If you’ve ever lived in a big apartment building in DC, you know the feeling. You share walls, hallways, and elevators with dozens of people, and somehow still don’t know anyone’s name. You smile in the lobby, hold the door, maybe exchange a quick comment about the weather—but that’s usually where it ends.
For Elena Bernstein, a Reservoir District homeowner, that experience was familiar. After years of apartment living, they were ready for something different—to start building a community of neighbors and friends.
Elena said, “I've lived in an apartment building for my entire time in DC and it can feel very lonely. The feeling I've felt moving into this community is that EYA puts a real focus on getting to know your neighbors."
That focus is something we take seriously. Last year, EYA launched homeowner engagement clubs across our communities: book clubs, running groups, cooking nights, pickleball clubs and more coming soon. It starts with a simple interest form where homeowners sign up for what sounds fun to them.
Reservoir District book club participants Elena Bernstein (left) and Maggie Gallagher (right).
And last week, we held our first community book club gathering at Reservoir District. Elena volunteered to lead the inaugural book club meeting. She noted (with a laugh), "I have to be honest, my wife put us down on the interest form for all of the things, including book club. Sam reached out to me about leading the Reservoir District book club and I was like, I signed up for a book club?"
Turns out, the sign-up made perfect sense. "I could not be more excited, because I tried to launch two book clubs in the past, one with friends and one with co-workers, both of which failed spectacularly." Third time was the charm. When people live nearby, getting together feels easy. There’s no coordinating across the region or committing to a long drive after work. Showing up becomes part of your routine.
The group gathered with drinks and sandwiches and dove into a fun and thoughtful discussion of their first book, Project Hail Mary.
Making new friends as busy adults can be challenging. Getting to know neighbors, who you pass on the sidewalk or meet at the playground, in a casual setting through shared interests makes it easier. Elena added, "For me, community is a support network. It's people who understand what you're going through. DC can feel so big, and particularly for transplants, the fact that we're putting so much focus on getting to know people means a lot to me."
For all us at EYA, building neighborhoods is more than just building homes. It's about creating spaces for people to connect and offering opportunities to make new friendships close to home. The book club at Reservoir District is one of several homeowner clubs at EYA's neighborhoods that are taking shape.
Curious about what life looks like at Reservoir District? Click here to learn more.