New Retail Center South of Georgetown's Social Safeway, Coming Soon

When the new Safeway at 1855 Wisconsin Avenue NW was constructed, the parking lots to the south, on Wisconsin Avenue, were left untouched, to be developed later. Later is now, as Safeway Inc. began work this week on the project, which also includes renovation of an existing building, south of the lots.

A retail center - known as Georgetown East Park Center - described as a "continuation of [Safeway's] overall Georgetown project," by Safeway spokesperson Craig Muckle, is now under construction, by Roche Constructors.

Superseding the parking lot will be a brick building (a nod to the look and feel of the Safeway) with three retail spots fronting Wisconsin Avenue. The building will be connected, by an archway over a driveway, to an existing brick building (at 1815 Wisconsin Ave) which will be revamped, and will retain two storefronts on Wisconsin.

Einstein Bros Bagels, now closed for construction, occupied the corner location of the monolithic brick building at 1815 Wisconsin Avenue, which once housed four retailers, but will soon house three.

Though the building's envelope will remain largely as is, the face on Wisconsin Ave will be split into two distinct architectural styles; additionally both styles will be unique from that of the new building to the north.

The project was designed by Torti Gallas and Partners, under the direction of lead architect Brian O'Looney, along with architect of record Rounds VanDuzer Architects; the same team was responsible for the Safeway next door, which delivered in May of 2010.

Rounds Van Douzer Architects, out of Falls Church, has also designed the Bethesda Safeway, coming in September.

In 2008, Safeway Inc. formed the subsidiary - Property Development Centers (PDC) - with the goal of developing grocery-anchored retail centers nationwide. Safeway Inc. also purchased the retail building at 1815 Wisconsin Ave in 2008, for $4.2 million.

KLNB Retail is responsible for the leasing of five new tenants for the retail center; Einstein Bros Bagels is set to return, but will likely settle into the new northern building, not its old corner spot.

Another, nearly identical brick building to the south of 1815, at 1803-1805 Wisconsin Avenue, NW - now occupied by Sherwin Williams Paint and Next Day Blinds - is not owned by Safeway, and will not be redeveloped.

Amendment to article, 8/22: In response to some confusion over what kind of retail will be offered at the center, a previously included mock-up layout has been replaced by one without the names of any potential retailers, as lease-ups on site have not been confirmed.

Washington D.C. real estate development news

Your Next Place...

By Franklin Schneider

You know how when you buy a new pair of shoes, you almost don't want to wear them for fear of soiling their fresh-out-of-the-box perfection? That's how I felt as I stood at the threshold of this cozy Federal nestled on picturesque 35^th Street in Georgetown's West Village. Everything about it, from the pristine white walls and furniture to the gleaming hardwood floors and clean lines, conveyed the impression of a place almost too nice to live in. Of course, if I had $799K lying around, I'd already be reclined on the sofa by the time you read this, gleefully spitting sunflower seeds onto the floor. But alas, not on a blogger's salary.

One enters into the bright living room, which is outfitted with a gas fireplace. Farther back is a dining area and a sleek kitchen. A spiral staircase leads up to the large bedroom, which has a closet so incredibly vast it could probably be rented to an intern as a bedroom. (Laugh if you will – I once rented a room that was almost exactly the size of a twin size mattress.) The bathroom (also commendably bright) boasts a large basin and a huge shower with clear glass doors, so you never have to worry about someone sneaking up on you with a knife while you shower. And finally the private semi-enclosed patio is perfect for having people over to subtly rub your success in their faces. And really, isn't that what home ownership is all about?

1257 35TH ST NW

1 Bedroom, 1 Bath

$799,000

ICG's Luxury Georgetown Hotel Still Alive

Expectedly there was a bit of a buzz in 2009 when ICG Properties announced its intentions of converting a 47-year old office building at 1050 31st Street NW into a "luxury" boutique hotel. But since Castleton Holdings Inc. first bought the property from the American Trial Lawyers Association in 2008 for $18.3 million, and shortly after revealed their 50/50 partnership with ICG, little progress has been reported. Prolonged inaction had some speculating that the deal to bring the U.S. only its second Cappella hotel had fallen through. But ICG Principal David Stern assures skeptics that, though behind schedule, developers are still pushing forward, and hope to wrap up and finalize financing within one or two months. "With the equity and debt aspects of deal squared away, " reports Stern, it appears a groundbreaking is not far off (relatively speaking).

Certainly good news, but stay seated, there remains much work to be done, before the physical labor can actually begin. "Once we close on financing," says Stern, "we still have to get a final project architect on record, and then go through six to nine months of planning." Current designs, provided by BBG-BBGM, are very much preliminary in nature. But the finer details will be hashed in early next year as the community relations, HPRB, and Zoning processes commence.

As currently proposed, the five-story hotel will feature 48 guestrooms and suites and an upscale restaurant and lounge overlooking the C&O Canal. Other highlights include an executive boardroom, a rooftop pool and bar, and exclusive spa. Remodeling of the exterior will be mostly cosmetic. “It won’t be a demolition," Stern reiterates, "The hotel renovation would be primarily interior renovation work.” With an expected construction time of approximately 12 months, developers hope to deliver the new hotel by the end of 2012.

Washington D.C. Real Estate Development News

Georgetown Library Emerges From Ashes Dapper As Ever

Closed since a rooftop fire and water damage compromised its structural integrity in 2007, like a Phoenix, the classy new Georgetown Library will be reborn this Monday, as it once again opens its doors to the public. Luckily for DCMud, DC Public Libraries offered guided media tours, enabling a sneak peak at the completed restoration. The District Library development staff in partnership with Martinez & Johnson Architects have done a remarkable job of resuscitating the historic library, creating a new and improved building, while maintaining and preserving its storied character.

By excavating and expanding the front porch and the back terrace, as well creatively reinventing the top floor attic space and the basement levels, the development team has significantly expanded the total square footage available for library programming. The once gutted and destroyed interior now features improved lighting, state-of-the-art electronics, restored or impeccably replicated millwork and wood furniture, and much more. There is an expanded dedicated space for teens, including several high-end Apple computers for arts and media-specific exploits. A more modern staircase has been installed through the middle of the building, intended to make the multiple levels the library has to offer more visible and obvious to visitors. A larger and artfully designed Peabody Room has been included, housing a collection of materials on the history of Georgetown. A new bright, and more open children’s room with a special glass-enclosed story time space, as well as an outdoor amphitheater-like, stair-cased grass terrace have been created for children's events. Words don't do the new library justice, go see it for yourself Monday. In the meantime, check out the photos below for a glimpse of the restored library.

Library will not tempt fate, fireplaces only for show

New teen room...not

Back facade

Terraced back lawn

Installation of new roof

Peabody Room

Perfectly crafted millwork

Modern stair case

District Releases Hurt Home to Developers At Fire Sale Price

Roughly two months ago, the DC City Council voted to release several District properties for redevelopment, but the most noticeable deal in the large release is the transaction that enables Argos Group, in partnership with Potomac Investment Properties Inc., to scoop up the historic Hurt Home mansion at 3050 R St. NW, a "contributing" building in the Georgetown Historic District, for $450,000. The deal is pending, and Jose Sousa of DMPED cautions that "[t]hese numbers are not yet final." But Sousa and Argos Principal Gilberto Cárdenas estimate that all the minor details will be chiseled out in the next couple weeks. Cárdenas has plans to redevelop the former assisted living facility for the blind, and more recently the Devereux Children’s Center for foster children, into a 15-unit luxury condominium. This isn't Argos's first effort at acquiring and transforming a vacant, District-owned, historic property into high-end condos: the development group broke ground on the renovation of the Northeast's historic Firehouse No. 10 and Police Station No. 9 earlier this summer.

Argos has again contracted familiar partners Sorg Architects for the design work, and developers are leaning towards bringing in another interior design specialist to assist with some of the remodeling work. Three poorly executed wood additions will be stripped from the back of the original brick exterior, while the interior will be almost entirely gutted and rebuilt, walls, stairs, mechanicals, and all. The facade of the building will be improved and restored to its original historic charm, accented by giant two story front windows and an entrance stoop railed with hefty white columns. When finished the condos will be a spacious 1200-1700 s.f., each with two to three bedrooms and loft space. Given that the property was put mostly to philanthropic uses over the course of its long history, developers have agreed to offer three of the units at affordable rates and reserve them for blind citizens. Designers plan to link up with the American Council for the Blind to methodically outfit the units to meet the domestic daily needs of those living without sight. The back lot will be extensively landscaped, and a 30 car parking lot will be installed. Developers say there is a strong chance several Zip Car spaces will be included.

Sorg already oversaw the G-town Post Office Renovation

After the City Council meeting in July, Councilman David Catania seemed unsure of the decision: WBJ quoted Catania wondering why they'd "sell a property for $450,000 that’s worth $6.1 million," and asking, "Why not bid that out just to make sure we have the best reimbursement for the taxpayers?” But although at least five or six developers toured the property following the District's Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) last summer, Mr. Cárdenas and his partners were the only ones to go forward with an offer, and negotiations went from there. Initial plans called for an addition to the building and as many as 41 units, with the building being offered for more than $1.5 million. But it quickly became clear that community organizations, Zoning Commission, and the Historic Preservation Review Board would combine forces to put a quick stop to a proposal of such proportions, and so the number of units, with some back and forth community dialogue, was slowly reduced to 15.

Cárdenas reckons that other developers were reticent to get involved with the sometimes stubborn and often vocal Georgetown community. "They're a community that knows what they want, are well organized, and have the resources to force compromise," says Cárdenas, "but we came into this project with nothing but a positive attitude, good intentions, and willingness to compromise." Jose Sousa confirmed this, saying: "The development team worked in concert with the surrounding neighbors to address many of the concerns raised regarding parking and unit counts." Although the vetting process has already started, developers don't expect the receive final Zoning and HPRB approval for approximately a year. If all goes smoothly, construction will begin shortly thereafter.

Washington D.C. Real Estate Development News

Georgetown Streets on Track for Reconstruction

While the eastern half of Washington DC searches for ways to build tracks for its dust-collecting trolleys, the western half of DC has long been dealing with the opposite problem: plenty of tracks, no trolleys. The west side's problem may be at an end within the next two months. The District government will rebuild Georgetown's historic trolley lines that have divided Georgetowners over the fate of the iconic streetcar lines.

The District is proceeding with plans to rebuild the trolley lines that, depending on your perspective, are either an indispensable piece of Georgetown's culture and character, or make driving and parking a dangerous tightrope walk, or both. The problem is in fact not so much the trolley lines, which have remained intact, but the cobblestones that form the street that have sunk around them, creating a mid-street ridge as much as 4 inches high in some places. The city has wrung its hands over the issue for decades, with minor repairs that included patchwork asphalt that did little to quell the debate. Now the District will repair O and P Streets between Wisconsin Avenue and 37th Streets, removing the cobbles and tracks, laying a new foundation less prone to sinking, and reusing as much of the existing materials as possible. After renovation work the stone and rail will be flush. Motorists will still be able to test their driving acumen by aligning their tires on the rails, but without the tire-scorching thud now associated with an errant swerve. Sidewalks on both streets will also be rehabilitated.

Not all residents see the wisdom in repairing the rails. "Why not just cobblestones? Why do we have to have the rails? I don't quite see the need" said Georgetown resident Arne Peterson. Work on the project is expected to commence in "early November," according to a DDOT official familiar with the project.

Wormley School Phase II Development Begins

Five years after Bethesda-based Encore Development purchased the Wormley School building from Georgetown University for $8.3 million and began marketing townhouses and condos, Encore says it is ready to begin building its townhouse portion of the project. The initial plan was to transform the historic brick school into seven condominiums and construct six new townhouses on top of a parking garage, replacing the school's parking lot and playground. The 7-unit converted schoolhouse delivered in 2008, but the vision for a row of six new townhouses seemed to fade as sales for the condos were stubbornly sluggish and presales of the townhouses nonexistent. However, after recently selling the last of the condos after more than 3 years of marketing, Encore's financiers gave them the go ahead to begin construction on the six townhouses, and work has now begun on the site.

The site, at 3325-3329 Prospect Street, is just one block north of the M Street, along the migratory student path between M and Georgetown University. The six townhouses will each consist of four levels and a loft, totaling somewhere between 4800 and 5200 s.f. Each home will be accompanied by two parking spaces, and are currently priced starting at $3.95 million, running up to $4.95 million. The row-houses should be delivered in roughly a year.

The "finely-crafted, Victorian-style luxury townhouses with details of quintessential Georgetown originals" (according to the listing) are designed by Cunningham & Quill Architects. The end unit will include four bedrooms and bathrooms, four fireplaces, formal living room and dining room, library, and a grand kitchen that opens into a family room. The master suite features a private terrace, and the third floor operates as a two story conservatory. That's not all, also comprised in the property is an in house elevator and relaxing private garden.

A diligent effort has been made by the architects and developers of this project, in cooperation with Old Georgetown, Citizens Association of Georgetown, and HPRB, to ensure that the historical integrity of the block and the neighborhood are preserved. Because two row houses already existed at the end of the block, these new houses will join the established roof line and facade closest to the street, while the renovated Wormley School will soak up the majority of the passerby's attention - as it remains set back several feet to draw the wandering eye towards its historical and architectural significance.

Many specific architectural details will be replicated in the newly constructed houses so to provide visual clues for the onlooker, reminding them that this is a classic Georgetown townhouse in the historic Georgetown neighborhood. Both cornice lines and the articulations of the roof line will be matched to the existing houses as the row tapers down the street. The houses will all be approximately the same width as a typical Georgetown row house. They will also be proportionally similar. Other visual clues meant to reference the iconic Georgetown home are the windows (mainly type two over two), archway styling, the steps and entryway as they relate to the proportioning of the transition to the sidewalk, as well as stone stoops, railings, and gardens. Although many row houses in Georgetown are bare brick, the designers opted for the also common painted frontage, selecting subtle neutrals (grays, yellows, and whites) so to enliven the facade but not call too loudly for attention (think San Francisco painted lady houses). "Our ultimate goal with the design was to complete the pattern of the existing block," says architect Chris Morrison, "and I think we did that intelligently and respectfully."

Washington D.C. Real Estate Development News

Georgetown University vs. Georgetown Residents

Georgetown University is knee-deep in planning and development this summer. Today, Spiros Dimolitas, Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Georgetown University released an open letter to (angry) neighbors about the University's 2010-2020 Campus Plan.

You see, every ten years, the District requires the University and the Medical Center to outline all future infrastructure and development projects for the upcoming decade. Georgetown's 2000-2010 plan expires this year on December 31st, and while the changes being considered are not drastic, the review offers an opportunity for the community to address other issues they have with the university, which usually involves off-campus students.

Andy Pino from GU's Public Affairs Office tells DCMud that work first began on 2010-2020 plans in 2008. A final plan has yet to be submitted to Zoning and the University will continue "to have conversations with members of the community" before that happens.

Looking forward to Fall 2010, public Zoning Commission hearings about proposed projects such as "...renovations to the Medical Center, improvements to Kehoe Field’s roof" as well as "road construction" that will allow the Georgetown University Transportation Shuttle (GUTS) buses to turn around on campus, should prove to be contentious.

And because the chance to weigh in on University activities only comes around every ten years, residents of the neighboring Georgetown and Burleith communities seem to be seizing the opportunity to try to force the University's hand on some undergraduate housing issues.

The Burlieth Citizens Association and the Citizens Association of Georgetown have joined forces to petition Planning and Zoning to oppose the 2010-2020 plan unless the University takes action to stop "the already alarming conversion of single-family homes to group rental units" off campus. Over the next ten years, Georgetown expects to increase student enrollment by 3,200 or more, and the community would like an on-campus housing solution so that they can stop absorbing the run-over flip cup tournaments.

Georgetown officials maintain that there are no plans to increase enrollment for undergrads, that they already "house 84% of their undergraduate students on campus, which is the highest proportion of on-campus undergraduate housing of any university in the city other than Gallaudet" and that the average age of the students they're talking about enrolling is 28 "and many are married or live alone."

The community maintains that the 16 percent of undergraduates living in their neighborhoods are annoying, and anyway if the University wants to let anyone else come to their school, mature or otherwise, they need to come up with a plan to house the ones doing keg stands on the front lawn.

Washington, DC Real Estate and Development News

Georgetown Apple Store Opens June 18th

Which is the bigger deal - that Apple now has a Georgetown store or that Georgetown now has an Apple store? Given the recent bleeding-out of retail from Georgetown thanks to the ongoing drama at the Shops at Georgetown Park, Georgetown looks to be the big winner here. The loser is of course the hipsters who will have to find somewhere to lock their fixed-gear bikes when they get their beloved i-Pads serviced. On June 18th at 5 PM, Apple will open its first store within the confines of the District at 1229 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, just north of M Street.

The real triumph for Apple came last year when its fifth design received approval by the various powers-that-be in DC and Georgetown, including the Old Georgetown Board. Original designs featured Apple's ubiquitous glass panel front entrance, but this smacked of modern showmanship as far as the neighborhood was concerned. The final agreement included bay windows and a recessed entrance more harmonious with the surrounding neighborhood.

washington, dc real estate development news

Eastbanc to Turn Georgetown School into Condos

Recently, the Corcoran College of Art and Design announced that Eastbanc was the winning bidder on the old Fillmore School building on 1801 35th Street, NW, at Georgetown / Burleith border. Corcoran purchased the property in 1997, but expansions and growth of the student body has the school seeking more space elsewhere in the city. The announcement in April was for a purchase and sales agreement; the sale has yet to be finalized and the purchase price has not been released. DCMud has confirmed rumors of a condo and residential project for the future of the site, though details are not yet determined. According to Joe Sternlieb, VP at Eastbanc, the site was one he and his firm "had long had our eyes on." Eastbanc, which has worked on 60 or 70 buildings in the Georgetown area over the past 20 years, won the bid for the site over as many as eight other firms, according to Sternlieb. Eastbanc was recently awarded an RFP to develop in the West End into a mixed-use project and new library and fire station. The developers plan to convert the existing school building into condominiums and build new townhouses along 34th Street on the site of the 100-car parking lot. Sternlieb said the team is working with undisclosed architects on drawing several potential development plans that the team will share with the community, including the ANC and the Old Georgetown Board, "in the next few weeks." From there the team will likely go to the Board of Zoning Adjustment to amend the allowed use for the lot, though the project will reportedly not require a PUD zoning amendment as contemplated. Sternlieb said Eastbanc is "probably looking at starting something in the summer of 2011." Eastbanc must have pondered the fate of the Wormley School more than momentarily. The former Georgetown school was converted into condos and began sales in 2007, with developer Encore intending to turn the building into 7 condos and add 6 townhouses, but sales languished, with some units still unsold, and the townhouses remain just a vision. The Corcoran purchased the Fillmore from the District government in 1997 for $1.5m. The Fillmore was built in 1892 and remains one of the few tributes to the all-but-forgotten former President Millard S. 

Washington DC commercial property news

Social Safeway Opens Thursday

A little more than a year after the Safeway at 1855 Wisconsin Ave, NW, closed, Georgetown residents can welcome back an old friend this week, though they might not recognize the store after its reconstructive surgery. Following an invitation-only gala tomorrow evening, the new "Social" Safeway will open its doors on May 6th to the DC community with a ceremony beginning at 8 AM, joined by the likes of Mayor Adrian Fenty and Councilmember Evans. 

 The Georgetown store will operate 24-hours a day, seven days a week, and will be the first Safeway store to offer catering services in its geographic division, which stretches north to Pennsylvania. Unlike the former store, which sat at the rear of a surface parking lot, the new store fronts the street and sits on top of sheltered parking at grade with an additional parking deck in the rear. Acqua nail salon, a wireless phone store and a "high-end" pet store fill the three retail bays, according to Safeway spokesperson, Craig Muckle. Though much of the fare will be the same, there are a few additions that help the store meet the expectations of its customers, including a "wine cellar." Not just a wine area, but a separate chilled wine cellar that will be run by Georgetown native, Michael Quinn, and offer upwards of 2,500 bottles. The store will also offer a sushi bar and a Starbucks that open from 5 AM until midnight, longer than any other Starbucks nearby. Additional features include an indoor/outdoor terrace and a lounge with a fireplace and flat screen TVs. This is sounding more like a college campus than a grocery store. Once the store opens, Safeway will submit their Torti Gallas-designed building for review by the U.S. Green Building Council, expecting LEED certification for the final product. According to Muckle, the team "believes" that it will achieve LEED Silver certification, but there is a chance that the project could reach Gold. 

Washington, DC real estate development news

New Tenleytown and Georgetown Safeways

Take that, Whole Foods. Thursday was a big night for Safeway in northwest DC, with the group announcing that the Georgetown store would seek LEED certification, meanwhile the plan for the Tenleytown location continues its review by the ANC.

The Georgetown "social" Safeway, at 1855 Wisconsin Ave, NW, is expected to complete this May the replacement for the store demolished in April of 2009. Safeway will submit their Torti Gallas-designed building for review by the U.S. Green Building Council, expecting LEED certification for the final product.

Up the hill, the ANC continues to review a similar plan for the Tenleytown Safeway at 4203 Davenport St., but not without much heated debate. The zoning change for the Tenleytown store is set to go before the Zoning Commission on January 14th of the new year. The new design involves a two story building replacing the squat, windowless monolith that now presents its backside to Wisconsin Avenue.

Assuming PUD approval, renovation of the Tenleytown store will not start until the Georgetown Safeway is completed to avoid closing two nearby stores simultaneously.

The two buildings are Safeway's salvo in the supermarket wars; Safeway has been on a binge of renovating and rebuilding its stores to respond to increasing competition among grocers. Whole Foods will answer when it opens its next DC-area store this summer, just five blocks up the street, and Giant will open its flagship on Wisconsin Avenue in 2011, but Harris Teeter seems to have been elbowed out of the Wisconsin Avenue scrum.



Correction: In the original report DCMud indicated the Tenleytown store had received ANC approval. It was brought to our attention by the ANC this was not the case. There was a miscommunication between our staff and the source of the story. We apologize for the mistake.

Social Safeway Set for Demolition Next Month

Following last year's announcement that Georgetown's old "Social Safeway" at 1855 Wisconsin Ave, NW would disappear (temporarily) in 2009, now executives at the supermarket chain say the aging facility will meet the wrecking ball as soon as it closes up shop once and for all on April 26^th.

"Demolition will start immediately [following the store closing]," said Safeway spokesman Craig Muckle. "We plan to have it done for a March 2010 opening." In the meantime, shoppers at Safeway are stocking up on discounted food as if there were light snow in the forecast.

But fear not, valued customers. As stated above, the new and improved Social Safeway is planned to open next year with a 21^st century design - courtesy of Torti Gallas Architects - and a new floorplan that will largely abolish the current store’s massive and congestion-prone parking lot. By reclaiming part of its underutilized footprint, the from-scratch storefront will bare more resemblance to CityVista’s so-called “Sexy Safeway” rather than it’s former incarnation. Muckle tells DCmud that the new building’s design is the result of a lengthy approval process that the company underwent with locals and DC authorities.

“We had a number of visits with [the Old Georgetown Board] and [the US Commission of] Fine Arts. We went back a couple of times as there were some revisions requested along the way. But I don’t recall there being anything wildly out of line or that needed to be redrawn significantly,” he said. “We did spend a lot of time with the ANC, so I think we can say safely that the ongoing conversation really made the process much less challenging.”

In the meantime, renovation procedures take a much more low-key tactic at the "Not So Safeway" at 1747 Columbia Road, NW. That store will remain open when it goes under the knife (as early as early next month) and, although the store will forgo demolition, the end result will be much the same as in Georgetown.

“Under the current situation, [we couldn’t close the store]. We would have liked to, but if we’re not able to that, we’ll do the in-place remodel. It will be a complete interior renovation and decorum upgrade,” said Muckle. “It will look like…our other upgraded Safeways, of which there are now nine or ten in the area.”

Washington DC retail and commercial property news

Luxury Hotel Sought for Georgetown Canal

Commercial real estate developer ICG Properties announced this week that it is seeking to redevelop the former headquarters of the American Trial Lawyers Association at 1050 31^st Street, NW through a joint partnership with Castleton Holdings. The Washington DC-based developer's goal for the prominent Georgetown location? An "ultra-luxury hotel" with top-tier retail.

"[We are looking for a] high-end, luxury hotel operator," said David C. Stern, a principal with ICG. "There’s an opportunity for a fantastic restaurant presence on the Canal side of the building…In keeping with its location in the heart of Georgetown, it’s going to be a high-end project."

In its current incarnation, the five-story building hosts 50,000 square feet of space with two-levels of underground parking and views of the C&O Canal, the Potomac and the surrounding Georgetown area. According to Stern, the development will doing little to alter that – at least, externally.

“It won’t be a demolition. The hotel renovation would be primarily interior renovation work,” he said. “We haven’t selected a project architect yet…It’s very preliminary right now. Decisions like the operator, financing and the hotel architect haven’t yet fallen completely into place.”

That, however, hasn’t scared them from locking down a timeline on the project. Stern says his group is negotiating with an unnamed hotelier and is planning to begin construction by the end of the year. "They are not currently in the District, but, like many other groups, they are very interested in starting operations [here]," he said.

"Given the fact that it’s primarily an interior renovation project, it would be a 12 to 18 month period for construction,” said Stern. “Our goal would be to open in the first quarter of 2011." Presumably by then a hotel operator will have been selected.

Washington DC commercial real estate news