years to complete and cost $18.5 million.

Dragone Realty Investments approached renovating this property with a focus on safety. The firm used superior materials in upgrading the building’s safety features. Incidentally, the firm stood out against the competition because of its use of superior materials. At the same time, the firm wanted to freshen up the building’s exterior making it aesthetically pleasing to prospective occupants.

Before and after pictures illustrate the extensive work required of Dragone Realty Investments. The exterior of the building was dilapidated. Some of the balcony railings were missing or completely boarded up, and the façade’s concrete masonry was dismantled in places.

The building underwent extensive structural repairs to stabilize the structure. After completing the brick and masonry renovations, the company installed new balcony doors, railings, and energy-efficient windows. The individual heating and cooling units, formerly exposed, now have custom louvers (duct covers), and new metal and concrete pan stairs replaced old crumbling emergency stairs.

Repairing the inside of the building was a complex process involving removing asbestos. During the project’s construction phase, the company installed temporary generators, electrical panels, and cables that were later replaced with permanent backup generators, electrical panels, wiring, and switch gears.

The renovation also addressed the building’s fire safety issues by installing a fire suppression system comprised of a fire pump room and sprinkler system connected to city power and backup generators. These features have brought the city’s power back up to code. Fire safety add-ons included replacing non-functional smoke detectors that were mainly installed in the common areas with intercommunicated regular and carbon monoxide smoke detectors throughout the building. The building’s elevators were also upgraded to 4 Traction passenger elevators to operate efficiently in the seven-story building.

The parking lot and roof were also renovated. The parking lot was resurfaced and repainted, and a gated community pedestrian and vehicle access system replaced the former perimeter fence. The firm also replaced the leaking gravel roof with a TPO white flat roof, which included using insulation crickets to provide a slope for drainage. The building’s HVAC system, which includes air conditioning in common areas and corridors, was installed on the roof.

Finally, the firm renovated the building’s studio, one, two, and three-bedroom apartments. The remodel involved installing SPC waterproof vinyl flooring, new kitchen cabinets, stainless steel hardware, granite countertops, PVC Venetian mini and vertical blinds, LED light fixtures, and life-safety features.