Rockville Town Square Project Switches Some Condos to Apartments

It appears - just months before completion – that development team RD Rockville (ROSS Development and Investment and the DANAC Corporation), citing poor sales, has decided to switch at least one (and perhaps more) of the four condominium complexes in its $350 million Rockville Town Square project (specifically, The Lunette building) from condos to apartments, and has notified buyers of the decision, according to the Gazette.net Web site. In its letter to affected purchasers, the developer allegedly offered three options: Rent the selected unit, buy a different unit, or walk away from the project. The Rockville Town Square project (pictured) is located along (and to the west of) Rockville Pike, just two blocks from the Rockville metro station, and bounded by Beall Avenue to the north, Washington Street to the west, and E. Middle Lane to the south. Design by WDG Architects. When completed, the Square will contain 644 residential units and 180,000 sf of retail.

The Rockville Town Square Project is not to be confused with developer Duball’s $240 million Rockville Town Center project, which is located just south of Rockville Town Square, and, when completed in 2011, will consist of a two residential-tower complex with 485 homes and 45,300 sf of retail just one block west of the metro and bounded by East Montgomery Avenue, Maryland Avenue and Monroe Street.

Half Street Project Update

Excavation, sheeting and shoring are underway at the north end of Monument Realty’s Half Street project, with the permit for the southern end of the site expected at the end of the month. As we reported in January, Monument is planning a mixed-use project for this site, located on the eastern section of Half Street between M and N Streets SE, at the north entrance of the new Nationals stadium location. Yet another child of the ballpark-boom in Southeast’s development, the Half Street project will include a 196-room boutique hotel, approximately 320 condominium units, 275,000 s.f. of office space, and 50,000 s.f. of retail space as well as an expansion of the metro station entrance. The retail portion will have a concentration on restaurants – hopefully drawing fans to Half Street before and after games.

According to Amy Phillips, project manager at Monument, “The street will be curbless to better facilitate pedestrian activity and to accommodate festivals and markets—and is currently planned to be closed to vehicular traffic on game day.”

This “gateway” to the stadium will deliver retail and office space for tenant improvements in April 2009 and residential and hotel space in August of the same year. Sales by Capital Residential Properties will begin this fall.

Silver Spring’s National Association of the Deaf Building to be Replaced with Condos

The site of the former headquarters of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), located at 814 Thayer Avenue (between Fenton and Grove Streets) in Silver Spring, will soon feature a new, modern-design condominium building, according to plans presented by developer Banneker Ventures LLC. The developer is hoping to deliver a five-story, 60-foot building containing 52 residential units (seven of which will be moderately priced dwelling units), plus 37 parking spaces, all located just blocks from the new “town square” in Silver Spring.

The architect on this project is Sorg and Associates, and the firm is proposing a radical design for this project along the lines of its Visio and T Street Flats proposals in downtown DC. Specifically, it hopes to design the building with the front angled so the windows offer views down the street instead of just in front. In addition, there will be a sculpture paying homage to the former NAD building and mission. Assuming all plans and permits are obtained, Banneker expects this project to be completed within two years.

U Street’s Moderno to Break Ground This Week

This week, DC-based Lakritz Adler and Robertson Development are expected to break ground on their newest project: Moderno, a $12.5 million, 15-unit residential building to be located at 1939 12th Street NW, right below U Street. Moderno will consist of the residential component as well as 5,000 sf of ground floor and underground retail, and parking. There will also be two adjoining structures built next to it, each containing two, three-story flats (for a total of 19 residential units in all). Unique features in some of the units will include 19-foot ceilings, Spanish porcelain tiles and Spanish-built cabinets and – seriously - some units will have outdoor showers. One-bedroom units start in the high $300,000s, with three-bedroom units around $1 million. Design is by CORE Architects. Pictured is a rendering of Moderno, though it makes it appear to be located in suburbia rather than the urban infill project it is….

Church St. Project Breaks Ground

Developer DC Hampton has now broken ground on a 27-unit condo project on the 1400 block of Church St., one of the last developable sites on a uniquely industrial street - containing old warehouses and showrooms seldom found in DC - now all repositioned as swank condos by developers Metropolis and PN Hoffman. The condo project will turn a historic three-story commercial building into a 6 or 7-story condominium. The Logan Circle conversion should rise about 70 feet, surrounded by the Metropole, also under construction and slated to finish in mid 2008. The building was designed by Bonstra Haresign, construction by Camden Builders. The developer reports a handful of sales in an initial offering, with further sales to take place closer to completion.

DSF Changes Course in Old Town, Prefers Chardonnay to Condos

Two years ago, Boston-based DSF Group won approval from Alexandria to build the Halstead at Old Town, a mixed-use project with 65 condo units and 5400 sf of retail along the 1500 block of King Street in Old Town. However, it now appears the company is changing course while in the design phase, and will now go before the Alexandria Planning Commission this month to seek permission to instead renovate the 100-year-old building at 1520 King Street (pictured) into a wine bar, and build a 107-room boutique hotel with day spa around it. The project will also include two restaurants, underground parking, and 6200 sf of retail. DSF is looking to partner on the hotel with the Kimpton Group, which has been aggressively moving into the Washington metro region, and also is now involved in turning the Holiday Inn at 480 King Street into a Hotel Monaco. While this change in direction might seem to indicate concern over the condo market for DSF, the company is still moving forward with its other area projects, including the 173-unit North Hampton Two in Alexandria and the 269-unit Halstead at Arlington on Columbia Pike.

JPI's "Ballpark" Apartments Begin to Rise

Following the ballpark-induced Southeast Washington development surge, developer JPI is now in the process of constructing two residential apartment buildings at 70 I and 100 I Streets SE, just three blocks from the new Nationals stadium and five blocks from the US Capitol. The 70 I Street and 100 I Street apartment buildings will include 448 and 246 apartment units, respectively.

According to Aaron Liebert, the Area Managing Partner for JPI, the larger 70 I Street will look like a renovated warehouse with intricate brickwork in and outside the building. The smaller 100 I Street, however, will be a modern brick building with stainless steel arched bay windows and MOMA-like Terrazzo floors, glass walls, and stainless steel finishes. Designed by WDG Architecture, both buildings will have a rooftop pool, a conference center, a pub or bar room, an Internet café, and pool tables for residents rather than public retail space.

With stadium and Capitol views and a variety of units including studio, one, and two bedroom with den apartments, Liebert said, “We identified this as an exciting market with a lot of potential on a short and long term scale; people are excited to live here. It is waterfront, riverfront, and across from the National’s stadium. We have a high level of confidence, that this will be the new place to live in the next 10 years in DC.”

There will be three levels of underground-shared parking between the two buildings upon the project’s completion in August 2008, just months after the scheduled opening of the new Nationals stadium.

Georgia Commons Project in Petworth Up in Air? UPDATE: Jair Lynch Responds

Last year, the National Capital Revitalization Corp. (NCRC) announced with great fanfare that it was awarding the development rights for the lot at 3910 Georgia Avenue NW in Petworth to the Jair Lynch Companies and AHD, Inc., which planned to build Georgia Commons – a 130-unit residential apartment complex (with one-third of the units being affordable housing) with 23,000 sf of ground-floor retail and a Results Gym. However, the Washington Business Journal is now reporting that this deal may be in flux, as Jair Lynch is still working to secure the remaining required financing by the end of April for this project (the company’s other project with NCRC, the Solea condominium at 1414 Belmont Street NW in Columbia Heights, is unaffected and on track). If this cannot be done, the exclusive-rights agreement between Jair Lynch and NCRC expires, and the NCRC could explore the option of finding another developer for the site. Jair Lynch reportedly told NCRC that it should have the financing resolved by mid-April.

UPDATE: In response to the Washington Business Journal story, Jair Lynch has sent a letter to the Journal, and has contacted this blog to share its content. In the letter, Mr. Lynch states, “the project is on track to meet the April 30th exclusive-rights agreement (ERA),” and that the Journal – while provided this information and assurances on the progress of both the financing and the property transfer phase from NCRC to Jair Lynch – was “inaccurate” in its reporting. The letter goes on to state that Georgia Commons, because it is “one of the first smart growth and ‘green’ projects in the city,” requires diverse funding to ensure the high number of affordable housing units - a long process but not one in doubt or delay. Finally, Mr. Lynch writes that NCRC and Mayor Fenty have shown much support for this project, as the city continues “hemorrhaging” affordable rental apartments, and have been continuously updated on the project status without concern being raised.

If development continues according to plan, Georgia Commons is expected to be completed by July 2008. Georgia Commons is being designed by Frank Schlesinger Associates and EDG Architects.

National Harbor Project Update

Far from cutting any red ribbons, the next landmark for the 300-acre, 7.3 million-square-foot National Harbor project in the Smoot Bay area of Prince George’s County will be the completion of its first building with two stories of retail and restaurants and a third story containing the condominium sales center at the end of May. While the retail space will not be filled until 2008, the 37,000 s.f. waterfront building will include space for outside dining and a cylindrical window-wrought viewing area.

Developed by Fairfax-based Peterson Companies, National Harbor will be a mixed-use, waterfront mini-city with a marina and four piers, which will include residential, office, and retail space as well as six hotels, including the Gaylord Conference and Convention Center - the largest combined hotel and convention center on the eastern seaboard. The immediate shoreline will host waterfront shows, concerts, and events. Renderings show nighttime events with flashing lights, fanned seating, and a stage backed by the harbor and marina.

Over 4,000 Hotel Rooms

The Washington Post described the harbor as a location that “will compete directly with the District for hotel guests,” thanks to five hotels that will eventually total over 4,000 rooms, 2,942 of which will be completed by 2009. The 2,000-room Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center will be completed by Perini Tompkins Builders in March 2008 and will open for full service in early April 2008. They are currently taking reservations. Other hotels included in the project are the 162-room Marriott Residence Inn and 151-room Hampton Inn and Suites, both under construction by Herman Stewart and set to open in March 2008. Also opening at this time is a 195-room Westin Hotel that will include bottom level retail stores and a cylindrical, window-rich Westin Restaurant. A 184-room Aloft brand hotel and 250-unit Wyndham Vacation Ownership time-share will not be completed until the end of 2008

Harbor to Feature 2,500 Residential Units

The residential portion of the harbor will include 2,500 units, 500 of which will be located in three of the “downtown district” buildings, while the remaining 2,000 will be in the eastern portion of the project. Neighbors weary of the urbanization and subsequent transportation bustle that the project will bring to the area have called for townhouses as part of the residential development to give it more of a neighborhood feel. According to Stuart Prince, of Peterson Companies and the Residential Development Director for the project, townhouses and villas will be in a subsequent phase of the project. Final residential plans have not been announced; however, One National Harbor, a 253-unit condominium building is currently under construction with a projected completion date of December 2008. Prince said he and his team have noticed the increase in construction prices and decline in condo sales in the overall condominium market, but are not worried that National Harbor condo sales will suffer as this trend suggests, “we have a unique site, waterfront property, that is not necessarily correlated to the overall condominium market.”

Prince added that although there are no metro stops nearby, the project will have direct access to the Beltway with its own interchange, and create water connections to Old Alexandria and DC and a shuttle to the Nationals’ stadium. After a decade of planning, construction on the National Harbor project began with the Gaylord Convention Center in 2005 and continued with the groundbreaking of the Marriott Residence Inn in January 2007. Condo sales will begin in the summer for One National Harbor, which will begin delivering units in the late summer of 2008.

Mount Pleasant Heights to Deliver This Summer

After years of neglect and neighbors tsk tsk-ing the accumulated trash and decrepit condition of the property, it now appears that work has begun on two tall rowhouses located at 3508-3510 16th Street NW in Mount Pleasant. The project – known as Mount Pleasant Heights – is located at the southwest corner of Oak and 16th Streets, and is being developed by 3510 16th Street LLC, with sales by UrbanLand Company. When completed, the two rowhouses will be combined and feature somewhere between 12-18 renovated condominium units, with one-bedroom units starting around $250,000 and two bedroom units at $350,000. Completion is expected this Summer.

Rosslyn's "Central Place" Project Moves Forward

Creating “a new horizon” for Rosslyn, JBG Companies is proposing to create Central Place, two glass buildings that will become Rosslyn’s tallest structures (and replace long-time fixture Tom Sarris Orleans House on the corner of Wilson Boulevard and N. Lynn Street). Designed by Beyer Blinder Belle, the Central Place buildings will feature curved glass tops that will stand above their lower, rectangular neighbors, diversifying the otherwise flat horizon.

One building will be a 350-unit residential structure while the other will be a 577,000 s.f. office building; both will include retail on the lower levels. The residential building will be approximately 35 ft shorter than the office building, which will include a two-level observation deck rendered with arched windows that will provide a panoramic view of D.C.’s monuments and the Arlington National Cemetery.

According to Kathleen Webb, a Principal at JBG, if the plan is approved in April, demolition of Orleans House restaurant, McDonalds, and office buildings that currently occupy the site will begin a year later.

Thomas Miller, Current Planning Supervisor in the Arlington Planning Division, said that despite the nearly five year planning process, “people are really supportive of and happy with getting more heights in the area.”

In order to establish building heights that both fulfill the project’s goals and are safe for the area’s air traffic, developers have been working with the Federal Aviation Administration. The tallest building will be about 470 ft above sea level and divided into approximately 30 floors. A completion date has not yet been announced.

Buckingham Villages Project Gains Arlington County Approval

On March 20, the Arlington County Board gave its approval to plans submitted by owner 4319 North Pershing Drive Apartment Investors LLC for the massive redevelopment of the 17 acres comprising Buckingham Villages, a historic low-density community southwest of downtown Ballston surrounding N. Glebe Road. Built in the 1930s, Buckingham Villages contained 1800 units, and was one of the largest apartment complexes in the nation and a model middle class community development. In the 1990s, some units were converted to coops, and the condition of the complex started showing its age.

A partnership including developer Paradigm Company purchased the Buckingham Villages complex a decade ago, and in early 2006 proposed redeveloping the entire site. The original plan called for removing all of the existing buildings as well as the historic landscaping and trees. While the proposal included a potential 212 affordable rental units, there was no guarantee of preserving the existing community or of any historic preservation. However, granting historic designation, while helping preserve the complex, would have jeopardized affordable housing. To find a mutually positive solution, Arlington County and Paradigm worked together to produce a Memorandum of Understanding in July 2006, which stated the following objectives: (1) Preserving the community by allowing current Buckingham Villages residents to continue living there, or in the immediate neighborhood; (2) Creating no less than 300 committed affordable units; and (3) Preserving Village 3 and redeveloping Villages 1 and 2 in a “historically sensitive manner.”

The ultimate plan approved on March 20 would accomplish these goals, with all of Village 3 (140 units) reserved as affordable housing (the County will partner with an affordable housing provider and purchase Village 3 for $32.1 million), plus 160 additional units in the complex also set aside for affordable housing. Once completed, the development will feature a total of 646 apartments and 68 townhouse units. In addition, new streets and new park space will be created with $11.8 million secured for this purpose. No timetable has been set for completion.

Allegro Clears Site, Ready to Start Construction

The old Giant is finally gone, and site preparation work is now taking place for the Allegro condominium, expected to rise at 3460 14th Street NW in Columbia Heights, a few blocks north of the current building boom in this neighborhood around the metro. Developer Metro Properties hopes to have this new $105 million, 297-unit building finished in two years. The 353,000-sf Allegro will feature one and two-bedroom units, plus penthouses with outdoor terraces. Pricing starts around $300,000 for one bedrooms, up through the $500,000 range for penthouses. The building will be 5 stories tall, and have 7,000-sf of retail tenants (a coffee shop is expected, though not a new Giant, as that has already been constructed next to the Tivoli Theater down 14th).

Suiting Up for Redevelopment

After January’s delay in the selection of a developer for Suitland Manor’s redevelopment, Prince George’s County Redevelopment Authority (PGCRA) is continuing their search with a projected announcement date of May. Once chosen, the developer will work with PGCRA to transform Suitland Manor from a once-troubled neighborhood into a 22-acre $80 million mixed-use project with a commercial main street, new offices, retail stores, and residential areas.

Steve Paul, Project Manager for Suitland Manor , said of the project, “We are looking for a fairly dense, mixed-use development and we would like to see some of the adjacent property redeveloped.” PGCRA’s initial renderings depict a pedestrian-friendly, 33-acre (when completed) development located across from the Suitland Federal Center, and within walking distance of the Suitland Metro Center.

The massive development is a 200-building, 13-commercial property acquisition, demolition, and resident relocation project. PGCRA currently has 96 units; however 85 homes must still be purchased for PGCRA to own the entire site. While the number of residential units to be built has not been determined, the new Suitland Manor will feature affordable housing with an emphasis on home ownership.

This development is not the first for the Suitland metro area. In 2004, the county completed the Windsor Crossing development, combining a 125-unit senior housing facility, 95 for-sale houses, and 130 multi-family rental villas two blocks from Suitland Manor. Mid-Atlantic Real Estate Investments is also planning to break ground this summer on its 22-acre, mixed-use residential and commercial “Town Center” project across from the Suitland metro station.

A "New Georgetown" ... But With Metro!

Following the development trend of its neighboring New York Ave. metro stop, if all goes according to plan the area surrounding the Rhode Island Ave. metro will soon be turned into Brentwood Town Center, a mini-village with a “main street” and town-house style buildings.

Described as a renaissance for the area, the project’s 370,000 sf will include 274 rental apartments and 70,000 sf retail space that will spread along Rhode Island Avenue NE and surround the entrance to the metro station. The plan will include a number of small buildings as opposed to two or three larger structures, giving the project a Georgetown-like appearance and allowing for color and architectural diversity. Developed by Rhode Island Avenue Metro, LLC, the combination of Mid-City Urban and A&R Development, the mixed-use pattern received zoning approval at the March 12th DC Zoning Commission hearing.

Victoria S. Davis of Rhode Island Avenue Metro, LLC said the project has been endorsed by several organizations including the Washington Smart Growth Alliance as being a smart growth project that is transit-oriented and that will transform the neighborhood into a “vibrant new community on the city’s Northeast side.” Planned adjacent to the Home Depot-Giant shopping center, the town center will include two parking garages with over 400 parking spaces for retail and residential uses as well as parking for metro customers.

According to Caroline Kennedy, a development associate for Mid-City Urban, LLC, the land is still owned by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. However, it is being leased to the developer under a long-term ground lease. The project is set to break ground in early 2008.

New Apartment Ready to Join Nationals’ Neighborhood

Bringing life to the lot across South Capitol Street from the new Nationals baseball stadium, Camden Properties is planning an 11-story residential apartment building with potential ground-floor retail for 1325 South Capitol Street, SE. Designed by WDG Architecture, the project is rendered as a large rectangular building, with large panels of windows on each corner and balconies at each level. The building’s entrance will feature an eleven-story glass front that stands perpendicular to the lower level retail stores. The 276-unit development will be upwards of 300,000 sf and set back from South Capitol St. by 15 feet to move the development away from the major road. Bounded to the east by South Capitol, the south by O Street SW, to the west by Half Street SW and to the north by N Street SW, the development will provide 204 parking spaces, a gym for residents, and 3,300 sf neighborhood-serving retail space, two stories of which will front the O Street corner.

The project went before the DC Zoning Commission on February 22, and Camden was asked to further outline the “green” steps the project will take as well as its plan for affordable housing, project height, and its proximity to a number of townhouses. According to Ginger Ackiss, Head of Development for Camden for this development, the design review for the project will take place by the end of March, at which point Camden will begin pricing the units and will begin applying for permits at the end of April. The project is expected to break ground in the Fall of 2007.

Extra! Newseum Apartments Now Accepting Potential Renters

After years in Rosslyn, the brand new $435 million Newseum development at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and 6th Street NW, is quickly preparing for its grand opening in the Fall of 2007. But that is not stopping the residential component of the project from starting to now accept applications from potential residents interesting in pre-leasing one of its 135 apartments. When completed, the Newseum complex will feature a 250,000-sf museum, a two-level 24,000-sf conference center, and seven levels of galleries, theaters, retail spaces and visitor services. In addition, a three-level restaurant - The Source by Wolfgang Puck – will occupy the northwest corner of the building. The apartments (officially known as "The Residences at the Newseum") will take up 12 floors and 140,000 sf, face both C and 6th Streets, and feature a root-top terrace and fitness center, with balconies, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances in the units. Studios are expected to start at $1,600/month, with one bedrooms beginning at $2,300/month and two bedrooms at $3,500/month. Project manager for the Newseum is CarrAmerica Ltd., with Bozzuto & Associates handling management of the Residences. Architecture by Polshek Partnership Architects.

Metropole to Start Sales

Metropolis Development will begin taking appointments today for the Metropole, its 90-unit condominium being built at 15th and P Streets across from the Logan Whole Foods. The first phase of sales was stopped in April 2005 after the developer sold a third of the units, and will resume when the newly remodeled sales center opens next Friday. Initial sales will be by appointment only. 

Metropolis has hired HGTV design star Cecconi Simone for interior design of the building and sales center; the latter will feature a fully equipped model unit. This will be the first regional project for Toronto-based Cecconi Simone, which has a large international portfolio of boutique hotel renovations and condominium design. This will be the fifth local project for DC-based Metropolis, which recently completed Cooper Lewis condos less than a block away. The Metropole will offer both public and private parking as well as a variety of retail, including VIDA Fitness and Bang Salon. Residents will be offered "hotel-style" concierge service when the project completes late this year. Marketing and sales by Ken Johnson of DCRE.

Washington DC real estate news

Big Plans for Andrews Air Force Base in PG County

If plans drawn up by the Andrews Business and Community Alliance come to fruition, 7 million sf of new development might soon surround Andrews Air Force Base in Prince George’s County. This move is seen as a way to retain and build upon the $1.2 billion in annual economic benefit the base – which is also planning to expand - brings the county (similar to what has already been done at Fort Meade in Anne Arundel County). While base relocations will bring about 600 new military positions to the base, the amount of work generated and possibility of future increases has the county ready to devise this master plan. The Andrews Business and Community Alliance envisions creating over 5 million sf of office space (focused on defense and technology), 2 million sf of retail, and over 15,000 residential units to surround the base, which encompasses the land bordered by Route 4, Branch Avenue, Old Alexandria Ferry Road and Allentown Road. The Alliance is also looking at a possible extension of Metro's Green Line to Andrews. This project would join nearby development such as a planned $1.4 billion residential and retail complex along Route 4, and a number of residential projects in Camp Springs, just north of the base at the Branch Avenue Metro stop.

Application Submitted for New "Auburn Avenue" Residential Project in Bethesda

The massive development of new residential space in Bethesda continues, though as opposed to the last few we detailed in the new downtown Bethesda, this one is back on the northwest edge of the old "Woodmont Triangle" area. An application for project review has been submitted to the Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission by the Auburn Medical Building Assoc. to develop a mixed-use building on one acre at the southwest corner of the intersection of Auburn and Norfolk Avenues (toward the quieter end of Norfolk Avenue). The project would consist of 60 residential units, 18,700 sf of office space, and 10,800 sf of retail. We are working to learn more details regarding this project (and will report when found), not the least because this is also the site of Cornucopia, one of our favorite Italian food shops. Developing....