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Showing posts sorted by relevance for query constitution square. Sort by date Show all posts

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

NoMa's 'Three Constitution Square' Underway

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Add another project to the list for the NoMa BID: breaking ground yesterday morning was
Stonebridge Carras, Noma development, Constitution Square, US Department of Justice, Doug Firstenberg
StonebridgeCarras' 345,000-s.f. office building "Three Constitution Square" with 13,000 s.f. of ground floor retail. Like the developer's previous Constitution Square ventures, the building is being built completely on spec, neither office or retail space has been leased, confirms Doug Firstenberg, a founding principal of Stonebridge. The 12-story building, designed by HOK, will be complete by summer of 2013 with delivery to tenants possible the following fall, said Firstenberg, adding a simple endorsement: "It'll be a great building." Three Constitution Square at 175 N St, NE, is part of Phase II in the overall Constitution Square development, bounded by N Street to the north, M Street to the south, First Street to the west, and the red-line metro track to the east. 
Stonebridge Carras, Noma development, Constitution Square, US Department of Justice, Doug Firstenberg


Three Constitution Square will be adjacent to the Department of Justice and the New York Avenue metro stop, and across the street from the ATF.  Completed in the first phase of Constitution Square: two office buildings with ground floor retail occupied by GSA and DOJ, a Hilton Garden Inn, and "Flats 130," a 440-unit apartment with ground floor Harris Teeter. The other half of the second phase, underway now, is an apartment-and-retail building, which broke ground this spring. The third and final phase, also an office-and-retail building, is yet to come. StonebridgeCarras built phase 1 entirely on spec, but leased the entirety to GSA before selling it off. 

Washington D.C. real estate development news

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Constitution Square Signs Retailers

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Retailer, StonebridgeCarras, Noma, Constitution Square, Clark Construction, retail for lease Washington DCNoMa's Constitution Square is filling in nicely. After securing Harris Teeter last year to occupy 50,000 s.f., StonebridgeCarras, Constitution Square's developer, announced the signing of five more retail leases today. A diverse group of tenants will occupy an additional 17,000 s.f., coming online to serve the 5,000 new employees headed for NoMa this year, as well as residents of the 750 apartments set to finish later in the year. TD Bank will be NoMa’s first StonebridgeCarras, Noma, Constitution Square, Clark Construction, retail for lease Washington DCfull-service banking facility with a 5,200 s.f. space. Feeding hungry workers will be Potbelly's and Constitution CafĂ©. Keeping them awake will be the responsibility of Tynan Coffee & Tea, which already operates in Columbia Heights. And adding a bit of starch, Georgetown Valet drycleaners are beefing up with yet another store added to its many throughout the District. All retailers are expected to open later this year. Accordingly, Harris Teeter is poised to begin interior upfit of its SK&I Architects-designed store, making it the first grocery store in NoMa. The chain is currently seeking a general contractor to build the interior and should make a selection by the end of February. Clark Construction, the General Contractor for the entire Constitution Square project, is scheduled to finish the exterior and the core of the 50,000 s.f. space in time to turn it over to Harris Teeter for interior construction in late March or early April. According to Glen Thomson of Harris Teeter, the store at the corner of First and M Streets, NE, might open as early as November. The grocery chain signed a 20-year lease for the site with Stonebridge in 2009. The District is providing a tax incentive to assist with the cost of providing 150 parking spaces for the Harris Teeter store, as it did with the DC USA Center in Columbia Heights. The two-phase Constitution Square project kicked off in April of 2008 and will eventually include a 206-room Hilton hotel, 440 apartments, and 340,000 s.f. of office space. 

Washington, DC real estate and development news

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

NoMa's Constitution Square is Green, and Now Gold

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Constitution Square, NoMa's largest mixed-use project, received a Gold ranking today from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The project was awarded an enviable Gold ranking in the LEED ND category for sustainable neighborhood development.

But don't think of waterless toilets and recycled material; the "ND" standard is a fuzzier version of the older sustainability rankings. Rather than rate only the physical building, which can only be evaluated after construction completes sometime this summer, ND instead ranks the overall sustainability of the development with respect to potential impact on the surroundings. Factors that go into the certification include street width and building height, with an emphasis on mixing uses that allow more integrated living. According to the USGBC website, the system "integrates the principles of smart growth, urbanism, and green building" into one rating. Alicia Call at HOK Architecture adds that the ND ranking "its a little bit more stringent than the other rating systems...but with a focus on community development." In short, the ranking is an endorsement of Metro-oriented, mixed-use, sustainable construction.

Liz Price, President of the NoMa BID, says Constitution Square is one of the first ND-approved projects in the country, having been part of a pilot program to factor location and neighborhoods into green techniques and to "look beyond the footprint of the building." Price says the BID and DC's Office of Planning promoted NoMa to the USGBC as a candidate for the pilot, and that Constitution Square was the obvious choice within NoMa, being the largest development in the neighborhood and one DC more ambitious projects.

The project broke ground in April of 2008, a joint venture between Bethesda-based StonebridgeCarras and Walton Street Capital, which acquired the land in early 2006. The development will include a 206-room Hilton hotel, 440 apartments, and 340,000 s.f. of office space in 5 buildings, including a new Harris Teeter. SK&I Architects designed the residential space, which will begin renting this summer and will deliver by August, according to Doug Firstenberg, a Principal with StonebridgeCarras. Office tenants will begin taking delivery next month. Planners hope the buildings themselves will also qualify for LEED Gold certification, with the outside chance of a Platinum ranking. The office space in Phase I is 100% leased, with only about 4000 s.f. retail space remaining up for grabs.

Bethesda-based Clark Construction is performing construction.

Washington DC real estate development news

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Hilton Garden - NoMa's 2nd Hotel Opens Late April

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The Hilton Garden Inn will open April 22nd in NoMa, the second hotel in the burgeoning neighborhood, offering the area's only sit-down dining room, named Watershed (see menu in the link), headed by well-known D.C. chef, Todd Gray of Equinox.

This is especially good news for residents of The Flats 130 (of which 31% of 400 apartments are leased) Loree Grand at Union Place (of which 77 % of 212 apartments are leased) and Senate Square Towers (of which 95% of 432 units are leased).

As part of the first phase of Constitution Square, StonebridgeCarras was among the most bullish developers in NoMa. Their projects include the recently opened, 50,000 s.f. Harris Teeter in One Constitution Square at the corner of 1st and M Streets N.E., The grocery chain signed a 20-year lease for the site with Stonebridge in 2009. Constitution Square will also house 440 apartments, 905,000 s.f. of office space, and an additional 30,000 s.f. of retail. StonebridgeCarras broke ground on the hotel in 2008.


SK&I Architects designed the core and shell of the hotel, while Texas-based Paradigm Design helmed design of the interior (see renderings) for the 13-story, 204 room hotel which offers a fitness center, indoor pool, jacuzzi, free wi-fi, and adjustable beds. Lisa Haude, President of Paradigm, said the hotel is, "very clean, contemporary, and simple." The lobby showcases wood paneling and a floating glass staircase, with an aqua-blue, beige, taupe and ivory color scheme with wood accents. Todd Gray's Watershed offers and intimate bar area with a casual, open dining room with communal bar height and standard tables and booths as well as patio seating.

Washington, D.C. Real Estate Development News

Monday, November 22, 2010

Stonebridge to Start Phase 2 in NoMa

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Real estate developer StonebridgeCarras and financier Walton Street Capital are betting on NoMa again, announcing they will start the next speculative phase of Constitution Square in May. Stonebridge is just now completing Two Constitution Square, which it also built without a tenant, a bet that paid off big when it sold the property in May for $305m to Northwestern Mutual, and now Sarah Krouse reports in the Washington Business Journal that the Bethesda-based developer will attempt an encore with another speculative phase. Principal Doug Firstenberg tells DCMud that next May his company will break ground simultaneously on a 200-unit apartment building and 345,000 s.f. of office space and, rounding out a good week, that Harris Teeter will open at Constitution Square on December 8th and that Equinox founder and chef Todd Grey will now open a sit down restaurant in the newly completed phase 1.

Firstenberg, who pre-leased 100% of Phase 1 to GSA and DOJ before trading the building, said Phase 2 will be "targeted to go after some of these large GSA bids that are out there." Stonebridge will again use SK&I Architects to design the residential space and HOK Architecture for the commercial portion. The residences are expected to be available by late 2012, the office space should be ready for the first tenants in early 2013. The third and final phase of the 7-acre site, still in conception, will add 470,000 s.f of office space.

Firstenberg says the restaurant, to open in March along with the hotel, will be "NoMa's first upscale, sit down restaurant," good news for residents at the Flats 130 where 60 of 440 units have leased since its opening October 1st, and where significant retail leases have already been signed. Stonebridge is expected to flip the office building once lease-up is complete. "We're not long term owners in the project" said Firstenberg.

Washington DC real estate development news

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Harris Teeter Puts Steak in NoMa

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The NoMa BID (yes, more NoMa coverage) and StonebridgeCarras announced this past weekend that Harris Teeter will occupy 50,000 s.f. of space in a 20 year lease at Constitution Square. The development, at the corner of 1st and M Streets, NE, is adjacent to the New York Avenue Metro station. Stonebridge is expected to break ground in April, with the grocer likely to open its doors in late 2010 or early 2011. HT is the first committed occupant of One Constitution Square, which will also house 440 apartments, 340,000 s.f. of office space, and an additional 30,000 s.f. of retail. Stonebridge had recently announced that DOJ would take up 88% of the leasable office space at Two Constitution Square.

The District government also partnered on the project by providing tax incentives to help finance parking for 150 cars. Bethesda's SK&I Architectural Group designed the retail and residential portion of the project.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Constitution Square Breaks Ground on Phase 2

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StonebridgeCarras broke ground this week on their second phase of Constitution Square, queuing up another residential element in Noma's largest development. The construction will add 203 rental units to the mixed-use endeavor on Noma's northern edge, with another office phase to follow by July. StonebridgeCarras principal Doug Firstenberg says the 203 unit apartment building, designed by SK&I Architects, will be geared toward smaller, highly amenitized units to capture the segment of the market that has performed best next door at Flats 130, which Firstenberg says has been leasing more than 30 units per month and is now 45% occupied.

Stonebridge just now completed Two Constitution Square, which it also built without a tenant, and though Firstenberg initially banked on another large federal tenant, focus has now shifted to private tenants with the expected slowing of the expansion of the federal government and with it federal leasing.

Washington D.C. real estate development news

Sunday, April 06, 2008

NoMa Development Breaks Ground, Part VII

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On Monday, at 10:30am, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and assorted camera-seekers will join developer StonebridgeCarras at 2nd and N Streets, NE, to break ground at for the first phase of Constitution Square. The developer will officially kick off its 1.6 million square foot project (pictured) at the ceremony, a mixed-use building that will include 440 apartments, a 200-room Hilton Hotel, a 50,000 s.f. Harris Teeter grocery store and massive office space - 589,000 in Two Constitution, and 350,000 in One Constitution. The project is the first major mixed-use project to break ground in the NoMA neighborhood.

StonebridgeCarras, with Chicago-based partner Walton Street Capital, had announced several major leases over just the past few weeks, including the Department of Justice lease of 88% of the office space of Two Constitution Square, and the 20-year lease of Harris Teeter, which hopes to open in late 2010. The project sits adjacent to the New York Ave. Metro station; the residential portion will be designed by Bethesda's SK&I Architectural Group. HOK Architecture is designing the office space; the project is being ambitiously designed to achieve a LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

2011 Year in Review

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Looking back on 2011, the year may be known in the real estate world as a year of binge-buying and construction of apartment buildings, or the year Walmart came to town, at least on paper. But with Washington DC's population growing and construction financing available, the city added many new restaurants, apartments (though condos still lagged) and even some office buildings. Here's a look at some of the many developments that shaped the year:

14th Street Rules
14th Street saw developers lining up in swarms as JBG broke ground on District Condos (Jan 10) and quickly leased up retail in the future building (pictured below), showing the commercial strength of 14th Street, though the building later converted to rentals, showing the relative strength of the apartment financing market. Nearby, Georgetown Strategic Capital readied to build Utopia at 14th & U, though JBG took that up too. Level2 Development got support for 144 units across the street on the 1900 block of 14th, UDR got underway on its 255-unit apartment building replacing the Nehemiah Center, Douglas Development got approval for 30 units on the 2200 block, Habte Sequar started work on his 30 unit project at 14th & R, while PN Hoffman began converting the Verizon building across the street into 40 condos. The Irwin neared final approval for 60 units on lower 14th Street, and Furioso put up a design for a 42,000 s.f. office in the 1500 block.

Virginia, Towering Above Others
Virginia went big this year: Dittmar submitted plans for 500 apartments in Virginia Square (Jan 11), though construction has not yet begun. The beltway's tallest building - at nearly 400 feet - got underway in Alexandria, another just a hare shorter got closer in Tysons Corner, both barely eclipsing the Rosslyn tower that poked above ground (pictured, left) just a few days ago. JBG contributed with its 474-unit Rosslyn Commons groundbreaking (Jan 6).

There was finally a kick start for Buzzard Point (Jan 17), thanks to Duane Deason, who is planning the first residential project in the largely forgotten area, with zoning approval secured in August. Not too far away, Camden Properties began their residential project on South Capitol (June 13) giving the area some momentum. A new bridge and streetscape on the way for South Capitol gave the area even more buzz.

Columbia Heights saw nothing like the boom that hit it in previous years, but Chris Donatelli began adding another building next to his two centerpieces at 14th & Irving.

Getting Malled
It was a busy, if controversial year for the Mall: Eisenhower drew the most attention as Frank Gehry, the chosen architect, put forward 3 plans for a tribute. One was selected, but public discontent with the starchitect's vision was strong, and one arts group put forward its own competition. The winning vision was displayed, briefly. Three areas of the fading Mall were designated for a redesign (Oct 26). Rogers Marvel Architects was chosen as the designer for President's Park South (July 7), while DC residents begged for the reopening of E Street, and The Disabled Veterans' Memorial got nearly ready for construction near the U.S. Capitol (Oct 5). The Martin Luther King Memorial progressed from dirt piles to completion, opening this summer (Aug 12), and the African American Museum of History and Culture got nearly off the ground. Not to be outdone, Latinos pursued sites nearby for another museum on ethnicity and race (July 2).

NoMa boomed, again. Its second hotel, a Hilton, opened in April, Mill Creek Residential broke ground (March 18) on 603 rental units, Skanska purchased a lot in January and planned its largest office building in the DC area (Aug 10). Camden started off 320 units of housing in September, and MRP let slip that they intended to kick off Washington Gateway at NoMa's northern edge (Aug 29) after years of waiting. StonebridgeCarras started digging for phase II of Two Constitution Square (May 12) for 203 residential units and then broke ground on Three Constitution Square (Oct 18) on spec, like its predecessors. NoMa East, however, continued to idle.

Shaw had its day, again and again, as Four Points (officially, anyway) got to work on Progression Place (Feb 5), while the CityMarket at O got underway (pictured, below) two months after the Giant closed. New designs were released for the Wonder Bread buildings (Aug 30) Jefferson Apartment Group bought Kelsey Gardens (Oct 27), promising a quick start of removing the eyesores. Finally, Two more Marriotts were planned next to the Convention Center (June 22).

Take Me to the River
Construction was everywhere in the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood in southeast with the construction of Canal Park (Feb 15), and a new bridge (Nov 21). Foundry Lofts opened to the public, reconstruction of the boilermaker building got underway for the area's first retail component, work on the Harris Teeter and apartment building commenced and Florida Rock demolition finally began. Other waterfronts made progress too as plans in Old Town and southwest DC inched along.

Elsewhere around the city, the CityCenter mega-project got underway in April, still without a tenant; GW faced a public outcry over its plan to demolish historic rowhouses on Pennsylvania Avenue, the Wisconsin Ave. Giant finally got the financing to go forward with the residential and retail project, then beat off the NIMBYs, and Dakota Crossing was purchased, facilitating a big-box retail development where a forest now stands. Tenleytown got an unsightly library, finally (Jan 19) and new school, Eastbanc unveiled its designs for the West End (Apr 8), and the Bozzuto/Abdo team broke ground for the 2nd big project in Brookland.

Bethesda, and its Northern Neighbor
In Bethesda, Bainbridge got to work on its 17-story apartment building, while the Trillium site was sold to StonebridgeCarras and Walton Street Capital (Mar 9), injecting the moribund project with hoped-for new life. Way up north in the neighborhood that no one can agree what to name, White Flint (aka North Bethesda, aka Rockville) got ready for a building boom as JBG and LCOR beefed up residences (1275 by LCOR) planned for the ongoing construction sites and Federal Realty planned 1725 residences. JBG already has the tallest residential building in Montgomery County, which it plans to surpass with its next phase (pictured, at right).

Projects that wanted to be on the 2011 list but will now have to dream of the 2012 list: anything in Fort Totten, Skyland redevelopment, Arlington's first LEED Gold apartment building, reconstruction of Babe's Billiards, the Florida Avenue / Capital City Market, the Adams Morgan hotel, the Akridge and Monument Half Street projects in southeast, and Howard Town Center, to name just a few.

Friday, May 16, 2008

NoMa East: Progress Waits

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The other side of the tracks is always the problem real estate. And so even in NoMa, DC's largest real estate construction site, the west side of the railroad tracks are packed with groundbreakings like Tishman's 1100 and 1150 First Street, JBG's Capitol Square, Bristol Group's Noma Station, and StonebridgeCarras' Constitution Square, and newly announced tenants like Harris Teeter, the DOJ, DOE, and NPR. But east of the tracks, development moves at a much more, well, southernly pace. The east side has not failed to attract either experienced developers or ambitious plans. But so far, little has materialized to signal the progress that is likely to transform the neighborhood - even if that term barely applies now - into a viable commercial and residential center. Even the feature that divides the two sides, the tracks that emanate from Union Station, will eventually disappear beneath the urban landscape as Akridge's Burnham Place unifies the neighborhood and buries the current boundary. In 2013, maybe. For the present, however, most developers with east-of-the-tracks plots seem content to let their west side neighbors build out the new downtown neighborhood while they consider options and hone their plans. “Most of NoMa is on the west side of the tracks, but a few key parcels are on the east side that are a key link from the historic Capitol Hill to the new neighborhood. It is important to have that bridge,” said Elizabeth Price, President of NoMa BID. One block east of the tracks, the Wilkes Company has plans for a mixed-use set of buildings with over 300 residences and 250,000 s.f. of office space just across M street from Douglas Development's 300,000-s.f. office, 225-residence development of the Uline Arena. The two intend to develop their projects jointly, but both have yet to even put up a sign.

According to Sandy Wilkes, Chairman of the Wilkes Company, "We are still in a planning phase and we're trying to understand exactly what the opportunity is in that place and what zoning strategies we might deploy to bring this about. It is still early for us, our general instinct is that there is going to be a natural tendency for NoMa to develop more actively on west side. We have the luxury of being patient on the east side, but our sense is that while Constitution Square and other projects are underway, the real time for us is in a two to three year time frame. We are constantly thinking about fine-tuning and timing. We are going to let our friends and colleagues on the west side lead the way and then get way more focused in 24 -36 months." Also facing each other, at least someday, at 3rd and K Streets, NE, will be Greenbaum and Rose's Capitol Cab property and Cohen Companies' Union Place, planned as part of the NoMa development surge. And while the G 'N R site sits indefinitely, Union Place at least is forging ahead.

Michelle Pilon, project coordinator for Cohen Companies’ “Loree Grand” says Phase One of Union Place is on schedule to deliver in late 2009 and the team is in the process of getting a foundation grade permit so it can begin construction.

The Loree Grand will include 212 apartments in a ten-story building, some of which will be workforce housing; eleven percent will be "affordable." In addition to the residential components, this phase will include an interior public courtyard, 4,000 s.f. of retail space, one underground parking space per resident, and a “green” roof.

The residential floor plans of the first phase will range from junior one-bedroom units starting at 516 s.f. to 1,400-s.f. apartments with two bedroom and a den. Phase two will rise 14 stories and deliver over 400 residential units, though the inevitable rental vs. condo debate has not yet been settled. Developers are already planning to install wide sidewalks to create a "boulevard effect." Meanwhile, Greenebaum and Rose is waiting on a sunnier economy. For Greenebaum and Rose, instead of the traditional “go rental” approach to the less-than-stellar market, the developers' project on the former Capitol Cab property is on hold. The developers bought the land at market price in 2003 after winning a legal battle over a competing developer that sought to buy the cab company’s debt, pay $50,000 for the land, and have the right to foreclose on the cab company’s owners’ homes.

Greenebaum and Rose’s current plan will cost over $20 million and include a six story, 92,800-s.f. residential building designed by Davis Carter Scott. It will have 112 condominium units and underground parking. Someday. “Nothing has been built,” said Greenebaum and Rose partner, Sam Rose. “For now, it’s a piece of land with a permit. We’re not starting until the world looks prettier.”

Noma BID Director Price said their property will only become more valuable as the neighborhood continues to evolve. “Long standing parcels are going up in market value; Greyhound announced that they would sell, and that was one of last pieces of puzzle, whether Greenebaum and Rose would sell, I don’t know. They’ve been around longer than anybody and we owe a lot to them to committing to building First Street. The developers’ options are wide open," she said.

Washington D.C. real estate development news

Monday, October 20, 2008

Industry Insight: Sami Kirkdil and Meral Iskir of SK&I Architectural Design Group

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Since its' inception in 1999, the SK&I Architectural Design Group has been one of the go-to names for striking, sophisticated Washington DC commercial real estate, retail for lease, commercial real estate brokeragearchitecture in the DC area. With mixed-use projects like Wisconsin Place in Friendship Heights, Union Row in Columbia Heights and an upcoming slate that includes Lot 31 in Bethesda, and the Washington Gateway and Constitution Square in NoMa, their designs will soon be more prominent than ever. Sami Kirkdil, President of SK&I, and Meral Iskir, Executive Vice President, took the time to sit down with DCMud and talk about their approach to architecture, the current effects of the housing market on an architectural firm, and what the District might look like a few years down the line.

How did you get your start in architecture? 
MI: I originally studied back in Turkey and then studied again here at Catholic University. I’ve continued to work steadily since I initially came here 40+ years ago. I spent some years with CHK, then Sami and I started this firm. We’ve been doing all kinds of architectural projects and just working, working and working. 
SK: I think my introduction to architecture was through my father’s friend – an architect friend. When I was a kid, he used to do sketches of buildings and give them to me, and that kind of intrigued me. I was basically good at math, science and art, so I thought, “Hey, this might be the thing for me” in high school. I knew what I wanted to do, so I went to college and have been practicing for the past 25 years. I think that you are the moUnion Row condos by PN Hoffman Development, designed by SK+I Architecturest happy when you’re working hard and designing. Obviously, there’s a lot of red tape and a lot of things that you have to do, but designing and doing a project is the fun part of it. I think that’s what drives us towards the future. Somewhere along the line our specialty became mixed-use, residential design. In the last 8 or 9 years, we’ve done a lot of big residential projects. It was just the right time and the right place. There weren’t that many firms focusing on residential and we’ve had a head start on that game. We’ve grown from a two person firm to a 50+ person firm. We’ve kept that steady, but didn’t want to grow out of control and maybe lose the quality of our work. 

What kinds of projects appeal to you personally and, by extension, your firm? 
SK: Generally, our cup of tea is more complex projects that play in the urban realm, fit into the neighborhood and create a nice home for the people who live in it. There are always new ways to put together interpretive designs with the way buildings go together, basically. 

How would you typify the developer /architect relationship? Are some harder to please than others?  
SK: We might be a little different than a lot of other firms. I think our expertise is that we understand the development process as well the developers. Basically, what works and what doesn’t work. We can reason with them when it comes to what design ideas might propel them in a specific area. They don’t necessarily have to educate us; sometimes we try to guide them. We want to become their partners. We want to understand their theme and their dilemma. We want to give them an edge. 
MI: Of course, our position allows us to work with different developers. This is kind of an advantageous position in the sense of understanding and thinking about a project through our own experience. It kind of enriches our understanding of what goes on in the market and allows us to show leadership through our designs. We’re not doing the architecture for ourselves, but for our clients. At the same time, we can control the quality and accomplish the best we can within the given conditions. 

If you change one thing about the DC development process, what would it be? 
MI: Getting to a better place where there is an appreciation for the architect’s efforts. That is lacking in general, as far as I’m concerned. 
SK: Well, there are good things and bad things about building height. I think that’s one thing that would be good to look at. There are some instances where it creates a very walkable city. On the other hand, architecture becomes challenging when everything’s 13 or 14 stories. It couldn’t be a bad idea to have more height in some locations. I think, given that our resources are now more limited, we have to densify our cities. To me, densifying
Washington Gateway by MRP Realty, designed by SK+I Architecture the city, outer suburbs, or Metro locations with higher height and higher density is probably something that would be good for Washington. 

On that note, you built Union Row above a Metro station. What kind of challenges did that pose? 
SK: Lots, actually. Part of the problem with that site was that it was an assemblage – a bunch of little pieces. But our real plight was the Metro tunnel running from 14th Street and curving down towards 13th Street. That part of the site we couldn’t actually build on. What we did was have the building’s shape follow the route and then we put our girders and columns right along it. We could only put two levels of parking there, while the rest was three levels. It was a long, lengthy process of getting approval from Metro and testing and excavation. 
MI: In addition to that, we also had to provide access to the existing warehouses that were there – in addition to upgrading and renovating them. We tried to create a kind of plaza-like structure there. I think we were successful in the view from the main street and were able to manipulate the design in such a way that it gets your attention. 

You have also been contracted for one of the largest projects in NoMa (Constitution Square). Can you give us a bit of insight into how NoMa might look in, say, 5 years? 
SK: Well, instead of 5 years, let’s say 10 years. I think, potentially, people are wishing for the same thing that happened to Chinatown. We were there 9 years ago with Massachusetts Court at 4th and Mass and couple of other projects that did not go through. Today, if you look at Chinatown, they have all the nicest restaurants in the city. In a way, it’s surpassed DuPont, northwest Connecticut Avenue, in terms of pizazz. NoMa wishes that they’ll be seeing the same quality and caliber of that development. Obviously, the Verizon Center and all that retail is a big advantage and we want to see similar kinds of things in NoMa. The project we’re doing is mixed-use – an office building, a hotel, a Harris Teeter grocery store and apartments. The hope is to create a critical base of retail, residential and office space, so that you’re not building up an area that shuts down at five o’clock. Since 2000, if you look at the city and our projects, we are trying to create a 24-hour living space that has a life cycle with offices and retail. You’re not necessarily commuting; you’re living, shopping and working Constitution Square, designed by SK+I Architecture, Washington DCin the same place. You’d hope that NoMa becomes that. 
MI: I think the fundamental approach is understanding how neighborhoods and areas stay alive, rather than just a being a place to go to in the daytime and empty in the nighttime. I think they want a good foundation for a better future this time. 

How much work do you do outside the metro area? SK: We have done international work over the years and, if you look at our career, we’ve done all that stuff. If you look at the past 9 years, we were really busy and did not want to grow. We used to turn down almost 20% of the work that came in the door. We were cherry-picking the projects that we’d do. Obviously, circumstances have changed, so we’ll probably be looking at doing projects outside the area. We’ve done projects up and down the East Coast from Miami to Boston.
View 14 condos by Level2 DevelopmentMI: We were involved with many projects outside the area, for example, Harbor East in Baltimore. We did an 18-story project there that was mixed-use – again, with retail. 
How does the current economic situation affect an architecture firm? 
SK: I’m sure the whole development world is living on fumes. Obviously, with the current financial market, there’s very little money available. There are two things going on. There are great projects that have secured financing to do private work; and there is some entitlement work that will go forward. People are hoping that the market will turn around and it’s that optimism that’s the driving force. I’m sure there will be a great opportunity to have any kind of product out there in a year or two. Once the economy turns back, the first people out of the gate will make out the best. Once the market steams up, you jump in to catch a piece of it. We have some clients that are in a cycle where they’ll be delivering in 2011, 2012, 2013 and they’re hopeful that their financing is intact. Other clients think the market is going to shrink. And it is shrinking because the capital behind what you can finance is zero. We are hearing it every day, it’s tough out there. We’re going to see a lot more competitive pricing. For the first time since we’ve opened our doors, we’re actually out there chasing RFPs. 
MI: Generally, lots of architecture firms are actually shrinking. At the time, some of the other ones are looking abroad to the Middle East and so on. But everyone’s affected. 

What was the most challenging project you’ve ever worked on? 
SK: I think every project’s a challenge. Our specialty is – even though we’re a mid-size firm – we tackle really complex projects. One of our projects that’s under construction, Wisconsin Place, had basically three or four different teams. The garage was done by different architect and structural engineer and parts of the building were done by another architect and structural engineer, so there was a lot of interface coordination and collaboration between all these different teams. A “who does what?” type of deal, so Meral championed that effort and it took us a while. We had to wait for other firms to finish their work. The other project we’re currently working on is going to be very complex - Lot 31 in Bethesda, which is now two parking lots across from Barnes & Noble. There was a very complicated Lot 31 Flats by PN Hoffman Development, Bethesda, designed by SK&Ientitlement process and we’re now full throttle in the design process. It’ll take a while to get it built because what we’re doing is, basically, taking Woodmont Avenue away [laughs]. We’ll be digging into the rock for five levels and building a column-free garage. Then, we’re doing a 9-story building on one side and a 5-story building on the other. 
MI: Thinking about it while Sami was talking, I think every project has its’ own challenges. You have to try to design it in such a way that the building will look unique, but still serve the neighborhood and be able to get through the approval processes. You have to work with the contractors and combine with the developer’s needs to make the project as successful as it could be. I don’t want to sound conceited, but I think our experience is such that we are good listeners and can point any issues before they become a problem. It forces us to make every project a 360 degree success. Every project has its’ own unique expectations and character. They’re like your children. Every one of them has a different personality and the challenge is having happy and successful children, in a certain sense. 

If you could work on any project, what would it be? A dream project... 
MI: Is there such a thing as a dream project? Human beings always change and what you liked yesterday could change tomorrow. When I look back at some of the projects I’ve done, I liked them then, but not necessarily today. At the time you might think of it as a dream project, but tomorrow you could always say, “Was it really?” 
SK: It’s tough, but the kind of project that allows me to be wild and think freely is a dream project. That said I can’t design a house for myself because I’m my own worst critic. When it comes to designing your own thing, it’s not easy. I’m very deliberate and straightforward in designing projects for others. For myself, I’m terrible because I want to accomplish much more than I can handle – the program, the aesthetics, the budget. If you design something today and look back at it in a few months, you might say, “No, maybe that wasn’t the right thing to do.” Your tastes change. It’s a process that keeps your brain sharpened.

Washington DC commercial real estate news

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Grocery Store and Apartments Coming to H St NE

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Steuart Investment, H Street, Torti Gallas, retail for lease, Dreyfus, Senate Square, grocery storeThe H Street corridor may soon have a new 6-story apartment building and full service grocery store, a boon for the up-and-coming neighborhood in northeast Washington DC. Steuart Investment Company has owned several of the lots on the northeast corner of 3rd and H Streets, and in 2005 assembled a developable site by acquiring the remaining portion from BP AMOCO (BP) for $1.5 million, scotching BP's plans for a giant filling station and truck depot. The developer plans to build a six-story building with over 200,000 s.f. of residential and 46,500 s.f. of retail designed by Torti Gallas. The mixed-use building, Steuart Investment, H Street, Torti Gallas, retail for lease, Dreyfus, Senate Square, grocery store, DCwith neighborhood approval, calls for an anchor grocer and LEED- certified rental units, and will continue the reinvigoration of a corridor already known for its burgeoning restaurant, bar and entertainment scene.

 
Things have not always been so peachy at 3rd and H. BP once had plans for a "BP Connect" gas station megaplex, but the company met severe opposition from the community and, after knocking down historic houses on the site in favor of gas pumps and a truck stop, abandoned plans. The Steuart acquisition was welcomed with relief when its PUD application for zoning changes was first approved in 2006, with local ANC and community groups supporting the application. Steuart will go back before the Zoning Steuart Investment, H Street, Torti Gallas, retail for lease, Dreyfus, grocery storeCommission November 30th to request several changes to the original plans, reducing the number of stories from eight to six and removing one level of parking. The new proposed application includes 212 residential rental units, featuring studios, one-bedrooms and a few two-bedrooms, as well as two levels of below-grade parking. The first level of parking will service the grocery store with 152 planned spaces and the second level would be reserved for residents with 146 spaces (0.7 spaces per unit). Pending Commission approval, Guy Steuart, Sr., Vice President of Steuart Investment Company, said he hopes "all the pieces will come together" and will be digging by "mid-summer or fall of next year." Construction now underway is Steuart's consolidation of the lot and installation of storm sewer and water connections. 

As DDOT executes the H Street Great Streets Plan, the developer decided to take advantage of the "mess" and install utilities now to avoid future expense and inconveniences for area residents later. However, Steuart said his group will not move forward with construction until a grocer is signed on for the retail space. He affirmed discussions with a full-service grocer, but was unwilling to disclose which one. Previous discussions had fallen through with a grocer that had decided to locate on the other sideSteuart Investment, H Street, Torti Gallas, retail for lease, Dreyfus, Senate Square, grocery store, construction of NOMA, referring to the Harris Teeter coming to Constitution Square. So residents might be looking at yet another Safeway (which would be consistent with Torti Gallas's extensive work with the grocer throughout the DC area) or perhaps a Giant or even, dare we say, Whole Foods on H Street? No one would have thought that was likely in Logan Circle ten years ago. Meanwhile, the Dreyfus property group plans for a similar-sized apartment building just across the street that has yet to start construction. Hopefully both will rent more quickly than the painfully slow pace of occupancy next door at Senate Square.

Washington DC retail and commercial real estate news

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Ribbon Cutting, Taste Testing Tonight, Harris Teeter Officially Open Tomorrow

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NoMa finally gets its first grocery store with the impending inauguration of the 50,000 s.f. Harris Teeter store at 1201 First Street, NE, which officially opens its doors tomorrow. Its been two years since StonebridgeCarras announced Harris Teeter would occupy their anchor spot in Constitution Square, and tomorrow brings that promise to fruition. But why wait until tomorrow, when you can get free wine and a sneak peek tonight. Following a ribbon cutting this afternoon, as a sign of appreciation for the neighborhood support, the store will hold a "Taste of Teeter" from 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm, during which the general public may sample wines and products from the store. At eight, with several sampler glasses of red sloshed back and a solid buzz going, attendees will then be set free to do their grocery shopping until the store closes at midnight (Disclaimer: DCMud does not advocate boozing and buying).

The retail scene in NoMa has quickly become more and more crowded over the last several months. With Potbelly Sandwich Works, Georgetown Valet, and TD Bank all opening their doors this past fall, and Roti Mediterranean Grill, CVS, and 7-11 set to cut ribbons in the new year, there are a plethora of new places for The Flats 130 residents to spend their money. And more development is on the way. The first phase of Constitution Square, the 1.6 million SF of mixed-use space located at First and M Streets, has been so successful that just last month developers announced their plans to break ground in May on Phase II, set to feature 345,000 s.f. of office space and an additional 203 residential units. With 21 projects completed since 2001, two currently under construction, and 31 in the pipeline, the NoMa development torch is still burning strong.

Washington D.C. Real Estate Development News

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Celebrating NoMa

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The NoMa BID annual meeting tonight will bring together residents, decision makers and business leaders to celebrate progress and unveil new plans for the coming year including a new approach to parks.

So just how are things going? "Fabulously. Things are amazing," says NoMa BID President Robin-Eve Jasper.

According to the Broker Roadshow Book released this month, the BID has $4 billion in assessed value this year with another $1 billion under construction. There were 380,000 s.f. of private sector space leased in the last year. Twenty restaurants and shops opened in the last three years. New residents signed leases for 1,200 apartments, and another 2,200 units are under construction.
First + M

"I think we reached a point where people are feeling confident about the neighborhood," Jasper said. "It’s building on itself now."

NoMa BID reports a 17 percent increase in average household income since 2010. Jasper said that increase helps coax stores and restaurants to come into the area.

More residents soon will call NoMa home as Archstone's First + M apartments prepare to welcome tenants. The leasing office opened this week, and Jasper said the first residents are expected in June.

With all of those new residents, the neighborhood will need parks. Jasper said a "public realm vision" will be unveiled at the annual meeting. Without giving away all the secrets, she did say that the vision considers how people use parks to create the most useful spaces.

Construction also continues in NoMa. Two new projects are neck-and-neck in the race for being next in the ground: JBG Companies' Hyatt Place Hotel at the planned Capital Square site and MRP Realty's residential building at the planned Washington Gateway site.
Capital Square

JBG says it plans to break ground on the 200-room hotel this summer. It will be completed next year.







A spokeswoman for MRP said permits are still in progress, but the project is on track to start work this summer.

Several projects started construction in the past year, including Trammell Crow's Sentinel Square office project and Stonebridge's third building at Constitution Square.

And there still is more to come in the already booming area that exceeded initial expectations.

Jasper said that initial estimates were about $1 billion investment and 15,000 jobs, but says that today there are 45,000 jobs just in the NoMa BID. "All the right pieces were there, the right people to push to make things happen," she said, adding that the plans were not too restrictive or directive with planning and regulation. "And it enabled the private sector to come in and do what it does best."

"The vision that I have, for what it’s worth, is that in the next few years you start to feel this gravity and cohesion in the neighborhood generally where...there’s a vibrant commercial spine in the area of 1st street, and there’s a great feeling and sense of community in all of the adjacent neighborhoods," she said. "And if you go several streets out -- to all the row houses and apartment buildings --that people feel they’re all part of it. That this whole part of town becomes an area that has its own gravity."

Washington, D.C., real estate development news

Thursday, February 03, 2011

Neighborhood Report: NoMa

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So named for its location north of Massachusetts Avenue, NoMa is a neighborhood that's beginning to assert an identity, if still gangly in its adolescence. But developers and restaurateurs have faith the area will take shape. Here's what's happening:

Gillian Clark's Kitchen on K: Clark's new restaurant, inspired by her now-gone Colorado Kitchen is between four and eight weeks away from permitting. A bigger space and proximity to the Metro means Clark, now the chef at Silver Spring's General Store, plans on daytime and late night hours. In a nod to its progenitor, the menu will showcase French technique via comfort food favorites, as well as donuts during brunch her customers keep asking about. Opening dates? "Ideally spring, but there is no such thing as ideal."

Work in Progress, Todd Gray's Watershed: A few blocks from Clark's spot, Equinox chef Todd Gray and wife Ellen are opening Watershed in NoMa's Hilton Garden Inn. In addition to the raw bar, patio, restaurant and lounge, the Grays will also focus on cooking up morning meals. "D.C. has a real need for power breakfast spots," said Todd. Perhaps Clark and Gray will draw business from Charlie Palmer, the reigning champion of the genre. Watershed will be the sole restaurant in the hotel, which is slated to open in April.

On Skanska's NoMa Development: Sara Krouse of Washington Business Journal reported on the Skanska deal earlier this week, which Executive Vice President Rob Ward says is slated to become office buildings, hotels and potentially residential space. The 63,790 square foot property is located at 1st and M Streets N.E.

NoMa Living: The Loree Grand, which will house Clark's restaurant, was the first new residential projects in the area in over a century. Of the 212 residential units, 66% have been leased. Archstone also has a residential project underway, 469 apartments set for completion in late 2012.

Constitution Square: Of the 440 residential units in The Flats 130, 90 have already been leased since its opening late last year, with 19 new leases just in January. Also set to open in the area is Roti as well as the largest location of The Perfect Pita, which has leased space across from The Courtyard Marriott.

90K: Of the space that's primarily for offices, 50% has been leased. The 412,000 square foot office building also houses retail, which has yet to be claimed. Built by Clark Construction, designed by SmithGroup, the building is the newest office building by Trammel Crow Company.
111 K Street: Sales of J Street's corporate condo (pictured, right), initially fast, have stalled as buyers such as Sierra Club and YWCA have backed out.

50 Florida Avenue: This former Metro Ice warehouse just sold as a redevelopment project to B & B Realty Investments. "We are in the middle of contemplating what we want this space to become," said Rick Brown, a Principal of B&B. "We had a three to five year plan but recent growth in the area has prompted us to reconsider."

Washington DC real estate development news
 

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