Today in Pictures - NoMa West

One of Washington D.C.'s largest residential developments is nearing completion. Mill Creek Residential Trust, LLC is putting the finishing touches on NoMa West, three five-story buildings on a 4.3 acre site that will add 603 wood-framed, mostly market rate apartments to the NoMa neighborhood (that some insist is really Eckington, but that fall inside the NoMa BID map boundaries). The Preston Partnership, LLC is responsible for the design, and R.D. Jones & Associates designed the interior.

Whatever neighborhood it falls in (note that the project was once called Eckington Place), the project is nearing completion and is across the street from MRP's Gateway project, the combination of which will bring an actual neighborhood to what could have been recently described - charitably - as desolate.  (Pictures were taken last month)

Today in Pictures - Flats at Atlas District

Clark Realty Capital, which broke ground on the first phase of Arboretum Place in October of 2010, is getting close to delivering its project at 1600 Maryland Avenue, NE. The first phase of construction, "The Flats at Atlas District," will yield 257 apartments when the dust settles this summer. Originally expected to initiate construction back in 2009, the project idled but a HUD loan put air beneath the developer's wings in a submarket that has seen little development of this kind. The project was designed by Niles Bolton, with interior design by RD Jones, with construction by Clark. Completion is expected "this summer." Initial leasing, which began last Thursday, is going well, according to Tracey Thomm of Clark Realty Capital, with "higher leasing volume than expected" on the 24 units just released. The Clark project sits on 5 acres, only 3 of which have been used for the Flats, leaving another 2 on which the developer will likely add another 200 units or so in the next phase, beginning pre-development this year. The developer notes that the Flats is the product of several years worth of design work that "respects the history of the neighborhood." Thomm says that "we made alot of changes based of community feedback that has substantially improved the design," something she hopes will be apparent to the community now that the project is open to the public.
Washington D.C. real estate development news

Sky House Kicks Off in Southwest

As the re-remoderization of Southwest Washington D.C. continues, this time without a Soviet flare, Urban Atlantic Development and JBG have started work on the transformation of Sky House I & II, the concrete layers of the old EPA government building on 1150 4th Street, and across the street at 1151 4th Street. With Wiencek & Associates Architects & Planners on board for the exterior and RD Jones + Associates for the interiors, the project will deliver some 530 units to the Southwest Waterfront area in late 2013 or early 2014.
The development team is keen on delivering an environmentally sustainable, LEED certified, twin building project. This project is another step continued revitalization of housing in the Southwest quadrant. With a mix of studio, one & two bedroom units, with the average unit size only 675 s.f. The two buildings will have different ownership structures, but both will have 20% of the units set aside for affordable housing. With the two tallest buildings in Southwest, developers are touting the unique views ("Sky") available from the rooftop deck and pool. The Sky projects complete the area around Waterfront Station - at least until the surface parking lots are addressed - with the office complex having completed in 2009, Safeway having reopened in the spring of 2010, and Waterfront Towers having converted to condos in 2009.

There will be a "groundbreaking" ceremony with Mayor Vincent Gray in attendance today at 9:30am.
Washington D.C. real estate development news