Tuesday, December 14, 2010

National Harbor To Get 350-Unit Apartment Building


National Harbor, the 300-acre multi-use waterfront, Pleasantville-wannabe development on the shores of the Potomac River in Prince George's County, Maryland, is set to receive its first apartment building in the nearish future. With an expected late-2011 groundbreaking and 2013 delivery, the recently-announced project will see 350 new apartments atop 25,000 s.f. of ground-floor retail courtesy of Bozzuto Group. The Peterson Companies, which originally spawned the concept of National Harbor, and has seen nearly 75% of its 400 current condominiums sold, 40% of its 46 townhomes sold, and four manor homes sold, not to mention the construction and opening of the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center as well as a plethora of neatly packaged retail. Peterson contacted Bozzuto over the summer about bringing the “fourth residential food group" (i.e. apartments) this to the development site. With the market steadying, and long-held dreams of building at National Harbor, Bozzuto gladly accepted the offer.

National Harbor, which will eventually feature 10 million s.f. of development programming if Peterson's ambitious plans are left unhampered by any future market meltdowns, already contains a whopping six hotels, two marinas, three condo buildings, and a slowly growing number of shops and restaurants. The new apartment building is proposed for the intersection of American Way and Fleet Street, catty-corner from a new CVS and Potomac Gourmet Market, both set to open their doors within 120 days, according to last week's press release. Even more action is on the way, with a 500-room, 15-acre Disney resort hotel project promised by the entertainment conglomerate in 2009, the 140,000-square-foot Children's Museum expected to break ground next year, and the return of Cirque du Soleil in 2012. The apartment building will be LEED certified and will include the standard throng of amenities, a pool, fitness center, cyber cafe, billiards room, media room, and one wild card feature, a "Zen garden" (sounds mysterious, and also a little cheesy).

For those who wonder what kind of soulless creatures would seek shelter in a cookie-cutter concrete jungle so vanilla and seemingly void of authenticity; first, lose the self-righteousness and nauseating alliteration, and second, you're apparently not alone. Residential population remains only around 500, with condo sales slow after a fast start out of the gate in 2007. However, swaths of convention-goers keeps the area feeling busy.

By no means a full-blown, sell-out hit, the development has, however, had slow but steady improvement and a strange cult following, as well as a heavy influx of visiting shoppers and diners arriving in the summertime. But National Harbor is not without its detractors. Despite the myriad of freeways within reach, and a couple water-taxi services, Smart Growth advocates have cited the limited mass transit options as a significant flaw in the development, and a Metro stop doesn't look to be arriving any time soon. Furthermore, cuts in local public busing budgets have angered Prince George's County residents, all while the County has subsidized a new bus line shuttling tourists and Harbor residents between the Green Line's Branch Avenue and the Harbor's convention center.

While it might not be the most environmentally-friendly operation, or beacon of smart-growth development innovation, it's hard to argue with the market, as the project continues to line up a healthy list of big-name suitors, pack its convention center and hotels with corporate conferences, as well as keep residential sales relatively steady.

Prince George's County, MD Real Estate Development News

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lack of public transportation is definitely the biggest issue for the area. Considering how many people NoVa has been able to attract, there are plenty of people who don't mind the artificiality of the development.

Anonymous said...

Not that most of NoVa has great public transportation, either. Come to think of it...why the heck does anyone live in NoVa?

Anonymous said...

Jobs. Decent schools. Neither of which there is much of in Prince George's.

Anonymous said...

Very true. I wouldn't live in either. MoCo's the way to go!

Anonymous said...

I guess it's no worse than Reston, except for the people walking around with name-tags..

Anonymous said...

Everyone always complains that National Harbor is "artificial" and didn't develop "organically". How else were they supposed to develop 300 acres of inaccessible vacant property? They had to do it this way..otherwise who pays for all the infrastructure? I can understand complaints that there aren't enough LEED certified buildings or non-auto transportation methods, but give me a break. No Metro? Look at Potomac Yard. The City of Alexandria has to come up with something like $150 million if they want a station at Potomac Yard...and the tracks are already laid! Just imagine how much it would cost to bring Metro to National Harbor.

Brooks Butler Hays on Dec 16, 2010, 12:45:00 PM said...

anon, i don't think the complaining is insinuating that there was a better way, just a simple fact that it isn't authentic, and that makes it less than desirable, for me at least, personally i don't like developments as such, obviously some people do, i don't represent DCMud's official opinion on National Harbor or anyone else's but speaking for myself, I'd prefer to live somewhere where there is organic development, and diversity of character, maybe even a little history, or a building that isn't perfect and new, oh and maybe a local business nearby, or a hole in the wall taco join, you can't get those things at National Harbor, but maybe that's just me

Anonymous said...

I am amused that someone would posit that Montgomery County is somehow significantly different (let alone better than) Northern Virginia. Such a view is uninformed at best and silly provincialism at worst.

Anonymous said...

...how is Montgomery County not better than most NoVa "cities"? Alexandria beats all, but other than that, you seriously thing Ballston or Clarendon compete with Woodmont Triangle or Fenton Village? You're the one being provocative or maybe just joking.

Anonymous said...

That's Bethesda and Silver Spring, just in case you haven't live in the area for long.

Rico said...

This area really needs a metro. How will the employees of these hotels and resturants get to work etc? I hear buses in the area are few. Maybe they shouldve considered Poplar point in south east DC to build this. At least it has a metro within walking distance.

Unknown on Dec 17, 2010, 12:14:00 PM said...

I enjoyed taking my almost three year old to National Harbor for a morning activity a few times over the summer. Great place to let the little guy walk around, especially on the areas near the water and on the sand spot with the sculptures. Easy place to eat lunch right after too. It's a fairly popular activity for those with little kids who live in Fairfax thanks to the 30 minute or so ride.

Anonymous said...

The Purple Line if extended from New Carrolton would likely reach the business center area next to 495 which is part of National Harbor. I've been inside one of the main conference rooms where there is a big proposed map on the wall and saw how they had plans for the rail to go there and plus it would extend over the Woodrow Wilson into Alexandria...

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

Lack of public transportation is definitely the biggest issue for the area. Considering how many people NoVa has been able to attract, there are plenty of people who don't mind the artificiality of the development.

Dec 15, 2010 1:55:00 PM






RE: This further confirms that Maryland Haters from Virginia is Maryland's Downfall.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

Jobs. Decent schools. Neither of which there is much of in Prince George's.

Dec 15, 2010 3:55:00 PM

RE: BTW of Racism from the Virginia Good Ol' Boy's and Bourgeois House Negros from Virginia....

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

I am amused that someone would posit that Montgomery County is somehow significantly different (let alone better than) Northern Virginia. Such a view is uninformed at best and silly provincialism at worst.

Dec 16, 2010 3:40:00 PM




RE: Its no more ignorant than a Maryland hating Virginian making hateful and stereotyping comments about Maryland.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

...how is Montgomery County not better than most NoVa "cities"? Alexandria beats all, but other than that, you seriously thing Ballston or Clarendon compete with Woodmont Triangle or Fenton Village? You're the one being provocative or maybe just joking.

Dec 16, 2010 10:44:00 PM



RE: And judging by your Good Ol' Boy "any state in the South is better than Maryland" comment proves that most people in Virginia are still prejudice, territorial, and bitter......

Anonymous said...

Rico said...

This area really needs a metro. How will the employees of these hotels and resturants get to work etc? I hear buses in the area are few. Maybe they shouldve considered Poplar point in south east DC to build this. At least it has a metro within walking distance.

Dec 16, 2010 11:10:00 PM

RE: Another BS Maryland hating comment from a Virginian Capitalist Good Ol' Boy.

Mal said...

There is NO metro here by design and not just by happenstance...look at what happened to the Blvd in Largo when the metro station opened. It became a hangout spot and rest haven for teenagers. Due to that, there have been several incidences that have occurred at the Blvd, which as a result of that, little to no major retail stores have leased property at the Blvd. The Blvd is a major fail that the PG residents are paying for and I would hate to see that happen to the National Harbor.

Anonymous said...

I am all for non transportstion as a deterrent to the riff raff. Can I PLEASE find ONE place in the U.S. where I can find peace, diversity of culture yet compatabilty with my quality of living expectations. I really dont care about accessability as long as I can find safe parking and I would gladly trade in my MBnz to be able to meet the ticket price of parking. Everything aint for everybody. If you like it and you can swing it...great. If you dont or you cant..then Im sure there is a community somewhere more suitable to your profile. As for us, we hope to make The National Harbor our home and our youngest has plenty of Universities from which to choose and with the added sacrifice of paying for parking..no problem. We accept the lack of accessability. In fact, I dont want it and Im willing to pay for it. Call it what you want..snobbery, eliticism, but dont call it racist bcuz I could care less about your color or culture. it is a metro swank style of living and either you are down with it or you are not. If u dont like the lack of accesibilty then pass, but im sure it was by design. Try living in Manhattan. You have no idea how much we pay for parking and thanks to an unexpected job transfer.....Natl Harbor here we come.

Flying Mind on Nov 19, 2011, 3:48:00 AM said...

I bought a home near National Harbor.

Unknown on Dec 26, 2015, 10:24:00 AM said...

I brought a home in national harbor. Absolutely love it. I have all the convenience of living in NOVA since I can drive a few minuets to hop on the metro or access to old town via boat. I am living amongst professionals in the harbor and they are great neighbors. It's truly a mix community. I am paying to live where I am and I also don't want riff rafts.

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