Next at Bat: Camden South Breaks Ground

In two years’ time there will be 276 apartments to rent on South Capitol Street in Southwest, just a foul tip away from the Nationals Stadium. Donohoe Construction, general contractor on the project, broke ground Wednesday on the building – Camden South Capitol – and aims to be finished in late summer of 2013. This should give renters enough time to grab an apartment in time to not see the Nationals in the 2013 World Series.

Pictured: Mark Bucci (Camden), Screech (Nats Mascot), Bob Wilson (Donohoe), Neil Stablow (Donohoe), Greg McCarthy (Nats)

The project, named for developer Camden Property Trust, will rise out of a previously vacant site, nearly the size of the Nats’ outfield. It’s been duly noted that a structure named “Camden” might be more appropriate in Baltimore, a (Nats fans’) stone’s throw from Camden Yards.

The 276-unit building, designed by WDG Architecture, will rise over 10 ten stories and feature a rooftop pool, a courtyard, “high finishes and upscale residences”, three levels of underground parking, and will sport a grey-brick exterior of contrasting textures and colors: smooth vs. rough, and light vs. dark.

These aforementioned features create a view of the buildings, but a view from the building may be even more impressive, according to Sean Stadler at WDG Architecture: one, there may be a view up to the Capitol to the north and the Anacostia River to the south, at least for upper-floor dwellers; and two, the rooftop deck will offer a view into the ballpark, transforming the pool into cheap seats at game time. Reminder: binoculars not waterproof.

According to Susan Goldstein at Donohoe, Camden South is the first multi-family project to get off (or in) the ground in the area for 3 and a half years, and “the Capitol Riverfront BID is working to incorporate this site into the BID.” Also of note yesterday, a win for the Nationals who squeaked by the Phillies for a 2-1 victory.

Washington D.C. real estate development news

Camden to Start Southwest DC Project Next Tuesday

Camden Property Trust will kick off its project on South Capitol Street in southwest DC a week from tomorrow, inaugurating what will be one of the few projects to actually begin construction lately in the littlest quadrant, with the building of a 276-unit rental building across the street from Nationals Stadium. The groundbreaking puts the project on track for a late summer 2013 completion, possibly in time for views of the stadium during regular season play. DC-based WDG Architecture, which also conceived the apartments just north of the ballpark, designed the building - officially called Camden South Capitol - that will take up the now vacant site north of O Street. Developers at Camden say the apartment building will fill a need in the saturated residential market of the Capitol Riverfront, which now has scant vacancy. Foundry Lofts on the riverfront will be open for lease by early fall, though no other residential development will open in the interim. WDG's Sean Stadler notes that the building was being designed in a very uncertain rental market - during construction of the ballpark. "It has a very rich feeling for a project that was in a unknown rental market when it was conceived," says Stadler. Given that, retail space was minimized in favor of a street presence for building services. "We tried to break down the facade...creating a street wall along South Capitol, but at the street the whole thing will break down on a human scale." Stadler says the grey brick is an alternating pattern, smooth and textured, light and dark grey. "So from up close the building starts to break down in scale...at the base, certain pieces pop out that give relief so the facade doesn't just hit the street." Stadler is also confident the apartments "will have great air and light with great views up to the Capitol." Mark Coletta of Camden says the residence will offer a rooftop pool and deck, underground parking, and possibly fabulous views into the ballpark across the street. Camden purchased the property in 2007 and has hired Donohoe as the general contractor. 

Washington DC real estate development news

Akridge's Field of Dreams

With all the talk about waterfront development, you would think the best waterfront property in DC was spoken for. That might just depend on who you ask. Real estate development firm Akridge currently holds the keys to a corporate dream home: nine acres of land on the Anacostia waterfront, which can house 2.7 million s.f. of development and more than 1,600 parking spaces by right, not to mention site lines down the Potomac River. And for baseball fans who dream of finishing up a day at the office with a cold beer behind home plate, the Akridge site is only four blocks away from the new Nationals Stadium. Officially, the site's address is 100 V Street, SW, just within the historic Buzzard Point district. Yet the potential for development is vast; with the possibility of spanning three full city blocks to create a corporate campus that fits nicely within the context of the Fort McNair neighborhood. “We think it’s ideal for a user that has security needs because there are several natural buffers. The site encompasses three full city blocks with water on one side, Fort McNair on the West and a PEPCO sub-station across First Street SW, it is on a point with little thru traffic, and adjacent occupants also have large campus-like properties,” said Mary Margaret Plumridge, Media Contact for Akridge. 

Akridge, which purchased the site in 2005 for $75 million from utility supplier PEPCO, has lovingly maintained its original parking lot appearance, retaining the Field of Dreams look and, Akridge hopes, its promise. The new owners did remove an abandoned oil tank left behind by the previous owners - unfortunately empty. The development team has decided (for now) to avoid setting a firm design plan in stone. It's what Akridge calls the "ideal build-to-suit" opportunity. Basically, if you like the idea of having your office a stone's throw from the Potomac, or the notion that you could catch a home run from your office courtyard (assuming Bonds is still juicing), this might be the opportunity you seek. And in a reverse Field-of- Dreams-scenario, if someone wants it dearly enough, Hellmuth Obata & Kassabaum will design it for the lucky bidder, at which point Akridge will build. Because of Akridge’s by-right zoning, the developer is ready and willing to build and is marketing the site to either a “secure user” or for the traditional mixed-use path. Akridge expects to eventually manage the project that is built, but recognizes that the nature of the user would dictate that possibility.

Washington DC commercial real estate news

Congress Grants Approval to Federal Land Transfer to DC

The gears of legislative process grind forward, and fans of soccer and baseball (and development!) should feel some joy. On November 16, the US Senate approved legislation (the House ok’d it earlier this month) that will transfer dozens of Federal land lots located in the District to the DC government, including title to 100-acre Poplar Point (pictured) across the Anacostia, considered to be the site for DC United’s new soccer stadium and additional development, and smaller properties along Potomac Avenue that will make up part of the new Nationals baseball stadium complex. Also included in the transfer are 66 acres around the old DC General Hospital at Massachusetts Avenue and 19th Street SE that are targeted for a new major development featuring housing, retail, and parks. Besides gaining this land for economic development, it will also bring in needed tax revenue, as the Feds didn’t pay property tax on the lots.