Robert Grealy, Area Vice President for Equity Residential (NYSE: EQR), announced today that its 425 Mass Apartment community, located in the Mount Vernon Triangle region of Washington, D.C., will begin the lease-up of the second tower, the 401 building, on October 2, 2010. Potential residents will be able to tour apartment homes in the second tower with move-ins expected as early as mid-November 2010.

"425 Mass Apartments is leasing at record pace," stated Robert Grealy. "The property, which has a total of 559 units, is currently 50% leased. Because of the tremendous success of the community, we are opening the second tower well ahead of schedule and introducing new floor plans and additional common area amenities to the marketplace."

Downtown Washington, D.C.'s first smoke-free rental community, 425 Mass Apartments is perfectly located in the heart of Mount Vernon Triangle, and just a few blocks from an endless array of shopping, dining and entertainment. Within walking distance is The Capitol, K Street, Penn Quarter, Chinatown, Judiciary Square and Gallery Place.

In addition to 425 Mass' sought-after location, the community has something for everyone; offering a mix of studio, one-, and two-bedroom apartment homes, some with dens and loft spaces, and ranging in size from approximately 504 - 1,717 square feet. Every apartment home boasts spectacular views and is complemented by sleek design, upscale fixtures, floor-to-ceiling or bay windows, high 9-foot ceilings, hardwood flooring and gourmet kitchens with granite countertops. The community's amenities include two rooftop pools with private garden retreats, concierge services and garage parking. Each tower of community will feature a state-of-the-art fitness center, business center and conference room. With the opening of the 401 building, residents will also enjoy a game room, rooftop entertainment areas including grilling stations, private dining cabañas, a large screen television and Wi-Fi seating areas with amazing views of the Capitol and the Washington Monument.

Equity Residential purchased the 425 Mass Apartments project (formerly known as The Dumont) in March 2010 and began signing leases in the first tower in April, 2010. 425 Mass consists of two buildings featuring 559 apartment units, 2,954 square feet of retail space and 561 underground parking spaces.

For more information about Equity Residential and 425 Mass Apartments, please contact Robert Grealy, Area Vice President at 703.714.1624. For information about leasing an apartment at 425 Mass or to set-up an appointment for a tour, please contact a member of the leasing staff at 202.408.5988 or visit www.Live425Mass.com.

About Equity Residential
Equity Residential (NYSE: EQR) is an S&P 500 company focused on the acquisition, development and management of high quality apartment properties in top U.S. growth markets. Equity Residential owns or has investments in 494 properties located in 23 states and the District of Columbia, consisting of 136,886 apartment units. In the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. region, Equity Residential owns and manages 51 properties consisting of 15,976 apartment units. For more information on Equity Residential, please visit our website at www.equityapartments.com.

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