JBG Razing Residential Hopes on 14th Street

14th Street appears to have crossed the last hurdle to its next big project, now that the JBG Companies has filed its application to demolish a strip of properties along 14th Street between S and Swann Streets. JBG says construction will begin this year to build its condo project on the site of the historic Whitman-Walker Clinic. Matt Blocher, a Senior Vice President for JBG, said "it is our goal to begin construction in late 2010; the construction timeline is estimated to be 20-months."

The seven-story building, designed by Shalom Baranes, will bring 120 residential units to the 14th Street Corridor/U Street area. A below-grade parking garage will offer at least 90 spaces to serve both the residential and retail needs.

According to plans submitted to the Historic Preservation Review Board, the 14th Street side of the building will have four five-story "vertical projecting bays," and the seventh floor will be set back and largely composed of glazed glass. The District's Zoning Commission has already approved changes to the roof design that will maximize rooftop recreational space. To beautify the back alley, the designers proposed a "panelized brick wall" that might, designers say, be partially hidden by vines growing down from rooftop planters.

Retail will be available on three sides: on the north, south, and along 14th Streets, the main residential entrance will be off of S Street. Ground floor retail of 18,000 s.f. includes 200 feet of frontage on 14th Street and 110 feet of frontage on S and Swann Streets. The 14th Street frontage required an exception to the Arts Overlay to allow a higher percentage of dining or drinking space. The Overlay requires that no more than 25 percent of "linear footage" be used for eating and drinking establishments. The developers received approval for the exception from the Board of Zoning Adjustment in February of 2009.

Washington, DC real estate development news

Buying Time for Utopia

This week the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) granted a two-year extension to Georgetown Strategic Capital LLC (GSC) for the planned Utopia development at 14th and U, painting a hazy picture for the future of the site. In April, Robert Moore of GSC hinted that his firm might make an announcement "hopefully in the next couple weeks" about financing and a timeline. To date, no announcement has followed and now the developers have secured an extension for the project, plans for which will not expire until November 13, 2012. Moore could not be reached for comment on the BZA action.

GSC received original approval in November 2008 and the zoning exceptions would have expired this coming November. A May filing by GSC was met with approval this week after the firm sent a notice to all involved parties, including the ANC, none of which submitted a response objecting to the extension.

In April, Moore said once the team secures financing for the $93.5 million project they will put together construction drawings and obtain permits, reportedly over the next nine months. Moore said construction would likely begin in 2011 and complete in 2012. Utopia will provide 220 residential rental units on the corner of 14th and U Streets, with the building and all entrances facing 14th Street and incorporating some of the historic facades on U.

The new project will offer 150 parking spaces to service both retail and residential uses. The building with be tallest on U Street at 90 feet, stepping down to 65 feet, then 45 feet on the south side as it moves away from U Street and will include 20,000 s.f. of retail and a roof top pool. Eric Colbert & Associates designed the mixed-use project.

UPDATE: Robert Moore of GSC reached out to DCMud to provide a brief update on the project. Moore said his team is still wrapping up financing and a joint venture partner agreement. Financing in terms of debt financing for construction is still "a long way off" he added. That said, Moore hopes to obtain permits "over the next 12 months" and that he is "pretty confident" that the project will be in the ground in the beginning of 2011.

Washington, DC real estate development news

Buying Into Utopia

Though it may be hard to believe, U Street still has a few rough edges without the pizazz of chic bars and swanky loft apartments, but not for long: enter Utopia at the corner of 14th and U, where developers assert a construction timeline is nigh. Robert Moore of Georgetown Strategic Capital LLC (GSC) is the optimist behind Utopia's assemblage of parcels into a mixed-use residential and retail project; Moore recently shared with DCMud how his long gestating plans are coming into focus.

Though the Utopia project was "hammered by the economy in '08 and '09," said Moore, the team is deep in the process of "inking" an agreement with a large financial institution. Moore indicated everything has to "go through the lawyers," but that he could make an announcement about financing and a timeline "hopefully in the next couple weeks." With financial backing secured for the $93.5 million project, the team will then put together construction drawings and obtain permits, reportedly over the next nine months. Moore said construction would likely begin in 2011 and complete in 2012.

The Utopian vision is for 220 residential rental units on the corner of 14th and U Streets, with the building and all entrances facing 14th Street. Historic structures along U Street would remain, while their less historic neighbors will be sacrificed. An approved curb cut means that two levels of parking will be accessed from 14th Street, loading will take place in the back alley. Just a block from the U Street Metro, the new project will offer 150 parking spaces to service both retail and residential uses. The building with be tallest on U Street at 90 feet, stepping down to 65 feet, then 45 feet on the south side as it moves away from U Street. Moore plans 20,000 s.f. of retail and a roof top pool.

Though most of the buildings on 14th Street will be demolished, the historic structures along U Street will be spared by setting the project 60 feet back from U Street. Architect Eric Colbert of Eric Colbert & Associates said that the design process was highly collaborative, including near-monthly meetings with organizations such as the Dupont Circle Conservancy, the ANC and the Historic Preservation staff. Developers have pledged use of materials in keeping with the style of the neighborhood; team members consulted the community on window designs, and window and brick colors.

One "very important" aspect of the design, according to Colbert, is the density, which is greatest near U Street and gradually "terraces down towards the residential neighborhood to the south." Additionally, the architects "broke-up the facade" so that it reads as "different rowbuildings rather than some blockbuster building," according to the architect. The terracing is designed to provide a "sense of hierarchy of scale" instead of providing a flat, box-like facade from the street.

The team has not determined whether or not it will seek LEED certification, though Colbert assures us that "we are definitely going to make it as green as possible...it's definitely the trend."

Washington, DC real estate development news

Chapin Street Project Up for Review

Though projects like Nehemiah Center and 14 W seem to be DOA, at least one 14th Street corridor planned development still has a a pulse; 1412 Chapin Street, NW, has a date with the Zoning Commission tonight. Buwa Binite of Dantes Partners is seeking zoning approval for a five-story, 44-unit, residential building in the Meridian Hill neighborhood, equidistant from the Columbia Heights and U Street Metro stations. The Office of Planning staff report recommends approval of the application, which would make it the third planned PUD in the immediate area; Dantes' smaller-scale development could be the first to actually deliver.

The proposed residential building would replace a vacant lot that once held the Berkshire, a residential building larger than the proposed structure that burned down in 1996. Units will be made affordable, for 30 years, at no more than 60% AMI, and will likely cost $1,200 or so a month. Below-grade parking will provide twice as many bicycle spaces as car spaces (34 and 17, respectively) with one parking space set aside for service/delivery vehicles. The ground floor, which will include a community room, will occupy 100% of the available lot space, with the remaining above grade floors taking on a "U-shape" to occupy only 80% of the lot space.

The Commission previously expressed concerns over the PGN Architects' design, which included vinyl siding and blue tones. The updated design is for gray and copper-toned paneling, expanded use of blond brick and stone veneer bands. Though the original design for the at-risk west side of the building would not have had windows, with the exception of the interior courtyard buildings, the newest design calls for glass block panels to "enliven the appearance."

For community benefits, the developers will offer $50 SmartTrip card and subsidize membership fees for either a SmartBike or Zip Car membership for each unit upon move-in.

The size of the project matches the scale of the neighboring buildings, though approved PUD's like the wayward Nehemiah Center would be significantly larger than the Dantes project. In all likelihood, the project will gain approval thanks to the staff approval. Though Binite was reticent - "we typically shy away from media attention to any of or projects" - at a community meeting last summer, the developer indicated he hoped to gain approval this May or June and begin construction in October 2010.

Washington, DC real estate development news

New Townhouse-Style Condos for U Street

A lot at the corner of Vermont Avenue and T Street, NW, in the heart of the U Street neighborhood, is about to get an infusion of six new condos in three townhouse-style buildings. The two-over-two units, sitting almost on top of the U Street Metro station, will range from approximately 2,000 s.f. to 2,400 s.f. with two floors for each unit. The three lots are part of a larger parcel that was once home to a four-story apartment building, "The Cameron," which was built in 1899 and destroyed in a fire in the 1960's. The new condos will be a huge improvement over the site's use as a parking lot for the neighboring Masonic Temple.

The three upper units with have roof top terraces, all will have one private parking space, two of which will be private attached garages. Two of the houses (four units) will face T Street and one will front Vermont Avenue. Mimicking the style of the neighborhood, the Lessard Group designs take their form from Queen Anne and Romanesque architecture; the corner of Vermont and T Street will likely feature a tower that conforms to the many existing historic homes in the surrounding community. The matter-of-right development will go before the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) this week and received an approval in the HPRB staff report.

Developer Derek Huetinck said a date for construction has not been scheduled, but he is filing for permits and hoping to begin by the end of this year. In a best case scenario the units could deliver in the first half of 2011. Huetinck said he was "unsure of final sales prices for the units at this time" and that the project "likely will not open for sales until after construction has begun."

The site was formerly the proposed home of Evanti Condos, a 14-unit project by Macy Development and the Masonic Temple, which owned the land, but which never broke ground. Huetinck obtained the properties under his project entity T Street Builders, LLC in November 2009 for $770,000.

Washington DC real estate development news

Sneak Peek at Future U Street Pub

Ian and Eric Hilton, the minds behind restaurants and popular night spots, Marvin and the Gibson, are hoping to replace a U Street eyesore with a new English-style pub in Shaw called the Brixton.  Current plans call for a "Gastropub" (a bar with food) offering fish and chips to the U Street crowd, just around corner from the 9:30 Club. Though the vacant structure appears to sit deteriorating on the northeast corner of 9th and U Streets, NW, from the inside it is clear that rehabilitation is under way. Before the year is out, the Hiltons will have succeeded in converting the decayed building into yet another lively neighborhood bar, with rooftop deck. Ian Hilton told DCMud that the property owner for Marvin approached the restaurateurs about 901 U Street, offering to buy the property, if they'd get their hands dirty and deliver another hot spot. Hilton joked, "he likes to get us to rehab his old properties." The building's interior has already been gutted during surface demolition and construction could begin in late February or early March, depending on permits. Hilton refused to tempt fate by predicting an opening date, but did indicate construction should take six to seven months and that he'd like to open "when its still warm out." The general contractor for the project is MasterBuilt. 

When finished, the interior will offer 4,800 s.f. of space with likely seating for 130 people. "We're kind of famous for our small kitchens," said Hilton when asked how much of that 4,800 s.f. will be closed off. The rooftop deck will boast 2,000 s.f. and, as of right now, will offer some seating and a rooftop bar with food available, though the menu may differ from the downstairs restaurant. Even as the restaurateurs are ironing out details for the menu and design, they have applied and received approval for a liquor license for the space. Full speed ahead is an impressive feat in times like these. The soon-to-be Brixton building was originally built in 1882 as a two story brick structure, which was later combined with other buildings on 9th Street. 

As much of the older structure has been altered over the years, architects at FORMDesign worked with HPRB to identify a few original design elements to preserve. Hilton said the group has been working to refine the final design, but HPRB has given approval to move forward. Dario Davies, CEO of MasterBuilt and Principal at FORMDesign, said the design is meant to reflect an English Pub, it's "very neighborhood and community friendly; someplace to spend the evening."Just last week the restaurant group was at a ground breaking for their new Georgia Avenue restaurant. With their new U Street location under way, the Hilton brothers continue to take unloved, deteriorating structures and turn them in familiar community watering holes.

Washington, DC retail and commercial real estate news 

VIDA Gets Zoning OK for U Street Flagship

VIDA Fitness received the okay today to build its "flagship" gym and spa on U Street. VIDA's owner will renovate the near century-old building at 1612 U Street and add an 8,500 s.f. extension glass extension to accommodate the new gym.


VIDA owner David von Storch, who also owns Bang Salon, Aura Spa and Capitol City Brewing Company, has long sought to replace his tenants in the building to create the 4th VIDA in the area. All the better that the current tenant is Results Gym, a competitor that has reached the end of its lease. The new gym will easily out-muscle the current occupant, as well as existing VIDAs, with a 51,500-s.f., 4-story gym boasting "a private rooftop club with a 60-foot pool, resort cabanas, communal fire pit, outdoor waterfall, sundeck and a member lounge with restaurant service," substantially beating out the 29,000 s.f. Verizon Center location.

The newest gym will also be the first to integrate all four of von Storch's entities at one site, with a new, still unnamed restaurant, operated by Capitol City Brewing Company, taking over the first-floor restaurant space. Architectural design by - you might guess this one - Stoneking-von Storch Architects, which also designed the interior of the other 3 locations. CORE architecture + design designed the addition and rooftop pool facility.

Today's 1pm hearing before the Board of Zoning Adjustment means von Storch can get pumped up for a March 2011 opening, and puts him on track to open what he hopes will be 8 stores by 2015.

Lacey Champagne Brunch Broker's Open, Tuesday 12 - 2pm

The Lacey, U Street's most inspirational new condominiums, will feature a champagne broker's open Tuesday, December 1st, from 12-2pm. Come see some of the city's best rooftop views and most intriguing design south of Manhattan. Marketing and sales by DCRE.

Working Through Artistic Differences on U Street

Greg Kearley of Inscape Studio will go before the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) on Thursday for review of the proposed adjoining 3- and 5-story mixed-use buildings that, pending approval, will replace the currently vacant lot at 1932 9th street NW with work and residential space for artists. Developer and property owner Paul So also developed another property nearby, "510nm" at 1353 U Street NW. Both So properties are geared towards the arts community, though the Historic Preservation Office (HPO) staff report may lead to the HPRB "censoring" some of So's artistic endeavors. So wants his new buildings - a mixture of housing, office and studio spaces - to serve the burgeoning artist community in the U Street neighborhood. The building that will face 9th St NW is designed for four stories near the street, with a fifth-floor penthouse set back 18 feet, bringing the entire height to 58 ft, and will incorporate a mix of ground floor retail and second floor office space, the rest to serve as residential and studio space. The other building, connected via a breezeway, fronts 9 1/2 St and will be three stories to include live/work space for artists in the Hamiltonian Artists fellowship program. The first floor would have an open space for working and for the fellows to brainstorm; the other two floors are designed for discounted living space for fellows. So intends to build his second development to "LEED Platinum at least" - meaning exceeding the highest green rating standards. His current building on U Street boasts a long list of green design features including recycled paper countertops (Paperstone), daylit interiors, passive solar design strategies including southern exposure for passive solar heating in winter and overhangs at southern glazing for shade in summer, green roofs and rain barrels to conserve water usage. According to So, when he and his architect (occupying the office space on the second floor of his U Street building) were planning 9th Street, they consulted with the artists about their needs and came up with the common space for the first floor so they can converse, and special features like venthilation for work rooms. So what's the problem? The HPO staff report concluded that the three-story building on 9 1/2 St. could move forward, but the building planned for 9th St. was too large in scale compared to surrounding buildings. According to architect Greg Kearley, when the project went through staff review over a year ago, the plan was for a 5-story building on 9th street with a 6th floor penthouse, and the more diminutive adjustment seemed to be something everyone was "comfortable with." Owner So said his "game plan" is to go before the board to find out what "they would like us to do" so that he and his architect can accommodate their findings into a new plan. Though Kearley did express concern that a smaller building might not be economically feasible, considering much of the space is already slotted for use that will not generate much income. It would stand to reason that the extra floor and those penthouse condos are key to the developer's bottom line. Any fellow can see that.

Washington DC commercial real estate news

Lincoln Theatre - The Development Show Must Not Go On

A planned sale and development of vacant lots at the Lincoln Theatre now appears to have gotten its curtain call. In a plot that would have bolstered finances for the struggling theater and added desired commercial development to the U Street neighborhood, the District had hoped to sell the vacant lots to developers. According to inside sources, those plans have now been shelved.

In April 2008, Mayor Adrian Fenty announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the district-owned property abutting the U Street theater, with a September, 2008 application deadline for the "Lincoln Lots." According to sources in the office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), no developer was selected and the RFP has been pulled for "economic concerns." The DMPED's office will not comment on when the RFP was pulled, how many offers were received, or any explanation for dropping the plans. Other city officials seemed unaware of the Lincoln's status; spokesmen for the Lincoln refused to comment (unless a hang-up is a comment) for this story.

At least part of the impetus for development was the theater's shaky financing, which required annual payments from the District and led to a cash infusion from the District in 2007 to prevent it's imminent closing. Proceeds from development were to seed the theater with extra cash to keep it operational.

The two parcels on V Street total 11,788 s.f. of space in a neighborhood bursting with new and planned development. At the time the RFP was released, the Mayor suggested a hotel or office would be an ideal development to share parking with the theater and provide "flexible event space, including a restaurant-quality kitchen, which would be managed by the theater management." The new structure was meant to help solidify "the Lincoln [Theatre] in the regional cultural market."

**UPDATE 08/10/09** The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development sent DCMud the following statement as a follow-up to our post:

The District remains firmly committed to the success of the historic Lincoln Theatre. The U Street Theatre Foundation Board, its Executive Director, and overall team have made significant improvements in the operations of the theatre. Theatre management has formed strategic partnerships with a variety of cultural groups to further enliven the U Street corridor and to make the institution an anchor for the broader community. The District’s issuance of the Solicitation was to intended to provide supplemental support of the theater’s operations. The District’s decision to terminate negotiations with the potential development team last year was made to ensure the public interest in being able to produce that supplemental support. It is anticipated that a Solicitation will be issued for those same properties once the current economic climate changes.

Industry Insight: Paul Robertson of Robertson Development

With his firm’s tenth anniversary coming up this August, Paul Robertson, the enterprising developer behind such U Street area condominium projects as Moderno, VISIO and MURANO, spoke to DCmud about what it takes to last a decade in the DC development game.

In addition to detailing Robertson Development projects past and present, the company’s founder and president shared his thoughts on butting heads with the DC Water and Sewer Authority (WASA), divulged his newest project and revealed how his firm has just forged a new partnership that will take their work out of the for-sale market and into some surprising new arenas.

How did Robertson Development initially come together?

I started Robertson Development in August of 1999. I had been working for Sallie Mae for about 13 years prior to that, during which time I renovated some DC town homes on the side. Having lived the past 23 years in the U Street corridor, I have seen tremendous development opportunity and progress. I always loved design, real estate, and construction, and I majored in finance so it made sense to get in the business.

In doing my first full renovations, which I ended up living in, I did the plans, pulled the permits and acted as my own general contractor. I just kind of learned things on the fly. I also used to go look at a lot of open houses in the area – still do. I saw a void there and thought there were some things that I could bring the market I didn’t necessarily see.

I networked a lot and found an agent, Ken Taylor, who helped identify two large brick townhomes on the 1400 block of N Street. I ended up buying them and turning them into eight units. That was The Rocco and The Capece. I designed the majority of the floor plans and was the GC and the developer for the project. Terry Sellheim joined the team as VP of Operations and we hired construction staff. It was a tough project to build because we added a floor to the top of each one, and did massive excavation and underpinning to create basement units the full depth of the buildings. It was a very tight sight and a very, very challenging first condo project.

Can you detail some of the projects you have done?

Prior to the completion of The Rocco and Capece, I started The Highland project, which is at 1531-1535 P Street. It is three town homes that we converted into eight units…Then we did our first new construction – again, still operating as the developer and general contractor. I have a Class A general contractor’s license from Virginia – and built Woodson Row on 12^th Street, just south of U St. That’s, coincidentally, another eight unit project, but was all new construction – triplexes over duplexes – which was very successful.

At the same time…we put together the two parcels for The Beauregard and bought property to build what became VISIO. The Beauregard was finished a couple of years ago. It’s a 45-unit building with underground parking. Tompkins Builders was the GC. We built VISIO and are now just finishing up MURANO, which is the sister building to VISIO.

Recently, we’ve co-developed Moderno, with Lakritz Adler Development who asked us to join the team early in the design phase. Prior to construction, we assumed the majority of responsibility for the project. My personal residence at the time - in Woodson Row, which is across the street - was used as a model to sell some of the units in pre-construction. The project is complete, and sales have gone amazingly well. Now I’m working as co-developer with Collins Lange Development on a new project called Truxton Row.

Can you tell us a bit more about Truxton Row? Will it be condos as well?

Truxton Row is a 16-unit condo project. Collins Lange asked me to participate, again, in all phases of the development and construction. The first thing was to re-work the floor plans to enhance their functionality and style, which I’m confident added significant value to every unit. The great thing about good design is that it doesn’t really cost anything. It takes effort, time, experience and imagination but the dividends are huge.

The project will be done in two phases; construction has now started on Phase 1. The project has eight town homes, 7 new and 1 renovated. Each home contains two units, most of which are duplexes with a few flats. Many are similar to units at Woodson Row. There are terraces and double-height living rooms and so forth. The exteriors will be very traditional. Despite the trend toward doing “lofts” and ulta-contemporary, the interior finishes will lean more toward a “transitional” and traditional look. It’s going to be very exciting project.

Why the attraction to traditional architecture over say, the glass and steel look that’s so prevalent these days?

We wanted to follow the look of the exteriors and to offer a more refined sophisticated look. It will be great to offer some classic, upscale finishes in new construction. Currently, almost all new construction has a very “contemporary” aesthetic, but that doesn’t appeal to all buyers.

Given that are you are a condo developer, how has the condo decline affected business? Is the DC market as insulated as public perception makes it out to be?

Well, I don’t think it’s insulated because certainly virtually all projects have seen price reductions – although Moderno has fared very well in that regard. But because of the high desirability and significant job creation of the metro area, we haven’t been hurt as badly as some other locations. Washington is still one of the best places to live.

What attracted you to condos? Have you ever considered pursuing a rental project?

Yes, but everything that I have looked at to this point, and actually embarked on, has lent itself more to condominium than it did to rental. Although rental has been hotter in the past year or two, we see small signs that potential new condo projects are becoming more viable again.

Which neighborhoods do you see as ripe for redevelopment? You’ve fared well in some emerging areas, like U Street and Logan Circle.

There’s still plenty of opportunity in the U Street and Shaw area, and certainly Columbia Heights, Brookland and Petworth – that’s where I see it going. But there’s still infill in better neighborhoods. It’s harder to find and certainly harder to find at a price that makes sense, but it’s there.

What are your thoughts on DC development process as a whole? Is there anything you’d like to see change?

I would take whatever steps necessary to significantly reduce the time it takes to get a building permit. They are making strides at DCRA, but, if I were the mayor, that would be a priority because it would really facilitate more development and therefore generate more tax revenue for the city.…Also, I would start an initiative to work the utilities – WASA, Pepco and Washington Gas – even though they’re not governmental agencies…because one still needs to get approvals from those utilities and often times that is a greater challenge than working with DCRA. People tend to focus on the DC government, but what they don’t often realize is the complexity and the time consuming nature of dealing with Pepco, WASA and Washington Gas.

What’s next for Robertson Development?

I’m in talks with a couple of developers about additional co-development projects. One is a mixed-use and the other 100% residential…Both will be in DC. We are really pleased that others seem to recognize the value we can bring to all phases of a project. Of course, we’ve made lots of mistakes, but it helps our partners because we try to help them avoid them in the future.

I should mention also that Robertson Development is branching out and starting another company called Robertson Walsh Design. I’ve partnered with an architect, Brandon Walsh, to start the company. We both love design, space planning, cool materials, et cetera. We are currently doing several projects including designing a vacation home in the mountains of West Virginia and doing a rooftop terrace for the local nightclub, Town. We’ll be launching a website announcing those projects and services very shortly.

If you had a dream project, what would it be? What would satisfy you the most in terms of future development?

I would like to do another project like The Beauregard because, although it is terrific, I have learned lessons from it and other projects that I would love to apply to another “large” building. It’s the challenge of doing something better than the last time, of continuing improvement and refinement. But what is most satisfying is hearing the positive response we get from the people who have bought homes from Robertson Development.

Washington DC commercial real estate news

Room and Board Buys into 14th Street

Minneapolis-based home furniture retailers Room and Board have purchased a vacant, four-story building at 1840 14th Street, NW and plan to transform it into a fully rehabbed, 33,000 square foot flagship location - their first in the DC metro area. According to the broker who facilitated the purchase, Wayne Dickson of Blake Dickson Real Estate, the retail chain has big plans for the re-emergent 14th Street corridor and will use the entire space for their showroom.

"Room and Board is expecting this to be a regional draw for them...Through their catalog sales, they did a zip code analysis of where the majority of their customers were.  The building at 1840 14th Street was just about dead center in that customer base," he said.

Known to some as the Taylor Motor Building, 1840 14th Street began its life as a Ford Model A showroom, and, in subsequent decades, went on to to serve an array of uses, including stints as an arts space and church. Most recently, the building was slated for a residential makeover by Four Points, LLC, which paid some $10 million for the site. Plans for that project, the so-called T Street Flats, (or "Rapture Lofts") were announced in 2007, but never made it past the planning stages.

"Blake Dickson Real Estate has been working on that property for the better part of two years…It was most recently a church, called the Church of the Rapture, and then the initial plans by Four Points, LLC had a condo element,” said Dickson. “They bought that building at the top of the market and then later decided to go all commercial with it.”

As purveyors of handcrafted, American-made furniture, Room and Board will be among the latest in a string of upscale chain retailers, including Bang and Olufsen and Whole Foods, to set up shop along the once unfashionable 14th Street corridor - the same strip that recently lost its Storehouse furniture retailer, only to gain Mitchell Gold in its place. One block over at 14th and S Streets, NW, the JBG Companies also have plans on the boards for a new mixed-use complex with ground-floor retail. (Once that Apple Store gets announced, consider gentrification complete.)

Room and Board have retained omnipresent DC architects, Eric Colbert and Associates, to design the extensive renovation, which Dickson described as a “gut job.” The build-out is expected to take between 12 and 18 months.

Washington DC retail real estate news

New Condos for U Street Corridor

Bonstra Haresign ARCHITECTS (BHA) is currently spearheading a top-to-bottom renovation of two neighboring, historic U Street area townhomes at 2029-2031 13^th Street, NW – across the street from The Ellington’s retail enclave and caddy-corner from the proposed site of JBG’s U Street Hotel. According to Bill Bonstra, founder and managing partner of BHA, despite the prominent location, the project has presented a few unique challenges.

“[It] is a dual 3-unit conversion with rooftop addition to two townhouses. A tough project as it needed historic approval with the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) and any addition to townhouses, in that regard, is frowned upon strongly by the Board,” said Bonstra. “We had to clearly show them the addition was not visible from the street.”

Following completion of interior work, as well as the rear and rooftop additions cleared by the HPRB in 2006, the property’s owner, Negasi Gebreyes, will be marketing the six condos culled from the site for sale. According to Bonstra, work should wrap up “in a few months.”

JBG Lays Out Plans for U Street Hotel

JBG has made public more of the details planned for the hotel it intends to build at U and 13th Street, a 10-story, LEED-certified hotel with stacked parking, art gallery, green roof and fitness club.

Matt Valentini of the JBG Companies and Michael C. Swartz of David M. Schwarz Architects met with the Cardozo Shaw Neighborhood Association (CSNA) last night to present plans for their proposed 250-room hotel at the current site of the Rite Aid at 13th and U Streets, NW.

The team began their presentation describing the current Rite Aid-dominated single-story strip mall on site as a "suburban building type" that under-utilizes its prominent location. "The Metro being at the corner of 13th and U really makes this a focal point not only for the neighborhood by the historic district as a whole,” said Swartz. The architect’s stated goal in designing the hotel is to make something more “iconic and memorable,” who went on to identify numerous area precedents for the bayed brick design, including the Dunbar and Whitelaw Hotels.

Their current plans call for the building to top out a 10-stories, though they are alternatively exploring the possibility of limiting it to nine. A final determination on the building's height will be made once the development begins the approval process with local governing bodies such as the ANC 1B, the Historic Preservation Review Board and the Office of Planning.

At its’ current 90 foot height, the proposed hotel would require multiple variances in order to exceed the by-right height limit of 65 feet. Valentini countered criticisms that the hotel was a “colossus” by outlining the various benefits the project would offer: one hundred and fifty permanent jobs (sold!), a gallery showcasing the work of the local artists, future contributions to local community organizations, a public pool and spas, and guest vouchers to promote Metro use were among the items cited. “All those things are out there to be publicly consumed,” said Valentini.

According to the JBG representative, a project at the permitted 65 feet would not be economically feasible, especially considering that the developer must accommodate Rite Aid, which has leased the site until 2026. The hotel will retain the 25,000 square feet of retail presently available, though most of it will be devoted to the pharmacy. The remaining ground floor space will be allotted to glass-fronted retail and Valentini told the audience that JBG is “considering people on U Street today” as possible tenants.

Amenities planned for the hotel include the aforementioned gallery and pool, as well as a hotel restaurant, rooftop bar, meeting space and green roof – in keeping with the project’s pledged LEED silver certification. Furthermore, the development team stated that they had already amended their design to address a primary community concern: parking along already congested U Street. The current design features an all-valet two-story garage that will utilize mechanical stacking devices to far surpass the amount of spaces required by zoning.

JBG has yet to formally announce a flag for the hotel, but did say that they have reached out to hotelier Denihan Hospitality Group about the U Street project. “They do smaller boutique hotels, but we like their style and one of the things we’ve really talked about is this idea of a hotel club,” said Valentini. “Whereby, when we a build spa, when we have a pool, when we have a fitness center, that’ll be open to the public too.”

Following the meeting, CSNA President Bryan Martin Firvida told DCmud:

While JBG was able to speak to many of the questions and concerns raised during the meeting, there are a still a number that will need to be addressed as the plans move ahead...Even though we're only in the concept and planning stages today, this project has already made an impact on our neighborhood, and will continue to do so, during planning, construction, and most importantly, long after the front doors of the hotel open for business....The end goal of course, is to ensure that once complete, this project makes a positive impact on our already great U Street neighborhood.

Though JBG has yet to formally submit their application to the Office of Planning, the development team projects that the PUD process will begin in “late spring/summer.” At present, construction is tentatively scheduled for 2011, followed by a 2014 completion. In the meantime, the CSNA has opened up a website devoted solely to JBG’s 14th Street Hotel project: http://ustreethotel.csnadc.org/