Pollin's Parkside Project: Bringing Down the House(s)

Public housing in Parkside will crumble and fall this summer, not from age or neglect, but by a demolition team, clearing the way for the new Linda Joy and Kenneth Jay Pollin Memorial Community Development. The Pollin project will replace one-for-one the 42 affordable rental units on site, known as Parkside Additions, while adding 83 for-sale units. The project was initially spearheaded by the late Abe Pollin and his Pollin Foundation. The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) is seeking permission to raze the row of apartment buildings from 705-721 Anacostia Avenue, NE and, according to DCHA Spokesperson Dena Michaelson, hopes to demolish the buildings over the course of the summer.

Pollin Memorial Community Development, LLC's planned $35 million development would bring 125 new affordable for-sale and rental homes to the northeast site, an assemblage belonging at one time to three different government entities – the District of Columbia, the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA), and the National Parks Service (NPS). The developers courted the approval of all landowners back in 2006 and received approval for the project from the National Capitol Planning Commission (NCPC) in 2008. The NPS transferred its property to the District in 2007.

According to Michaelson, the developer is putting up $2 million to guarantee construction loans for the project. Michaelson said the entire project will eventually be paid for by the condo sales, and that Pollin, acting as a fee developer, will not gain financially from the sales. DCHA will be the property owner for the public housing and will maintain the units. Financing for development is being provided by the District of Columbia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), the District of Columbia Housing Authority, United Bank, Enterprise and the Abe Pollin Grantor Trust. DHCD is providing a construction loan, explained Michaelson, "a portion of the DHCD loan that applies to building public housing units is forgivable."

The project will provide 125 off-street parking spaces, one per unit, and the new residential structures will not exceed 40 feet or 3 stories. The 83 condominiums will be available to individuals earning between 40 percent and 100 percent area media income (AMI) and the 25 rental units will be offered to residents earning at or below 30 percent AMI.

A ceremonial groundbreaking in December was marred by a community boycott - an effort to convince developers and city officials to be more forthcoming about the project's community benefits which, though not final, had been viewed as skimpy. At the time, Michaelson indicated that a community benefits package would be available to the public upon its completion. When asked if an agreement has now been reached, ANC7C04 Commissioner Sylvia Brown said, "Short answer: no, no community benefits. Medium answer: there was a change in the ANC7D chairmanship and the momentum went out like air from a balloon. There hasn't been any other broad community update or discussion." Michaelson said the Pollin family has committed to giving $350,000 to the community, but was not sure what form the donation would take.

Meanwhile, DCHA will begin relocating residents to alternate public housing until Pollin's project delivers, a process that will determine the demolition date. "It's not a quick thing...it's a process to be able to relocate folks...to find the right size bedroom units, etcetera." explained Michaelson.

Current Parkside residents will have the first right to return to the new units. A press release from the ground breaking indicated the first units would be available in 2011. The phased project will complete in February 2013, according to Michaelson, who added that for-sale units will not be marketed until 2013.

Enterprise Community Investment is one of the development partners on the project. John Stranix, of Stranix Associates, is spearheading the construction effort with designs by Torti Gallas & Partners.

Washington, DC real estate development news

Community Boycotts Groundbreaking for Affordable Housing

When the development team for the $35 million Linda Joy and Kenneth Jay Pollin Memorial Community Development in northeast DC announced its groundbreaking scheduled for tomorrow, one thing they didn't count on was fierce opposition from the community. But they've gotten it, and then some. ANC7D organized a phone and email campaign that ultimately convinced Councilmembers Kwame Brown and, according to the ANC press release, Chairman Vincent Gray to boycott tomorrow's press conference and groundbreaking scheduled for 10:45 AM at Anacostia Avenue and Hayes Street, NE. Though Gray's office indicated the groundbreaking was still on his schedule. Pollin Memorial Community Development, LLC's planned development would bring 125 new affordable for sale and rental homes to northeast, a site which is a composite of property belonging to 3 government entities – the District of Columbia, the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA), and the National Parks Service (NPS).

The Pollin project will replace one-for-one the 42 affordable rental units on site, known as Parkside Additions. The project was initially spearheaded by the late Abe Pollin and his Pollin Foundation, which courted the approval of all landowners back in 2006 and received approval for the project from NCPC last year. The current Parkside project was described by the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) as “functionally obsolete,” so no real loss there.

In July of 2009, ANC7D reviewed a loan request for $7.9 million submitted by the Pollin Foundation to the DCHCD (DC Housing and Community Development), however with only 30 days provided to submit a response, the ANC unanimously rejected the request, and continues to object. ANC7C04 Commissioner Sylvia Brown told DCMud in an email that the "Pollin team have not been transparent and open to communications." Of particular concern is the community benefits agreement and the plan for relocation and return for current Parkside tenants. According to Michael Price, spokesperson for Councilmember Kwame Brown, "the community is adamant that they are looking for a community benefits package and the Councilmember stands by them."

Terri Bolling, Spokesperson for Enterprise Community Investment, one of the development partners on the project,was unaware of the community's recent actions and plans to boycott the groundbreaking. She remarked "this is so strange" since community outreach "is what we do."

John Stranix, formerly of Clark Construction and now of Stranix Associates, is spearheading the construction effort using designs by Torti Gallas & Partners. The project aims to begin construction in early 2010 with the first units available in 2011.

Washington, DC real estate and development news.

The Ritz Gets Low-Income Makeover

Local affordable housing provider Jubilee Housing, Inc. has begun renovating its flagship Adams Morgan property, the Ritz, at 1631 Euclid Street, NW. In addition to revamping the economically priced units in the 82-year-old Adams Morgan apartment building, the renovation will also allow Jubilee to relocate their corporate offices off-site and reallocate the space to an array of community interests.

The nearly $7 million renovation will amount to 60 units of affordable housing for Jubilee – which breaks down as 10 efficiencies, 20 one-bedroom, 10 two-bedroom and 10 three-bedroom rental apartments. According to Kathy Guillaume, Jubilee’s Director of Development, new amenities planned for the Ritz include community-oriented additions such as a "computer center, multi-purpose classrooms, community room, [and an] after school center for teens," in addition to energy efficient infrastructural upgrades for the apartments and communal areas. Hickok Cole Architects is designing the renovation, Ellis Denning is serving as general contractor.

Jubilee will move out and into a new location on Colombia Road, allowing for the creation of a new teen center. The Ritz has been under Jubilee’s control since the company’s founding in 1973, when it was one of the first two properties acquired by company executives Terry Flood, Barbara Moore and Carolyn Banker with the aid of Enterprise Community Partners founders, Jim and Patty Rouse. Today, the Ritz is the largest of seven Adams Morgan apartment buildings owned and operated by the company. As part of their “Campaign for the New Jubilee,” the affordable housing operator has been conducting top-to-bottom renovations of all their properties. In addition to the ongoing work at the Ritz, their Ontario Court building (2525 Ontario Road, NW) is also currently undergoing renovation procedures; work on their Mozart (1630 Fuller Street, NW), Marietta (2418 17th Street, NW) , and Fuller Court (1650 Fuller Street, NW) buildings concluded in 2008. Renovations on Jubilee’s two remaining properties, the Euclid (1740 Euclid Street, NW) and the Sorrento (2233 18th Street, NW), are scheduled to commence later in the year. Work on the Ritz is on track to wrap up in July of 2009.