New Condo Survey - Harvard Lofts

Washington DC's most recent addition to the new condominium market is Harvard Lofts, a 12-unit condo on the south side of Columbia Heights, located at 1466 Harvard Street. With construction recently completed in May of 2009, Harvard Lofts opened for sale on Saturday for the first time, DCMud provides a first look.

It is obvious from the exterior that the building is a decidedly modern twist to an otherwise historic row of single family homes and small apartment buildings, many of which are still unrenovated. The mostly glass facade incorporates a gated entry to the side courtyard, with private entrances to each of the 4 "townhouse" style condos. Each townhouse, priced from $599,000 to $639,000, has a first floor bedroom and 2nd floor master bedroom and bath, with lofted spaces overlooking the living room below. Townhouses showcase large windows, but are only exposed on the east side that looks directly into the base of the condominiums next door, allowing for little natural light, even on the well lit half of the units.


The main entrance leads to the remaining 8 condominiums, each with a distinct layout and design - a revitalizing break from the shoe box layout of most new condos. In keeping with the uber-contemporary architectural design, most units have double-height ceilings, with floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the historic neighborhood to the north or city and monument views to the south, you choose.



Each condo has a different expression of purely modern design, with hardwoods over a concrete slab, for privacy and structural integrity, and white-on-espresso Porcelanosa kitchens, with Bosch appliances, that vary from traditional u-shaped to contemporary kitchen-living combinations, though the latter are insufficiently small. Although less than 2 blocks from the Metro, tandem parking is available to purchase; most condos have private outdoor space.

The penthouse level features two small one-bedroom units with private terraces, and two 2-bed plus den penthouses, each with several large private terraces at $875,000 each. The developer, Harvard Loft, LLC, notes that pains were taken to make the building green, from choice of materials to efficient appliances and innovative lighting that is both efficient and bright, though no LEED certification was achieved. The condos are open on weekends and by appointment.

Washington DC real estate news

Affordable Housing Coming Soon to Bethesda

Construction may begin as soon as the first quarter of 2010 on central Bethesda's new affordable housing project. The Edgemoor's 12 units of affordable housing on Hampden Lane near Arlington Road. The Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) in Montgomery County, MD plans for all units to be urban style residential units. The units will consist of an even split between one-bedroom rental apartments and studios.

John Poyer, Housing Acquisition Manager for the project explained that HOC will develop, own and manage the property, which will be financed with a combination of Low Income Housing Tax Credits and a loan from Montgomery County.
According to Poyer, the financing is lined up and construction should begin in 2010. HOC serves as a public housing agency, a housing finance agency and a housing developer, serving Montgomery County.

A mere two blocks from the Bethesda Metro, the Edgemoor will not offer onsite parking. The building will be four stories high and offer residents a courtyard for "passive recreation"and an interior "party room" for gatherings. The facility will also offer a computer room and fitness center for residents.

Other partners involved in the development are the designer, NOA Architects, and the civil engineer, Macris, Hendricks, Glascock, P.A. The building will be built to LEED certification standards, but HOC will not apply for certification, given the extra costs entailed. LEED Consulting was provided by EDG.

Stanton- EastBanc Chosen as Hine School Developer

Today, neighbors of Eastern Market got an answer to a long-outstanding question: What will go in the place of the former Hine Junior High School on Capitol Hill? Washington DC officials announced that Stanton-EastBanc had won the right to develop, with a plan that includes a mix of retail, residential and open space to appease the outspoken Capitol Hill neighborhood. The project may break ground as soon as 2011. The selected team includes Stanton Development Corporation, Eastbanc Inc., Dantes Partners and Weinstein Esocoff Architects. The plan for the 3.5 acre lot in Capitol Hill's Eastern Market neighborhood calls for a total of 510,000 s.f. of total development. The new development will include approximately 150 apartments and over 200,000 s.f. of office space. Currently slated for the spaces are the nonprofit International Relief and Development and the Shakespeare Theatre Company. Additionally, the space will offer 150 parking spaces and "neighborhood-serving retail and restaurants." Stanton appears to have gotten the upper hand for several reasons. The group is entirely DC-based, has a proven track record in several buildings in the Capitol Hill area and did not request any subsidy from the District for the project. 

With support from several active and outspoken Capitol Hill neighborhood groups, Stanton secured the project out of an original field of 11 bidders. The competitive project had the Eastern Market neighborhood a-buzz, forming coalitions in favor of one plan or another. Leah Daniels, owner of Hill's Kitchen in Eastern Market hosted meetings at her shop so the StreetSense/DSF/Menkiti Group could show off their plan. It would have included a boutique Kimpton Hotel, which Daniels felt - still feels - is an important addition to the neighborhood. Daniels said that while the group she wanted to win didn't, at least it wasn't the team she didn't want: Bozzuto Group/Scallan Properties/Lehr Jackson Associates/E.R. Bacon Development, LLC/Blue Skye Development/CityStrategy, LLC. She did credit the Stanton group for being willing to continue to work with the community to ensure that the space maximizes its location in the heart of the Eastern Market community. According to Joe Sternlieb of EastBanc, the developers are looking for neighborhood-serving retail. They have letters of interest from restaurants including: Cafe Leopold, Kaz Sushi, Dolcezza Gelato, J. Cholatier, Tryst Diner by Constantine Stavropoulos, The Boat House Restaurant of Charlottesville and the Twins Jazz Club. Retail interest includes: Dawn Price Baby (looking to expand from current Hill location) and B&M Wine among others. Sternlieb indicated that retail spaces will be no larger than 5,000 s.f. each and will likely average 2,000-3,000 s.f. per tenant. In July, the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), Valerie Santos, narrowed the field of competitors to three and encouraged them to submit final offers for the right to redevelop the site. The school was closed in 2007, in part to free up funds for the DCPS headquarters. Responses to the District’s request for final offers were due in early August. Today's announcement marks another high point in the vibrant neighborhood which recently saw the reopening of the Eastern Market after the fire that ravaged the historic structure in April 2007. Councilmember Tommy Wells (Ward 6) said that the new site should reflect how "special" the Capitol Hill neighborhood is and that the developers and the city have "a lot more work to do" to make sure the project enhances the neighborhood.

Capitol Hill commercial real estate news

Lots of Cleared Lots for Sale in the Palisades

Encore Development and their engineers at Dewberry and Davis are wrapping up razing and land development work at 4800 U Street, NW, making way for eight, freshly-cleared lots that range in size from 6,000 to 12,500 s.f.  Located just a block from MacArthur Boulevard, the parcels, dubbed Berkley-Chase, are now "up for sale to either individuals or home builders," according to Encore principal, Steve Kay and will sell for $925,000-$995,000 each. The Berkley-Chase development makes up approximately half of the 3.2 acre parcel Encore originally purchased back in 2007. Encore sold the other half of the property to the St. Patrick's School before razing the late 1940s home on the property, commencing sewer work, and putting in a series of retaining walls between the lots for sale and the adjoining St. Patrick's School property. Kay says his company has quietly begun putting the lots on sale and is "working on a couple potential deals now." To date, none of the lots have been sold, but more prominent listings with Washington Fine Properties should be popping up in the coming weeks. 

Washington DC real estate and development news

Arlington and Alexandria Hope to Lure Developers for Restored Waterfront Property

Have you heard about Four Mile Run, the next hottest waterfront development area in the DC suburbs? Arlington and Alexandria urban planners are hoping to transform the Four Mile Run into a draw for developers seeking to capitalize on a waterfront environment. The restoration project set out a series of wish lists for environmental improvements and guidelines for greener, more modern buildings. Arlington and Alexandria continue to push forward on the three year project, optimistically riding the storm of the current economic downturn.

For those unfamiliar with the Four Mile Run Project, here’s the rundown: The lower 2.3 mile portion of Four Mile Run runs from Shirlington to the mouth of the Potomac and acts as a natural boundary between the cities of Alexandria and Arlington. In the 1970s and 80s, the Army Corps of Engineers channelized this portion of Four Mile Run to control a major flooding problem. The solution worked, but the resulting channel became an eyesore that eliminated the vegetation and aquatic wildlife that used to call that part of the stream home.

In March of 2006, the cities of Alexandria and Arlington drafted a plan to revive the once thriving environment along the channel bed without sacrificing flood control. Enter the Four Mile Run Restoration Plan and the Four Mile Run Design Guidelines—an overview of improvements planned along the stream and a guide for developers hoping to take advantage of what the cities of Alexandria and Arlington hope will become a bustling gateway between the municipalities over the next 10 to 15 years. Another plus for developers: the guidelines do not set new ordinances or even make hard and fast development rules for that matter.

“We wanted future developers to focus their orientation toward the stream instead of turning their backs on it as developers had done in the past,” explains Arlington County Urban Planner, Leon Vignes, adding that in the years to come, the newly revitalized stream will come “to be seen as a feature for building in the area.”

According to Arlington Environmental Planner Aileen Winquist, developers should look forward to the completion of the Tidal Restoration Demonstration Project within the next two years. This project will restore the stream banks and improve the appearance of the channel bounded by Route 1 and extending to Commonwealth Avenue/South Eads Street. Additionally, a design competition for a new pedestrian/bicycle bridge extending from South Eads Street to Commonwealth Avenue to connect the cities of Alexandria and Arlington is also in the works.

“Our mantra in Arlington has been cafes and retail on the first floor. We’d love to see that and development with an eye to the stream. But we don’t make land use recommendations,” says Vignes. “We really just want to leave the possibilities open and see all types of development.”

On the Alexandria side, you’ve got the Potomac Yard project. New apartments and condominiums will join the relocated Signature Theatre in Shirlington. And rumor has it that the Target on the Alexandria side might also be up for redevelopment.

As long as developers strive for greener building practices, do what they can to incorporate public spaces and the newly improved stream in their designs, and take into account storm water management, they'll be welcomed by city planners in Alexandria and Arlington. (Not that they could actually penalize developers for not following the plans).

Public hearings and planning meetings to discuss additions and finalize the Four Mile Run Design Guidelines are scheduled for the 14th and 26th of this month.

Last Chance to Buy a Co-op, Taxes Start October 1st

Considering a co-op for your next home, or getting out of one? Going to settlement this month will be the only way to avoid the hefty taxes that co-op buyers and sellers were once immune to. Thanks to an amendment nestled away in the DC Budget Support Act, the tax benefits of purchasing a co-op will cease to exist as of October 1st. Called the "Economic Interests in Real Property Clarification Amendment Act of 2009," the Act might be better dubbed the co-op killer of 2009. The sale of co-ops, technically a transfer of an economic interest more akin to the purchaser of stock than a transfer in title, is not currently taxed by the District of Columbia. The absence of recordation taxes is one of the few incentives to buying into a cooperative, most of which have more onerous rules than condominiums, carry underlying obligations to the purchaser, and bestow on the Board of Directors the power to reject applicants, all of which tends to suppress the price of co-ops below that of an equivalent condominium. The amendment changes the phrase in the Deed Recordation Tax Act (Section 302b(a) to be specific) from "a transfer of an economic interest in real property" to "a transfer of an economic interest in real property, including shares in a cooperative housing association." Henceforth, co-op buyers, and sellers, will be subject to the same 1.1 % (for properties selling below $400,000) to 1.45% transaction tax that applies to other types of property.

Obama Appoints New NCPC Chair

Yesterday, President Obama appointed L. Preston Bryant Jr. as the new Chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC). As Chairman, Bryant will lead the 12-member Commission charged with securing and enhancing the historical, cultural and natural resources of the capital region. NCPC also oversees federal construction projects, long-range planning efforts and planning policies. Bryant currently serves as Virginia's Secretary of Natural Resources.

The NCPC was established by Congress in 1924 (at that time it was known as the National Capital Park Commission). It is the central planning agency for sites on - or adjacent to - federal land in the National Capital Region, a jurisdiction that covers 2,500 square miles in DC, MD and VA. NCPC also provides an advisory role for the District government on certain land use decisions. NCPC focuses on four main principles:

Urban Design and Plan Review- NCPC reviews a wide range of plans and projects from memorials, museums and federal office buildings to communications towers and perimeter security projects. It also reviews District of Columbia public projects, proposed street and alley closings, and Zoning Commission actions, as well as private development in the Pennsylvania Avenue Historic District.

Comprehensive Planning- NCPC developed The Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital: Federal Elements, to guide decisions for long-term development on topics such as transportation, preservation and historic features, parks and open space, among others.

Signature Planning- Long-term plans for the region including security concerns, transportation, and future memorials.

Federal Capital Improvements- NCPC helps set the federal government's development priorities by reviewing agency plans for capital improvements and advising Office of Management and Budget on which plans should move forward.

We hope you read this carefully; expect a quiz next week.

K Street Without Congestion? Perhaps...

In an attempt to wrangle competitive federal transportation stimulus funds, the DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) sped things up over the summer to include a K Street Redesign as part of the application for U.S. Department of Transportation TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) funds. The K St Redesign will cost $139 million, which DDOT hopes to cover entirely with TIGER funds. Thanks to the September 15th application deadline, DDOT may finally put an end to the six years of discussion, with interested parties including WMATA and both the Downtown and Golden Triangle BIDs.

DDOT is currently considering two build options to address infrastructure, safety, congestion and access problems in the busy K St corridor. The K Street transit system "serves over 250,000 of the city's approximately 700,000 workers...If workers cannot commute to and through K Street comfortably and efficiently, tenants and jobs will leave the city's core" said Rich Bradley, Executive Director of the Downtown BID in making his case for the K Street redesign.

K St's infrastructure is about 30 years old and the current design is inefficient to say the least. The four center lanes are congested with the various metro buses, commuters buses and cars. The service lanes, separated from the center lanes by medians, are meant for loading, parking and turns, but are more often plagued by parking violations. Beyond the inefficiency and congestion, there is no continuous east-west cross-town transit system to connect Georgetown, Downtown, the Convention Center and Union Station, as stated in the K Street Busway Executive Summary.

The first option includes two center bus/transit lanes, which might allow taxis at certain hours, separated from the general purpose lanes by a median. During rush hour there would be three general purpose lanes and during regular hours the curb lanes might be used for loading and parking. In this alternative, commuter buses would stop in the curb lanes to pick up passengers traveling to the MD and VA suburbs.

The second option includes three center bus lanes at all time (where the road allows). The third lane would act as a passing lane and would switch every few blocks to allow buses in each direction to pass one another. The center lanes would also be separated by a median from the two general purpose lanes. There would not be any parking allowed at any time, but certain locations would be set aside for loading. In this scenario, the commuter buses would use the transit lanes, with Metro and Circulator buses using the center lane to pass.

Bicycle lanes have not been completely ironed out at this point in either alternative.

The project submitted for TIGER funds did not choose an alternative as each would incur the same cost. According to DDOT spokesperson, John Lisle, the EA will be released late this month for a 30 day public comment period. The preferred alternative will be decided after the public comment period ends.

TIGER money is awarded on a competitive basis as "capital investments in surface transportation infrastructure projects that will have a significant impact on the Nation, a metropolitan area, or a region." Final decisions on awards will be granted in February of 2010. DDOT intends to bring the plan to 30% design phase by that time. Assuming the TIGER grants come through, construction for the project could begin by late 2010.

DC Tax Sale Canceled

Washington DC's property sale for unpaid real estate taxes was canceled today. The annual sale was scheduled to begin today, but bidders occupying seats at 941 North Capitol Street were reportedly put on hold several times, only to be told in the afternoon that the tax sale was canceled "indefinitely." DC government officials confirmed that the sale was "postponed," and would be "rescheduled," but gave no timeline for the process.

Registration for the District's tax auction for property in tax arrears began August 31, and the auction was to have started today, lasting until all properties had been disposed of. While District officials would not comment further than to say that a challenge had been filed "to the District's right to set a threshold for the sale of delinquent real property taxes", sources said that the an investor and auction participant had filed a challenge to the process by which the District conducts auctions, seeking an injunction against the auction.

The District had delayed the previous tax sale due to the scandal in the Office of Tax and Revenue.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fenty Announces Developer for Deanwood Affordable Housing

Deanwood has been grabbing headlines left and right this summer. Today, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty announced that Denning Development, Urban Matters Development Partners and Beulah Community Improvement will develop the two parcels at 400-414 Eastern Avenue, NE (now a vacant building) and the empty 6100 block of Dix Street, NE. The Dix Street and Eastern Avenue project, with 56 new, affordable, three bedroom townhomes, joined the pipeline of new projects promising affordable housing and jobs for area residents. Other new Ward 7 redevelopment projects include the Strand Theater, the opening of Marvin Gaye Park and last week's demolition on Hayes Street.

Both projects will be developed under the purview of the District’s Nehemiah Housing Program, which builds homes for households earning between $25,000 and $75,000 per year. According to a press release issued by Washington Interfaith Network, a portion of the units may be made available as workforce housing.

Of the 56 units, 18 will be adaptive re-use and the remainder will be new construction. The townhomes will range in size from 1,484 s.f. to 1,680 s.f. At least 10 of the units will be reserved as replacement housing for families currently living in the Lincoln Heights/Richardson Dwellings community. The Mayor projected groundbreaking in February 2010. With 21 of the units scheduled for completion by "this time next year," the remainder should be completed by October of 2011. Square 134 Architects designed the new buildings.

Both sites are governed by two long-range planning initiatives – the Lincoln Heights and Richardson Dwellings New Communities Initiative Revitalization Plan and the Deanwood Strategic Development Plan – that are targeted at undoing the “blight and underinvestment” the community has suffered from over the past 40 years.

Lincoln Memorial Improvements Get Favorable Review

Much-needed changes are coming soon to the section of the National Mall surrounding the Lincoln Memorial, courtesy of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Improvements will include sidewalks along the reflecting pool, new benches and ADA access but, alas, no changes to the reflecting pool itself.

On Thursday, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) commented favorably on National Park Service (NPS) plans to rehabilitate the grounds on the east side of the Lincoln Memorial and adjacent areas in West Potomac Park, including the Reflecting Pool and Elm Walks. The latter, which extend past the World War II Memorial to 17th Street, will be refurbished with new lighting, benches, and trash receptacles.

Additionally the plan includes ADA accessible curved paths to connect Lincoln Memorial Circle with the Reflecting Pool. Other changes include a security-barrier, with NCPC recommending shorter walls than the 36-inch walls NPS had planned, to provide integrated seating without detracting from historic structures.

"They are pulling back the concrete and steel barriers and opening the vista, said NCPC Chairman John V. Cogbill, III. "The changes will allow for an unobstructed view between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument."

The project will also eventually address the source and quality of the stagnated water in the reflecting pool, but that portion will be submitted to NCPC at a later date.

Woodson High School to Start Construction, Seek Bidders

Washington DC government officials today opened bids for construction of the $100 million effort to rebuild H.D. Woodson High School. HESS began demolition almost of the post-apocalyptic structure, circa 1973, one year ago. The new High School will be the only one in the District's 7th Ward.

DC Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization (OPEFM) and HESS Construction + Engineering Services will hold a pre-bid conference on Wednesday, September 9th from 10 AM until 12 PM for Division Two Trade Contractors (Site Work, Utility, Excavation), and have issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ). The conference will be held at The Riverside Center at 5500 Foote Street, NE.

In a press release, OPEFM said they, along with HESS, are "aggressively seeking" "Certified Business Enterprises," especially those in Ward 7, as construction on the new H.D. Woodson High School gets underway, for at least 50 percent of the project’s costs.

In a June press release DC Mayor Adrian Fenty's office said the new Woodson, located at 5500 Eads Street, N.E., will also be among the D.C. Public School system’s most environmentally sensitive facility as it seeks the highest Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for “green” building development. The new school is designed by Cox Grae and Spack Architects and SHW Group.

Better DC Coming to a Park Near You

For every 1000 residents in DC there are 16 acres of park land; are you getting your 0.016 acres worth? As soon as October 1st, the public will have access to the CapitalSpace draft recommendations on parks, with 60 days for feedback. The CapitalSpace initiative is a collaboration of local and federal agencies whose goal is to ensure a thriving parks system in DC by facing challenges posed by maintenance, connectivity, accessibility and quality. If you ever wished there were more playing fields (Frisbee anyone?) or a more accessible path to a park near you, now's your chance. A final plan is expected in the beginning of 2010.

The CapitalSpace program began as a District initiative, with the District Office of Planning and Department of Parks and Recreation partnering with the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), later adding the National Park Service (NPS), which manages 68% of District park land. The collaboration began in 2006. Julia Koster, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at NCPC, described the group as people from different organizations "who shared a passion [for] creating, beautiful accessible parks."

CapitalSpace set out "six big ideas" or areas where the organizations intend to cooperate to make changes and improvements. The six are:

1. Linking the Fort Circle Parks: Creating a walkable green space with historic significance by connecting the series of defensive Civil War forts located in upper NE DC and the southeastern part of the city across the Anacostia.

2. Enhancing Center City Parks: With 30 percent of the city’s future housing growth and 70 percent of job growth likely to occur downtown and along the Anacostia River, the parks in these areas add vibrancy and will be in high demand for active uses. Several case studies will provide the best practices to balance historic character with the demand for new and more active uses. Picture, if you will, picnic and live music in McPherson Square.

3. Transforming Small Parks: Of the city's parks, 67% are small (less than one acre) and, while some get a lot of use from neighborhoods, others have fallen into disrepair. Reinvigorating small green spaces with recreational and historic/cultural significance could provide a meaningful identity for the surrounding community.4. Enhancing Urban Natural Area: In addition to providing recreational areas, the parks protect natural features and ecological functions. Current standards are not always sufficient or well enforced. The plan would redouble efforts to repair and improve the natural benefits of parks.

5. Improving Playfields: While Washington has over 1,000 fields, playgrounds and courts, the expected population growth will mean even more demand for the limited fields available. Currently there are 2.17 fields (including soccer, football, baseball and softball) per 10,000 residents. DC compares poorly to other cities - Boston, Philadelphia and even Baltimore average 3.84 fields per 10,000 residents. The plan will improve current fields and may identify one or more locations to create complexes of regulation size fields in the city.

6. Improving Public School Yards: DC Public Schools (DCPS) run 30% of the city's fields, playground and courts. Hours are inconsistent, and, with school closures, the community is losing acreage. The partnership suggests working together to extend hours of operation, provide safer access to facilities and improve quality.

It is still unclear how the various plans will be funded and in what order of priority. Tammy Stidham, Regional GIS Coordinator for the NPS, said there is no collective pot of money because of issues with mixing state and federal funds. But the group hopes to determine funding on a case-by-case basis to see where jurisdictions overlap and create a division of responsibilities.

Images by EDAW AECOM provided courtesy of the National Capital Planning Commission.

Deanwood Swaps Abandoned Apartments for New Housing

In a continuing effort to rejuvenate poverty and crime-ridden areas, Blue Skye Development and DC Mayor Adrian Fenty moved some dirt around a 26-unit housing project at 4427 Hayes Street in Washington's Deanwood neighborhood on Wednesday, a symbolic opening for the project. Having sat vacant for nearly 15 years, the 29,000 s.f. building is now a shell, which Blue Skye has gutted and will renovate. The $5 million project is expected to deliver new homes by summer of 2010.

The District acquired the land in 2005 using federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grants, and has since gone through several aborted development attempts. In March of 2008, the District selected Blue Skye Development to develop the space after a competitive solicitation process. The architects for the project are PGN Architects. PNC Financial Services Group, working with Vornado/Charles E. Smith, contributed $700,000 toward the project as part of a community services benefits package tied to PNC's new downtown building’s zoning approvals. “We are committed to enhancing the quality of life in our city—not just through development downtown, but through transformational projects like this that help make our DC neighborhoods great places to live,” said Mitchell N. Schear, President of Vornado/Charles E. Smith.

These 26 new one and two-bedroom units are part of the District's New Communities Initiative, which aims to replace highly concentrated low-income neighborhoods with mixed-income neighborhoods that still protect low-income residents by offering one-for-one replacement of previous units. The Hayes Street project includes nine replacement housing units for families currently living in the Lincoln Heights/Richardson Dwellings community.

Drug and Crime Infested DC Housing Project Meets Its Match

A formerly crime and drug infested building met its match today as officials marked the final phase of demolition of Capitol View Plaza Towers, a long-vacant public housing eyesore in the District’s Marshall Heights neighborhood. Despite several earlier-contemplated residential and mixed-use plans, the site has no clear future as DC officials continue checking the couch cushions for financing. Initially the District did not even have the financing to demolish the abandoned structure, but a $3 million grant from the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) made it possible. While an empty lot may be more desirable than an eyesore, it is not much of an improvement for land that serves as the gateway to the city from Maryland's Prince George's County, just a block down the road.

Most recently, the plan for the site was to create a new multifamily rental building as well as market-rate condos. However, Kerry Smyser, the Project Manager at DCHA, said that with the finance market and condo market the way they are, that plan is no longer feasible. Smyser added that since the two towers from today's demolition are part of the Capitol Gateway project, A&R Development Corporation and Henson Development Company, as the Gateway's developers, would have first right to develop any plan the government decides on. Failing that, the District could then issue an RFP. According to Cymando Henley, a spokesperson for DCHA, the District will "look at all the options and decide what is best for the community."

In 2000, under the administration of former DC Mayor Anthony Williams, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allotted a $30.8 million grant under its HOPE VI program to the redevelopment of Capitol View Plaza's 12-story tower. The HOPE grants also applied to neighboring public housing which is now the Capitol residential project. In April, Smyser said that phase I of that development has delivered “nearly 240 duplexes, townhouses and single-family homes.” The HOPE grants allow for a combination of mixed income and mixed-use projects, which have in the past included community centers as well as residential buildings.

Today's demolition was a more public display of the slow dismantling of the building which has been underway since July. The local fire department, Engine 30, has been closely watching the progress and will be celebrating the demolition. According to their blog the "buildings when occupied, would average 5-7 medical locals a tour for the companies, with the rare, but spectacular fire." Comments from former residents told horror stories of murders in elevators and crack addicts in the stairwells. No more drugs, no more murders, no more fire engines. Things are looking up.

DC Mayor Adrian Fenty was joined by Michael Kelly, executive director of the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA), and Leila Edmonds, director of the DCHD. Though Fenty was at the helm today, the Wrecking Corporation of America will continue the demolition, which will complete in 2010.


UPDATE: After DCMud published this story on Wednesday, the Washington Business Journal published a conflicting and incorrect account on Thursday, indicating that Capitol View would "ultimately include 761 mixed-income units and a 110,000-square-foot retail center featuring a Shoppers Food Warehouse." Several readers asked us which was right. To clarify, the Capitol View Towers are not currently slated for any defined use. Kerry Smyser of DCHA confirmed that there were no plans for Capitol View, the last time a plan had been established was 2005, but that those were now defunct.

Also, the Shoppers Food Warehouse referred to by WBJ will not be a part of Capitol View, it will be a part of Capitol Gateway, on the north side of East Capitol Street. Behind the Gateway project in northeast are 151 senior-housing units. Add the senior housing to the new townhouses adjacent to Captiol View, and the "Capitol Gateway" area has a total of 371 units built. Smyser indicated that the original HUD report had predicted 761 units for the entire Capitol Gateway Project, including potential units at Capitol View, but that those numbers were no longer accurate.

Bethesda's Battery Park Gets Recharged?

Can large condominium projects improve the aesthetics of an urban park? In the case of Bethesda's Battery Lane Urban Park, the answer may be yes. Montgomery County has approved a plan to renovate and improve the degraded Woodmont Triangle park, at the expense of local condominium developers. Planning is complete, with upgrades that will retain the general feel and facilities of Battery Park, while seeking to "enhance both active and passive recreation opportunities" within. Potential enhancements include a widened bike path, more attractive park entrances, relocation of utilities underground, a new gathering area for picnics, enlargement of the playground, and, less predictably, adding an "art and science theme into the site furnishings." Landscape architect Oculus has already prepared a detailed project plan, which the county approved, though the project would still require construction documents. The wrinkle? The $2.1m price tag for planning and construction. The initial planning documents were picked up by Polinger, Shannon and Luchs, the developer, on paper, of the nearby Rugby Condominium, a 61-unit project at 4851 Rugby Avenue that has yet to break ground, in lieu of public space amenities the developer would have been required to build. The Rugby condo developer had been rebuffed in its efforts to build a 10-story, 71-unit building to the immediate southeast of the park, but a little shrinkage (to 9 stories) and a donation for park love helped cement approval, but construction on the condo shows no signs of commencement. But that still leaves the county to come up with the remainder of the $2.1m, which, according to MNCPPC, the county is not even close to. Perhaps a few more condo projects could overcome the shortfall. Architects envision regrading the layout and replacing weed trees with native hardwoods, while removing some of the trees that block sitelines through the park. The extreme makeover also foresees acquisition of the two properties at the southern end of the park for better frontage along Rugby Avenue. Planners will likely close the park for the duration of construction, but that has yet to be determined. "The trick was to add and improve features to the park without damaging the things that people enjoy" said Justin Aff, a landscape architect with Oculus, who noted "alot of drainage issues" in the park at present. Oculus has also designed southwest waterfront metro plaza, which is in the final stage of construction. Polinger would not comment for this story.

Washington DC commercial real estate

Columbia Pike Apartment Building Gets Ready to Open

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

Virginia commercial real estate news