The Shape of Mt. Vernon Triangle

At least some second waves are a good thing (too soon?). A new hotel in the center of DC's Mt. Vernon Triangle is adding to a surge of openings in the neighborhood, as Marriott prepares to open its AC Hotel near the Washington Convention Center at 6th and K Streets, joining a soon-to-be Holiday Inn, the recent opening of the Lydian apartment building by Wilkes, and on the retail side, restaurants RASA, Melange, and Baan Siam all debut their unique styles, while Stellina will soon take the historic and relocated Waffle Shop.  Once dim in the shadow of Penn Quarter, the neighborhood has come into its own.

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Marriott's AC hotel program, like its Moxy brand (already located just a few blocks away) aims for a more boutique feel but at less boutique prices.  The hotel is accepting reservations beginning October, but already improves the neighborhood with a geometric design that makes a statement among a fleet of newly designed apartment and office buildings.  The project was developed by Douglas Development, designed by FILLAT, and built by CBG, expedited with the help of DC's velocity program, a pay-to-play program that grants review and approval in as little as a day for a hefty fee to the DC government.  The site was once home to a historic gas station, which Douglas preserved and moved across the intersection to the southeast corner.  The new hotel will feature a ground floor cafe that will spill out onto the sidewalk, and a subterranean lounge.  Kenyattah Robinson, the energizing head of the Mt. Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District, says the neighborhood is well positioned to lead the city's resurgence, given its residential component and commercial mix.  "We're still growing!"  Indeed.

Project:  AC Hotel by Marriott

Address:  601 K Street, NW, Washington DC 

Developer:  Douglas Development 

Architect:  FILLAT + Architecture

Construction: CBG Construction

Use:  235 key hotel

Expected Completion:  October 2020

Washington DC retail and real estate development news

Buzzard Point's Turning Point

If there was a moment for Buzzard Point, the tip of DC where the Anacostia meets the Potomac, it might have been the opening of Audi Field, bringing tens of thousands of occasional fans to southwest DC's formerly industrial and empty midpoint.  But perhaps a more significant moment is the transition from parking lots and decrepit office buildings to actual neighborhood status, as long-planned real estate developments begin to fill with residents.  Three recent developments alone add more than a thousand residential units to the waterfront, with Peninsula 88's completion this summer adding 110 condos to Buzzard Point's southern tip, Akridge's Riverpoint residential project converting the former Coast Guard headquarters into 481 apartments and 60,000 s.f. of retail (coming soon), and, beginning delivery this week, the Watermark.

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The residential project by Douglas Development turned an "E" shaped 9-story office building - one of 2 buildings in the neighborhood that housed the U.S. Coast Guard - into 419 apartments, 15,000 s.f. of retail and some of the top water views in the city.  Amenities include views of the suddenly captivating Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, and the building even helps fulfill the dream of DC's bikers with a new stretch of the eventual Buzzard Point Trail, which will round Buzzard Point (avoiding Fort McNair) and connect with the Anacostia River Trail and the Wharf, which already connect well to the rest of DC and beyond.  Add to that a short walk to Nationals Park and even shorter walk to Audi Field, which will someday (sigh) host public sporting events, and you do, in fact, have a legit neighborhood to call home.

Project:  Watermark

Address:  1900 Half St., SW, Washington DC 

Developer:  Douglas Development and PTM Partners

Architect:  Antunovich Associates

Construction: Davis Construction

Use:  481 apartments, 15,600 s.f. of retail

Expected Completion:  Summer 2020

Washington, DC retail real estate and development news

Market Terminal - Signal House Tops Off

Signal House, the 10-story office building at Union Market, has topped off and is in the process of adding a skyline to the warehouse district.  The speculative office project is part of Market Terminal, an ambitious 1.25m s.f., 4-building project converting a series of warehouses and parking lots into a mixed-use project.  Kettler kicked off development by receiving zoning approval for the overall project, and in early 2018 Carr Properties acquired the office portion from Kettler, as well as another lot purchased from Douglas Development, undertaking the sole office building surrounded by numerous residential projects, both completed and underway.

Like most large projects in DC, Market Terminal was appealed and delayed by local appealer and delayer Chris Otten.  With that process having been resolved, Carr has now reached full height on the 225,000 s.f. tower 2 blocks from Union Market and less than a 5 minute walk from the Noma Metro station.  Designed by Gensler, an international architectural firm, with interior design by Streetsense / Edit Lab, the building will feature double-height ceilings in sections as well as "some of the tallest ceiling heights and widest column spacing in the city," intended to reflect its industrial surroundings with a "truly unique" metal, glass and terracotta exterior.  Carr has not yet announced any tenants for the building that will complete in early 2021, but is implementing a suite of tenant and building health measures, including seeking LEED Gold certification, fully outfitted bike room, Fitwel Star rating, rooftop solar array, and, heck, even a karaoke room on the roof.  12,340 s.f. of retail will round out the ground floor. 

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Project:  Signal House

Address:  350 Morse Street, NE, Washington DC

Developer: Carr Properties 

Architect:  Gensler

Interior Design:  Streetsense / Edit Lab

Construction:  John Moriarty & Associates

Use: 12,340 s.f. of retail

Expected Completion:  February 2021

Washington DC retail and real estate development news

Today in Pictures - Wonder Bread Building

One of the few true industrial buildings in DC, the Wonder Bread building in Shaw has long captured would-be architects' and developers' interest.  After the attractive but decrepit building sat vacant for years, Douglas Development put the structure through a nomination to be included in the D.C. Inventory of Historic Sites in August of last year.

With that out of the way, work began on the refurbishing the building in June, and work crews have now gutted the interior, lowering the floor, and making way for more than 50,000 s.f. of space, with 24,000 of retail on 2 levels.  Designed by R2L:Architects, the building's revival is part of Shaw's commercial rebirth, ironically just as the building's namesake declares bankruptcy.  Despite the raw look of the shell, Douglas expects to turn the building over to the first tenant in January. 

Washington D.C. real estate development news