JPI Announces New Residential Project for Ballpark Area

Just when you thought every available scrap of land had already been claimed around the new Nationals Ballpark area in Southeast DC, they find a new patch on which to plan another project. According to a press release just issued by developer JPI, the company is planning to build a fourth residential tower in the Ballpark zone (joining the 674-unit 70 and 100 I Street project buildings, and the 237-unit 909 New Jersey Avenue complex (pictured), which just broke ground this week). The new development – 23 Eye Street SE (on the south side of I Street, between South Capitol Street and Half Street SE) – will be a $150 million project and feature 421 residential units, plus up to 35,000 sf of retail space. Construction is expected to start in 2008. These new projects fall within what JPI is now referring to as the "Capitol Yards" neighborhood, north of the Ballpark and south of the US Capitol, below the Southwest-Southeast Freeway. 70 and 100 I Street are scheduled to be finished at the end of 2008, with 909 New Jersey Avenue set to deliver in mid-2009.

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not: Silver Spring’s 1050 Ripley Street Project Gets Go-Ahead

Last week, the Montgomery County Planning Board gave its approval to 1050 Ripley Street, a new mixed-use Silver Spring project planned by Bethesda-based developer Washington Property Company for the warehouse-heavy 1.16-acre plot of land south of Ripley Street (and the Silver Spring Metro), east of the CSX/Metro rail lines (and future Metropolitan Branch Trial) and west of Colonial Lane. The 1050 Ripley Street project will be a 17-story building containing 305 rental apartments (46 will be moderately priced dwelling units, or MPDUs), plus over 3,000 sf of ground-floor retail. There will also be 328 underground parking spaces. Architect will be the Weihe Design Group (WDG Architecture). In addition, the developer has proposed building a new road connecting Ripley Street and Bonifant Street to the north, and a plaza/rest area alongside the planned Metropolitan Branch Trial. There will also be room allotted alongside the track/path for the planned Purple Line light rail system. The 1050 Ripley Street project might be eventual neighbors with Kettler's Midtown Silver Spring hi-rise residential project, slated for the 70,000-sf parcel of land on the north side of Ripley Street between Georgia Avenue and the railroad tracks, which (if built) will feature 317 residential units (42 MPDUs), 6,000 sf of ground floor retail/office, 480 parking spaces, and a 19th-floor swimming pool deck.

Our Feature Presentation: More Development!

Given the twists and turns of the real estate market, we often feel like cooking up some popcorn, sitting back, and watching the show. But this is taking things literally. Out in Fairfax County, the Merrifield Multiplex Cinema, located where Lee Highway meets up with Gallows Road, might soon be demolished and replaced with a massive 27-acre "town center" complex containing 800 residential units, 600,000 sf of retail (plus a rebuilt theater), and possibly hotel and office space, if South Carolina-based developer Edens & Avant and Bethesda-based Clark Realty have their way. Initial plans for this project were honored last year by the Washington Smart Growth Alliance, which praised the town center concept, along with plans to include three new urban parks throughout the site. There will also be a focus on mass transportation, with free shuttle service and pedestrian/bicycle accessibility to the nearby Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro station. To date, the development team has spent over $100 million just acquiring land and planning for the project, and expects to have final site-plan approval before the county’s Board of Supervisors in October 2007. If approved, ground could be broken by Summer 2008. Together with Trammel Crow Residential’s plan to build a 720-unit apartment building with retail down Gallows Road on a 15-acre lot at the Metro station, Merrifield might soon be known for its bustling activity rather than rundown warehouses.

Silver Spring's 1200 East-West Highway Project Starts Work

For those living in Silver Spring in the Silverton or Mica, I would suggest investing in earplugs for the next year. In late May, dcmud reported that preparation work was being started on 1200 Blair Mill (the small 0.77-acre triangular lot where Blair Mill, Newell Street, and East-West Highway meet ), a $37 million, 99-118 unit condominium project by MR Associates, LLC (Perseus Realty, LLC). And now, as confirmed by our daily walk past this corner on the way for coffee, demolition work has kicked into gear on the site of 1200 East-West Highway (at the southwest corner of East-West and Blair Mill), with the existing auto repair shop on the property now meeting the wrecking crane. Originally a twinkle in the eye of Centex Cityhomes, 1200 East-West was shelved by that company last October. However, the project and plans were bought by Home Properties, with the only change now being apartments replacing the planned condos. When completed in 2009, 1200 East-West will contain a 14-story, mixed-use building, including 247 rental units (ranging in size from 715 to 1365 sf) and approximately 10,600 sf of retail space on the first floor, with over 200 below-ground parking spaces. These two projects, plus JBG and Turner Construction’s imposing 460-unit Silver Spring Gateway project just across East-West Highway, will ensure another year of orange cones, cranes, and dust for this tiny corner of town.

Previously: Signs of Life at Silver Spring’s 1200 Blair Mill Project?

The Full Monty – More New Residential Units Coming to Bethesda

In the next week, the Montgomery County Planning Board is expected to approve the application submitted by Monty LLC for The Monty, a 210,000-sf, mixed-use development to be located in (surprise) the Woodmont Triangle area of Bethesda, specifically the rectangle of land between Fairmont and St. Elmo Avenues (4915-4917 Fairmont and 4914-4918 St. Elmo, now home to one- and two-story storefronts) to the northeast of Old Georgetown Road and southwest of Norfolk Avenue. The planned 17-story development will contain a maximum of 133 residential units (20 of which will be moderately priced dwelling units), and up to 7,700 sf of ground-floor retail, with 197 underground parking spots. About 5,500 sf will be public space, including a fountain, public art, benches, and a mid-street passageway between the two avenues. Architect for this project is SK&I. The Monty will be directly across Fairmont Avenue from the recently approved 118-unit 4900 Fairmont project, and is yet another addition to the rapidly developing residential market in greater Bethesda.

Previously: More Bethesda Development! 4900 Fairmont Avenue Project Up For Approval
Previously: Boomtown Bethesda – Yet More Development

Foggy Bottom’s Square 54 Project Receives Final Approval

Last week, the DC Zoning Commission unanimously approved the revised Planned Unit Development (PUD) application submitted by George Washington University and developers Boston Properties and Kettler to redevelop the 2.6-acre, former GW Hospital site bounded by 22nd and 23rd Streets, and Pennsylvania Avenue and I Street NW (the southeast corner of Washington Circle), into Square 54, a mixed-use "town center" with office, residential, and retail space. The Commission had asked GWU in March to revise the height and density of the proposed buildings, so the school took 18,000 sf off the office portion and 15,000 sf from the residential. In April, the National Capital Planning Commission recommended that the Commission approve the new proposal. The $250 million Square 54 project will feature approximately 336 "luxury" residential units (non-university housing), with over 80,000 sf of retail space (including a 27,000-sf supermarket and outdoor café space) and 440,000 sf of office space overlooking Washington Circle. There will also be over 1,000 underground parking spaces. Designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, LLP and Sasaki & Associates, the project will also include an open space courtyard with pedestrian walkway, and landscaped plaza for outside dining that will have gates at I and 23rd Streets. Completion is expected in 2011.

Previously: GWU Squaring Away Old Hospital Site

Washington D.C. retail and real estate development news

Petworth’s 4136 Georgia Avenue Condo Gets Zoning Approval

Last week, the DC Zoning Commission granted approval to Petworth Holdings LLC (Formant Development) for its proposed seven-story, 57-unit mixed-use condominium to replace the gas station now located at 4136 Georgia Avenue (at the intersection of Kansas Avenue and Upshur Street) in Petworth, just four blocks from the Georgia Ave. Metro station. There is expected to be 5,000-sf of ground-floor retail, and the roof will be environmentally "green" in keeping with the current development trend. Four of the condo units will be priced below market, with Petworth residents given first priority. There will also be 37 below-ground parking spaces. Because the 75-foot building would exceed the 50-foot height limit of the site, zoning approval was necessary. In return for the zoning exception, the developer will donate $125,000 to the Petworth Recreation Center and Clark Elementary School. SGA Architects has been selected to design the building, with current plans including a brick structure with warehouse-style bay windows from floor to ceiling (pictured). Formant does not expect to break ground for another two years, with sales following.

New Digs for Riggs and Dakota

As previously reported in DCMud, Lowe Enterprises Real Estate Group is planning the development of their 9-acre site at the intersection of South Dakota Avenue and Riggs Road. A partnership of Hickock Cole Architects, Jacksophie Development, Ellis Denning, CityPartners Development, and mixed-use planners, StreetSense, the development team is planning a mixed-use project that could include up to 900 condominium units, 100,000 s.f. of retail space, and corresponding parking.

While no final plans have been made, potential retail options include restaurants, a grocery store, salons, and dry cleaners. Developers also plan to improve the traffic dynamics of the intersection to make it more pedestrian-friendly. The project is estimated to cost $300 million according to the Washington Post’s coverage of the development.

Located blocks away from the Fort Totten Metro Center, the development may also include a pedestrian pathway to the station which is served by the Red and Green Line. According to the Washington Business Journal’s coverage of the project, WMATA would like to extend the Yellow line to include Fort Totten Station.

It may be another month before plans are finalized as community support of the project is necessary. Developers plan to meet with community groups to present and discuss their plans. Their current community website gives a general overview of the project. We will keep you posted as plans are finalized.

JBG Eyeing Massive Complex for Courthouse Metro Site

Is Chevy Chase-based JBG Cos. the "Superman" of developers in the Washington region? It appears the company isn’t content just leaping the tallest buildings in Arlington in a single bound with its Central Place project at the eastern foot of Wilson Boulevard in Rosslyn. Now it wants to take us to court – namely, the Courthouse Metro block, just a mile down Wilson Boulevard between Rosslyn and Clarendon. JBG is now working with Arlington County on plans to redevelop an existing commercial strip along Clarendon Boulevard (at the corner of Courthouse Road, where it runs right next to Wilson Boulevard) above the Courthouse Metro stop (now home to long-time favorite Summers restaurant, Boston Market, Cosi, and the Strayer University building, among others) as well as the parking lot behind it into a block-long, 700,000-sf office and ground-floor retail complex that would be the tallest building (up to 16 stories) in the Courthouse area (but smaller than Central Place). The complex would connect to a civic plaza and culture center to be built on the parking lot site. The Courthouse development will be just blocks west of the new residential condos The Odyssey (2001 N. 15th Street) and 1800 Wilson, as well as the upcoming 2000 Wilson project .

Arlington County In Search Of Developers for New Columbia Pike Project

For years, Arlington County’s long-neglected Columbia Pike corridor has stood by while other areas of the county saw new residential and commercial development, the windfall of the hot real estate market. But the next few years will be the Pike’s time to shine, as a number of revitalization projects are about to deliver, break ground, or make progress (such as the 235-apartment Columbia Village, the 299-apartment Penrose Square, the proposed $150 million streetcar system planned for a five-mile stretch along Columbia Pike between Pentagon City and Skyline in Fairfax, and more . Next up: Arlington County’s proposal to redevelop the Arlington Mill Community Center site, located at 4975 Columbia Pike, just west of S. 4 Mile Run Drive. The County is now accepting proposals from pre-qualified developers interested in turning the Center into a mixed-use site, with a new community center, up to 250 residential units (no decision yet on condo or rental), and 5,000 sf of retail space. The County hopes to have a partner for this project selected and ready for the County Board’s approval this July, with final approval hopefully granted by year’s end. The Request for Proposals can be found here.

WMATA Solicits Bid for Florida Ave Development

The Washington Metro Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announced that it is soliciting bids on three of its properties on Florida Avenue in Shaw, opening the possibility of urban infill near one of the least developed Metro sites in Northwest. The three parcels abut 8^th Street to the East and West, on the South side of Florida Avenue. Sited between the Shaw and U Street Metro stations, each two blocks away, the parcels are currently unimproved – excepting the regular local flea markets – and contain about 29,000 s.f. of developable space. The three small, noncontiguous lots may be a challenging development; each is currently zoned to allow a maximum height of 65 feet, though the Arts Overlay Zone may provide bonus density for ‘arts related’ uses, and are encumbered by the Metro tunnel that passes below, limiting excavation to 19 feet. WMATA is proposing to sell or lease the lots, likely for a mixed-use project incorporating residential development. Bids for the project are due May 31.

Bethesda’s Rugby Condominium Project Back on Track?

Last Fall, after months of discussion, the Montgomery County Planning Board denied the application submitted by developer 4851 Rugby Avenue LLC to build The Rugby Condominium, a 10-story, 71-unit building with 1,250 square feet of public art studio space planned for 4851 Rugby Avenue (on the north side of Rugby, at the intersection of Rugby and Auburn Avenues) in downtown Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle, saying that the planned building height of 101 feet would exceed the nine-story (90 feet) zoning limit. But now the developer is back with a revised application – to be considered by the Planning Board as early as May 3 - that has a lower height and larger public arts space. The Planning Board is expected to grant approval to this new application. The new application proposes 61 condo units (eight being affordable housing) and 2,000 sf for four art studio spaces (plus a 3,277-sf outdoor plaza) all in a nine-story building. There will also be three levels of underground parking. If approved, the developer hopes to begin construction in 2008.