K Street Redesign: And the Winner Is...

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has chosen a plan for remaking K Street downtown into a two-lane center transit way with loading zones, to streamline the lobbying corridor between Washington Circle and Mount Vernon Square. Throughout the fall, DDOT held a series of public meetings to allow interested parties to provide comments regarding the project. DDOT considered two build options to address infrastructure, safety, congestion and access problems in the busy K St corridor. The K St Redesign is estimated to cost $139 million, which DDOT hopes to cover entirely with federal TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) funds.

The winning design includes two center bus/transit lanes, which might allow taxis at limited 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. As for cars and pedestrians, the plan would include 200 on-street parking spaces during off-peak hours as well as on-street loading in off-peak hours, and provide a shared lane for bikes with autos and a shared lane with parking in off-peak hours.

TIGER fund recipients will be announced in February.

Washington DC real estate development news

Mark Center Drama in Alexandria

Mass murder, national security, terrorism: the usual stuff of National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) meetings. Yesterday's review of the Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) at Mark Center, part of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) project had all sorts of unexpected drama. The rare colorful discussion included one Commissioner who cited 9/11 as the reason for his disregard for community complaints about security measures, another sardonically suggested the Army valued employees over citizens, and a neighbor who loudly drew a picture of mass murder in the cul-de-sacs of Alexandria because of the new Mark Center. The two-hour NCPC soap opera belied the stringent federally-mandated design standards for the new behemoth, which leave few design elements up for debate. The 1.7 million s.f. building, developed by Duke Realty, will sit on 16 acres of land located west of Seminary Road and I-395 in Alexandria. Duke is working with project architects HKS and WBA, Clark Construction, as well as the Army Corps of Engineers and the City of Alexandria. The two office towers are 15 and 17 stories, connecting on their first 10 floors, and will house 6,400 DOD personnel. The exteriors will feature materials that meet federally mandated security standards including blast-resistant glass and preventative measures against "progressive collapse." Even with the limited flexibility for design, the Army Corps of Engineers worked closely with the City of Alexandria to accommodate concerns raised about the size and appearance of the buildings - with space for 29,000 employees it will be one of northern Virginia's largest - which will be highly visible from the surrounding community. Updated plans include architectural refinements such as more noticeable curvature on the rooftops and an area for a public art display at the North Parking Garage, though the City remains less than thrilled with the overall design. The planned remote inspection facility (RIF) was the reason for all the shouting and name calling at the NCPC meeting. The facility, which allows for dog inspection of vehicles prior to entering the main campus, will be located in a "secure area of the east campus, over 610 feet away from the office towers," according to the NCPC staff report. 

From the beginning, the City requested this facility be located in an off site location, citing design concerns, traffic issues and worries over the safety of the community. Since the original request the Army has determined that the facility must be located on site, but has made efforts to add screening along adjoining Seminary Road to minimize its visual impact and has added a green roof to the facility. According to Peter Sholz, Senior VP of DC Operations for Duke Realty, the group has adjusted the design significantly, even adding blast-proof features to reassure the community. Sholz said about the overall design that it is "important to note that the government agreed to make some significant modifications in response to comments from the city and citizens." He added that modifications to the RIF and changes in the design such as adding a circular loop access road, pedestrian bridge, and facade changes have increased the cost of the project to the government by between $15 and $18 million. Sholz said the final project costs are hard to estimate and it is "conceivable" that the added costs could be offset through various cost saving measures the group is taking. Despite the hubbub, the designs received NCPC approval, though not unanimous, and Sholz said the project is on schedule for completion in 20 months. On a technical note, the NCPC has an advisory role in reviewing federal projects in Northern Virginia in the "environs" if DC. Generally a project comes before the NCPC and does not begin construction until it receives final review with approval and recommendations. Mark Center is an odd exception to the processes and authorities of the NCPC in that the structure, despite lacking final approval, is already at advanced stages of construction in order to meet the BRAC federally mandated September 2011 timeline. 

David Levy, NCPC Director of Urban Design and Plan Review, said the Commission gave the project foundation approval in February, hence the construction, and that yesterday's meeting addressed the preliminary and final site and building plans. The design elements for the two towers debated at yesterday's meeting have not yet been constructed, though the developers hesitated to bend to the requests from Alexandria for further adjusted building designs; the steel for the structures has already been ordered. Sholz did say that the team spoke with their steel company just yesterday to see if there was a way to change the shape of the ordered product to meet the City's design requests. Sholz's continued efforts support Levy's assertion that the NCPC approval was in part an expression of the Commission's confidence the design issues could be worked out. 

Alexandria real estate and development news

NCPC Approves Coast Guard Headquarters Design

The new United States Coast Guard (USCG) headquarters planned for St. Elizabeths is now on track to begin construction as soon as February. The latest building designs, reviewed again and approved today by the by the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), include 1.175 million s.f. of space for upwards of 3,860 employees, addressing concerns raised by NCPC last January. Among those issues are increased traffic on Shepherd Highway, the massing of the USCG building and garage, and the location of the security perimeter with respect to the historic cemetery on the site of the first national mental health facility in the country. Last August GSA awarded the $435 million construction contract to Clark Construction, WDG Architecture and HOK , with concept designs by Perkins and Will. The Coast Guard campus will be the first of 3 phases at the historic hospital. Phase 2, the center building, will house the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary's office and other "senior" staff. Phase 3 will be largely new construction for storage and other warehouse facilities. The Shepherd Highway issue is a sticky overlap of various federal authorities including the Federal Highway Administration, DHS, the General Services Administration, the National Park Service, the Department of Transportation and the Department of the Interior. DHS and GSA, along with the FHA, have determined that the highway is the best way for construction vehicles to access the West Campus to state construction. The National Park Service, which owns the land, objects because a portion would likely see permanent negative affects, but in the end the group agreed to keep exploring alternatives and continue on schedule for February construction. The Coast Guard HQ and parking garage will be built on a 118 ft slope visible from Haines Point and from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Concerns about the appearance of the HQ as seen from around the city led to reduced massing and planning for additional vegetation. The new plan also adjusts the visibility of the garage which would originally have been five levels above-grade, two below, but now proposes an inversion - only two above-grade and five below, but with an expanded footprint. The garage will provide 1,973 parking spaces and will serve both the USCG and the Department of Homeland Security headquarters. The exterior of the garage on the northern facade now swaps an extended green wall system with the previous zinc-clad frame. Finally, though the original Master Plan created a security perimeter that excluded the historic cemetery, new plans include the cemetery within the security perimeter to restore it "to its place as an integral part of the West Campus." NCPC will hear more plans in March when they review Phase 1B. 

Washington DC commercial real estate news

Office Trends: Condos on K Street

A McPherson Square office building next door to Archibald's Gentleman's Club will soon become 12 office condo units, offering ownership opportunities for businesses or organizations downtown at 1522 K Street, NW.  The 11-story, 1964 office building is undergoing a face lift at the hands the Detroit-based MayfieldGentry Realty Advisors, which purchased the property in May 2008. The office condo option is a new trend, just check out J Street's 111 K St NE building in NOMA; they're all the rage.

MayfieldGentry plans to split the 91,000 s.f. structure into ten 8,500 s.f. units and two 2,500 s.f. units and then sell the space off, floor-by-floor. According to Karen Waldon, Vice President of Asset Managment for MayfieldGentry, the company is "targeting LEED Silver" for the $6.5 million project.

The designers at Group Goetz Architects have a glass façade, updated conference and fitness facilities, and new stairs and elevator cabs in mind for the space. State-of-the-art heating and cooling systems and a 46-car garage will also be part of the finished package.

Marketing by Akridge has just begun for the space, but Waldon assures us that there has been "a lot of interest in the project." With a pitch that emphasizes tax-exempt bond financing to potential buyers as a way to make ownership in DC possible, it's not surprising that Waldon says her company hopes to "bring more of the associations and nonprofits back to downtown DC."

A final construction timeline for the project is still unclear. In mid-December Mayfield awarded the construction contract to Davis Construction to handle the heavy lifting. If all goes according to plan, downtown DC could be welcoming another crystal clear office structure to its brood as early as summer 2011.

The price per s.f. ranges from $526 to $676, which includes a build-out allowance of $60.00 per s.f. and two covered parking spaces.

Renderings provided by MayfieldGentry's brokers at Cushman and Wakefield

Washington, DC real estate and development news

District Council Hands Out Tax Breaks to Developers

Today, the District of Columbia Council approved three bills that would exempt several developers from property taxes throughout the city, with one exemption lasting indefinitely. Yup. Indefinitely. Councilmembers were handing out tax abatements like candy at a parade to Affordable Housing Opportunities Inc., Neighborhood Development Company, and Donatelli Development. The tax abatements come in exchange for residential developments that provide housing at affordable levels in communities ranging from Georgia Avenue to Columbia Heights, Congress Heights to Naylor Road. Though abatements are often offered as a preemptive tool to encourage affordable housing, the Donatelli project delivered last July; the abatement in this case softens the blow of a major condo development that turned rental when the financial headwinds were too strong.

Donatelli's Park Place, which opened atop the Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metro station last summer boasting 156 rental apartments and 5 rowhouses, offered 20% of the units to low-income tenants. Park Place is a $71 million, 200,000 square-foot housing and retail project. The abatement begins FY 2009 and exempts the developer from property taxes for the next 10 years and increases by 10% for the years 11 through 20 until the point at which the developer is paying full property taxes. In 20 years. Though, according to Brian DeBose, Communications Director for Councilmember Jim Graham, this is the an unusual request from Donatelli, whose projects have consistently set aside affordable housing, without any expectation of tax abatement. Graham saw fit to support the developer, a DC resident, and to "better advantage the building" during an economic downturn.

Neighborhood Development Company's The Heights on Georgia Avenue proposes to bring 69 new residential units and ground floor retail with half of the units set aside as affordable. The Georgia Avenue site was acquired by a partnership of NDC and Mi Casa Inc. – a DC-based non-profit that specializes in restoring aging properties and converting them into affordable housing. Architect Graham Parker designed the building, which will come in at a cost of approximately $25 million. The project received the vote of approval from the ANC for the zoning adjustments needed to bring in the development. The abatement for The Heights is the same as the Park Place abatement.

A bill submitted by Councilmember Marion Barry also provides indefinite tax abatement on two properties owned by Affordable Housing Opportunities Inc. (AHO), and even paying back taxes already received from FY 2008. The exempted are the former Wilson Court Apartments at 523-525 Mellon Street SE, purchased in 2008 for $1.5 million, and 2765 Naylor Road in SE, which the developer purchased in July 2008 for $2.8 million. Nelson Architects designed the renovations for both buildings. Plans for the former property include 36 single room units and 15 efficiencies, including two for on-site staff. The units will be made available to special needs single adults all with initial incomes at or below 30 to 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Neighbors have objected strongly to the proposed use, but Troy Swan of SOME indicated the project plans may change since the Mellon Street project did not receive any Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC). The latter AHO property on Naylor Road will include 40 units at or below 60% AMI and received a LIHTC award from the DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) in August.


The approval of AHO's abatement for Naylor Road and Mellon Street comes despite a June letter from Natwar M. Gandhi, the District's Chief Financial Officer, stating funds are "not sufficient in the FY 2009 budget or the proposed FY 2010 through FY 2013 budget" indicating the total negative fiscal impact through FY 2013 would total $383,700. Though abatement bill also includes an amendment that would supposedly offset the cost of the lost taxes through parking meters.


Washington, DC real estate and development news.

Image of 523 Mellon Street SE Courtesy of South East Socialite.

DCMud and DCRE's New Neighbors

Though we cover real estate and development all over DC and inside the Beltway, at the start of this new year we'd like to introduce a few of our new retail neighbors who joined us in the Logan Circle area in 2009. Welcome to Logan from DCMud and DCRE.

• Cork Market & Tasting Room (1805 14th Street NW; 202-265-2674): The retail side of our neighborhood wine bar opened its doors in the first week of December 2009, offering small-batch and hard to find wines in addition to a plethora of gourmet goodies. And there is truly something for all our indulgences--a morning espresso with a bacon and cheddar scone, rustic sandwiches (think salami, arugula, roasted peppers & fresh mozzarella) & homemade salads for lunch. And of course, the perfect Burgundy to start the evening. Not sure you even like Burgundy? No problem, the shop hosts wine tastings between 5-7pm every evening.

• LuLu Lemon (1461 P Street NW; 202-518-4075) That's right Dupont, we've got one too! LuLu Lemon's store on P Street lets neighbors get their fix of lots of great athletic gear for men and women, as well as a complimentary yoga class Sunday mornings at 10am and a Run Club Mondays at 6:30pm. However, if the last time you bought workout wear was when you got your striped leotard and matching headband to sweat along with Jane Fonda, be prepared that this is the upscale workout gear--yoga pants run from $74-98 a pair. The deep breathing you'll learn at the yoga classes will help when you're checking out at the register.

• Fathom Creative (1333 14th Street NW; 202-588-8100): The creative corridor continues to expand as we welcomed our new neighbor Fathom Creative to the 14th street corridor over the summer. Not only do we LOVE what they did with their building, but we are also happy to have a few more design-oriented thinkers in our neck of the woods. Aside from the typical branding, design & development, Fathom offers: content migration, search engine optimization, social media, interactive presentations--and that's just the start. And the owners, Drew & Bill, are two of the nicest guys we've met in quite some time.

Restaurants/Cafe's

• Churchkey and Birch&Barley (1337 14th Street NW; 202-567-2576): Talk about a transformation. In the space that previously housed very kitschy Dakota Cowgirl, a new bar (Churchkey) & restaurant (Birch & Barley) have opened that appears to be the Holy Grail for beer consumption. A welcome addition to the neighborhood, and just catty corner to our office, we've determined we could spend an awful lot of time working our way through their extensive collections--50 different drafts broken into categories such as: Crisp, Roast, Fruit & Spice and our personal favorite, Tart & Funky. And don't get us started on the 550+ beers they have by the bottle. For the ultimate beer enthusiast, they also break down the Brewer, Style, Alcohol by Volume, Serving Temp and Serving Vessel. Word of warning, Churchkey, opens at 4 and by 5:30 almost every seat is taken.

• Downstairs Birch & Barley is the more Zen space with its exposed brick walls, "trees" growing in the walls, stunning reclaimed hardwood floors and soft pendant lights floating around the room. While Churchkey offers more pub-like fare such as Truffled Grilled Cheese Panino and Mac & Cheese Sticks, B&B offers the heartier fare. And don't miss the Fig & Prosciutto Flatbread (which is also available in a Gluten Fee version no less). Reservations strongly recommended.

• Masa 14 (1825 14th Street NW; 202-328-1414): Our writer ran into a few of our agents here one night by coincidence, but that's not such a surprise; who wouldn't love the location, atmosphere and $4 happy hour prices that go from 5 until 7? Mmm mojitos and spicy edamame! Masa 14 is a Latin Asian fusion concept specializing in small plates--like the very yummy Crispy Crab Won Ton Rolls & the Crunchy Shrimp. And for those of you looking for the perfect bar to stretch out at (65 feet long that is) and drink until the wee hours, you'll be happy to discover that Sunday - Thursday the restaurant is open until 2am and Friday and Saturday night until 3am. And at 1:30am, what could be a better night cap than trying out a flight from their vast array of tequilas?

• MidCity Caffe (1626 14th Street NW; 202-234-1515): MidCity opened as the local cafe above Miss Pixie's in August of this year. It's funky interior is always filled with writers, students and lovers of good coffee- they serve the ultimate hipster coffee- Counter Culture Coffee. And apparently all their baked goods come from a collection of "DC-based pastry gurus." Drop by every other Tuesday to hear live music from local artists.

• Pitango Gelato (1451 P Street NW; 202-332-8877): Not just the source of a summertime treat, this neighborhood Gelato Cafe also offers fresh espresso and AMAZING hot chocolate. They also don't skimp on the quality: they don't just use "milk," they use "grass-fed organic milk". Pistachios and hazelnut paste are imported from Italy. This self-indulgence in a cup is not a cheap treat; small cups are just over $5. However, after trying the hazelnut gelato and coconut sorbet, we realized why all those people have been patiently standing in line out onto the sidewalk since they opened.

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Washington DC retail news

L'Enfant Terrible by Andrew Cocke

DC Mud is pleased to announce it’s new architecture column, “L’Enfant Terrible” by Andrew Cocke. Though he left his urban heart in Manhattan years ago, Andrew is a Washington native, returning in 2007 after living and working in New York, San Francisco, Berlin, Shanghai and Hong Kong. He studied architecture and planning at Virginia and Yale, is LEED accredited, and teaches architecture at the Catholic University of America. He started his practice, HERE design in 2006 which specializes in high performance sustainable design.


Washington has been the best supporting actor in many Hollywood movies, but none more wonderfully campy than the 1976 B-movie classic, Logan’s Run. Set in an domed utopia bearing more than a passing resemblance to Crystal City, the movie depicts a 23rd-century society that deals with that quaint 1970s obsession of overpopulation by “renewing” (vaporizing) anyone over thirty.

Late in the movie when Logan and his love interest escape bleary-eyed from their subterranean city and stumble on the ruins of the Lincoln Memorial, gazing on Lincoln’s chiseled visage Logan haltingly intones, “That must be what it looks like to grow. . . old.”

He might just as easily have been talking about all of Washington. Washington IS old. All that limestone, marble, and granite is calculated to make our young democracy seem both aged and ageless. If you want the constant churn of glass, steel, and concrete capitalism, the New York is your capitol.

But look around Washington today, away from the hallowed halls and stately buildings, and you’ll find a growing resistance to the cult of the old; new buildings, parks, and streets that rival anything strutting down the architectural runways of New York. After years of epidemic drug violence and bureaucratic ineptitude, Washington has been transformed by tireless neighborhood groups, business owners, civic leaders, progressive politicians and some very smart designers—transformed into a city where design matters. Even developers, who historically deserve much of the blame for Washington’s bad buildings and reputation as an architectural backwater, have made great strides toward architectural excellence.

Having grown up in the Washington area, I had written off DC years ago and have spent most of my career learning from “better” cities—cities like New York, San Francisco, Berlin, even Hong Kong and Shanghai. I was largely unaware of the District’s transformation until returning in 2007, the same year the District was named the most walkable city in the nation. (New York ranked 10th).

In spite of the recession, the stalled developments across the city, and Metro’s chronic troubles, Washington continues to improve. But we have a long way still to go! Every bad building, every concession to Washington’s fiscal and aesthetic conservatism is a missed opportunity that will remain on the books for decades.

L’Enfant Terrible is not merely an unruly child, but the embarrassingly candid, often impolite, sometimes sage, but always insightful, guileless naif. In Logan’s domed utopia, I would have been vaporized long ago, but given the pace of development, all Washingtonians feel like kids again; adventuring in a city that grows newer, younger, and more interesting by the day.

Development and DC's Population Surge: 600,000 Souls and Counting

Though the economy is stagnant - or perhaps because it is and DC is basking in the glow of federal largesse - Washington DC's population growth is surging. The District released statistics today finding that in 2009 the city added nearly 10,000 new residents, its biggest percentage one-year gain since WWII, outpaced only by Utah (those Mormons), Texas (immigrants), Colorado (blame the scenery) and Wyoming (no idea why). The growth brings the city’s total population just a few sets of octuplets short of 600,000 residents, according to recently released estimates by the United States Census Bureau. DC continues to hold the record for the highest growth of any "federal district" in the continental U.S. Ahem. According to a press release from the Mayor's Office, the growth can be attributed to a combination of housing supply, better neighborhoods, new births and residents moving to the District from other states and overseas. Mayor Adrian Fenty took some credit, boasting “this kind of growth will only continue as more people see how we are working to improve our schools, provide more transportation options and build healthier, safer, more vibrant neighborhoods.” There might certainly be something to it from a development perspective. In the past few years, several large, government-lauded residential project have opened to dramatically increase the stock of homes throughout the city. New buildings drew in residents creating dense populations, in previously low-density areas. Within the past 2 years, numerous projects have opened and begun filling with residents; projects like City Vista, (over 600 apartments and condos), EYA's Capitol Quarter (more than 300 townhouses), 22 West (95 units), JPI's three residential projects in the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood (960 apartments),Allegro Apartments (269 rental units), Kenyon Square (157 condos), Union Row (269 units), and Highland Park (229 apartments); in these 9 projects alone nearly 2900 housing units were added, most of which are now nearly fully occupied. So the growth could be a sign of improvements for all real estate developers who have been holding their breath, waiting for 2008 and, now, 2009 to pass.

Washington DC retail and commercial real estate development news

West End Development Showdown

Two months after the drop-dead date for responses to the West End Development solicitation, the parties have released more information about what might replace the aging city-owned sites. Eastbanc-W.D.C. Partners is vying for the parcels, which it briefly controlled two years ago, against a team comprised of Toll Brothers, Paramount Development and Torti Gallas. At a recent community meeting the two groups presented their plans for the sites which include the West End Library, fire station, and special operations police unit. Neighbors have been told to expect a final decision this spring.

According to DMPED Communications Director, Sean Madigan, the Toll Brothers and Eastbanc offers were the only two received in response to the July solicitation. The December 17th community meeting was an opportunity for the groups to show off their plans and answer questions from an often outspoken neighborhood. Local residents became incensed over the lack of BID competition in 2007 when the District attempted to sell the land to Eastbanc Development, which developed the Ritz Carlton hotel and condo and 22 West condos, but which the community viewed as not arms-length.

EastBanc's plans for Square 37, the current site of the library, would create a 20,765 s.f. ground floor library with a 10-story residence above (rendering at left). Designed by LeMay Erickson Wilcox Architects, the plans call for approximately 153 market-rate residential units on the 2nd through 10th floors, and 9,000 s.f. of ground floor retail.

Eastbanc's plans for Square 50 - the fire station - include a replacement fire station on the ground floor and mezzanine with 52 affordable residential units on the 2nd through 4th floors.

At the public presentation Eastbanc responded to questions about including a grocery store in their plan. An Eastbanc representative explained that the group "can and would build a supermarket on site if the community and city united to support it," adding that so far the group has "heard more opposition than support."

The Toll Brother's - Torti Gallas-designed plan for the library calls for 48,000 s.f. of retail, including a 40,000 s.f. grocery store. The library, which the solicitation encouraged developers to keep in the immediate vicinity, would remain in place; 21,300 s.f. on two levels. To top it off, the building will be designed to LEED Silver standards and include as many as 220 residential condos (with views of New York City, if the submitted renderings are accurate).

The group did not submit a plan for the site of the fire station. At the public meeting a Toll Brother's spokesperson explained the decision, saying "if there were some flexibility in some other areas of the Project...we would be willing to discuss subsidizing the construction of the new fire station in Square 50, but we would not be interested in purchasing this site from the District."

Now with two options for Square 37 and only one for Square 50, the DMPED's office will review the community concerns, which they will continue to accept through January, and may eventually request a "best and final offer" from the developer that demonstrates a response to community feedback. A decision should be made by the spring, said Madigan, at which point the land disposition negotiations will begin. Madigan indicate that process could take between 6 and 12 months, and would end with review by the City Council.

Eastbanc had been awarded development rights to the site in 2007, but an outcry over the non-competitive award caused the Council to revoke the grant. Eastbanc was one of the partners awarded the rights to develop the Hine School at the Eastern Market last September.

Washington, D.C. real estate development news

DCMud's 2009 Year in Review

DCMud looks back on 2009 by presenting the real estate year in review. In what might go down as "The year nothing got built," officials and builders at least found time set up the pins for 2010. And while 2009 is a year most real estate professionals would like to pretend never happened, it did.  Here's the best and the worst: 

Howard Theater Plans Approved (Jan 1) - The District approved plans to turn historic but dilapidated Howard Theater into an arts venue. Ellis Development expected work to begin by summer, but financing obstacles have left the building unmolested. 

Hilton Gets OK'd (Jan 2) - Lowe Enterprises received approval by the HPRB to renovate the "Hinkley" Hilton hotel and add a large residential tower on the site of its outdoor pool.  Renovation work got underway in the spring, closing the pool, but the condo tower appears far off. 

Work Begins on East-West Apartment Project (Jan 6) Post Properties began work on their 364 apartments in Hyattsville, MD. 

DC's Southwest Fish Market Loses Shacks (Jan 8) Several fish shacks on the waterfront were ordered razed as part of the plans for PN Hoffman to build its massive mixed-use waterfront community nearby, but the project remains a long way off. 

Ft. Totten Promises Development (Jan 14) Mayor Fenty joined Lowe Enterprises to announce the sale of 9 acres at Ft. Totten that will house nearly 900 new apartments, but work is not anticipated in the near future. 

Eckington Convent Gets Moving (Jan 15) In a literal push for affordable housing, Northstar Development tugged a historic convent to a new site to make way for a large, low-income housing project. Neighbors were less than thrilled about yet more affordable housing in the area. 

Montgomery County Votes to Endorse Purple Line (Jan 21) Amid copious argument, county planners said yes to adding a light rail line to the bike trail, enabling construction of the Purple Line from Bethesda to New Carrollton. 

Developers Propose Razing Meads Row (Jan 21) Owners of historic rowhouses on the 1300 block of H Street proposed knocking down the old beauty queens to replace them with a parking lot. Neighbors did not love the idea.

McMillan Sand Filtration Plans Get First Details (Jan 24) Developers chosen to build the crumbling McMillan site showed the public initial designs and ideas they hope will turn the vacant patch into a thriving town center.

Bethesda Post Office To Turn into Mixed-Use Project (Jan 27) The Post Office at 7001 Arlington Road received approval to turn it into a mixed-use development with 105 residences, thanks to Arlington-based Keating Development and KGD Architects, work has not yet begun. 

Eisenhower Ave Towers Approved (Jan 25) Lane Development's 22-story, 4-building complex on Eisenhower Avenue received initial design approval. The county voted June 13th in favor of the project. Much work remains before towers stand alongside the beltway. 

Alexandria Goes Green (Jan 26) - A working group adopted a LEED-certified plan for all buildings in Alexandria requiring special approval. The recommended standards are not binding. 

Auctioning Babe's (Jan 30) - Having kicked out rent-paying tenant Babe's Billiards, Clemens Construction was unable to get support for its years of effort to build a condo, and having paid $7.4m for the site, the wait couldn't last forever. The property was foreclosed, and Douglas Development added the real estate to its portfolio, intending retail, but the space remains vacant. 

Poplar Point Development Abandoned (Jan 31) - The District government and Clark Realty decided developing the 110-acre parcel of prime waterfront space wasn't such a good idea after all, calling the whole thing off.

Institute of Peace Gets Underway on the Mall (Feb 2) The five-story building, now nearly complete, took the place of a parking lot near the Lincoln Memorial. The building was designed by Moshe Safie and Associates, in the hopes of fostering world peace. Meanwhile, world strife continued. 

Kettler Produces Another Crystal City Project (Feb 3) Kettler began the third phase of its 10-building, 8-phase Metropolitan Park Development with a 411-unit apartment building designed by Dorsky Hodgson Parrish Yue. 

Fitz Condos in Rockville Auctions Remaining Units (Feb 10) Condo developer Elad ended nearly 5 years of marketing on the Fitz condos and sent the remaining 40 units of the 221-unit building to auction. In October, Elad did the same for the Colonnade, its Gaithersburg condo project. 

Metro station at Potomac Yards (Feb 11) Alexandria formally established a working group to explore the technical and practical viability of a metro station at the Yards, in preparation for further real estate development that does not choke area roads. 

Del Ray Apartments Roll Out (Feb 13) Work began turning vacant storefronts into 141 apartment units in the Del Ray section of Alexandria. 

Mixed-Use in College Park (Feb 24) The Mark Vogel Companies got the go-ahead for the Varsity, a 258-unit mixed-use apartment building in College Park. 

JBG Gets OK for Whitman Walker condos (Feb 25) After getting bashed by grumpy neighbors, the ANC, and HPRB for designs that seemed to please no one, JBG Companies and architect Shalom Baranes tweaked the designs to get the green light to build condos on the site of the Whitman Walker clinic on 14th Street.

JBG Plans 4-Star Hotel for U Street (March 2) JBG began plans to build a 250-bed luxury hotel in place of the Rite Aid, on a strip once known for its destruction in the '68 riots. 

Riverfront's Canal Park Steps Forward (March 25) Canal Park, a 3-block park through southeast's Capitol Riverfront, moved closer to reality when OLIN was named as the landscape architect for the project.

DCMud Chosen as Best Real Estate Blog (March 26) CityPaper selects this real estate journal in its annual "Best of DC."  Thank you, and thank you to our readers for all your feedback. 

Smithsonian Designs New Museum (March 30) The Smithsonian unveiled designs for its museum of African American History at 15th and Constitution on the National Mall. The Institute also said its costs had nearly doubled, to $500m. The following month, the Smithsonian announced that the Freelon Group, Adjaye Associates and Davis Brody Bond in association with SmithGroup were chosen to carry out the design. 

Frank Ghery Selected to Design Eisenhower Memorial (April 3) The memorial to the General and President will be built on Independence Avenue, between 4th and 5th Streets. 

District Selects Team to Redevelop SW Site (April 6) DC Selects Potomac Investment Properties, City Partners and Adams Investment Group to build half a million square feet of office and retail, and replace the fire station. 

Towers on the Way for New York Avenue (April 7) Bozzuto said it would soon begin building a 13-story residential building at 460 New York Avenue, and possibly makeover the abandoned warehouse too.

Donohoe Unveils Big Plans for Bethesda (April 16) The developer will build 81,000 s.f. of office, 457 residential units, and retail, on two sites in the Woodmont Triangle of Bethesda. 

Social Safeway Says Goodbye (April 20) The preeminent Georgetown grocer announced it would shut its doors and rebuild from ground up, but will it still be "social"? 

JPI unveils southeast DC apartments (April 22) JPI completed the 421-unit 909 at Capitol Yards, as well as the Axiom and Jefferson, a threesome of large apartment buildings near the new ballpark, bringing life to the "Capitol Riverfront" neighborhood. 

Arlington's First Platinum Residences (April 28) Erkiletion Development won approval from Arlington for a LEED Gold, 16-story apartment building in Courthouse, a 254-unit apartment designed by the Lessard Group. (see picture at right)

JBG wins approval for Bethesda Row centerpiece (May 5) The Planning Board said yes to Woodmont East, a 250-unit residence and separate office building built around the bike trail. 

High-rise Planned for Downtown Bethesda (May 23) The Clarrett Group announced plans to build an office building on the site of the McDonalds and its parking lot. 

Noma Gets its First Hotel (June 3) The Finvarb Companies and Marriott joined for a new hotel, one of many new Marriotts in the DC area, but the first place to sleep in Noma. 

Floridian Goes South (June 9) Sales at Kady Development's condo project, a bit of South Beach on Florida Ave., were stopped by the bank. 

Room and Board Picks 14th St. for DC (June 10) The retailer added to the growing 14th Street retail corridor. The store should open in the 2nd half of 2010. 

Founders Square Begins Demolition Work in Ballston (June 17) Work begins on the WMATA site that Shooshan will turn into two office towers and a sizable residential building. 

W Comes to DC (June 24) After a few changes in ownership, the Starwood Capital Group purchased the fading Hotel Washington, making it hip once again. 

Eastern Market Reopens (June 25) After a fire gutted the beloved market, the city had a new one built, with improvements to boot. 

JBG Gets Approval for Massive Twinbrook Project (June 29) The developer plans for Twinbrook Station, a 2.2 million square foot complex at the Twinbrook Metro. 

Florida Avenue Gets Jazzed (July 7) Banneker Ventures promised it was partnering with Bank of America to get going on the Florida Avenue project it won from WMATA more than a year ago, but which had not gotten underway; work has not yet begun. 

DC Passes Bill for Convention Center Hotel (July 14) Quadrangle Development is to build the 1100 room Marriott, but JBG protests the selection process, and the site remains a parking lot. 

DC Seeks to Finish Off West End (July 15) The District sought a developer for 3 low-density parcels, anomalies in the now-dense neighborhood. 

Curtain Call for Takoma Theater (Aug 1) Owners of the Takoma Theater promised to bring down the house, literally, to make way for an office building, then a theater, but the community is calling for an encore. 

Penn Quarter Gets Luxury Apartment Building (Aug 4) Hanover Co. opened its first DC-area project at Judiciary Square (see picture at right), while building another in Falls Church. 

District Cancels Lincoln Theater Development (Aug 6) Quietly, the District government withdrew its plans to redevelop the back lot, a scheme that would have helped fund the struggling theater.

Arbor Place Returns (Aug 7) Scrapping plans to build as many as 3500 market-rate residential units on outer New York Avenue, Abdo shifts in favor of less than half as many subsidized homes. 

DC Mandates Subsidized Housing (Aug 11) After the Executive Branch slowed the process, the Council finally got its way and forced builders to provide the city with cheap housing for the poor. 

Columbia Pike Lurches Ahead (Aug 20) After seceding from Virginia (bureaucratically), the Pike gets 325 new residences underway at Penrose Square. 

Southwest Towers Foreclosed (Aug 21) Fairfield Residential loses its grasp on The View, a refurbished apartment building in southwest DC, in another foreclosure statistic for the real estate market. 

Montgomery County Gets Taller (Aug 21) JBG caps its 24-story residential tower on Rockville Pike, making it the new tallest residence in Montgomery County. 

St. Elizabeths Team Chosen (Aug 28) The GSA selected Clark, WDG, and HOK to build out the new landlocked Coast Guard Headquarters, in what will be one of the largest construction sites in the District of Columbia. Less than a month later, the Feds broke ground on the site.

NoMa Caps Largest Mixed-Use Building (Sept 1) Soon residents will outnumber construction workers in Noma, as StonebridgeCarras and SK&I Architects finish 440 apartments and a hotel, possibly in early 2010. (see picture at left)

A Giant Delay (Oct 1) Street-Works vision for a large mixed-use replacement for the forlorn low-rise Giant on Wisconsin seemed to please no one, but developer Bozzuto plows ahead and discussions move forward. 

Park Morton Team Moves Forward? (Oct 7) Washington DC officials picked the team to build the capacious Georgia Avenue project - now with the Central Union Mission site included. Probably. Someday.

Clarendon's Affordable Housing Breaks Ground (Oct 15) The Views at Clarendon starts work on 116 mixed-income units after a long zoning dispute, going up to the Supreme Court, gets resolved. 

Northwest One Team Selected (Oct 27) The massive project that could transform the area close to the Capitol Building is set in motion, but the Mayor's choice of real estate developer raises eyebrows on the Council. 

Silver Spring Designs Downtown Library (Oct 29) The county releases its plans for the urban repository; the new building will straddle the new Purple Line, someday, when further details are worked out. 

Capitol Hill's Big Dig (Nov 15) CSX says it needs to tear up Virginia Avenue to rebuild the train tracks, just when residents of southeast DC thought construction in the neighborhood was nearly complete.

Bethesda's Parking Quagmire (Dec 2) Montgomery County wants PN Hoffman and Stonebridge to build 1100 parking spaces below Bethesda Row, but the $80,000-per-space sticker gives some locals road rage. (rendering at right)

Street Cars are Here (Dec 16) At long last, H Street's public transport arrives from Europe, but DC officials say that getting them running in Northeast is another matter.

District Libraries Prepare for Full Body Makeover

Two District of Columbia public libraries are seeking approval to raze their current buildings to make room for a total makeover in 2010. The dazzling new 20,000 s.f., LEED-certified buildings should be back in service to the surrounding communities by 2011. The new Washington Highlands Neighborhood Library at 115 Atlantic Street, SW, and Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library at 3660 Alabama Avenue, SE are designed by international architects Adjaye Associates along with Wiencek and Associates, who were awarded over $2.6 million for the designs.

The construction contracts differ from many District contracts in that an initial small amount is paid to the construction contractors as they negotiate their way through the design process with the architects. Then the contractors will proffer an estimated maximum construction cost, which will have to go before the City Council for approval. According to George Williams, spokesperson for the DCPL, the estimated costs for construction at each library is $10 million, but total costs could range up to $16 million depending on the contractors and the City Council.

The award for construction for the Washington Highland branch went to a partnership between Coakley & Williams and Blue Skye Construction. The design, reminiscent of the Tenley Library just begun, received approval from the Commission of Fine Arts in November. Library authorities are hoping for raze approval in the end of January or early February with construction beginning shortly thereafter. The temporary location opened this month at 4037 South Capitol St., SW.

Hess Construction will partner with Broughton Construction Company LLC to build the new Francis A. Gregory Library. DCPL submitted a raze application in October and the agency is also waiting on approval before any construction can begin.

Both new buildings will feature a public meeting room, study areas, a computer lab, and separate reading areas for children, teens and adults.

Washington, DC real estate development news

The Continuing Saga of Skyland Town Center

Apparently three hours worth of a Zoning Commission hearing was not enough time for all interested parties to have their say about Skyland Town Center, a the proposed mixed-use residential and retail development. Neighbors showed up in force to voice their concerns and hesitant support for - or outright opposition to - the project set to bring 450-500 residential units and 315,000 s.f. of retail to the intersection Alabama Avenue & Good Hope Road, SE. The five-member development team, made up of the Rappaport Companies, William C. Smith & Co., Harrison Malone Development LLC, the Marshall Heights Community Development Organization (MHCDO) and the Washington East Foundation, has been working with the community on the plans for Skyland for 7 years. The December meeting ended with a "to-be-continued" status, set to finish (in theory) February 4, 2010.

Original plans called for 80% of the residential units to be condominiums, an obvious non-starter today. According to one resident who spoke before the Zoning Commission, the community first began pushing for new development in the town center area in 1989, in 2000 then - Mayor Anthony Williams' administration chose the current development team to plan and build the mixed-use center. The DC Council has already approved a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) package to provide gap financing for the project.

Residential units will be provided in three apartment buildings and approximately 20 townhouses. Developers hope the retail will include a big box retail store, multi-neighborhood retailers, and local retailers.

ANC-7B submitted a letter of support, but it listed approximately 20 concerns or items that needed further discussions, including concerns over traffic mitigation, litter control, and promised transportation enhancements. One group of neighbors, the Ft. Baker Drive Party, remains in complete opposition citing concerns over, naturally, the proximity of the planned development to their homes. Neighbors such as Tiffany Brown, a resident of neighboring Akron Place, said they opposed any type of development on the site that added housing to the retail mix, citing abundant housing already in existence.

After three hours of testimony from the developers and residents, the Zoning Commission set the schedule for February to hear the Office of Planning's report on the project.

Washington DC real estate development news