The U.S. economic expansion of the last decade has opened the door for the development of many large-scale residential and commercial projects that otherwise would never have passed the planning stage. And nowhere is that door wider ajar than on the East Coast, where Forest City Enterprises recently completed construction of the Lennox Grande.

A 546-unit high-rise apartment building located in North Bethesda, MD, the 20-story Lennox Grande is constructed around a lifestyle theme, combining the offerings of a five-star European hotel with a desirable geographical location. A full-service concierge, state-of-the-art fitness center, and conference rooms, as well as daily complimentary coffee and cinnamon rolls, are just some of the amenities offered by the Grande.

Reportedly one of the more luxurious apartment communities in the region, the Lennox Grande units are replete with spacious floor plans, high-tech appliances, fireplaces, balconies, and decorator interiors, all of which add a new dimension to living in the Washington, D.C. area.

“(The Lennox Grande) is the most magnificent and luxurious project we’ve ever had the privilege of working on,” declares Meredith Ford, president of Houston, TX-based Lyn Tile Inc., one of the main contributors to the Grande’s development.

The walls of the distinctive indoor/outdoor pool area feature decorative tiles from Tile& Marble Collections of Atlanta, GA. In the spa, Questech tiles from Crossville adorn the curved walls, while the floors feature 12” x 24” porcelain tiles.

The centerpiece of the building is the Grand Hall, a huge rotunda area festooned with carefully selected hard surfaces. Golden Fleece marble and Marte Granitogres Bottocino granite, along with the 12-inch square Porcellanato Nero and 8-inch-square gray and white Unicolore tiles, work together to express the elegant feel of the entryway.

All the Grand Hall tile surfaces, as well as those in the spa, were installed with Custom Building Products’ VersaBond Bonding Mortar and ReliaBond Ceramic Tile Mastic. Custom’s Polyblend Grout was also used throughout the installation.

The marble, granite and the majority of the ceramic tile used throughout the remainder of the building was supplied by Mosaic Tile Co. and Tile&Marble Collection. The Bottocino marble, as well as the Italino Porcelan in the individual apartments, was provided by Stone Marketing of Houston. Mosaic Tile and Custom Building Products coordinated the material distribution with Lyn Tile.

“We follow each project from the design stage through completion,” explains Max Lestz, Mosaic Tile’s sales manager, “assuring the use of quality products and personalized service.”

The project was conceived by Forest City Enterprises Inc., a national real estate company principally engaged in all facets of acquisition, development, and management of commercial and residential property throughout the United States.