AvalonBay: Starts New Apartment Community



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 14, 2000


                      AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES ANNOUNCES
    THE COMMENCEMENT OF CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW LUXURY APARTMENT COMMUNITY


(Alexandria, VA) AvalonBay Communities, Inc. (NYSE/PCX Symbol: AVB)
announced today the commencement of construction of a luxury apartment
community in Arlington, VA.  This community represents a truly unique
opportunity to redevelop an entire neighborhood of eight city blocks in
close-in Arlington, just two miles from the Pentagon and the 14th Street
Bridge.

The community will be known as Avalon at Arlington Square and will be
constructed in two phases with 510 apartment homes in Phase I and 332
apartment homes in Phase II.  The community will offer a wide variety of
housing types to serve multiple market segments.  The Arlington rental
market is predominantly  high-rise and Arlington Square will represent the
only new low-rise product and the only rental townhomes available in the
area.  Community amenities  will include a central Village Green; an
extensive Village Center with marketing center, fitness center, indoor
basketball court, resident business/telemarketing center and resident
lounge; a swimming pool with deck; a tot lot; and a series of landscaped
courtyards with seating areas and gas barbecue grills.

Construction of Phase I of the community recently began.  Initial occupancy
is expected in the fourth quarter of 2000 with construction completion
scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2001.  Stabilized occupancy is expected
in the third quarter of 2002.  The total development cost is projected to
be $69.9 million for Phase I.

About AvalonBay Communities, Inc.

AvalonBay  owns or holds an ownership interest in 133 apartment communities
containing  38,821  apartment  homes  in  12  states  and  the  District of
Columbia, of which presently 12 communities are under construction and four
communities  are  under reconstruction.  AvalonBay is an equity REIT in the
business  of  developing,  redeveloping, acquiring and managing multifamily
apartment  communities  in  high  barrier-to-entry  markets  of  the United
States.  More information on AvalonBay may be found on AvalonBay's Web Site
at  http://www.avalonbay.com.   For  additional information, please contact
Richard  L.  Michaux,  President  and  Chief  Executive  Officer,  at (703)
317-4602 or Bryce Blair, Chief Operating Officer, at (617) 847-1250.

This  release  contains  forward-looking  statements  within the meaning of
Section  27A  of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of
the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934,  as  amended. The forward-looking
statements  contained in this release are statements that involve risks and
uncertainties,  including,  but  not  limited to, changes in the demand for
apartment  homes,  the  effects  of  economic  conditions,  the  impact  of
competition  and  competitive  pricing,  changes in construction costs, the
results  of  financing  efforts,  the  effects  of the Company's accounting
policies  and  other  matters  detailed  in  the Company's filings with the
Securities  and  Exchange Commission, including the Company's Annual Report
on  Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998 under the heading
"Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations  - Forward-Looking Statements."  In addition, the actual cost of
construction  and  the  completion  date of the community described in this
release  may  be  different  than  the  current  projections  and estimates
indicated by the Company herein.


End