Silver Spring Civic Center Project on Thin Ice

With a name as wholesome as apple pie, you would think Silver Spring's Civic Building on Veterans Plaza would be as popular as motherhood and holidays. To the contrary, the plan to turn the barren plaza into a civic center building and community plaza has the Silver Spring community up in arms.

The one-acre site at the corner of Fenton and Ellsworth will be bisected, leaving half of it to house a 42,000-s.f. civic building and the other half to serve as a community plaza. The civic building will consist of three floors; the main level will hold a 5,000 s.f. "Great Hall" surrounded by scattered meeting spaces. The second floor will be the new home of the Silver Spring Regional Center, an agency that mainly serves as a liaison between the county government and the community; and the lower level will be occupied by the Roundhouse Theatre, which will use the space for offices and classrooms. So far so good.

The other half - not so much. Veterans Plaza is supposed to honor the people of MoCo who served in the military. Plans for the vacant space include a 60 ft. x 105 ft. ice rink, a 7,000-s.f. illuminated translucent overhead pavilion, and landscaped open space (nothing says 'thanks' to our boys overseas better than an ice rink with a hot pink tarp). The main feature, however, is the artwork to be completed by Toby Mendez, which will adorn the footpath that runs along Ellsworth.


A number of people just aren't seeing the point of having an ice-rink, or its accompanying overhead-pavilion - with increased internet chatter even the CIA couldn't miss. Silver Spring blogs have taken the issue to heart, responding derisively, and blogger Jamie Karn seemed to have the most articulate argument (for a blogger): "Veterans Plaza needs to be more democratic than the ice rink will allow it to be. More than 85,000 people of a broad range of incomes, races, and nationalities live within the [area]... interaction in daily and civic activities is the traditional purpose of civic plazas in America, and should be the guiding principle for the design of our plaza." One blogger (we'll keep anonymous) was more succinct, "Ice skating sucks."

"The focus of the civic building is to provide a community center for the Silver Spring area and to serve as what some people call "the living room" of Silver Spring. I think it will become the focal point of downtown, [making] the center of downtown a true community place and not just a commercial place," said Gary Stith, Director of the Silver Spring Regional Center.

Boston-based Machado and Silvetti Associates has been chosen as the design architects, but contractors are still being sought. The project has been open to bids since December 26, though Montgomery County's Office of Procurement may push back the February 6th response date. County officials could not give a reason for the bid-extension, but the implication was that the overall response was a light; just 15 bids were received. Developers, contractors and those generally interested in the project can expect word on Monday, when the county is expected to offer the extension.

"The County is currently taking a look at the number of RFI's and determining if a bid extension is necessary," said Don Scheuerman, Chief Engineer with the Division of Capital Development Building Planning and Design Section. MoCo estimates a start date in March.

DC Officially Awards SW Development Contract

Some day, there may be just be a reason to visit Southwest. Last week, Mayor Fenty awarded a contract to Hoffman-Struever Waterfront LLC, a partnership between PN Hoffman, Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse, McCormack Baron Salazar, ER Bacon, Acresh, Gotham, City Partners and Triden. The multiplex LLC now officially holds the contract to turn 23 acres of land along the Washington Channel, into a riverside paradise. Back in September, 2006, Hoffman-Struever was officially selected as the master developer for the gargantuan project which allowed the team to establish an Exclusive Rights Agreement with the District. The Agreement was signed in April 2007. Now, the Land Disposition Agreement is being drafted - and although the contract has been awarded, the Mayor still needs to wait for the City Council to approve disposition to Hoffman-Struever and the nearly $200 million in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and Payment-In-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILOT) financing. City officials hope to get the legislation approved by Spring of this year. The enormous project is projected to create more than 2 million s.f. of new development and provide 2,800 permanent jobs in the community, as well as about 3,000 construction jobs, expected to take a long, long time. The District will finance about $200 million of the developmental costs, accounting for roughly 18% of the projected expense; no matter (some say), once completed, the "world-class urban waterfront" is projected to create more than $32 million in tax revenue each year, compared to the $6 million that the land currently brings in. 

Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn was selected as the Master Architect back in June 2007. The details of their plan include 767 new housing units - both rental and condos - about 400,000 s.f. of office space, 280,000 s.f. of retail space, a 360-room hotel, 150,000 s.f. of cultural space, and the renovation of the historic southwest fish market. Developers aspire to achieve LEED Silver certification for all nine buildings. Along with all of the new buildings proposed for the area, the development team is including heaps of landscaped open space into the deal, preparing to cultivate more than 14 acres of parks, a half-mile promenade and bike trails for southwest's newest residents. 

The piers will also get their fair share of upgrades. The development team hopes to pick architects for the vertical phases of construction in the summer of 2008. Hoffman-Struever's vision dissects the area into three separate "neighborhoods." The City Pier District, located in the northwest corner of the site, is proposed to be the retail center of the area, laying hold to most of the restaurants and the hotel, thereby being the most likely place to attract visitors (and tourists). Notable mini-developments within this area include a water-taxi service (which with our luck will be 'zoned' - $4 if you want to get in, $25 if you want to go all the way to the other side), and a pedestrian bridge connecting the site to the National Mall. 

Then there's the Esplanade District, which PN Hoffman describes as the center of the project where most of the residential will be sited, along with offices and some neighborhood-serving retail. Finally, the southeastern corner of the site will hold the Cultural Park District which will include a 5-acre "cultural park" and other amenities that will serve as the center of the "cultural zone;" classes will be held on-site courtesy of the Living Classrooms Foundation and the National Maritime Heritage Foundation. “Over the past two years we’ve studied waterfronts all over the world, reached out and forged working relationships and agreements with existing leaseholders, and conducted over 100 meetings with regulatory agencies and surrounding stake holders,” said Monty Hoffman, CEO of PN Hoffman. “This is just the beginning of the process to create a ‘world class’ waterfront. We will continue to work with the mayor’s office on making a waterfront that draws visitors from everywhere, but our first commitment is to the people of Washington, DC. The Potomac River is our greatest natural resource and first and foremost, this project will reconnect Washington with its waterfront. We look forward to working with the City Council to achieve passage of the Mayor's legislative proposal so that District residents can see a shovel in the ground by 2010.” You go Monty.

Washington D.C. retail and real estate development news

Bidders Revealed on Tenley/Janney

Bids on the Tenley/Janney solicitation have closed, and Mayor Fenty has announced the three bidders vying to take on what may be one of the most anti-development neighborhoods in DC. The RFP had been extended to January 4th to allow developers extra time to craft proposals to build a library, renovate the school, and work in private space to hopefully subsidize the program.

The three firms officially asking for the nod were: LCOR, See Forever Foundation in partnership with UniDev LLC, and Roadside Development. The latter has been working intermittently for several years on the project in an effort to appease both city and vox populi, but the sale or lease of public land for private development proved the third rail of city politics, leading to the request for bids. District officials plan to hold a public meeting in February to get responses from the public on all three site-plans.

The 3-acre site, at the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and Albemarle Street, used to be home to the old 15,000-s.f. Tenley library, demolished late last year, and the upgrade-needy Janney School. The biggest concern for local residents has been the mixed-use library/residence idea that has been deliberated for some time. Although many of the Tenley homeowners have argued against the residential portion of the project, each bidder included variations of the plan in their proposal; with housing units ranging from 120 to 170 across the board.

“The Tenley site is a great opportunity to achieve some of our most important public policy goals: Building better schools, creating affordable housing and encouraging development at transit stations and along major transportation corridors,” said Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Neil O. Albert. “We are excited about the responses to this solicitation as we are just beginning to take a closer look at the proposals.

"What we tried to do is take all the input that we got from the community, and incorporate their concerns, as well as the Office of the Deputy Mayor's requirements, to come up with something that delivers on what the RFP asks for and what the community would like to see" said Armand Spikell, Principal at Roadside Development. Roadside completed the Cityline Condominiums across the street and 2005.

Axis Condos on Capitol Hill

Axis Condos celebrates the opening of its model units on Capitol Hill. Axis Condos marries gorgeous interior design and finishes with the latest technological amenities, including surround-sound speakers throughout each unit, built-in speakers, individualized music control for each room, and built-in flat screen TV for a smart unit that just may be the smartest idea out of Capitol Hill in years. And because 'smart' wouldn't be cool without style, Axis offers your choice of solid granite or gorgeous white Ceaserstone countertops, choice of hardwood styles, kitchen islands with breakfast counters, sleek GE appliances, cabinet-depth refrigerators, natural stone tiling, and baths modeled on modern spas. Located only 4 blocks from Metro and a short walk to Lincoln Park. Take a tour of the best views on Capitol Hill from the spacious rooftop deck, or just take advantage of the private outdoor space on every unit. Model units are now open on site every Thursday through Sunday; garage parking is available. Prices begin at $325,900.  Marketing and sales by DCRE.

Washington DC retail and real estate news

New Rentals Break Ground in Alexandria

Trammell Crow Residential has just broken ground on Alexandria's newest apartment building, the Alexan Carlyle, at 800 John Carlyle Street, roughly two blocks from the Patent and Trademark Office headquarters. The 280-unit rental complex is a $94 million joint-venture split between Trammell Crow and Olayan America Corporation as an institutional investor.

The 2.8-acre site is planned to house a resort-esque, luxury apartment building amply loaded with amenities typical of "luxury" buildings: A swimming pool, clubhouse, mini-gym and billiards room among others. Virginia-based Cubellis DCA served as the architects and has reportedly created the architectural pu pu platter of buildings, integrating three separate architectural styles within the 5-story building: Classic federal architecture reminiscent of Old Town, an art-deco panache and an urban loft approach. The first units will be completed by the fall of 2009.

"The Carlyle neighborhood of Alexandria is the perfect location for TCR's latest Alexan luxury rental community, Alexan Carlyle. The new PTO headquarters is just two blocks away and is adding jobs at the rate of about 1,200 per year. Plus residents will have easy access to two Metro stations as well as all the shops and restaurants of Old Town Alexandria," said Sean Caldwell, Managing Director at Trammell Crow Residential. PNC Bank is financing the construction of TCR's newest addition to Northern Virginia.

Alexandria's Monarch Condopartments

President Bush's dream of an owner- ship society took another blow this week. Okay, it probably won't make the State of the Union, but the Monarch Condominiums in Old Town Alexandria are now the Monarch Apartments. Apparently Diamond Properties was struggling to keep the project in the black, selling a frustrating 16% of the 169 units since McWilliams Ballard began sales in July, 2005. Diamond is now adding Kettler to the mix.

This week's conversion continues the unremitting process of developers retooling projects that won't sell, into apartments, which generally do better in a market of skeptical buyers and skeptical lenders. Because they originally organized Monarch as a condominium project, Diamond has the legal ability to hawk individual condos at a later date, but buyers looking for homes in Old Town, Alexandria now have one less option - the supply is reduced to the Prescott, Cromley Lofts, Abingdon Row, and the Royalton. This trend mirrors the greater DC area, which has witnessed a large drop in condo supply due slowing construction and an influx of conversions from condos to rentals. Within the last 18 months, the DC (proper) condo pipeline has shrunk from an estimated projection of 18,000 units over the next two years, to a more modest 5,400 units, many of which are conversions of dated apartments and therefore fail to increase the housing supply.

Little is known about what will happen to the 28-or-so condo-owners that have purchased. A representative from Kettler indicated that a condo board is in place, and current owners would continue to occupy their units. Whomever they are, they can't be ecstatic about owning a home in an apartment building. Maybe the 17,000 s.f. of ground floor retail makes up for the loss, or perhaps the convenience of living four blocks from the Braddock Metro, or even the rooftop garden deck and in-house cinema room.

Kettler, who seems to be running the leasing side, will try to make up for lost time; a one bedroom, 700-s.f. apartment starts at $1885.

New Rooms in Courthouse by Marriott

Donohoe Construction, under the authority of Donohoe Hospitality, (who is in cahoots with Donohoe Development) has just started to pour the concrete footings for the 176-room Marriott Residence Inn at 1425 N. Adams St. in the Courthouse section of Arlington. The 10-story, all-suite hotel will be branded as one of Marriott's extended stay residences.

The visionaries behind the National World War II Memorial, international architectural firm Leo A. Daly, took the design role for Marriott. You might also know them for the project they did for KPMG in McLean, or for The Institute for Genomic Research in Rockville. Daly-architects had no trouble grasping the vision for Marriott's newest addition to Arlington, and have designed the simple 132,000-s.f. hotel with clad in brick and architectural precast concrete.

In addition to topping off the Courthouse Plaza section of Clarendon, the Residence Inn will bring a wealth of meeting space to the table as well as a "high-end" restaurant to the corner of Clarendon Blvd and N. Adams Street. In total, about 9,500 s.f. of retail are planned for the ground floor along that intersection, with the still unnamed restaurant having 5,500 s.f. at its disposal. The new hotel will further Smart Growth objectives by adding mixed-use development three blocks from the Courthouse Metro station. And as if being part of a "smart" urban plan weren't enough, Donohoe Development has also incorporated a "smart," environmentally conscious design for the building, including about 26 LEED points for features such as the increasingly popular green roof; hopefully just enough for LEED certification.

Donohoe (and its innumerable subsidiaries) will also provide streetscape improvements to the area, including a water feature and public art around the hotel, as well as myriad practical improvements to the crosswalks and sidewalks. The new Residence Inn should be dropping off pillow mints as early as the summer of 2009.

They're back: Centex builds in Wheaton

Centex Homes is building an assortment of townhomes, single-family houses and self-described condominium-townhomes at the former site of Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Wheaton, MD. The Leesborough Condos and Townhomes will sprout on a site that Centex acquired in late 2006; the Catholic preparatory school vacated in January, 2007. Now Centex, in its closest project to DC since pulling out of a number of DC Metro condo projects about a year ago, is building the American dream Wheaton-style, providing 54 townhouses, 45 condominiums and six single-family units at the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Arcola.

Although the project hasn't begun to materialize yet, pre-construction sales started in December of 2007. According to Centex, people are chomping at the bit for some of the units, specifically the condominiums. Centex's model condo unit starts in the $360's for a two-level, condo-townhouse over a garage with roughly 1,900 s.f. of space, and is best described as a "Stacked townhome" according to Marketing Director Carla Sevilla. Sevilla explained that the stacked townhome provides the density the city requires while offering the owners plenty of square footage in a traditional townhouse feel; "It's a very unique product" Sevilla added. Of the 45 condos planned for the site, about 15 will be set aside as Moderately Priced Dwelling Units (MPDUs).

Centex has used "hybrid-condos" in the past; Brambleton Sky Meadows, Lansdowne Town Center, Buckingham Station and Village Place in Gainesville are all variations of the condo-turned rowhouse, or vice versa. Abnormal or not, sales at Leesborough are strong, according to Centex, with about a dozen sold since December, 2007...so act fast. Centex is not making such claims for sales of their townhomes (pictured below). The 1,950-s.f., two-car garage, brick and Hardy Plank townhomes which start in the $420s are apparently a tougher sell. The final phase, which will add six single-family homes to the site, has not yet begun construction or sales.

Three separate architectural firms contributed to Centex's design. The condominium portion was drafted by Martin Architectural Group, while the townhomes were designed by two firms: Pinnacle Design and Consulting and Philly's Marshall/Sabatini.  Centex expects some of the townhomes will be completed soon, planning to move in any buyers as early as the fall, while the first condos will arrive at the beginning of 2009.

Washington DC retail and real estate news

DOES Does New Things in Ward 7

The Office of Property Management (OPM) is seeking a general contractor to build a new Department of Employment Services (D.O.E.S.) headquarters at the northwest corner of Minnesota Avenue and Benning Rd., NE, adjacent to the Minnesota Avenue Metro Station. About 28 contractors and developers attended a bidders conference yesterday and have been asked to submit questions regarding the project by January 22nd. OPM released its solicitation for the project on January 4th - bids will close the day after Valentine's day.

DOES's new HQ is part of a much larger project, the Minnesota Benning Government Center (4 words that just sound great together) that will consume an entire 9.2 acre site that currently holds 326 metro parking spaces and 9 low-rise commercial buildings - all of which are doomed for demolition. OPM is now finishing phase one of Government Center; a parking garage which broke ground in 2006.

Phase two is DOES's new pad: A 5-story, 225,000-s.f. building adjacent to the new garage, with ground floor retail and underground parking. DC-based architects Devrouax & Purnell, and program manager Parsons Transportation Group, just completed the building design and OPM has scheduled construction to begin by the end of the first quarter of 2008 - the project is expected to take roughly two years to finish.

The third phase, which is currently on hold, was supposed to create a 360,000-s.f. office building, ground floor retail and an additional 5-story D.O.E.S. building on the southwestern portion of the site, however inside sources claim that OPM is currently accepting new development ideas for that space.

Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority orginally owned a majority of the site, less a smattering of 11 privately-owned parcels, but WMATA was quick to relinquish the land to the District in exchange for a brand new garage (you know...the one that is just being finished). After acquiring the independently-owned slices of remaining land, OPM used proceeds from the sale of DOES' old digs back in 2001 (about $100 million) to finance the design phase of the new building and its inevitable construction. The total cost to construct the new DOES HQ is roughly $55 million; the city will use excess funds to extend the scope of the project to alleviate traffic problems in proximity to the metro station.

And just when you thought this story could not possibly get more interesting, DCmud has also purloined the details of the new traffic plan from Delon Hampton, DC's traffic consultant for the project. The plan is to widen Minnesota avenue between Benning Road and the metro station by adding a center turn lane and a new curbside parking lane. In addition, a traffic signal will be posted at the entrance of the Government Center, along with some signal-timing adjustments which will hopefully improve rush-hour service (or make it worse if not done properly) all thanks to the city-wide Great Streets Initiative, the same folks that time the lights on Massachusetts Ave near Dupont Circle.

Alexandria Approves Madison Development

Trammell Crow Company (TCC) had a good week in Alexandria last week. Special Use Permits for The Madison were approved by the Alexandria Planning Commisssion, and on Saturday the City Council reviewed and unanimously approved the permits to build.

The next step for TCC is to finalize the site plan design, which is being headed up by civil engineering firm Christopher Consultants and architect Cooper Carry. Once complete, both the Zoning and Planning departments in Alexandria will take a final look at the technical details, which is more demanding than the general concept designs. Jeff Miller, Senior Vice President at TCC, predicts a ground breaking date in the first quarter of 2009, anticipating that this stage will take anywhere between eight and twelve months.

The Madison's two buildings have been planned to hold about 344 residential units, determined last August to go rental. The concept plan includes the construction of a new street to dissect the block connecting Fayette and N. Henry streets, splitting the site into northern and southern halves. The northern half will house 206 units and a roughly 9,000-s.f. courtyard for residents. The southern half will house a 138-unit structure and an 8,000-s.f. park open to the public. TCC will also provide about 521 parking spaces available for retail and residential uses.

The Madison is located at 800 North Henry Street: it will house 23,000 s.f. of ground level retail and passive open space at the intersection of North Henry and Madison Streets. Recent delays in approval had resulted from the project's falling under the jurisdiction of the upcoming Braddock Road Metro Area Plan.

Prime Lot on Capitol Hill Being Stitched Up

20 F Street NW, currently a surface parking lot next to the Irish Times, Phoenix Park Hotel and Hotel George, will soon sprout a 165,000-s.f. office building (pictured), once developer Boston Properties selects a contractor. The 10-story building is being constructed for the American College of Surgeons (ACS) who will purchase the land from Boston Properties just prior to the onset of construction. The College's Board of Regents is purchasing the site and constructing the building to house its growing Washington, DC staff and to create a more visible presence for the surgical profession.

BP has been accepting construction bids since the RFP was issued on November 19th, and will continue to take offers until January 24 - although a list of General Contractors allowed to make an offer has been limited to Clark, Bovis Lend Lease and Balfour Beatty. Subcontractors are still being encouraged to take bidding positions with the big three. Although the final exterior design is essentially complete, according to inside sources, though ACS is still making nips and tucks to the interior design.

Currently, the plan involves the construction of an office building with amenities such as a two-story atrium lobby, a first floor fitness and conference center and, more uniquely, a rooftop deck. Not to mention being just stumbling distance from the Irish Times. On the whole, the building is said to be the ultimate "gathering space," full of luxury amenities and a Hill location, but not LEED certification. The surgeons and affiliated organizations will operate on the 3rd and 10th floors, or about 35,000 s.f.; the remaining 120,000 s.f. of leasable space is currently available. The estimated ground-breaking date is this May.

Stranded in Northeast

The District has been seeking developers to revitalize Deanwood's Strand Theatre, and has now extended the response deadline to January 21. Seeking developers with a proven mixed-use track record, "creative vision" and "the organizational and financial capacity," DC planners hope redevelopment of the property at 5131 Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, NE, will revitalize not only the building but the flagging neighborhood as well. The search for bidders began on December 12, 2007, when the District and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (ODMPED) held a pre-bidders' conference for more than 40 attendees. The response deadline to the Request For Proposals was extended on Monday.

Deanwood's state of affairs is briefly outlined in the RFP: "Over the past 40 years however, much of Deanwood has suffered from disinvestment, which has caused the residences and commercial corridor along Nannie Helen Burroughs to struggle." Thus ODMPED views the project as highly significant, having the potential to garner development interest in the Northeast commercial corridor, hence the level of expertise required for bidders to be considered. This project, along with three other short-term and long-term developments serve as ODMPED's attempt to resuscitate Deanwood back and cataylze new growth: The Great Streets Initiative Plan for Nannie Helen Burroughs, the Lincoln Heights New Communities Plan and the Deanwood Strategic Development Plan.

Currently, the theatre provides 8,200 s.f. of area on a 6,000 s.f. lot. And while historic designation is pending, the DC Preservation League labeled the building as one of the "Most Endangered Places" last year. District agencies have decided that regardless of the site's current historic status, redevelopment will take place as if it is a historic structure, and are considering all methods of disposition including leasing the space, although a minimum lease of 75 years is required. The RFP explicitly encourages potential developers to maximize development on the site, stating that "The District will look very favorably at [bidders] who demonstrate the ability to bring additional development resources and/or additional parcels of land to the table."

Specific goals to be achieved with the site's redevelopment were fleshed out in a number of District-sponsored public meetings over the course of 2007. Community members indicated a number of appropriate uses, including: a cultural hub for art exhibits, retail and restaurants, commercial space for local businesses and a half dozen others. Not only will bidders have to collaborate with community stakeholders to implement their collective vision, but the District is also suggesting that each offer incorporate the voluminous goals of the Lincoln Heights, Great Streets and Deanwood Strategic Plans into their proposals. God speed to the lucky winner.

Give Us Subsidized Condos. Now.

Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham wants cheaper condos, and he wants them now. In November of 2006, the Council introduced a bill that would effectively require new real estate developments with 10 units or more to include an "affordable housing" element; the Council passed the bill unanimously and Mayor Fenty signed the bill in December, 2006. Much to the consternation of Councilman Graham (pictured, reading the Washington Post to Mayor Fenty....wait, what paper is that?), the legislation has not been implemented in the intervening 13 months, and Graham wants some fruit from his toils. So Graham introduced a second bill on Tuesday, co-introduced by ten Councilmembers, which would require that Mayor Fenty effectuate the law within 30 days by drafting the appropriate regulations. The new bill also allows the Council to review proposed regulations.

The "inclusionary zoning" problem began in the fall of 2006, according to Jason Yuckenberg of Councilman Graham's office. Following two years of deliberations and hearings, the Zoning Commission adopted regulations in 2006 to tackle the issue of affordable housing, requiring developers of 10 or more units to offer a percentage of lower priced homes to residents that meet one of several target income requirements. The Commission was then found not to have the authority to issue such a regulation, and in stepped the Council, passing the legislation now awaiting the Mayor's finesse.

After referring the current legislation, the Inclusionary Zoning Implementation Amendment Act of 2008, to the Committee of the Whole, Chairman Gray has vowed to hold a hearing post-haste to force quick action on the bill. In addition to giving the Mayor 30 days from enactment of the new bill to pass or punt, the new bill then gives the Council 30 days to effect their own changes, absent changes the regulations will be deemed approved. One of the issues to be decided is which developments, based on their approval and construction progress, will be required to adhere to the new standards.

In a letter to his constituents, Councilmember Graham summed up his anticipation: "Although the bill was passed more than a year ago, we are still waiting for the Mayor to implement the law...This is the District's only housing program that has the potential to provide affordable housing in all areas of the city. We cannot wait any longer. The longer we delay in implementing inclusionary zoning, the more opportunities we lose." At the time of posting the bill was not yet available online.

MLK Ave Gets Reconstructive Surgery (Minus the Botox)

Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE had been eyeballed as an upgrade- needy thorough- fare long ago; but since late 2006 the Great Streets Initiative, a partnership between the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and a slew of other government agencies, held design charrettes and open forums for Ward 8 residents to design and create an enticing MLK corridor for the future. The conceptual design process, headed by RTKL, was completed in November of 2007. Now, DDOT has chosen a consultant, Volkert and Associates, Inc., who will take RTKL's vision to the table for final design and construction drawings. The beginning of the final design phase was estimated to begin in late February until put on hold by DDOT due to a DC Water And Sewer Authority (WASA) storm sewer separation and water main expansion project in the same area.

The MLK Jr Revitalization Plan has involved a mix of processes, requiring transportation and pedestrian traffic research, urban aesthetics and contextual meshing, streetscape analysis and (probably most challenging) public involvement and approval. The Ward 8 Business Council, Fairlawn Citizens Associates and ANC 8A, among others, were all given the opportunity to offer their two cents throughout each of the three public meetings.

RTKL's concept plan is comprehensive (see picture below), involving the revitalization of a big chunk of MLK Ave. from the 11th Street Bridge to Suitland Parkway, transportation improvements to ease traffic circulation and an overall attempt to enhance the streetscape image with "respect [for] the area's historic nature," according to the concept plan. As if the task weren't large enough, concept designs call for the modification of four branching streets: Howard Road, W street, Good Hope Road and 16th street. Some of the technical details involve the reconstruction of all roads but 16th Street. Changes would include the reduction of one northbound lane on MLK Jr., and the removal of curbside parking along Good Hope Road to alleviate congestion during peak-time commuting. Metrobus' U2 and B2 are also planned to be re-routed to use MLK Jr. from the Anacostia Metro Station to Good Hope Road; the current routes follow W and 16th streets. To increase pedestrian activity, architects have also proposed a new bike route along Shannon Place.

As for beautification, sidewalks will be reconstructed throughout the corridor and will feature decorative brick patterns, public art and curbside foliage in order to to "introduce visual interest," according to RTKL's design. Two types of streetscape furnishings were suggested; traditional benches and the like for MLK Jr. Ave, Good Hope Road and W Street, and contemporary furnishings (ever heard of an avante-garde trash can?) for Howard Road.

The current timeline, provided by Great Streets, indicates that final design drawings could last as long as ten months, which would put the start into Spring of 2009, with completion sometime in 2011.

Ripley's Coming, Believe it or Not

Today, the Montgomery County Parks and Planning Commission held a hearing to review site plans for the 1050 Ripley St. development (pictured), to flesh out any remaining technical issues. Developer Washington Property Company plans to break ground in the Fall of 2008 on the 300,000-s.f. residential building. The mixed-use redevelopment project is located in the southwest quadrant of the Silver Spring Central Business District at the intersection of Ripley Street and the proposed extension of Dixon Avenue, just west of Georgia Ave.

Washington Property received project "plan approval" from the planning board - the first of a two-step process - on May 31, 2007, setting the overall design standards. Today's "site-plan approval" began the board's process of scrutinizing the details pertaining to easements, utilities, traffic management and other civil engineering issues, and gave Washington Properties an opportunity to receive site plan comments from the board, preparing them for a glitch-free Spring '08 approval hearing.

The 17-story apartment building, designed by WDG Architecture, will have a tad more than 300 units, all for rent, with 241 one-bedroom and 64 two-bedroom units; a little more than 15% of the total space will be "affordable." Those who anguish over parking, fear not; Washington Properties is providing underground spots for residents, keeping a small 14-parking-space cushion for staff (and assumedly guests). In addition, architects have set aside nearly 3,000 s.f. of retail space which will be set-back from the street, in order to provide outdoor dining for a potential restaurant.

"The building is designed as a basic building block which is then wrapped with layers of projecting planes, highlighted by complimentary colors on all elevations of the building. The design is based on a restrained classical form with a defined base, body, and top to the building. Simple lines, minimalist qualities, and a contemporary approach to the building design are intended to be responsive to the scale and the context of the neighborhood," said Siti Abdul-Rahman, Senior Designer at WDG Architecture, which is pretty much what we would have said.

Landscape architects have also included plans for a 14,000-s.f. public park and plaza (pictured below) which will sit adjacent to the Metropolitan Bike Trail (MBT). The park, according to WDG, will be linked to the MBT and serve mainly as a stop for weak-kneed bikers, as well as provide a public gathering spot that will tie together the redevelopment projects proposed for the Ripley District, which will someday include Midtown Silver Spring and the proposed Silver Spring Transit Center. To keep it pretty, landscape architects Hord Coplan Macht have proposed artistic elements to adorn the park's landscape.

Washington Property's "luxury" apartment building is predicted for completion in the third quarter of 2010.

If You Rent It, They Will Build

The ubiquitous JBG Companies is working on a new and rather unorthodox $70 million project, the K Street Office Complex at 1201 K Street, NW, to eventually replace the Four Points Sheraton now on the site. The 1/2 acre site might soon be home to an eight-story, 280,000-s.f. office building designed by London-based Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners architectural firm, world-renowned for their bleeding edge design (though the rendering, above, looks awfully 10 storyish to us). Unfortunately for those who long to see developments materialize sooner rather than later, JBG has vowed to delay construction until a tenant leases a "significant portion" of the future space.

According to JBG, the Sheraton is doing well financially. Yet JBG doesn't see the faded hotel as a serious competitor in the next five years, as DC gets more hotel beds and competition accelerates. The bottom-line: although JBG doesn't foresee an office complex being more lucrative than the hotel presently, they do predict it will hold up better to the coming market. Yet JBG is playing it safe both ways: Having a exit strategy in order to hedge against losses from a surge in hotel supply, and holding out for a pre-lease to avoid vacant office space.

Sheraton's replacement building is quite the anomaly; having been designed to have an offset core with removable slabs. Architects have moved the core - the load bearing portion - and elevators to one side and opened up the building to more efficient uses, leaving each floor without disjointed office space surrounding a space-stealing central elevator bank.

But one of the most innovative features of 1201 K Street is what JBG calls its "soft zone," three entire bays at the center of the floor plate which can be removed, all or in part, and replaced at a later date, to accommodate tenants who want to connect two floors with monument staircases or open trophy spaces. Managing Director at JBG, John Schlichting, broke it down: "The extraordinary advantages of the soft zone are connectivity between floor levels, delivering light into the deep portion of the floor plate, allowing flexibility in creating atria spaces within a tenant's space, and providing an animated sense of work place."

JBG's newest office building will surely stand out from the K Street crowd. "Together with Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, we have designed an extraordinarily innovative building that will encourage a working environment that responds to the changing needs of corporate office space," Schlichting added. "In questioning the 'norm' we can better understand how to achieve the level of excellence to which the building aspires."

Aside from 1201 K's unique architecture and eye-pleasing asthetics, the building is being prepared for no less than silver LEED Certification. Although JBG is holding out for a nearly-full building before beginning construction, a ballpark-timeline puts the start date at January 2009. It seems likely the Sheraton won't be mourned.

Navy Living Without the Boat (Or Ocean)

DC developer Forest City Washington is planning to build one of southeast's newest residential buildings, officially known as Building 160, in the form of a 6-story tower at 301 Tingey Street. The project will be developed using the framework of the Pattern and Joiner Shop, a woodworking plant built in 1918 and part of the historic Washington Navy Yard Annex. Developers will convert the four-story, 157,000-s.f. Joiner Shop warehouse into a 170-unit apartment building by way of gutting the interior, maintaining and restoring the facade, and building a two-floor, 50,000-s.f. addition above its roof. SK&I Architectural Design Group plans for LEED Certification, although sources indicate that it is too early to predict the level.

The building serves as the first residential project to arise in the vast development known as The Yards. With step numero-uno of The Yards, Forest City will create "Upscale apartment units featuring stained concrete and wood floors, designer kitchen and bathrooms, split level bedrooms and contemporary amenity spaces," said Sami Kirkdil, principal at SK&I.

Estimated to cost between $20 and $30 million, the lofts will offer interior parking, club and theater rooms and a furnished courtyard on the second floor for its guests. The building's ground floor has been designed to accommodate retail spaces facing the river and main streets in addition to a smattering of garden apartments. The rooftop addition will house "luxury double story loft units," according to Kirkdil and a fifth floor sky deck and 30-ft glass lap pool will overhang into the courtyard. (We're not quite sure what that means but it sounds cool.)

General Contractor bids for renovation and construction will close next Thursday. Developers expect to break ground in the Spring of 2008 and finish in the Winter of 2009.

Virginia is for Lovers (of Height)

A mixed-use commercial project in Rosslyn at 1812 N. Moore Street has been given site plan approval by the Arlington County Board. If the project goes unhindered it will be the third building to heighten the Rosslyn skyline past the official 300-foot limit, continuing a trend started by The JBG Companies with its Central Place (not yet built) just across the street, consisting of two towers, office and residential. New York-based developer Monday Properties is seeking LEED Platinum certification, the highest official recognition offered by the U.S. Green Building Council, making it, potentially anyway, the first building in Virginia to attain such eco-prestige and the third in the DC Metro region, following the Chesapeake Bay Foundation in Annapolis and Sidwell Friends Middle School in DC.

Arlington Fresh AIRE Initiative, an environmental task force conceived by Arlington County Board Chairman Paul Ferguson that focuses on reducing ozone-harming emissions by "using the technology, know-how, and practical solutions already at our disposal," played its part to give the gargantuan building its green cred. Fresh AIRE and the County Board offer increased building density "and/or additional height up to 3 stories for special exception site plan requests" to induce potential developers to create energy efficient projects.

Because the project falls into the Central Place jurisdiction (not to be confused with JBG's appropriately-named Central Place project), an area which receives relief from the C-O Rosslyn height limits of 300 feet, developers were allowed to max out building height which almost certainly pleased project architects DCS Design. The Central Place district surrounds the Rosslyn Metro Station in a two-block radius bounded by Lynn st., N. Moore Street, Wilson Blvd. and 19th St., and allows buildings to reach up to 470 above sea level. Because the 1812 N. Moore St. site sits 86 feet above sea level, the new building will measure precisely 384 feet. JBG's Central Place will also rise to 470 feet, and required FAA approval for its height and proximity to the flight path toward Reagan National Airport.

Obviously a project of this magnitude requires ample kowtowing, and Monday Properties has obliged, offering up a slew of fringe perks including an estimated $25 million in community benefits, transportation improvements and affordable housing funds. Another extra is Monday's proposed land lease to the city of its old Newseum Space at 1101 Wilson Boulevard, which Monday is offering to Arlington County free of charge for 10 years, with promises of a $100,000 donation to help lure worthy museums to the site. The Newseum opened its new office in the District last year, leaving the rental space vacant.

District Seeks Developers for Mt. Vernon Parcel

The District of Columbia has issued a Solicitation for Offers for the Redevelopment of a vacant 20,600-s.f. lot in Mount Vernon Triangle. The lot, at 463 I Street, NW, sits five blocks from the nearest Metro, and adjacent Walnut Street Development's newly announced project at 459 Eye Street, but will have substantial street presence on Massachusetts Ave. The District is seeking to turn the vacant lot into a mixed-use project that could potentially include housing, cultural and "hospitality uses," and it certainly wouldn't hurt if the project provided retail for the nearby Convention Center.

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development (DMPED) issued the solicitation on December 27th, responses are due by March 7th. The property is located on the Northwest corner of Fifth and Eye streets, skirting Mass Ave.; current zoning allows for office, residential, hotel and entertainment uses, and for a height of up to 130 feet, with allowable FAR of up to 10.0. As with all DC-owned property sold off for private development, the District is requiring that at least 30% of any new housing conform to the District's "affordable" criteria.

The property is part of Mount Vernon Triangle, a 30-acre section that the DC government has been actively promoting in order to transform the vacant or shuttered properties into, well, an actual neighborhood. According to the District, there is currently more than 4 million square feet of development in the neighborhood's development pipeline, anchored by the nearly completed CityVista project.

Washington DC real estate development news

Preservation, Demolition and Construction...Oh My

Interior demolition has just been completed on 3030 Clarendon Blvd. in Arlington, most popularly known as the old E-Trade building. Developer Saul Centers Inc. (SCI) is still awaiting final approval from the county and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) for full demolition. As the building is cleaned up, SCI expects construction permits in January from Arlington County for the three mixed-use buildings it plans to construct on both sides of Clarendon Blvd near the Clarendon Metro stop, to front Wilson Blvd, N. Highland and N. Garfield Streets. Completion of the entire 521,000-s.f., Clarendon Center project is anticipated for 2010.

Because the project requires excavation, demolition and construction work close to the subway tunnel that runs under Clarendon Blvd., WMATA has to approve the project. As a result, Saul will have to put monitoring devices on the tunnel to make sure it isn't jeopardized in the construction process, and keep close tabs on its integrity. WMATA typically does this when projects are within a proximity of 50 feet near subway tunnels.

Plans call for a two phase development: Phase I will be a 244-unit, 12-story apartment building, landscaped courtyard and 80,000-s.f. office building, on the south side of Clarendon. Phase II, on the smaller north block between Clarendon and Wilson, will house a 6-story office structure. All three buildings will have ground floor retail totaling 42,000 s.f, and are seeking LEED certification. Back in 2003, the design plans were recognized by the Washington Smart Growth Alliance. This is also the first Arlington project that complies with the Clarendon Metro Station Area plan.

Saul was able to plan for the gargantuan buildings with a little help from its neighbors; in order to increase building size, Saul obtained density rights from two historic buildings: The Leadership Institute on the SW portion of the south block, and the Underwood Building, at the northwestern-most point of the north block, in return for their historic preservation. In addition, Saul will safeguard two retail facades made of limestone and art-deco elements on the north block; the facades will be dismantled, cleaned and stored until the surrounding construction is complete, when they can be safely returned.

“The community involvement in the design and development of this project has been tremendous. By responding to that input, we believe Clarendon will enjoy a landmark project that will truly complement its distinctive character,” said Mary Beth Avedesian, Vice President of Acquisitions & Development at Saul Centers Inc.

Post construction, these two blocks may serve as the newest neighborhood hot spots, as there will be plenty of outdoor seating, with wider sidewalks and streetscape improvements thanks to the project design team of Silver Spring-based Torti Gallas. Most notably, a brand new Crescent Plaza will be built on the corner of Clarendon Blvd. and N. Highland Street, garnished with a fountain fronting N. Garfield and commissioned artwork by DC resident Lisa Scheer, a Professor of Arts at St. Mary's College of Maryland.