Furioso Starting Logan Office Project

Giorgio Furioso plans to begin construction on his 14th Street office project on December 10th, the developer announced this morning.   The 42,000 s.f. office building will take the place of the empty lot at 1525 14th Street, NW, wrapped around the adjacent building Furioso already owns that holds Posto.

The Logan Circle-based Furioso Development has worked for years on the development, known now as 1525 Fourteen, but after weighing various options for the site concluded that the underserved office market was the most viable for the site.

Furioso told DCMud he sees the future building as an anchor of 24/7 neighborhood activity, bringing more feet to 14th Street during day to balance the throngs that populate the nighttime hotspot.

Furioso said several office tenants are already lined up, but no announcements have been made yet on the 3,600 square feet of street-level retail.  The project was nearly ready for construction this summer, with only "last minute" issues hindering construction.  The design for the six-story LEED gold building, which includes a green roof, geothermal heating, and solar panels, is by architecture firm Eric Colbert and Associates.  Two underground floors include 28-small-car parking spaces, accessible by car elevator, and a charging station for hybrids.  The building also includes a bicycle room complete with showers.

Washington D.C. real estate development news

Abdo Envisions Condos for Empty Rhode Island Avenue Lot

You could call it a vindication. Or you could simply say the market finally changed.

Either way, Jim Abdo says he’s got revamped plans for the property he owns at 1427 and 1429 Rhode Island Avenue NW, the only vacant lot on that block and one of the few left in the neighborhood. The Logan Circle-based developer had been planning on erecting a 70-something unit apartment building there, but ran into opposition from neighbors due to its size. As of this past February, he had backed off from the project entirely.

The lot as it currently appears

Now he says he’s got new plans for the lot, which backs up to the P Street Whole Foods Market. Due to a steadily improving housing market and the increased availability of financing for condo construction, Abdo has returned to the plan he says he’d initially envisioned for the property before the economy tanked: a high-end condo building containing just a few units.

“My vision has always been a boutique building with a small number of units,” explained Abdo. “And every day and month I wait, the market comes back in my favor to do what I want. We think it’s a win-win for everyone, and it’s what the neighborhood will embrace.”

Abdo didn’t provide many details about what he has in mind, as the project hasn’t gone far beyond the basic concept stage. But he says he’s imagining a 90-foot high building that contains nine or ten units, each taking up an entire floor and potentially reached by elevators that open directly into the units.

That’s a big difference from the property’s previous iteration, which was an eight-story rental building conceived of at a time when condo financing was almost nonexistent. Although the design earned approvals from the Historic Preservation Review Board, neighbors objected to its density and Abdo eventually withdrew his plans.

The lot with its prior structures, which were knocked down in 2007

“I said, ‘Let’s revisit this thing,’” he explained.

Nothing’s happening anytime soon. The developer, who bought the property in 2001, says the company probably won’t start moving on the project until 2014. At that point, in-house architects will begin putting together design ideas and he’ll reach out to HPRB and the community.

It’s not like the firm doesn’t have enough going on as it is. Besides projects in Brookland and Arlington, Abdo is also planning to develop a spot a few dozen feet to the east: 1400 14th Street, a corner lot at the intersection of 14th Street and Rhode Island Avenue that currently includes a Caribou Coffee and Abdo’s own office (and next to the DCMud office). That project—a six-story building to include ground floor retail, one floor of offices, and some 30 residences—received HPRB approval a couple of months ago. Groundbreaking is set for next year.

That turns the block of Rhode Island between 14th and 15th streets a mini Abdo-ville. The developer owns another property on the block, and developed the two condo buildings framing the empty lot—the Zenith and the Willison—more than a decade ago.

Washington, D.C., real estate development news

Perseus Building Office Project on 14th Street

1728 14th Street, Image courtesy Bonstra Haresign

The stoic facade of the Granger building at 1728 14th Street will be getting an overhaul, now that developer Perseus Realty has closed on the purchase.  The developer sealed the acquisition of the property - located between R and S Streets - in mid-August, John Clarkson of Perseus told DCMud on Thursday; the DC Property Sales Database shows the building sold for $4.8 million. Perseus and Ogden CAP Properties are partners in the joint venture.  Also on board is Bonstra Haresign Architects, and Andrew Poncher of Streetsense for retail leasing.  The firm is behind a number of other 14th street projects including the AME Zion church renovation and lower-level addition, the Q14 Condominiums building, as well as Studio Theater and The Aston at 14th and R, all within a few blocks down the street.

Current Granger Warehouse Facade, Image Courtesy Bill Bonstra

Plans for the site include the adaptive re-use of the warehouse building, built in 1988, and the new design includes four floors with 28,000 square feet of retail and office space.  Of the many developments slated for 14th Street, this is one of the few office concepts (Furioso's project being the other).  Clarkson, who provided an up-to-date rendering to DCMud on Thursday, said Perseus expects to begin construction on the project in February 2013 with a 12-month construction time.  The Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 2F wrote a letter in full support of the project, which also received preliminary approval from the DC Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) in July.

Like 1728, most of Bonstra Haresign's other 14th Street projects have also been located in the historic district, Bonstra Haresign managing partner Bill Bonstra told DCMud.  "What is really important is understanding the context and what I call the DNA of the site."  The site, 60 feet in width, likely once housed three townhouses, Bonstra said.  "That understanding allowed us to come to terms with the appropriateness of the architecture."

The project also sits in the context of a rich history of commercial buildings on 14th Street, many of them built in the Nineteen-teens and Twenties as automotive showrooms.  Back then, 14th Street was a trolley corridor and a place to window shop. "There was a tradition of retail and commercial buildings and we looked at that tradition as a model."

The design pays homage to the street's architectural tradition with a formal facade with strong center and side doors and a masonry structure, yet also incorporates generous amounts of glass, color, and contemporary planes. Design for the masonry incorporates striping, detail, setbacks, and reveals.  "What we set out to do was respect that tradition of commercial buildings on the street but also make it a building of its time," Bonstra said.  "We believe that the front elevation of this building will be a nice complement to historic buildings, but it will be a part of our time architecturally."

Bonstra said the building will contribute to the true mixed-use history of 14th Street, ultimately providing more of what the street lacks: neighborhood businesses and offices.  The property also includes two historic townhouses north of the Granger warehouse building, but Perseus doesn't have plans to alter them at this time, Clarkson said, though those townhouses might get some interior improvements in the coming year.

Washington D.C. real estate development news

Vacant Lot In 14th Street Corridor to Be Mixed-Use Building

The Zipcar lot at the corner of 14th and Corcoran is likely to be replaced by a seven-story mixed-use development, as the concept design was recently recommended for HPRB approval. The Hickok Cole Architects-designed building at 1617 14th Street, NW would feature ground-floor retail and six stories of dwellings on the site, which was formerly an Amoco gas station. The proposed building would be bookended by "a row of early 20th century commercial buildings" on the north and, to the east on Corcoran Street, "a coordinated row of Italianate rowhouses." On the opposite corner is the historic and Romanesque John Wesley AME church (pictured below), and right next to it is the Central Union Mission building.

According to the HPRB report, the design calls for a "five-story masonry block fronting on 14th Street," with another slightly smaller four-story masonry block facing on Corcoran. Each block would feature "punched windows deeply set within the masonry walls." Along 14th Street, plans call for "projecting storefronts," as well as a "vertical projection consisting of canted glass bay windows extending to the top of the fifth story." The six and seventh crowning stories would be built of metal and glass, with each floor offset with the other, and "wall planes broken between apartment units."  According to the report, "design intent is to provide a contrast between the more formal, disciplined masonry blocks below with the more dynamic canted glazed upper stories."  Developers are seeking zoning variances to decrease the parking spaces requirement, and to increase the building's height to allow for the elevator overrun.

The staff evaluation of the concept design found that "the design has been developed in recognition of its site, influenced by the large auto showrooms along 14th Street (all long since replaced), the smaller-scaled rowhouses on Corcoran, and its location in the Uptown Arts District. The reports finds the height and masonry "compatible and complementary" with the church and the mission, with the building's stepdown and smaller windows on the Corcoran side preserving a successful relation to the adjacent rowhouses. The report goes on to heap praise upon the "exemplary" juxtaposed design of the top floors; whereas most buildings in the area are "begrudgingly recessed simply in an effort to squeeze additional space while trying to make the building appear smaller," this building's "setbacks and unusual geometry" result in "a harmonious juxtaposition of design elements and a distinctive roofline."

The site was formerly approved in 2005 for a similar steel-glass-and-limestone building, designed by Brennan Beer Gorman Architects and developed by FLGA, LLC, a decision that, at the time, created a minor controversy, as the similar "Rapture Lofts" project at 14th and T was rejected by the board, raising accusations of preferential treatment from some community members.

Washington D.C. real estate development news

Your Next Place

By Franklin Schneider

This Logan Circle Victorian was renovated by a professional designer, and it shows. Where most "renovations" just mean tearing out the carpeting and painting over everything, this one legitimately

transformed the place. Boasting clean lines and tons of light (check out that bay window), there's also a ridiculously cool fireplace, some of the most impressive hardwood floors I've seen, and skylights galore. The master bedroom suite is huge, with a fantastic bathroom that features a spa-style tub and twin basins. (That way you can be married AND still have your stubble-hair-and-toothpaste-encrusted sink).

The kitchen is huge and has a "smart" island, which means that it's extra long and has a sink in it. This is brilliant and a potential game-changer. Why isn't this standard? If I had one of these I might even wash my dishes occasionally instead of letting them fester in the sink and then moving them out to the deck for a few months before shoveling them into a trash bag. (P.S. I'm thirty-three years old. Hee!)

Out back is a nice cozy garden and the lower level is a self-contained one bedroom apartment. It's also in Logan, so it's close to everything you could possibly want to go to, as well as Logan Circle, which is a seriously underrated public greenspace and one of the best places to sit in the summer and pretend to read while eyeing attractive passersby. I spent a good forty-five minutes there one day last summer before realizing I was holding my book upside down.

1817 15th Street NW
3 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths
$999,500

14th Street Project Altered, Moves Forward, After ANC Review

14th Street's newest residences have made it through community input, now a bit smaller, and with a new look. "The Irwin," a 6-story, mixed use building designed by Torti Gallas and Partners, will take the place of a 1960s-era warehouse at 1326-1328 14th Street, now with a new slightly shrunken design and new facade since it was first conceptualized six months ago, as a result of ANC, HPO and neighborhood input.

But in replacing the "hole in the urban fabric" on 14th, the Torti Gallas design team said that it has not been frustrated with the process. Conversely, they claim to have enjoyed working with the HPO (what architect doesn't want a committee to change their design?), the immediate neighbors, and the ANC 2F Community Development Committee in shaping the direction of the project.

The next step by owner/developer Irwin Edlavitch and architect Torti Gallas will be to take the revised design to the Historic Preservation Review Board for approval in December, and to the Board of Zoning Adjustment next spring with the request for a variance from parking and loading requirements and to allow multiple roof structures of varying height.



The initial design concept from June is seen below. The design was for 61 residential units, ground floor retail, 5.3 floor-to-area-ratio (FAR), 75' tall (size permitted by the Art Overlay zoning regulations).  The HPO requested a one story reduction, an increase in the "attic reading" at the top story, and that the "frame" of the building be brought to the property line. This design was taken to the ANC at the end of August, which requested that the design be presented to immediate neighbors and that the building "relate more to the historic context of 14th Street and be made to look more residential".

In light of the new directive, the building was given a new skin and distinct bays. The new version was submitted to the Board of Zoning Adjustment and presented to the ANC in September, which asked the design team to eliminate the "frame" and replace the terra-cotta rainscreen with masonry materials.


The end result of the participatory process is the current design, which will go before the HPRB in December, after a presentation to the full ANC. As described by Sarah Alexander, Associate with Torti Gallas, "This design incorporates a more traditional skin of red brick masonry with still keeping the playful 'artistic' moves [including the] entry canopy and rooftop stair towers." There will be an entry lobby visible from the street that will have an "art gallery feel."


With approximately half the ground floor space taken up by a lobby, garage entry and loading space, there will be around 4,000 s.f. left for use by a retailer. The project includes 53 residential units, 20 parking spaces (all covered or below grade), a small fitness room and roof terrace.

On the other side of the restaurant at Thai Tanic, located next to The Irwin, C.A.S. Riegler is in the process of creating a 5-unit boutique condo, at 1324 14th Street.

Next door, 1320 and 1318 are currently under construction, to be turned into The Pig, a "nose and tail, farm to table" creation by Eatwell DC, which should be open for business next spring, and more apartments by Tikvah Inc.

Washington D.C. real estate and retail development news

Norwood Apartments: A TOPA odyssey in Logan Circle

Tomorrow, newly bound-together residents of The Norwood will celebrate the six-year trek toward creating an affordable cooperative in Logan Circle. The Norwood/1417 N Street Cooperative, through the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) process, assisted by the D.C. Office of Tenant Advocate and the Latino Economic Development Corporation, and financed by the Department of Housing and Community Development's First Right Purchase Assistance program, was able to purchase their 7-story, 84-unit apartment building "The Norwood" for $9.3 million from Landmark Atlantic at the end of July. Initially, the Norwood Tenants Association, led by co-presidents David Fabian and Silvia Salazar, banded together in October of 2005 over numerous housing condition concerns: black mold infestations, a malfunctioning elevator, unsafe stairways, and an "alarming" bedbug problem. "We started out just trying to improve the conditions in the building," said Fabian, which turned into what he describes as an "incredible learning opportunity," resulting in the formation of a cooperative, direct negotiations with the landlord, and a building purchase. 

Farah Fosse, LEDC's Director of Affordable Housing Preservation, explains that her organization was called in to help preserve affordable housing, improve poor housing conditions, and assist with the sale and conversion of the building. In 2006, the owner was looking to convert the 1930's building to condos, but Norwood Tenant Association leadership knew it would ultimately force out many of the building's low to moderate-income renters; the association rejected the offer and demanded that the building be brought up to code before any conversion could be made (essentially buying time, while organizing plans to pursue the TOPA process). When the owner slapped the tenants with rent increases, they simply refused to pay without any improvements having been made to their living conditions. Lawsuits ensued, and the issue was thrust into the open. 

In May of 2007, the owner offered the tenants the opportunity to purchase The Norwood at just over $12 million. Without a third party contract, without improved housing conditions and with the building's appraisal coming in at less than the owner's price point, the tenants didn't bite. It took another four years to negotiate various lawsuits, to organize/educate the tenants, and to pursue financing. With the owner finally agreeing to shave nearly $3 million off the purchase price, on the grounds that he would not have to do a substantial overhaul of the dilapidated interior, the Co-op was able to close on its building quickly after receiving the DHCD loan early this summer. Now, the newly formed Co-op Board is going through the process to convert the building. Fosse explained, "Soon [residents] will have the choice to buy into the Co-op." Part of LEDC's role prior to conversion was to make sure that those residents would be financially able to do that, so as to prevent any displacement. The Board is also seeking private financing from banks in order to complete a full renovation of the 73-year-old art deco building sometime next year, said Fabian, with plans to incorporate a child care facility. Fosse said improving the living conditions at The Norwood is an ongoing issue; just this summer the number of inhabitants at the building skyrocketed – the unwelcome incomers part of a severe rat infestation. 

The Norwood is now managed by EJF Real Estate Services, replacing Landmark Atlantic's Fleetwood Management (since reconfigured into a new company). The Norwood is far from being alone. Elsewhere in D.C., Fosse says, "A huge number of buildings are going up for sale, and we're actually seeing pretty reasonable prices." The problem is, "Low-interest real estate loans are hard to come by. There is not much money in the trust fund." LEDC is currently working with the tenants of nearly a dozen other buildings, in predominately Latino communities, with several located along the Georgia Ave corridor. 

Washington D.C. real estate development news

One at a Time for Furioso, Now Offices on 14th

Unlike many DC real estate developers, Giorgio Furioso, founder of Furioso Development, prides himself on being “boutique” and developing one project at a time. As such, the focus right now is solely on his new 14th Street mixed-use project “1525 Fourteen,” a build-to-suit that stands out among a slew of new development on 14th Street, NW, primarily because of what it’s not – a condo. “I’m going in the opposite direction of where everyone else is going,” says Furioso, “An office building has never been built [on 14th] north of Thomas Circle.” “You can’t have a really vital neighborhood without a 24/7 presence,” Furioso continues. “Part of how you [create neighborhood vitality] is through mixed use. That’s most of Europe, [and] why New York works so well.” 

In addition to bringing office use to 14th Street, Furioso says 1525 Fourteen stands out for what the 42,000-s.f. building aims to accomplish through an “extremely green attitude; if you’re not into green it’s not going to be your building.” Designed to achieve LEED Gold, the project includes a green roof, geothermal heating, solar panels, a charging station for hybrid cars, and a bicycle room with showers; 28 small-car parking spaces, accessible by a car elevator not a ramp, are included in two underground floors. With the design by Eric Colbert completed, approvals secured and financing in place, Furioso is now looking to fill the 6-story building, ideally with an environmentally minded non-profit for the top four floors, and a local retailer for the bottom two, preferably one not in the food industry. Considering the wealth of restaurants on, or coming to, 14th Street, Furioso explains, “I’ve been called by about ten restaurants, but I’m trying not to go there.” 

To understand the goals, logic, and business philosophy of Furioso, it’s useful to take a look back. “I come completely from an arts background,” says Furioso. “Art is all problem solving. You create a problem and then you try and figure out how to solve it. In a way, what’s kept development exciting for me is that I treat it like art. It’s not art… but the way I approach it is very much in an art solving shape and form.” After obtaining a bachelor’s degree from the Boston Museum school, Furioso chose Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) over Yale for his MFA – not only because a full ride was offered, but because he was given the opportunity to teach (painting) while attending. There was only one problem: “RIT had built a brand new campus, and, I swear, it looked like a hospital,” says Furioso. “It was really, really disturbing.” Instead of inhabiting a sterile, boxy, mint-condition dorm room, Furioso chose to sprawl out in an abandoned and dilapidated building downtown that was owned by RIT. “I took over an entire floor. It was unlocked and I put in my own lock,” Furioso recalls. “By the time I graduated the whole grad school had moved into that old building.” 

Furioso says that his choice to live someplace with gritty urban character served as a creative impetus – “A space for an artist is like a tool; it’s no different than a pencil, a brush, a camera. Space is where so much of the creative spirit [is nurtured] … for poetry some people go to a landscape, a seascape, the woods. For visual artists that interior space is as much a tool [as the poet’s destination].” Another consequence of that move – to wander away from the white-walled dorms – was a fascination with development. “It started me on this quest of changing, fixing, and making spaces your own,” he says. After graduation, Furioso took on teaching full-time and came to the D.C. area as a visiting professor at the University of Maryland, but “couldn’t find an art studio to save my life,” he explains. Although art studio space seemed sparse, in the early ‘80s, school buildings were in spades, and the District was selling them at auction. These sidelined schools, making for unique and expansive residential and/or personal work spaces, offered Furioso and others an opportunity, in Eckington. “I bought a school with some other friends who were artists… four of us bought the whole school.” At once, Furioso settled into a studio space and waded into the world of D.C. development. Another foreclosure, this time a building at the 400 block of M Street, NW, led to a more significant investment for Furioso, but also a financial challenge, “It had already been foreclosed twice before,” recalls Furioso. “The bank was really in bad shape.” 

To get around a dearth of financing, Furioso set his creative mind to legal matters and created a corporation in which the buildings space would be represented by stock. Gathering $10,000 from each of eight artists interested in obtaining a space within the building, Furioso put the up-front funds into fixes and repairs: “I fixed the roof that was collapsing before I even owned it. The bank thought I was totally nuts.” But, it worked: Furioso bought the building for $76,000, and the artists each paid $25,000 for raw space – $200,000 in all. The property was rehabbed, completely redone over a 10-year period, and the value has since skyrocketed. “The spaces were really big; truly [New York-style] lofts, before lofts sort of hit the mainstream,” says Furioso. Though impossible to sell as “stock represented property,” the building eventually turned into a condominium and became what it is today – The Mohawk. 

Shortly after, in 1987, Furioso committed fully to development, incorporating his company with the goal “to develop artist spaces,” amidst some skepticism about throwing money into a business model that catered to the iconic starving artist types. Despite doubts, the company grew quickly, but was immediately parsed back because, as Furioso explains, “My intention was always to be a boutique developer doing really interesting things, one at a time. And no one really gets it…. I never wanted to get really big, or have a huge staff. I have a business philosophy that is so anti-American,” he laughs. An Italian national, Furioso was uprooted by his parents, first to Montreal then to the states, landing in New York at the age of twelve. His Italian heritage colors not only his approach to venture capitalism, but historic preservation (historic has a different meaning – “In Italy the 'new church' is 600 years old!”) and underscores his belief that 1525 Fourteen will succeed by offering 24/7 neighborhood vitality, something he considers somewhat European. Of his current project at 1525, Furioso’s excitement comes through, “We’re looking for a special, really great tenant,” says Furioso. “Once we do that, we’ll put a shovel into the ground and get started.” He’ll also stay connected to the building once it’s finished – “I’ll be doing a business in the cellar, my own personal business.” Furioso continues pointing out aspects of the design: “The lobby is like a little jewel box. We’re not building this cathedral… because the energy from it is kind of wasted, but it’ll be really beautiful,” and adds that he can provide “a beautiful grand stairway so that the two floors [for one retailer] feel connected,” while scrolling through photo examples of the Crate & Barrel on Massachusetts Avenue. 

Furioso maintains involvement with the design and the development every step of the way, crediting his innate fascination with all of it, “The question before I start a development is: does this interest me? Will I lose any money? If I don’t lose any money I don’t care if I make ten cents as long as it’s interesting.” But he hasn’t; with several successful developments, among them: The Mohawk, his initial artist loft foray; Church Place, a modern 32-unit condo; The Roosevelt, a historic preservation project; and Solo Piazza, which was, when built in 1999, "the first large, new residential building on 13th Street [NW] and just about the whole District,” says Furioso. Furioso’s success in development can perhaps be attributed to his attitude, problem-solving approach and hands-on nature, but whittled down even further to a simple penchant for risk-taking, the first of which dates back 30 years, when he deserted a position as the head of Ohio University’s art department. “I gave up my tenure and came here. My mother until the day she died was saying ‘I can’t believe you gave up tenure.’ I gave up security. Security’s never been a big thing for me.” 

Washington D.C. commercial real estate news

Abdo to Build Out Vacant Logan Circle Site

Abdo Development will build out one of the last vacant parcels of Rhode Island Avenue west of Logan Circle, filling it with an 8-story apartment building on a site backing up to Whole Foods.

Abdo bought the land in 2001, along with the early 20th century buildings on either side of the lot, and has had plans since to build a multi-family residence on the site. The Logan Circle based developer renovated the flanking apartment buildings in the '90's, creating the Zenith and Willison condominiums. A pair of late 19th century Romanesque townhouses on the site were razed in 2007.

Design of the building will mirror the adjacent buildings, designed by William Harris in 1929 and 1930. The new addition will add "a classical tripartite organization, with a two-story stone base, a five-story midsection clad in brick, and a brick attic story with a cornice." Abdo Development is seeking a zoning variance for reduced parking, and will share the existing driveway to a planned underground garage.

The Historic Preservation Office has recommended approval of the project, HPRB and BZA must still review the plans. In a staff report, the HPRB noted that "the stretch of Rhode Island Avenue from Logan Circle to Scott Circle is a particularly fine example of a grand residential boulevard from the early decades of the 20th century. With a few exceptions, these blocks are characterized by large distinguished residences and dignified apartment buildings...[t]he proposed project continues in that tradition, wisely eschewing the temporary vogue of a scale-less all-glass façade for a dignified and relatively quiet classically-inspired building that will relate to and enhance its context."

Washington D.C. real estate development news

Trussed for Success

By Beth Herman

Among the legion of nationwide AME churches, D.C.'s John Wesley AME Zion Church, 1615 14th Street NW, is an integral part of the District's diverse, textured, historical fabric.

With Civil War-era roots and 21st century dreams, a parish house - which was the original church - and the present church structure built in 1894 had fallen short of the current sanctuary, educational, hospitality and administrative challenges of its dynamic congregation, with antiquated mechanical systems—especially an old boiler—draining the church's energy and finances. What’s more, and in part unbeknownst to the architects and developer at the outset, various architectural and aesthetic features and flourishes that had temporarily succumbed to renovation attempts in the past were uncovered in a kind of reverse archaeological dig—50 feet up into a rarefied space lost to generations of church members and staff.


What lies beneath

“Our focus has been more on the Corcoran Street and east sides of the building as far as restoration, underpinning and digging out underneath a space that was just crawlspace for new facilities and rooms for the church,” said Principal Bill Bonstra of Bonstra | Haresign Architects. Working with developer Fred Bahrami and project architect Jeremy Arnold, the team’s objectives were to restore, modernize and upgrade a total of 12,000 s.f. of space with limited financial resources.

“We were very sensitive to the budget of the church,” Arnold said. “We felt the most important thing was (to address) lengthy and overlapping programs with a number of different-sized spaces that can be used in different ways: multipurpose rooms; storage closets; changing rooms; new office space. We wanted to give them spaces that would help them use the building more efficiently on a day-to-day basis.”

Used for meetings, classrooms, banquets, administration and containing a dated and inadequate kitchen, the 4,400 s.f. parish house was a patchwork of disjointed spaces. Engaging a neglected crawlspace beneath the parish house, a hole was made in the foundation from the outside, followed by a ramp and dual bobcats (30,000 cubic feet of dirt was ultimately removed and recycled as fill, with recovered iron recycled as well), with the structure’s middle support replaced by brand new steel columns, beams and footings in a feat of subterranean choreography. The resulting 9-ft.-high new basement has become home to a full commercial kitchen with banquet space for 150, and ladies’ and men’s facilities, and also contains state-of-the-art plumbing, HVAC, fire and safety systems, and a new elevator.

The parish house above was gutted and became dedicated office space for the pastor and administrative staff, along with conference rooms that facilitate the simultaneous viewing of sanctuary services and events via advanced technology.

A glimpse of heaven

According to Arnold, during the team’s initial survey process, poking heads above a lay-in ceiling that had been installed years ago on the second floor and peering past a mélange of mechanical ductwork, a “fairly complex system of beautiful trusses” emerged. Springing at 45-degree angles from the corners, the trusses also traversed a 20-ft.-in-diameter rose window that had been eclipsed very possibly for generations by the dropped ceiling. Evidence of a fire sometime in the 20th century was also observed in black staining and charred trusses, where several of the roof trusses had been reconstructed using wood and steel.

Destined for use now as one of the primary meeting spaces for the church, accommodating up to 250 people, Bahrami is credited with pulling the mechanical ducts through the trusses resulting in “…an interplay of old and new,” according to Bonstra. “It’s incredible space. It’s 50 feet (up),” Bonstra explained. According to Bahrami, the wall around the rose window was deteriorating stucco, which was removed to expose fine brickwork and sealed. Lighting was directed so that wall and window now become a focal point of the church.

“The entire structure has about a 2-ft.-thick brick wall,” Bahrami said of the building, noting the wall makes for prime insulation by its nature. He added that 80 percent of the interior fell apart during the renovation process, which is ongoing through the end of July, so new structural elements that include steel, wood beams and flooring are being employed.

Outside, the façade off Corcoran Street had been neglected with evidence of damaged stained glass and disintegrating brick. Work expected to begin soon includes creating a more presentable entrance to the parish hall side, upgrading the ADA ramp, and landscaping for curb appeal. An ill-placed fire escape was removed from the front of the building, bringing dignity back to the stoic façade.

“There were really no corners cut. One of our focuses was to make sure the bathrooms were comparable to the Ritz Carlton or something of that magnitude,” said Bahrami, whose previous endeavor with Bonstra | Haresign was D.C.’s luxury Q-14 Residences in 2007. “You really feel pampered with marble and granite and the design of some of the spaces—beautifully assembled and selected,” he said, affirming the team’s objective not to subordinate aesthetics to a restricted budget.

With occupancy again projected for August 1, Bonstra said the success of the project is attributed to Bahrami’s assiduous search for alternatives and value propositions for the church. “He did a great job in meeting all of their financial goals.”

DC's Ugliest Condo, A Princess No More

The Park Princess, which may well be Washington D.C.'s ugliest condo (prove us wrong), has been dethroned. Not by a less appealing condominium (though some developers are trying hard), but by owners, who no longer felt the name suited the association, and have rechristened the building at 13th and N Streets "Logan Park", its original name circa 1981. After several years of wrangling, the condo association has voted internally for the change and navigated city bureaucracy to facilitate the new nomenclature, as if whiting out its inglorious presence with the branding of its now hip neighborhood. The association is also in the midst of a modest renovation of the condo's common areas and elevators, though the exterior will remain, alas, unchanged. The old name "just wasn't appealing" said Jordan Stuart, a real estate agent who lives in the building. "No one knows who the princess was." Stuart doesn't support the building's aesthetic superlative ("there are plenty of Foggy Bottom condos that are uglier"), but isn't heedless of its reputation "we do recognize the curb appeal issue," said Stuart, who adds that the building has positive attributes (from the inside). "You have to appreciate the roofdeck." As Parisians say of the Eiffel Tower, it offers the best views in the city, principally because its the only place in Paris where you can't see the tower. 

Washington D.C. real estate news

Who Lived Here? Researching the History of an Old Home in the District

When he went searching for a home to buy in 1992 in Washington DC, Paul Kelsey Williams was seduced by a building at 1800 Vermont Avenue. Never mind that the neighborhood had been crime ridden, he was attracted to the corner house shaped like a miniature castle. After move in, a neighbor illuminated its history, it turns out that Williams lives in what used to be the Frelinghuysen University, a co-op for black working class adults built by Diller Groff in 1879.

With a graduate degree in historic preservation, Williams has an inclination to find the history of a property. As blogger for WashingtonHistory.com and author of several books on local history from Arcadia Publishing, including Greater U Street, Cleveland Park, Capitol Hill and Woodley Park, he wanted a home with an eclectic past. As a result, he ended up looking at homes in Logan Circle region in particular.

It doesn't take a degree from Cornell (though Williams has one) to find out the history of a home. Williams says it's easy if you start with the Washingtoniana Room of the Martin Luther King Library.

The Washingtoniana Room houses residency records from 1822 that include occupation of each homeowner and place of employment; individuals and families associated with a property can also be researched from 1790 in the HeritageQuest database by Census year. The library also files information on permits to build homes and additions from 1877 through 1949 (permits to build after 1949 are at the D.C. Archives). If you're really interested in going as far back as before the home was built, there's information associated with the city block and parcel of land that can be found in the Assessment Directory kept at the reference desk.

Speaking on his own neighborhood, Williams noted the treasures of the past he has discovered. "What I think is fascinating is the transition of Logan Circle and U Street from white to black-owned." Williams searched census records to discover the transition of home ownership in the neighborhood started in 1900 and continued through the '20's, during which time rowhouses were snapped up by middle class African Americans when whites moved to Dupont Circle and along Massachusetts Avenue where new homes were being built.

"Who was the architect, the original owner, how thick the walls are, the original cost, what the foundation and roof is made of, it's all there," says Williams. "Aside from adding to the story of your home, this information can be valuable if you're considering renovations."

If you're looking for information on an old home on Capitol Hill, Georgetown, Logan or U Street, there's a good chance it was built between the 1870's through the 1890's, during the first wave of building in D.C. An expanding government after the Civil War brought an influx of laborers and and a development boom.

Many homes in the area had been designed by one of three architects: Diller Groff who had built Williams' home, and Thomas Franklin Schneider was also prolific, having designed nearly 2000 buildings in the area between 1880 and 1900, including The Cairo as well as the 1700 block of Q Street, NW. George Cooper is the third most noteworthy architect of the era, having designed the Bond Building at New York Ave. and much of 14th Street, among others.

And as for Georgetown? "The funny thing is, many people think that the houses in Georgetown were among the most coveted," says Williams. "But unless they were the big mansions, they housed the butchers and the bakers in the 1870's and 1880's."

Washington DC real estate news

District Condos Construction Monday

While the rest of the real estate world is still rubbing its eyes and trying to take stock of 2011, development work is racing ahead in some quarters. Take JBG, for instance, which let fly yesterday that it would start building Rosslyn Commons in two weeks, and today said that it and partner Grosvenor are starting work on their other high-visibility condo project - District Condos - on Monday.

A source within JBG says groundbreaking for the 125-unit, Shalom Baranes designed building, is in fact scheduled for Monday on Logan Circle's trendy 14th Street. JBG will also incorporate the former AIDs clinic at the southern end of the lot for additional retail that will wrap around the corner of S and 14th Streets. The Chevy Chase developer has teamed with Toronto-based Cecconi Simone Inc. and local retailer Vastu for interior design and finishes, respectively. Unit sizes will trend smaller than might have

been built a few years ago, with a preponderance of 1-bedroom condos, respecting the more conservative outlook (fiscal, of course) of the average buyer in the neighborhood, where turnover of small units tends to be quick even at a more pricey range than is found in adjacent neighborhoods.

JBG had earlier predicted that construction would commence at the end of 2010, and the site still has to be cleared of the buildings that are not being preserved, putting delivery well into 2012. Sales are expected to start sometime in the late spring.

Washington D.C. Real Estate Development News

JBG and Grosvenor Unveil Name for 14th & S Condo Project

In an unparalleled combination of simplicity and genius developers at JBG and Grosvenor have titled their much-talked-about, seven-story condominium project set for 14th and S Streets NW District Condos! Today that name was officially christened. And while no champagne bottles were smashed over the corner of Whitman Walker Clinic, suits and ties from the development world, as well as Jack Evans and one well-recognized Jim-Graham-bow-tie, gathered earlier today to celebrate the newly-named 125-unit residential building and its impending groundbreaking (which is expected in just a couple weeks).

While the name might be a smidgen on the unimaginative side, the building's design, interior, and amenities will be nothing short of state of the art. Architects from Shalom Baranes designed the sleek and modern "glass and terracotta facade with balconies and terraces," while Cecconi Simone Inc. have been tasked with selecting the interior finishes, as well as designing the unit layouts, common areas, and amenities. JBG and Ceconi Simone have also teamed up with local retailer Vastu to stylishly furnish the common space and model units. Condo buyers wanting to add that modern-chic flare to their newly purchased units will have the option of employing the style-genius of Vastu and their product lines.

By tapping into the rich historic preservation experience of Shalom Baranes, and with much appreciation from former Whitman Walker Chairman and now Ward One Councilman Jim Graham, the beautiful brick facade of the former AIDs clinic will be improved, preserved, and incorporated into the new building. Although specifics weren't provided, Graham said he was more than pleased that JBG's project will honor and commemorate the hundreds of brave District residents who volunteered and were treated at the facility during the horrible AIDS crisis of the 1980s and '90s.

In addition to the indoor gym and the rooftop terrace, featuring outdoor living rooms, a kitchen, bar, fire pit, fountain, and sundeck, the building will also offer an additional 18,000 s.f. of retail. And with most of the vacant storefronts on 14th Street being pasted one by one with Zoning permits signaling the newest restaurant in line for the area, there is likely to be no shortage of interested tenants by the time construction is completed in the Spring of 2012. Potential buyers can "register" beginning today and actual sales will start sometime in the Spring of next year.

Washington D.C. Real Estate Development News

JBG Announces Partner, Groundbreaking on 14th Street

JBG announced on Friday that it will partner with Grosvenor, an international real estate firm, to develop its condominium project in the Logan Circle neighborhood of DC, with site work to start as early as next month. It was unclear what role London-based Grosvenor would play in the joint venture on a site JBG has controlled since 2008, but JBG described Grosvenor as a "capital partner." The project will offer 125 condominium units available in early 2012 and a full level of retail. The 14th Street site, home to the Whitman-Walker Clinic, is among DC's more vibrant retail scenes, but has not scored the start of a new residential project in four years since Citta 50 was built, which only recently sold out. JBG will incorporate the century-old, 4-story clinic into the 7 story building, but had previously been only tentative that construction would be underway this year. It now says demolition will begin "within the next month," with construction to follow in October. DC-based Shalom Baranes is the architect, and JBG announced earlier this year that Toronto-based Cecconi Simone would design the interiors (a revised rendering just released is above). Developers described the new building as a "five-story projecting glazed bays on a terra cotta and brick façade" and have promised a "highly-amenitized" condominium. This is the first project in the area for Grosvenor, unlike JBG, which is based out of Chevy Chase and has extensive residential development experience. "We wanted to bring our expertise and vision for vibrant mixed-use urban development to Washington, D.C., part of Grosvenor’s focus for future development projects," said Mark Darley, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Grosvenor. Local developers have shied away from starting projects in the neighborhood; developer Scott Pannick of Metropolis Development backed out of the Whitman-Walker site in 2007 over concerns of a market gone south, and others projects like UDR's Nehemiah Center project and Georgetown Strategic Capital's apartment building one block north have been stalled indeterminately. Update: In response to a request for comment on this article, JBG submitted the following statement:

JBG has a breadth of experience developing projects in the DC area, including other luxury residential projects. However, the 14th & S project will be somewhat unique for JBG in that it will be more of a boutique building with a more modern European design aesthetic and smaller, more efficient units. The project is now fully entitled and designed, but JBG believes it can still learn a great deal from Grosvenor’s extensive worldwide experience investing in and designing similar urban luxury projects.

Washington DC commercial real estate news

DeSoto Apartments

The Desoto, 1445 P St., NW, Washington DC
The Desoto apartment building is a 7-floor, 66 unit apartment building located in the heart of the Logan Circle neighborhood. The Desoto aims for the loft style prevalent in Logan, with floor to ceiling windows, polished concrete floors, stainless steel appliances, sisal bedroom carpeting, and exposed ducts. The building was completed in 2003 - one of the early multi-family buildings in the area - designed by SK&I Architectural Design Group and developed by PN Hoffman and SJG Properties.

The DeSoto is named after the car maker, sitting as it does in the heart of what was once "auto alley," where cars were sold and repaired once upon a time. But pedestrians have reclaimed the scene, and the area is now much better known for the Whole Foods across the street. The DeSoto Apartment building is the sister building to the Hudson, located next door. Parking is available in the two-level garage below, and small pets are allowed.

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Fennessy Lofts

Fennessy Lofts, 1209 13th St., NW, Washington DC
Fennessy Lofts is a 9-story, 38-unit condo building in Logan Circle with 1 and 2-story condos, completed in early 2008, some with balconies and private rooftop space. Upgrade options include tilework for the kitchens and bathrooms, installed sound systems and flat screen TVs, though standard details were not lavish, with features like a laminate lobby floor and plush interior carpeting. Base prices ran initially from $324k (500 s.f. 1 bedroom) to $780k for duplex penthouse units with private decks. Parking available for purchase. Developed by Washington DC-based Ellis Denning, this was the last of the numerous undeveloped lots on 13th Street, now all residential, rising in place of the market formerly on site.

The design by Hickok Cole incorporates the historic livery behind the building that was renovated and turned into 8 two-story units that feature the historic elements of the building. Sales at Fennessy Lofts began in March, 2006, with marketing by McWilliams Ballard; condos were also offered for rent in January 2008. Sales switched to Gallagher and Co in late 2008, which sold the remaining units after a massive price drop, down to $399k for a two-bedroom unit.

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