Arlington's Rosslyn Reinvention Continues on Wilson Blvd.

The Rosslyn reinvention continues on into 2009, as Dr. George Contis plans to scrap the current headquarters of his own health services company, the Medical Service Corporation International (MSCI) at 1716 Wilson Boulevard, in order to make way for a new 134,000 square foot mixed-use development. In a counter-intuitive twist, the project will receive a county subsidy for not building density near the Metro-centered project. The 5-story, RTKL-designed project will include 108,000 square feet of office space, coupled with 27,996 square feet of ground floor retail that is intended to wrap around three sides of the building and possibly include a small grocer as well as a restaurant or two (at least until local banks throw money at them to take the space), though the adjacent 1800 Wilson has vacant retail space remaining, two years after the project's completion, which must give them pause. The development will sit atop a 231-space underground parking garage and include an extension of Quinn Street between Wilson and Clarendon Boulevards, in order to provide a new connection to the adjoining Colonial Village Shopping Center. According to the Rosslyn Business Improvement District, Contis has also contemplated constructing a “small pedestrian plaza” at the site that will serve bikers from the nearby Arlington Boulevard, Key Boulevard and Curtis Parkway Trails. In keeping with the wishes of the Arlington County Planning Commission (ACPC), the project will also include a public arts component by artist Christian Moeller, funded by a donation from the Lincoln Property Company. The developer intends an appeal to greenies with a LEED silver certification. The pediatric cardiologist-cum-developer owns all office-converted residences at the site; the Arlington Motor Cars, the Medical Services building and a small clothing retailer will be demolished in the coming months to make way for the new development. 

Once completed, MSCI will continue to use 1716 Wilson as a base of operations for their continuing health services programs in various developing countries. The Arlington County Housing Commission’s Bricks & Mortar Subcommittee ruled in September 2007 that the development will be eligible for upwards for $400,000 in county affordable housing contributions, despite the lack of a residential component within the project. This is due to a complex system of exemptions within Arlington County zoning and density statutes that reward achieving particularly low-density at a site zoned as “’Medium’ Office-Apartment-Hotel.” The project was approved by the ACPC the following month. Most developers are still opting for size over subsidy, however, and will add to the "gateway into the downtown Courthouse" such projects as DRI’s expansion of the National Science Teachers Association headquarters at 1840 Wilson Boulevard, Elm Street Development’s sort-of-under-construction development at 2000 Wilson and Donohoe’s residential WRIT-Rosslyn Center at 1650 Wilson. Correction: Due to a misinterpretation of Arlington County documents, we erroneously stated that the $400,000 affordable housing contribution mentioned above would be going towards the project. In truth, it is the other way around; according to David Cristeal of the Arlington County Housing Division, “This would be a contribution TO the affordable housing fund…[it] should be clear that funds would be coming from the development to the County/Affordable Housing Fund."

Arlington Virginia retail and commercial real estate news

SW Waterfront Nets its First Casualty

Just weeks after the City Council's approval of a Land Disposition Agreement authorizing the Hoffman-Struever, LLC’s redevelopment of the Southwest Waterfront, progress, of a kind, is already being made. The first casualty of the development process appears to be the Virgo Fish House – a staple restaurant of the famed Maine Avenue Fish Market. Shrimp cocktail enthusiasts shouldn’t fret, however; while the restaurant’s current quarters are scheduled to be demolished in tandem with another abandoned property at the site, the remainder of the Washington landmark at 1100 Maine Avenue, SW, will be safe for the foreseeable future. "The blue building, which formerly operated as a crab house [will be razed],” says Nina Albert, a Project Manager with the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. “That blue building will be replaced with a temporary Fish Cleaning Building, and...the building that Virgo’s is currently operating out of will be demolished. The intent of these small moves is to keep the Fish Market in safe and operable condition until the redevelopment occurs.” That redevelopment by the Hoffman-Struever development team – which is officially comprised of comprised of PN Hoffman, Struever Bros., Eccles & Rouse, McCormack Baron Salazar, ER Bacon, Gotham, City Partners, Triden and the recently added Paramount Development – isn’t expected to begin anytime before 2011, but it’s also worth noting that the Maine Avenue Fish Market was also targeted by 2008’s National Capital Framework Plan. The Plan – drafted by the National Capital Planning Commission - seeks to reintegrate Maine Avenue into the fabric of daily life in the District by refurbishing the Market’s home at the Overlook and linking it with an extension of 10th Street, SW.

Washington DC retail development news

The North Star of Shaw Development

Northwest Washington's Shaw neighborhood could receive its first New Year’s batch of condominiums as soon as next month. Currently under construction at 1910 8^th Street NW, the Stella Polaris Condominiums will be bringing five upscale, 1,100 square foot units to the foot of the U Street corridor - within an earshot of popular local destinations like the 9:30 Club and Town.

The project is under the purview of Blue Sky Housing (not the similarly-named Blue Skye Development), a local developer whose last publicized project was the renovation and conversion of two Hanover Place NW apartment buildings into condominiums. Earle "Chico" Horton, a partner with the Graves & Horton LLC law firm and Blue Sky principal, tells DCmud that all of the units will feature 2 bedrooms and 2 ½ baths, in addition to amenities like “10 foot ceilings and high-end finishes.” Once completed in February, prices on ground floor units will start around $330,000, while top floor units will be "in the range of $480,000 to $500,000." Caltec Construction is serving as general contractor.

The project stands feet from the corner of 8^th Street and Florida Avenue NW – an area that has hosted vacant lots since long before developers renewed their interest in the historic Shaw community. “Whatever structures were there were probably damaged in the 14^th Street riots [of 1968] and subsequently torn down. It’s easily been over 20 years since there’s been construction at the site,” said Horton. ‘“Once people get financing, I think they’ll be a lot in store for the area. I was one of the original buyers of Harrison Square back in 2000. I’ve been in the area for a while and have seen the growth, which has been good.”

Indeed, growth is continuing unabated in the neighborhood. A few blocks away Castlerock Partners will be constructing the sprawling Howard Town Center project, while a parcel literally around the corner at the 9^th and U Streets NW – currently the site of a weekly flea market - has been slated for redevelopment by the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority. Those projects are set to join Ellis’ recently-approved redevelopment of the Howard Theater, and other in-the-works efforts like Broadcast Center One, the Wonder Bread Factory and O Street Market complex, as possible additions to the Shaw of the new millennium's second decade.

DC's Development Pipeline in 2009

Developmentally speaking, 2008 was a big year for the District of Columbia. While it was the annus horribilus for real estate, it did witness the opening of eagerly anticipated projects like CityVista, Union Row, and of course, Nationals Stadium, to name a few, and saw other big ticket developments like the Southwest Waterfront project and The Yards stride further toward realization.

Still, many District-solicited projects await the green light to begin construction, in the process of selecting a team or are still up for grabs. Here's a breakdown of those projects and where they stand for 2009.

Available Proposals:

In one of their more unique offers, the Office of the Deputy Mayor Planning and Economic Development (ODMPED) is currently seeking a developer to take control of a 13.5-acre concrete manufacturing facility at 1515 W Street, NE. The site is currently operated by the District Department of Transportation, which plans to vacate the facility by August. Any new tenant will be required to submit to a ground lease agreement for a minimum of 10 years. Proposals for the “Develop and Operate a Concrete Plant Solicitation” are due by January 9th.

As previously reported, ODMPED is currently seeking a development team to revitalize two long-abandoned properties at 400-414 Eastern Avenue and 6100 Dix Street, NE, in the Deanwood neighborhood. The city government is looking to redevelop the properties into an affordable housing complex with a local retail component. Proposals are due to ODMPED by February 16th.

One of the bigger projects currently on deck with the city government is the redevelopment of several “excess” schools, closed due to recent budget shortfalls and threadbare facilities. These include Backus Middle School, Grimke Elementary School, Hine Junior High School, the Langston School, M.M. Washington High School, the historic 1911 school building of Randle Highlands Elementary School, Rudolph Elementary School, the Slater School, the unoccupied portion of Slowe Elementary School, Stevens Elementary School, and Young Elementary School. The sites will not be put to their former use; any plans will be considered, provided they exhibit a “creative vision for development or reuse” and “an understanding of neighborhood context.” A pre-bid conference will be held January 9th, proposals for the redevelopment of any or all of the facilities are due by February 27th.

ODMPED has also “amended and restated” their solicitation of offers for the Park Morton public housing project redevelopment that had been previously announced in September of last year. Proposals for that project are now also due by February 27th.

Proposals Submitted:

Bidding recently closed on three vacant parcels the District intends to re-appropriate as parking lots: 463 I Street, NW (available for 24 months until construction commences on Donohoe’s Arts at 5th & I project), 2 Patterson Street, NE and 33 K Street, NW (formerly the demolished Temple Courts public housing complex).

Proposals were received in September for two District-owned parcels at Fourth/Sixth and E Streets, SW – one piece of which is intended to house the Metropolitan Police Department’s new Consolidated Forensic Laboratory.

An announcement is anticipated soon regarding proposals submitted in October for the Hill East Waterfront/Reservation 13 project, which is intended to include more than 5 million square feet of mixed-use development and an extension of Massachusetts Avenue, SE – the latter of which is already underway. As of November, the District had narrowed down the contenders to competing four development teams.

The so-called “Lincoln Lots” – two V Street, NW parcels adjoining Shaw’s historic Lincoln Theatre – were also the subject of an RFP that closed this past September. ODMPED was seeking “developers to assist in repositioning real estate associated with the [theatre] to complement and benefit the ongoing operation of the Lincoln.”

Development Partners Selected:

Of the projects solicited by ODMPED over the past year, the majority have already been snatched up by development teams. These include Blue Skye Development, in concert with the Mayor’s New Communities Initiative, for an abandoned apartment complex at 4427 Hayes Street, NE; Donatelli Development and Mosaic Urban Partners for two parcels at 3813-3815 and 3825-3829 Georgia Avenue, NW; Blue Skye Development and the Educational Organization for United Latin Americans for the abandoned Tewkesbury building at 6425 14th Street, NW; Argos Group for two District-owned Capitol Hill properties at 525 Ninth Street, NE and 1341 Maryland Avenue, NE (aka Old Engine House 10); Donohoe Companies for the Arts at 5th & I project in the Mount Vernon Triangle; Donatelli Development and Blue Skye Development for the $108 million mixed-use project adjoining the Metro station at Minnesota Avenue and Benning Road, NE; the William C. Smith & Co., Jair Lynch Companies, Banneker Ventures LLC and CPDC for the $700 million, 1600 unit Northwest One New Community that also includes retail, office and medical components; Clark Realty for the massive, $2.5 billion redevelopment of Southeast’s Poplar Point community; and, lastly, Washington Community Development Corporation and Banneker Ventures, LLC for the transformation of Deanwood’s dilapidated Strand Theatre into a mixed-use retail and office complex.

Post Park Coming Soon to Post-Hyattsville

After forty years of relative imperviousness to real estate development in neighboring Washington DC, the Prince George’s County hamlet of Hyattsville is finally taking advantage of its seat just one mile from the District line. First came new development at the aging University Town Center, which was followed shortly by EYA’s Arts District Hyattsville project – an ongoing undertaking that’s been a shot in the arm for the town’s main corridor along Route 1. Now Atlanta-based developer Post Properties, Inc. has begun construction on a new phase; their Post Park development at 3300 East West Highway.

Located on a 7-acre parcel just off of MD 410, Post Park will be a serious addition to the Prince George’s County market – especially along the busy thoroughfare known more for its drive-thrus and strip malls than big ticket residential properties. The developments primary building will measure in at 466,700 square feet and four to five stories, for a total of 364 new residential units. 1750 square of retail space will occupy the building’s ground floor, while a 544-space parking garage will serve residents only (and not patrons of the Prince George’s Plaza Metro Station just 1600 feet away).

Post has dubbed their units “apartment homes” and will be offering, in "late 2009," finishing touches like stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, ceramic tile floors, high ceilings, and access to the in-house fitness center and swimming pool to prospective residents. Per a request from the Prince George’s County Planning Board (PGCPB), the developer will also be constructing an 8,000 square foot plaza at the intersection of East West Highway and Toledo Terrace and include a connection to the neighboring Northwest Branch Stream Valley Park – one that according to PGCPB “will contain little or no transition to the park and…make the park an amenity for [Post Park] residents.” Niles Bolton Associates is handling designs for the project, while Clark Builders Group is serving as general contractor.In a move similar to EYA’s intentions for the township, Post - in tandem with the Hyattsville Community Development Corporation (HCDC) - is currently accepting submissions from local artists interested in contributing to the project’s public arts component (and the more they stand out against their Home Depot backdrop, the better). Any and all entries are due to Stuart Eisenberg, Executive Director of the HCDC by January 16^th.

Prince George's County real estate development news

Crystal City, Aster is Born

After almost four years in the development pipeline, the project known to some as the North Tract Apartments, were approved by the Arlington County Planning Commission way back in July of 2005, are under construction, this time as The Aster at Crystal City.

Located at 305 10th Street South, the site was initially under the control of Archstone-Smith, which sought to construct two 5-story buildings with a total of 184 "luxury apartment homes" - including some with third-level mezzanines. In 006, however, the site and accompanying plans were sold off to Atlanta-based developer York Residential under the guise of North Track Apartments, LLC, but the project sat for some time thereafter.

DCmud is now happy to report that construction is bristling along on the once dormant project and it's sporting its new Aster moniker. York is currently projecting a third quarter 2009 completion for the first building and a fourth quarter finish for the second. Once finished off, the Aster will come in at 228,000 square feet, include 15 affordable-priced apartments and meet the LEED standard for green certification (albeit the lowest one possible, with 24 points). Additionally, in keeping with the framework plan established by the Crystal City Planning Task Force, the County will take advantage of the development’s close proximity to Long Bridge Park (once known as North Tract Park) to establish a pedestrian/biker-friendly linkage between the two.

Initially, Archstone had intended to pass two units off to retailers to serve the needs of park patrons. There’s no word on if that deal still stands, but perhaps Monument Realty's neighboring Monument View project - only made possible due to a June land swap between the developer and the County - will acquiesce if York does not.  Designs for the project were prepared by the Preston Partnership. ONCORE Construction is serving a general contractor.

Washington DC restaurant and retail news

New Condo Report: Park View Condominiums

New Condo Report: Having just been completed over the Thanksgiving holiday, the Park View Condominiums are the latest addition to the Parkview/Petworth condo market. Located at 3573 Warder Street, NW - just across the street from Bruce Monroe Elementary School and Parkview Recreation Center - the new condominium offers 8 two-bedroom, two bath, two-story loft condominiums that range in price from $369,00-$423,000.

Culled from the renovation of circa 1910 District apartment building, the units offer all the trappings of the 21^st century with built-in speakers, iPod docks, ADT security systems, three-way gas fireplaces, and pre-wired flatscreen mantles. The kitchens feature stainless steel appliances, range hoods and granite countertops, while the adjoining living rooms sport Brazilian wood floors, recessed lighting and video monitoring of the building’s communal front entrance way.

Once inside the easy-to-spot, chartreuse building, floorplans vary from 1200-1400 square feet – all with two master suites and an upstairs den. The four slightly larger lofts in the property’s rear have the added advantage an extra ground floor half-bath and access to the pressure-treated wooden balconies-cum-fire escape that also serve as a rear entrance. All bathrooms feature imported tile and hand-painted, freestanding Italian glass sinks.

The Park View stands four blocks southeast of the Petworth Metro, though as an urban sacrifice to the automobile, the project's backyard features a paved and gated parking lot.

Renovation procedures at the Park View were overseen by STX LLC and Crisa Developments, while designs were supplied by Kellete & Associates.

Washington Adventist's Move to Silver Spring

Takoma Park's Washington Adventist Hospital will soon be getting a new address, courtesy of owners Adventist Healthcare, Inc. (AHI) and the Montgomery County Planning Board (MCPB). Earlier this month, the Board unanimously approved the healthcare provider's plans to build a sprawling 803,570 square foot hospital complex on a vacant 50-acre parcel in the White Oak/Calverton area (aka greater Silver Spring).

The new Washington Adventist will be erected at 12030-12110 Plum Orchard Road - a site within the Westfarm Technology Park that also includes Target, Kohl's and PetSmart locations, in addition to United States Postal Service distribution facility and a Marriott Residence Inn. The location also adjoins nearby residential neighborhoods like Riderwood Village and West Farm. The Citizens Associations of both those developments have lent their approval to the project, as have a number of other local authorities including the Calverton Citizens Association, Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce and the US Food and Drug Administration, headquartered nearby.

In all, the MCPB received only one complaint from a local resident, out of more than 700 hundred in favor of the project. Jerry and Alice Wahl, residents of nearby Featherwood Street, expressed concern about ambulance and helicopter noise resulting from day-to-day hospital activities. However, AHI’s stated intention is to impact the community as little as possible, and, in the areas that it does, for the change to be nothing short of positive.

At present, AHI plans to build the facility in two phases with four overlapping sub-phases. The first such phase is set to include construction of the main 7-story, 500,083 square foot main hospital building and emergency room; a 2-story, 60,888 square foot ambulatory care building that will connect with main facility via enclosed pedestrian bridge; and two supporting parking garages on the north and south ends of the site, respectively, for a total of 2136 new parking spaces.

With those primary facilities in place, AHI will then move on to constructing a ground-level helipad; two 100,000 square foot “medical office buildings”; a 9,264 square foot multi-denominational “Faith Center” with amenities including an outdoor plaza, overhead canopies, an arts component, and water features; and finally a lakefront “Healing Garden” to be connected to public walkways and a fitness trail. Per the MCPB’s ruling, the development must feature at least 37-acres of green space – meaning AHI will be preserving as much heavily forested area as possible. Furthermore, in keeping with the eco-centric tone of the Board’s conditional approval, the new Washington Adventist must achieve a LEED certification.

Meanwhile, AHI will continue to use their 13-acre Takoma Park campus as part of the Hospital’s Vision for Expanded Access, which, in short, aims to make healthcare as accessible as possible for Montgomery County residents. In a statement following the ruling, Geoffrey Morgan, Vice President for Expanded Access at Washington Adventist Hospital, said, "The new campus and the future services at our Takoma Park site will allow us to continue our more than 100-year tradition of improving the health and wellness of our communities.” AHI also plans to update the roster of services available at their present location with a new “Village of Health and Well-Being” that will be constructed as other hospital components are demolished or moved off-site.

AHI is currently projecting a 2013 opening for the new facility – a point at which hospital officials expect the new, state-of-the-art Washington Adventist to greatly improve the metro area’s ability to deal with public health crises. The project is being designed by a panel of local architects in order to better serve a variety of medical specifications.

Agreement (Finally) Reached on Ft. Totten Project

Nearly two and a half years after the project was initially announced, the District government and Lowe Enterprises will announce a Land Disposition Agreement (LDA) that will bring up to 900 residential units and 100,000 square feet of retail to the intersection of Riggs Road and South Dakota Avenue, NE in a bid to revitalize the Fort Totten neighborhood's main corridor, a project the city estimates to be worth $80m.

Lowe made their initial announcement concerning The Dakotas project during the summer of 2006 with a planned late-2007 start date that never came to fruition. Details are being withheld at this time, but Sean Madigan of the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development confirmed that a formal announcement of the LDA is tentatively scheduled for 10:30am Monday at the site.

Lowe’s last project in conjunction with the District was the Mount Vernon Triangle’s CityVista development and accompanying Safeway that opened their doors to much acclaim in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The Fort Totten development team also includes Hickok Cole Architects, JackSophie Development, Ellis Denning, City Partners Development, and mixed-use planners, StreetSense.

HPRB Approves Hinckley Hilton...Again

Plans to expand one of Washington's newest landmarks, the Washington ("Hinckley") Hilton Hotel, have been authorized by the District's Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) for the second time in as many months. Apparently, after last month's approval, architects Beyer Blinder Belle tweaked their design - presumably, in order to appease local organizations, such as the Kalorama Citizens Association and Dupont ANC, that questioned the project's impact and design sense. Subsequently, hotel owners Lowe Enterprises Real Estate Group were forced back before the HPRB, which after approving the project, subsequently voted to be rid of the hotel once and for all by delegating approval of any further changes to their staff.

Washington DC real estate development news

Howard Theater Revamp Gets the Go-Ahead

Washington DC’s Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) has unanimously approved Ellis Development’s plans to rehabilitate, restore and expand Shaw’s historic Howard Theater. The developer, in concert with Martinez and Johnson Architecture, aims to reinstate the famed 98-year-old dilapidated building to its former iconic status as one of the District’s premier theater and music venues – with a few extra additions such as modernized backstage facilities, an in-house restaurant and a gift shop. Ellis principle Chip Ellis told DCmud recently that the renovations are expected to get underway next August, though funding has remained an obstacle. Whiting-Turner will serve as the general contractor. Ellis has also been planning the Radio One residential and office project nearby, but which has not gotten out of the ground.

Washington DC commercial real estate news

Whitman-Walker Stalls at the HPRB

As expected, the Historic Preservation Review Board sided with Historic Preservation Office staff and has sent JBG’s proposed redevelopment of 14th Street's Whitman-Walker Clinic headquarters back to the drawing board.



After a 6-2 vote, the panel told the developer and architect Shalom Baranes to “restudy the proposal with regard to the design of the facade and the location of the garage entrance, to incorporate on-site interpretative information on the historic role of the Whitman-Walker clinic, and return to the Board when appropriate.”

The development team had previously taken a lashing from both the local ANC and Board of Zoning Adjustment with regards to perceived design flaws in the residential project.

4 New High-Rises for Alexandria's Eisenhower Ave?

Who, in the real estate world, isn't happy to see 2008 behind them? Not Binghamton, New York-based developer Lane Development, LLC, which has been in negotiations with Alexandria's Carlyle/Eisenhower East Design Review Board (DRB) now for four years - to bring a four-tower, mixed-use real estate project to the Eisenhower Avenue section of Alexandria, Virginia. Finally, after seemingly endless carpet-bagger treatment with bouts of redesigning and negotiation, it looks like 2009 might just be the year they see their plans realized. Lane's intent is to build an expansive 4-tower development on what is currently two (mostly) vacant lots at 2100 and 2203 Mill Road in Alexandria, within sight of the Beltway. The first two buildings would be devoted to residential housing, in the form of one 22-story tower and one 19-story that together amount to 474,000 square feet. These as-of-yet untitled buildings would include 61,197 square feet of publicly accessible open space, a 515-space parking garage, 5,700 square feet of ground floor retail and, the raison d'etre, 485 residential units – 28-34 of which have been earmarked as affordable. The final number is contingent upon whether Lane decides to devote the project to condo or rental (though if rents continue to go up while demand continues down, our money is on the latter). The residential “twins” will then be complemented by two similarly-designed office towers on a neighboring parcel that currently houses the headquarters of the American Trucking Federation. 

The project’s office component is bit smaller in scale, 15 and 13-stories, but Lane intends to fully integrate the developments via two new roads: Port Street to the west and Dock Lane to the south. The latter will provide retail frontage for the residential portion of the project, while also linking up with a planned pedestrian causeway and straddling a PN Hoffman–controlled (but undeveloped) lot next door. Furthermore, the developers plan to provide a buffer between the office towers and the neighboring freeway with a curved wall running along Mill Road that is described as “the accent skyline feature…as seen from the Capital Beltway." The entire development is being designed by James Wright of Lee Harris Pomeroy Architects. So what’s the hold-up? Lane initially received DRB approval for 2203 Mill Road in April 2006, but went back before the board 

in mid-2008 due with “major design changes.” In doing so, the residential buildings lost 55 feet of height from the intended “highly articulated crowns at the center of each tower.” DRB staff also went so far as to encourage the reduction of the buildings symmetrical appearance by using an assortment of materials rather than just the “vertical brick and beige precast forms” originally planned for all four buildings. This came after the DRB’s 2006 conditional approval in which the Board contradictorily told Lane to “reduce the number of add-on elements, in order to allow the body of the building to read.” The official line of Alexandria at present is that “the project [is] on hold pending resolution of bus loop reconfiguration for the Eisenhower Metro Station.” However, there appears to be one ray of sunshine in store for the out-of-town developer in the New Year; according to Natalie Sun, an Urban Planner with the Development Division of the Alexandria Department of Planning & Zoning, “[The project will be heard at the next DRB hearing in January 2009.” That meeting will be held on Thursday, January 15, 2008 at 7:00pm in Room 2000 of the Alexandria City Hall. Stay tuned to DCmud for updates on the project.

Alexandria Virginia commercial real estate news

JBG's 14th Street Project Faces HPRB Critique

Tomorrow may be another strike for the JBG Companies' plans for a new residential project on 14th Street, NW. After a melee of negative public testimonials before the BZA two weeks ago, and the resulting ANC vote against the project, the staff report of the District’s Historic Preservation Office (HPO), which reports to the Historic Preservation Review Board, has recommended that the project be redesigned. The staff report criticizes the developer’s plans for the redevelopment of the Whitman-Walker Clinic Headquarters on 14^th Street, which the HPO does not see as meshing with the Logan Circle neighborhood.

“While optimistic that the applicant’s general program can be achieved, the design is not compatible with the character of the historic district as proposed,” states the report. The HPO staff goes on to point specifically to the project’s design, by Shalom Baranes Architects, against what they consider the right direction for new development along 14^th Street. A few highlights include (original emphasis included) the “rhythm of fenestration,” “vertical emphasis of surrounding historic buildings,” “proportion of masonry to glass” and “the scale of elements.” So much for JBG’s vision of building a glass-faced, seven-story residential development in the middle of the federal-style corridor, though the critique could apply equally to other nearby projects underway, such as View14 (pictured) six blocks north. The HPRB’s final decision is expected to be posted tomorrow, December 31^st, and is expected to be in keeping with the staff recommendation.

Inauguration Invasion a Bust for Many

Plenty of media outlets have reported on the surplus of inauguration rental inventory - the hoards of property owners whose dreams of cashing in on the inaugural frenzy while (happily) fleeing DC for anywhere else have slowly faded. A storied few cashed in big, and hoteliers and retailers aren't complaining, but for many local condo owners and apartment managers, the occasion has been more bust than boom.

Despite the three million or so people set to descend on the Capitol during the third week of January, aspirants posted more than 1400 ads on the "Sublets & Temporary" housing section of Craigslist for Washington DC area - and that's just today. Gone are the $15,000 house rentals in the 'burbs, replaced by $500 furnished sublets in Dupont Circle, some of which have received not a single inquiry.

And apartment owners seeking to draw “change”-frenzied clientèle have had notably less success than their hotel competitors. Developers like Broadway Development, which is seeking to fill the hundreds of unoccupied units of their Senate Square project at 201 I Street, NE, have largely been unsuccessful at converting the Obama faithful into short-term tenants.

“We started advertising actively about a week after the election,” says Meredith Giantsos, a sales associate for the 432-unit development. “What we’re offering is a one-bedroom with den for $4,000 or two-bedroom for $5,000 – and that’s a flat rate… We haven’t really put a cap on [the number of units available for the inauguration] because we are a new building and have a quite a bit of availability.” The pair of apartment towers began leasing earlier this year after an aborted condo pitch, but having leased a little more than a third to full-time tenants, have only been able to find inaugural occupants for 6 of the units.

But the opposite problem awaits building owners whose units are leased: tenants subleasing their apartments create potential hazards for building owners and managers, many of whom have issued notices to tenants over proper subleasing procedures. Keener-Squire Properties’ Chastleton building at 1701 16^th Street, NW, has posted a list of penalties for residents who sublease from January 17^th to 25^th. Those residents who fail to notify the management of guests (anyone “who will be residing in a unit for more than 12 hours”) or of sublessees, by January 15^th, will be hit with a $500 per guest/per day fine. “The [Chastleton Cooperative] Board would like to thank you for your cooperation during this historic occasion,” says the memorandum in conclusion.

Such special precautions and selective rule bending are especially in play along developments that front along Pennsylvania Avenue’s presidential parade route. One such building, the Lawrence Ruben Company’s aptly-named The Pennsylvania, at 601 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, has capped the amount of party-goers it will allow to view the procession from its rooftop. The mixed-use development will split a total of 200 tickets between the building’s residents and commercial tenants – thereby insuring that even condo owners will be prevented from having more than one than guest in the house once January 20^th rolls around.

"This is a really exciting opportunity. I'm glad I can watch the inauguration without having to wade through the crowds,” says Pennsylvania resident Colin Samples. “On the other hand, it's going to be a nightmare to get around down here, and I'm a bit disappointed about the maximum of two tickets."

Samples had been intending to watch the parade along with his neighbors, but will now instead watch what little he can from his east-facing balcony, and give up the ticket to a neighbor with children. The Pennsylvania's management has informed residents that the ticketing system is the result of strictly enforced District fire code regulations and, additionally, that their names have been submitted to the Secret Service – a norm for buildings facing on the fabled Capitol to White House route – which will be personally checking ID on the day of the event. “[I’m] still a bit disappointed,” says Samples, “but I understand their reasons for doing so.” A commendable attitude indeed, when DC residents are now more likely to be strip-searched than rewarded for their good choice of real estate.

Washington DC commercial real estate news

Arlington Courthouse Apartments to Replace Old Executive Office Building

Arlington's Courthouse District will be losing a prominent eyesore in the New Year, if Erkiletian Real Estate Services has their way at 2009 14^th Street. A proposal pending before the Arlington Planning Commisision calls for the demolition of the 45-year-old Executive Building and adjoining parking garage (pictured) to make way for two projects that will add new condos, retail and even an entertainment venue to one of Arlington's most desirable neighborhoods.

With all the effete charm of a suburban dentist’s office, the 7-story, glass-plated bastion of Northern Virginia office architecture currently houses the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, the ominous sounding Allen Etiquette Institute and a gaggle of law firms. An amenable Planning Board staff has labeled the building “physically out of context with the neighborhood” and believes that it “obstructs the existing view” of the much revitalized Courthouse area – a judgment that would seem to work in favor of Erkiletian.

With design from the Lessard Group, the Alexandria-based developer plans to replace the Executive Building with two dissimilarly-scaled projects. The more prominent would be a 16-story, 239,000 square foot residential high-rise that would sport 247 rental units. The unnamed tower would occupy the bulk of the parcel’s southern half and front 14^th Street North – just two blocks from the Courthouse Metro. In exchange for environmentally advanced LEED Gold certification, Erkiletian hopes to receive a “bonus” of .35 FAR (buildable square footage) on top of the 4.8 FAR residential density approved for the site.

Meanwhile, the project’s secondary component aims to replace a small piece of the Executive Building’s lost office potential - with a 2-story, 13,765 square foot office building that would include 2,148 s.f. of ground floor retail. The square-shaped “cube” would front North Taft Street and also serve as an entranceway to a new 1/3 acre private plaza that would divide the dueling developments.

In addition to providing a reflecting pool and off-street outpost for resident smokers, the plaza would also benefit the greater Courthouse community with a publicly accessible amphitheater that would host four to six concerts or events yearly. Erkiletian intends to include a public art component in the plaza, pending an agreement with Arlington Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources.

In stark contrast to the Executive Building’s 60s-style motif, the development team intends to clad both buildings in “terracotta/beige brick” with metal, concrete and granite accents. The neighboring projects will both sit atop a three-level, 270-space parking garage – one level of which will creep above grade along Taft Street and provide direct access to ground floor retailers and a proposed fitness center.

Erkiletian is currently projecting a third quarter 2009 start date for the project - shortly after work on their 200 unit residential project in neighboring Alexandria is scheduled to get underway.

Purple Line Panel Says Light Rail

In a staff report released this morning, staff of the Montgomery County Planning Board collectively endorsed a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system for the passionately deliberated Purple Line. - the public transit system designed to run from Bethesda to New Carrollton, better connecting suburban Maryland to the Metro system. A contingent of Montgomery County residents had been lobbying for a bus route instead - reasoning any such rail system would be detrimental to the Capital Crescent and Georgetown Branch trail systems that shadow the Purple Line’s proposed New Carrollton-Bethesda route.

The staff decision comes after a review of a preliminary Environmental Impact Statement concerning the Purple Line and its effect on the neighboring trails. Included in the short three-page document is an outline for trail infrastructural improvements, such as a connection to Rock Creek Park, improved road crossings, retaining walls and signage, pedestrian safety measures and even the construction of a new, biker-friendly public plaza at the Line’s proposed Woodmont East terminus.

The Purple Line’s next stop is a hearing with Planning Board itself on January 8^th, where, according to today’s report, four separate votes will be cast: one reaffirming support for LRT, a second for “alignment and design options,” a third to be included in the Final Environmental Impact Statement, and a fourth concerning “further actions for the Montgomery County government.”

The Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee will then hear arguments from both sides of the matter on January 22^nd. Both panels are expected to also fall in favor of LRT – a method of transport that already counts Montgomery County Executive Isiah Legget and the Prince George’s County Council among its many supporters, as well as trail advocates Montgomery Bicycle Advocates and Coalition for the Capitol Crescent Trail, and environmentalist Sierra Club. Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley has yet to publicly confirm his support for LRT, but is expected to make a definitive statement in the coming months. At present, the projected cost of implementing the Purple Line is roughly $1.2 billion.

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