Camden Readies to Build New South Capitol Apartments

While land development in southwest DC takes on a somewhat leisurely pace for most, some developers think the time is just right, especially if the soil in question is right across from the stadium, which is not really southwest, after all. Such is the case for Camden Property Trust, which is about to start developing a 276-unit apartment building on South Capitol facing Nationals Stadium. The WDG-designed building will take up the now vacant site north of O Street, sparing the historic townhouses along North Capitol, with a very small retail space. Mark Coletta of Camden says the project will break ground in March with a June 2013 completion date, with the timing warranted by the generally full capacity of the adjacent Capitol Riverfront area. "The supply and demand fundamentals are now back where you can start to make sense of new development, by the time we deliver there will be a bit of a [housing] shortage." 

Coletta says the residence will offer a rooftop pool and deck, underground parking, and possibly (no explicit promises here) droolable views into the ballpark just across the street. Most units will have balconies and floor to ceiling glass for Nationals fans to watch the game from their couch and save time spent in an expensive beer line. No matter that southwest is still in its development infancy, just look east, not west. "The entire neighborhood is what you'd call an emerging neighborhood...now you're hoping you can get the retail to come and fill in some of the gaps, then you're going to start to complete the neighborhood....it will be a pretty cool feel on game day," says Coletta. With near southeast nearly at capacity within its completed projects - both commercial and residential - the development of southwest has an obvious logic. And with no other projects south of the Capitol building - SE or SW - near construction, Camden will have the only new building on the market, with enviable marketing exposure to large crowds, new parks all around, and possibly a long bike trail wrapping around it, even if the retail is still wanting. Camden acquired the property in 2007 and has hired Donohoe as the general contractor. 

Washington DC real estate development news

NoBe Gateway: White Flint Blowin' Up

After receiving positive feedback from the Montgomery County Development Review Committee, developers of "North Bethesda Gateway" in White Flint expect their Sketch Plan to go before the Planning Board sometime in January, marking the beginning of what will likely be a multi-year public approval process. While construction, or even detailed architectural renderings, are some time off, developer Hilary Goldfarb of ProMark Real Estate Services says even the first nibble of action is "very exciting." The project involves a unique partnership of three local property owners (Jack Fitzgerald, Lake Waverly, and JWW) who've joined forces in the planning process in order to maximize entitlements and enable the transfer zoning rights amongst their separate parcels. As the plans stands, roughly 11 acres of office buildings and surface parking lots will be redeveloped into nearly two million s.f. of retail, residential, and office space in compliance with the White Flint Sector Plan.

The Sketch Plan is a rather new requirement in the Montgomery County Planning process that further drags out the frustration of developers, but extends the tantalizing spectatorship of real estate development junkies. Goldfarb explained it as literally the "very first step in a several year process." Although the Sketch Plan only offers a basic understanding of the overall development concept, with many details likely to change, it also provides an interesting chance to witness a development project slowly transform from a zygotic aerial diagram (this one drawn by architects at WDG) to full-grown actuality (one hopes). Upon completion of the first two phases of North Bethesda Gateway, developers intend to deliver three office buildings, a hotel, extensive ground-floor neighborhood retail options, and a variety of rental and condominium housing opportunities situated in three distinct multifamily buildings. Developers seek to create a pedestrian friendly atmosphere with this redevelopment; by including several large public plazas in their plans, streetscape improvements, and extensive landscaping, the project will provide a walkable transition from the White Flint Metro to White Flint Mall.

Given that the development site is adjacent to the White Flint Mall, White Flint Plaza shopping center, and less than a quarter mile from the White Flint Metro, as well as bounded by Rockville Pike with the North Bethesda Marketplace just across to the West, developers believe they have the epitome of a transit-oriented urban infill project in the works. The development, though still in the embryonic stages, joins a wealth of activity in the area's development pipeline. JBG's North Bethesda Phase II, and Federal Realty's Mid Pike Plaza are in line on the train of development that Goldfarb insists will eventually make White Flint "the economic engine of Montgomery County." Chew on that Bethesda.

Montgomery County, MD Real Estate Development News

Rosslyn Mixed Income Apartments Redeveloped "Using Density Not Dollars"

In their quest to redevelop Key Boulevard apartments, AHC Inc. has adopted a slightly augmented proposal and a brand new motto: "Using density, not dollars." That is the team's credo for tackling the challenge of nearly doubling the number of affordable housing units on the 1.24 acre site while staying within limited density allowed by the County's Zoning guidelines. But with available space near public transit in Arlington quickly drying up, AHC is relishing the chance to secure affordable, transit-oriented apartments near one of the busiest Metro stations in the D.C. region.

Although traditionally the goal of AHC Inc is to pack as much affordable housing into a development as possible, with this project half of the proposed 160-170 units reserved as affordable housing. But developing a mixed income community makes the project more financially sustainable, and most-importantly, negates the need for County subsidies, a selling-point in the approval process. Indeed, compromise is the name of the game, and in cooperation with the surrounding neighborhoods, developers have reduced the bulky mass and originally proposed height of eight-stories, to a slimmer, more manageable, and community-requested six floors. But support for the building's size and density is far from overwhelming, so developers will continue to appeal for more widespread community input and support, as they feel theirs is a worthy cause.

Built in the 1940s, the aging affordable apartment community is a reminder of inequality and inefficiency amidst the ever-expanding hustle and bustle of the business-centric Rosslyn. Not far from where two of the regions soon-to-be-tallest buildings recently broke ground, aging heating systems, inefficient windows and appliances, no central air conditioning, and handicap accessibility issues make the 41-unit building at 1545 Key Boulevard a candidate ripe for a radical makeover.

To put their new motto to the test, AHC is proposing to transfer development rights from an affordable apartment community they finished renovating in 2007. Because the project adhered closely to the historic character of the Gates of Ballston aesthetic, with its low-rise garden-style design, the project remained under developed, leaving excess development rights available for transfer and reuse. This technique is rather common, reports AHC, but transferring rights from one neighborhood to another (Ballston to Rosslyn) is "an innovative approach to maximizing affordable opportunities in the transit corridor." Although it's uncommon to transfer development rights from projects separated by some two miles, developers believe the opportunity to create transit-oriented, energy-efficient, affordable housing justifies the unique strategy.

Preliminary architectural schematics for the 70 ft. tall building are being offered by WDG Architecture. Developers have purposefully offered limited detail in their renderings; in order to remain adaptable and responsive to the always evolving back and forth of the community involvement process; Joseph P. Weatherly, Senior Project Manager at AHC explained his team had refrained from "engaging WDG to put too many specific ideas on paper until we feel like we have more comprehensive support from the entire community." However, designers have included planning for a rooftop terrace and green roof. The proposal also includes underground parking, a community center, neighboring park, and a landscaped courtyard. The community center would serve as a base for various resident programming, including after-school programs for children. AHC continues to work diligently alongside Bush Construction Corp., their general contractor and development partner. But with community dialog still ongoing, and the County Site Plan approval process still to come, developers don't expect construction to commence until at least January of 2012, and the expected delivery date arriving some twenty four months later.

Arlington, VA Real Estate Development News

1000 Connecticut Avenue Ahead of Construction Schedule

What will surely be the cornerstone property of the Golden Triangle in downtown DC, the trophy building at 1000 Connecticut Avenue is under construction and may deliver ahead of early estimates.  Construction work on the site (see old image) began last summer, but site preparation wound down without foundation work until early this year. But Clark Construction has now poured the foundation and, according to Project Manager Michael Tyler of MJ Tyler and Associates, the building exterior should now finish up by February of 2012, with interior tenant build-outs picking up from there. Law firm Arent Fox is the only tenant but will not occupy the building until early 2013 when its current lease expires. Arent Fox signed up in May 2008 to occupy 70 percent of the space with 8 floors and over 238,000 s.f. of office space.

The site is an aggregation of several buildings that were demolished in 2007. The 12-story building, roughly the same height as what it replaces, was designed by the late Jim Freed of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, who also designed the neighboring building at 1700 K St NW. Washington DC based WDG Architecture worked with Pei Cobb Freed on the interior to design a building that is targeted to earn a LEED Gold certification.

Tyler estimated that the total hard construction costs will come in around $70 million, with total project costs around $180 million. In a statement, designers refer to the site as the "boundary" to Farragut Park and K Street and the "gateway" to Connecticut Avenue, NW. According the to architects, the "building’s two principal façades respond individually to their settings while at the same time complementing each other in a variety of ways, convening to turn the corner in a distinctive and unexpected fashion." The materials for the Connecticut Avenue street front create a "skin [that] is folded into reflective pleats of glass and stainless steel." The K Street frontage is "composed primarily of granite and glass as foil to the stainless and glass façade of 1700 K Street opposite."

Though demolition began in 2007 and construction was initially to begin in 2008, the property sat empty for several years, leaving some chafing at the vacancy of the highly visible site. Cushman & Wakefield, the leasing broker, did not return phone calls and does not list the property on its website.

Washington, DC real estate development news

Marriott Readies for West End Demolition

After years of sitting dormant, plans for the GW Marriott Courtyard Hotel at 515 20th Street, NW are looking increasingly active. In March, the development team was shopping around for a general contractor and in May submitted a raze permit to the Historic Preservation Review Board to demo the six-story, 420-car parking garage the new hotel would replace. The 125,000 s.f. hotel will bring upwards of 150 suites to the GW neighborhood.

Mike Tyler of MJ Tyler and Associates, a representative for the development team, said the team hopes to begin the six-week demolition in "the latter part of July." From there, construction will begin "immediately" and will last for upwards of 20 months, delivering in early summer 2012.

Developer Allstate Hotel Partnership received original project approval in 2006, but was sidelined by a lawsuit from an unhappy ANC chair and the extended financing drought. The ANC and other Foggy Bottom civic organizations opposed the development, expressing concerns about the increased traffic and the likelihood of blocked streets during construction. When asked about these concerns, Tyler responded that the team is "working through that right now" and promised it would be a "very organized and professional operation." Construction noises aside, Tyler said "we're excited to get started, it's been a long time in the works.

Designed by WDG Architecture, the new nine-story building will squeeze in between offices and residences in the West End neighborhood. The general contractor is HITT Contracting.

Washington, DC real estate development news

Making Half Street Whole

Construction noises and dust are a welcome sign at 1015 Half Street, a planned office project that fell victim to the economic times and has sat half-finished ever since construction stopped in mid 2009. The halted project was the product of a partnership between Opus East, LLC and Prudential Real Estate Investors until Opus ran aground and filed for bankruptcy in mid-2009. Now that court-appointed receiver, Douglas Wilson Companies, is in the picture, general contractor Skanska USA Building has a new $26 million contract to begin work again on the shell and bring 1015 Half Street to completion within the year. Skanska, which is developing the stalled office project at 10th & G, was the surprise choice in a bid awarded on April 23rd.

Construction, begun in October 2008, has now resumed, and will add 442,000 square feet of office space, complemented by 21,000 square feet of retail to the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood. The 10-story, WDG-designed building boasts a 2-story lobby, 8 1/2' ceilings, 3 stories of underground parking and views of the Capitol and Anacostia River. Opus purchased the property in 2007 from Potomac Investment Properties for $41.5m.

Skanska is shooting for a Silver ranking from the USGBC, the arbiter of greenness, by covering 60% of the roof with vegetation, using recycled materials, and adding bike racks and showers, among other features. Skanska Executive Vice President and General Manager, Chuck Brawley, said the project will "certainly be silver" but that the team is "hoping to get gold." Altogether a much different atmosphere than when the site was home of the Nation nightclub.

Skanska will still need to complete the building’s core and shell, including the building’s glass and precast concrete exterior skin before work on the interior commences, though Skanska anticipates completion by December. Brawley said his company "tried and succeeded to reuse the existing contractors" who had worked on the site, prior to the stall. About the significance of renewed work to the community, Brawley said the project is "realizing the potential of the area, moving the redevelopment along. We are excited to be part of this success." Skanska, headquartered in Stockholm, currently has 33 offices and 7,000 employees in the U.S. alone.

Washington, DC real estate development news

Courthouse Condos: Someday, Somehow

The on-again, off-again residential project at 2000 Wilson Boulevard, no, make that 2001 Clarendon Boulevard, is on again-ish. In December, Elm Street Development received an amendment to their plan for condos, no apartments, no condos - in the Courthouse neighborhood. The amended plan will increase the number of residential units from 141 to 154 and slightly reduce ground-floor retail, keeping it in the 30,000 s.f. range. And yet construction is unlikely in the near future. Jim Mobley, VP of Elm Street, said the amendment covered minor "tweaks" to the plan and that the group is working with WDG Architecture to update the them accordingly. Mobley expects to finish the revisions over the next six months, though construction is "financing dependent." The developers initially planned construction in late 2007, for what was first intended to be a condominium project, but in October 2008 was switched to apartments with an open-ended 2010 completion target. Now Mobley said about the units "we are looking at them being condos," though he did not venture to give any concrete start dates. Formerly home to a Taco Bell and neighborhood bar, Dr. Dremo's, having been demolished in late 2008 to make way for...something. The development is bounded by Wilson Boulevard, North Rhodes Street, Clarendon Boulevard, and North Courthouse Road, and carries a street address of 2001 Clarendon Boulevard since the building fronts Clarendon.

Arlington Virginia real estate development news

20 M Street SE Secures Booz Allen Hamilton Lease

The underdog southeast ballpark neighborhood has something to boast about today: 20 M Street, SE secured a lease for nearly 30,000 s.f. from Booz Allen Hamilton, bringing building occupancy up to 70%. While other potential projects sit as big gaping holes, Lerner Enterprises and WDG Architect's 20 M Street has scored a series of victories in snagging leases from the General Services Administration, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and now from a coveted private entity. Both the BLM and Booz Allen Hamilton will move into the neighborhood this year; Booz Allen Hamilton will be the cool kids on the top floor.

The 10-story, 190,000-s.f. office building contains four levels of below-grade parking, 10,971 s.f. of retail space and was the first LEED Gold certified building for core and shell in the District. The building sits across from the Navy Yard Metro and a block away from Nationals Park. Hmm, who wants to bet how many season tickets Booz goes in for this year?


Washington, D.C. real estate development news

Eastbanc Wins West End

Life is a circle, of course. To underscore that point, the District government announced today that Eastbanc won its bid to redevelop three underused properties in the West End. The D.C. government issued the RFP last July, after a contentious process in which Eastbanc had been awarded the rights to develop the land in 2007, only to have a public outcry over no-bid contracts stop the process, and give the Council a morning-after moment and, shocked at what it had done, recall the land sale to Eastbanc. That, in turn, led to the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development to issue a fair and balanced solicitation last July, which received two offers, one from an Eastbanc partnership, the other from Toll Brothers, Paramount Development and Torti Gallas. Now, two and a half years after the Council pulled the plug on Eastbanc, the city has given it the official nod to develop the three sites. To those few unfamiliar with the sites, the properties include the West End Library, fire station, and special operations police unit, all low-rise relics in a sea of pricey condominiums. EastBanc had said in its initial proposal that Square 37, the current site of the library, would sport a 20,765 s.f. ground floor library with a 10-story residence above (rendering below). Designed by Ten Arquitectos, the plans call for approximately 153 market-rate residential units on the 2nd through 10th floors, 235 parking spaces and 10,000 s.f. of ground floor retail. LeMay Erickson Wilcox Architects will be the architects for the fire station and WDG Architecture will be the architect of record. Eastbanc's designs for Square 50 - the fire station - include a replacement fire station and mezzanine with 52 affordable residential units on the 2nd through 4th floors. Eastbanc's Anthony Lanier predicted a renaissance, thanks to the $150 million project, saying "we want to make a community...not just a street with 10-story buildings." Asked about how the new plans differed from those he proposed more than 2 years ago, which could possibly have been built by now, Lanier responded "not much." Eastbanc had earlier said it "can and would build a supermarket on site if the community and city united to support it," but has voiced skepticism about the need for one. The Toll Brother's plan for the library called for 48,000 s.f. of retail, including a 40,000 s.f. grocery store. The library would remain in place; 21,300 s.f. on two levels. To top it off, the building would have been LEED Silver and would have included as many as 220 residential condos. The group did not submit a plan for the site of the fire station. Eastbanc's partners on the project also include the Warrenton Group, Dantes Partners, TEN Arquitectos, and WDG Architecture. Eastbanc also recently won the rights to develop a highly visible Capitol Hill property late last year. Deputy Mayor Valerie Santos said the District would work hard to "ensure what has been proposed moves forward as quickly as possible." Mayor Adrian Fenty added that he expects groundbreaking for the project "at the end of 2012, at the very latest." Washington, DC real estate development news

West End Marriott Coming Soon, Maybe...

In the heart of the George Washington/West End neighborhood, a Marriott Courtyard Hotel could soon replace a parking garage, sandwiching a new nine-story building between offices and residences on an already crowded block. Designed by WDG Architecture and developed by Allstate Hotel Partnership, the project received original approval in 2006, but has since faced a lawsuit from an unhappy ANC chair and, of course, an extended finance drought. Recent efforts to obtain a general contractor, however, suggest the project team is gearing up to begin construction in the near future. But then again, maybe not. The 125,000 s.f. hotel will bring upwards of 150 suites to the GW neighborhood. Project Architect/ Manager at WDG, Nelson Lobo, said the hotel is "a very urban project, unlike other Courtyards...it's not a little three-story building in the middle of nowhere." The building has a "contemporary design," added Lobo, and "fits in with the GW area." That's not what many a Foggy Bottom neighbor thought during the zoning process. The ANC and other Foggy Bottom civic organizations opposed the development, expressing concerns about the increased traffic and the likelihood of blocked streets during construction. 

After the project received zoning approval in 2006, Dorothy Miller, an ANC Chair and active member of the Foggy Bottom civic community, filed a suit in the D.C. Court of Appeals against the Board of Zoning Adjustment's (BZA) approval of the hotel plan. The suit halted any planned progress on the hotel despite its completed review. But in May 2008, the Court sided with the BZA. The win for the developers started the two-year clock given to developers during which they must take clear steps to execute the planned development, by starting demolition and construction. Coming up on that two-year mark, the development team either needs to get digging or head back for a zoning extension. The group is currently deciding on a general contractor, but architect Lobo said right now the timeline depends on the financing. "It might happen in the next four months, it might happen in the next three years," Lobo said with little certainty. Our money is on the developers seeking an extension to their approved plans. For now, neighbors can continue to enjoy the lovely 420-car parking garage with the knowledge that the Marriott's future is uncertain.

Washington, DC real estate and development news

Bozzuto Asks to Delay Mt. Vernon Development

The Bozzuto Development Company is asking DC for a two year delay on its planned residential development on New York Ave in Mt. Vernon Triangle, even as neighboring residential projects progress. Just last April Bozzuto Development Company President Toby Bozzuto told DCMud he hoped to begin construction in 2010. That now seems highly unlikely, so to be cautious the developer will go before the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) next week to request a two-year extension. The Bozzuto property will sit across from City Vista and adjacent to Yale Laundry, which just started construction on its second phase, despite ongoing sales that began in the summer of 2005. The WDG Architects-designed 13-story building at 460 New York Avenue, NW would include 87 residential units for a total of 85,555 square feet on a site currently occupied by an empty lot and two vacant, deteriorating buildings. Nothing is likely to happen soon. William McLeod of the Mount Vernon Community Improvement District told DCMud he was unaware of any updates or changes in the status of the development, and Sean Stadler, Associate Principal Designer at WDG said there had been no progress on the project since its initial zoning approval and that the developer had not begun hiring a general contractor. 

The developer originally received Zoning Commission approval in April 2008 for zoning amendments. The approval sanctioned Bozzuto's plans to move the three-story historic structure, dating from 1902, to an area zoned for smaller development while leaving the remainder of the lot for the larger residential building, which on New York Avenue will reach 130 ft in height. A ground floor fitness center (despite the Results gym at CityVista) and two levels of below grade parking will reportedly round out the development. The developer received approval in January 2008 from the HPRB to raze the two-story 1870s historic building because of the dire condition of the structure. Once the 1902 historic building is relocated on the western edge of the site, it will receive a full renovation to include 6 of the planned apartments. 

Washington, DC real estate and development news

NCPC Approves Coast Guard Headquarters Design

The new United States Coast Guard (USCG) headquarters planned for St. Elizabeths is now on track to begin construction as soon as February. The latest building designs, reviewed again and approved today by the by the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), include 1.175 million s.f. of space for upwards of 3,860 employees, addressing concerns raised by NCPC last January. Among those issues are increased traffic on Shepherd Highway, the massing of the USCG building and garage, and the location of the security perimeter with respect to the historic cemetery on the site of the first national mental health facility in the country. Last August GSA awarded the $435 million construction contract to Clark Construction, WDG Architecture and HOK , with concept designs by Perkins and Will. The Coast Guard campus will be the first of 3 phases at the historic hospital. Phase 2, the center building, will house the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary's office and other "senior" staff. Phase 3 will be largely new construction for storage and other warehouse facilities. The Shepherd Highway issue is a sticky overlap of various federal authorities including the Federal Highway Administration, DHS, the General Services Administration, the National Park Service, the Department of Transportation and the Department of the Interior. DHS and GSA, along with the FHA, have determined that the highway is the best way for construction vehicles to access the West Campus to state construction. The National Park Service, which owns the land, objects because a portion would likely see permanent negative affects, but in the end the group agreed to keep exploring alternatives and continue on schedule for February construction. The Coast Guard HQ and parking garage will be built on a 118 ft slope visible from Haines Point and from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Concerns about the appearance of the HQ as seen from around the city led to reduced massing and planning for additional vegetation. The new plan also adjusts the visibility of the garage which would originally have been five levels above-grade, two below, but now proposes an inversion - only two above-grade and five below, but with an expanded footprint. The garage will provide 1,973 parking spaces and will serve both the USCG and the Department of Homeland Security headquarters. The exterior of the garage on the northern facade now swaps an extended green wall system with the previous zinc-clad frame. Finally, though the original Master Plan created a security perimeter that excluded the historic cemetery, new plans include the cemetery within the security perimeter to restore it "to its place as an integral part of the West Campus." NCPC will hear more plans in March when they review Phase 1B. 

Washington DC commercial real estate news

GSA and DHS Break Ground on Largest Federal Building Project Since Pentagon

Officials broke ground today on the largest federal building project in the Washington metro area since the Pentagon. The $435 million Coast Guard Headquarters is the first of three phases for the unified Department of Homeland Security (DHS) complex on the St. Elizabeths campus in Anacostia, and the first project to move the federal government into the historic neighborhood. In August, the General Services Administration (GSA) awarded the contract to Clark
Design/Build, LLC, WDG Architecture and HOK. The site obtained initial National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) approval in January of this year, with full blown construction expected to begin early next year.

The new DHS site is funded partially through $650 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. In total, the Recovery Act allocated $200 million to DHS and $450 million to GSA for construction of a new DHS headquarters at St. Elizabeths, $162 million of which will go to the Coast Guard facility alone. The facility will strive for LEED Silver certification by including green roofs, landscaped courtyards to control surface water runoff, and "innovative" heating and air conditioning systems. Occupancy of the new Coast Guard headquarters is expected by 2013.

The Center Building, pictured at left, will likely house the offices of the Secretary of DHS. Construction and renovation on this and other surrounding buildings will not occur until Phase 2. DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano and GSA Acting Administrator Paul Proty shoveled some serious dirt along with Representative Holmes Norton, Mayor Fenty, Councilmember Barry- as well as Senator Lieberman, for one of the most eclectic and highly paid ditch digging crews Washington DC has ever seen.

The DHS currently has 222,000 employees working at 35 offices throughout the Capitol region, DHS expects the consolidation will save taxpayers $163 million over the next 30 years. Construction of the new complex will produce an estimated 32,000 jobs, with many going to DC residents, especially if Norton has anything to do with it. The Congresswoman gave her own special welcome, saying "the federal government is crossing the Anacostia today, my friends. Come on over!" The residents of Ward 8, where the site is located, have the highest level of poverty in the city, with 35% unemployment, according to Councilmember Barry.

Despite the expected economic benefits for the area, the GSA has been involved in a series of Section 106 conversations, part of the National Historic Preservation Act by which community concerns are formally addressed. The local community and historic preservation groups raised concerns about public access to the land. Under the current Master plan, the public will have access to the cemetery, which includes soldiers from the Civil War, Hitchcock Hall, a large theater that once served the residents and staff at St. Elizabeths, and an area known as "The Point,"which boasts an expansive view of DC. Other concerns included the fate of Bald Eagles that call part of the campus home. The Master plan sets off a large section as "Eagle Zone" to prevent any encroachment.

The historic nature of the campus added a high level of complexity to the design and construction plans. On campus, 62 buildings are classified as "contributing" to the historical significance of St. Elizabeths. Of the 62, 52 will be retained and of the 10 that are scheduled to be demolished, 8 are dilapidated greenhouses. During a campus tour for media, GSA paused to showcase the demolition of one of the non-contributing buildings, the Mechanical and Electrical shop. St. Elizabeths was the first national mental health care facility in the country.

Columbia Pike Apartment Building Gets Ready to Open

Just a 5 minute drive down Columbia Pike from the planned Penrose Square, a new mixed-use project, 55 Hundred, is close to wrapping up construction, putting the finishing touches on and looking for tenants. Formerly known as the Columbia Village Project, the building at 5500 Columbia Pike in Arlington comes in at a not-quite-inspiring 10 stories, but taller than others on that area of the Pike. The new building's plan was approved in 2005 to act as a western "gateway" for the Columbia Pike Special Revitalization District. Fairfield Residential's mixed-use project includes 234 residential units, 308 parking spaces in three levels below grade, and 7,500 s.f. of retail on the first floor. The site plan was originally approved by Arlington for Trammell Crow Residential, which sold the property along with the plan to Fairfield. The building was designed by WDG Architecture. Just last month Fairfield lost its hold on another of its apartment buildings, in southwest DC, when the property was foreclosed. One-bedrooms rent from $1,300 to $2,700 and two-bedrooms range from $2700 to $4000. 55 Hundred offers residents a rooftop swimming pool, a 24-hour athletic center and a club room, with pool tables and a Wii system. Though the building's website boasts its accessibility to the metro, residents would have to take a least one bus, sometimes two, to get to a nearby metro station. With easy access to the highway, residents may opt for the a more Virgina-style commute, i.e. by car.

Virginia commercial real estate news

Judiciary Square Apartment Building Opens

The Judiciary Square corner of Washington DC's Penn Quarter now has one more residential building, and one less vacant lot. The Hanover Company, a private, Houston-based real estate firm, introduced its latest apartment building in Penn Quarter last week, adding a touch of high-end to the downtown rental market. The Ashton at Judiciary Square, at 750 3rd Street, NW, opened its doors as one of downtown's few upscale buildings, and with construction nearly complete, units will be ready for occupancy beginning this week. The 12-story glass building holds just 49 necessarily spacious apartments and a parking garage, with amenities to match: marbled foyer with inlaid tile, 24-hour concierge, NYC-worthy interior design, nearly 10 foot ceilings, and a choice of interior styles throughout the building. The rent will set you back a bit - $4332 per month to start (less if you factor in the standard one-month-free deal) - but the leasing team is already scheduling moving vans for its first occupants - "finance types, athletes, and government employees," apparently for those GS's with a higher than average per diem. The Ashton comes furnished or not, short-term (3 month) leases or long, and with views ranging from stunning Capitol dome to, well, a peek at much more local architecture. Occupants also get a separate suite for guests, though you won't need it if you take one of the top floor suites, with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2700 s.f., and views from far southeast to Rosslyn and everything in between. All that at only $10,817 per month. And situated near the on-ramp to 395, you could make it to a Nationals game in 5 minutes flat, or just bug out of town in a hurry. Hanover hired WDG Architecture for the design, but reports performing the remainder in-house, from interior design to construction. The Ashton is the nationwide developer's first entrant in the DC Market, but it will soon follow up with the Crescent at Falls Church, scheduled to open next May. Hanover purchased the empty lot from Abdo Development in July of 2007 after Abdo cleared the land of a hotel in order to construct a condominium that never made it past the drawing board. That means the building was designed, planned, and built in just 25 months, something local developers should envy. Abdo retained the land next door, along with a plan for a large office building. The site is 3 blocks north of the Judiciary Square Metro.

Washington DC commercial real estate news

Zoning Considers Long-Awaited Plan for Michigan Ave and Iriving St NE

If all goes well, Marriott will team with a developer to replace a parking lot with a 314 room hotel at the intersection of Irving St. and Michigan Avenue, NE, adding a gym or grocery store, fixing the dearth of retail nearby, and adding much-needed services and improving the look of the intersection. That's the developer's pitch, anyway. This and adjacent parcels, boxed in by Catholic University, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Washington Hospital Center, and Trinity University, have long gotten the notice of developers for its large stable workforce and lack of services and housing.

Local partner H Street Community Development Corporation and planners from WDG Architecture and Mariani Architects met before the Board of Zoning Adjustment last night to consider Conference Center Associates I, LLC's consolidated PUD for Parcel 121/31 in Brookland. The developers are seeking to change the unzoned property to a C-3-A zone. The project also includes a commitment from Marriott International.

Phase 1 of the proposed two-stage PUD consists of a 314 room suite hotel and conference center as well as a four-story above-grade structure with 20,000 sq. ft. of retail space at- and below-ground, and approximately 400 parking spaces on the upper levels.

While the zoning commission raised points on traffic flow (planned left turn access to retail from eastbound Michigan Avenue - an issue raised by DDOT in a report submitted to the zoning commission), and the likelihood of successful retail on the below-grade site, comments were overall positive.

Commissioner Peter May noted the problems with duality of the street as both a parkway and retail center, it "feels high speed." His comments highlighted concerns raised by several Commissioners over allowing left turns from eastbound Michigan Avenue. DDOT's representative indicated that the agency had initially sought to restrict access from Michigan Avenue and felt they offered a "reasonable compromise" with their "right-in, right-out" traffic plan. DDOT conceded that a left turn on streets he compared to an "interstate freeway" were "not completely impossible," but the safer option was the right-in, right-out traffic pattern supported by signage and potentially an island at the entrance.

Retail Concerns
Commissioner Konrad Schlater said about the project that he knew "it had been on the drawing board for a long, long time" but that with Marriott as a partner it had a "high likelihood of success." Schlater proceeded to express the commission's skepticism that a grocery store would be willing to accept sub-grade space. The Ward 5 ANC has been supportive of the project largely because of the need for retail in the area. Robert Reinders, of Marriott International, said a small grocery (like Trader Joes) "makes sense," but there could be no guarantees. Sean Stadler of WDG Architecture acknowledged that, "getting a retail tenant is sometimes challenging these days." Uh, yeah, we've read that somewhere before. Another option for the space would be a Health Club, something the nearby Washington Hospital Center favors because, according to Reinders, they currently have no on-site facilities for their more than 14,000 employees.

Local ANC members Ronnie Edwards, Commissioner for ANC5C-11, and Anita Bonds, Commissioner for ANC5C-01, both praised the project team for their work with the community, specifically the ANCs. And as part of the love-thy-neighbor quid pro quo, Marriott will provide "community benefits," in the form of meeting space for Ward 5 ANC throughout the year. (Note to other developers: pay attention here)

The marching orders were given to continue a dialogue with DDOT on the traffic concerns, to find a more physically appealing design for the parking garage, develop an alternative layout for the hotel's pent house suite because of concerns over the height, and to resolve issues raised by a report on the current trees on the property.

The next Zoning Commission hearing on this project is scheduled for July 27.

Renderings provided by WDG Architecture

Donohoe Galvanizes Bethesda Development in the Woodmont Triangle

The Donohoe Development Company is in the early design and planning stages on what looks to be the largest mixed-use project to hit Bethesda since Bethesda Row went and upped the area’s chi-chi quotient a few basis points (see this month’s issue of Forbes for proof). Now, on the other side of town, in the decidedly less dapper (but getting there) Woodmont Triangle area, Donohoe has teamed with WDG Architecture to realize Woodmont Central: a multi-phase, mixed-use project that will bring office space, retail and, yes, apartments to Wisconsin Avenue and beyond.

Within the next few years, Phase 1A, as Donohoe is calling it, will be the 8280 Wisconsin - a commercial complex with 80,792 square feet of Class A office space, along with 10,820 square feet of ground floor retail, at the corner of Battery Lane and Wisconsin Avenue. At present, it's the site of a Texaco that boasts the area’s only car wash. Unfortunately for area auto buffs, both will be razed prior to build out. It will, however, be the first sign of new development at the very same intersection that had previously been slated to host the now indefinitely on hold Trillium Condominiums.

In a first for Woodmont Triangle development, Donohoe's office building will be followed by Phases1B and 2 - but not at the same site. It’s a split that will allow the development team to benefit from a recent amendment to Bethesda zoning statutes. Said Jad Donohoe, Donohoe's Development Director:

[The parcels] are three blocks apart, but in the same project…Back in 2006 there was an amendment to the Bethesda Sector Plan for the Woodmont Triangle. For the first time it allowed this transfer of density between sites that aren’t contiguous or are even across the street from each other…It’s a new idea and the thought was that because there is such fragmented ownership in that section of Bethesda, this would be a way to bring the density needed to make more of a Bethesda Row-type of experience. If you look at what Federal Realty Trust did on Bethesda Row, those things have been happening on that side of Bethesda for 10 years. By contrast, Woodmont Triangle has been kind of struggling. This is the solution and it’s one of the first projects to take advantage of that provision.

And take advantage they shall. Currently the home to a surface parking lot and "some old two-story buildings", the corner of Rugby and Del Ray Avenues will eventually host The Gallery at Bethesda - a high-rise with 457 rental apartments (including 51 MPDUs), 9,051 square feet of ground floor retail and public park that Donohoe describes as being comparable in size and scope to the nearby Veteran’s Park. "It’s really going to be one of the few green spots there in the Woodmont Triangle for public space,” said Donohoe.

Though still “a couple years away from breaking ground,” Donohoe speculates that "The Gallery will be home to approximately 900 new Bethesdans, with occupancy beginning in 2013. 8280 Wisconsin will deliver in late 2012." The team's first project plan was filed with the Montgomery County Planning Board in January and they're currently scheduled to make a second appearance before the Board on April 23^rd. Bethesda real estate is for sale.

A New New York for DC

Details regarding the Bozzuto Development Company's once mysterious New York Avenue project have finally surfaced. Now teamed with WDG Architects, the developer is pursuing at least one, if not two residential developments along the burgeoning Mount Vernon Triangle strip that also includes recent developments such as Yale Laundry and CityVista.

The so-called New York Avenue Apartments (let’s hope that's a placeholder) is planned to stand 13-stories tall at 460 New York Avenue, NW and include 87 residential units for a total of 85,555 square feet of new District development. The project's 9,059 square foot lot is now mainly vacant, with the exception of a non-contributing building at the intersection of New York Avenue and L Street, NW that will be demolished to make way for the project. A historic building next door to the site "that by virtue of alterations and its serious structural deficiencies has lost its integrity" will include 6 of the planned apartments and receive a full renovation.

Bozzuto Development Company President Toby Bozzuto told DCmud the company has also made tentative plans for an abandoned warehouse across the street that is also under their control.

Per the development team’s presentation to the local ANC 2C last year, WDG will utilize masonry, stone, glass, and metal for the building’s façade, along with “projecting bays” running from the third to eleventh stories. According to documentation from the developer, “The project will serve as a bridge between the historic rowhouses along 5^th Street and the new Yale Steam Laundry project.” A ground floor fitness center and two levels of below grade parking will reportedly round out the development.

Though the PUD project’s timeline has been elongated due to snags with another governing ANC (the project's location is flush to the boundary between two zones) and market declines in general, Bozzuto said it would be "terrific to start...in 2010."

Washington DC commercial real estate news