DC Zoning Approves Abdo’s Newly Named "Arbor Place" New York Avenue Project

Abdo Development’s massive plan to develop 17 acres of auto lots and underutilized space at the intersection of New York Avenue, Bladensburg Road, and Montana Avenue NE took a significant step forward in mid-February, when the DC Zoning Commission gave its stamp of approval to the company’s $1.1 billion residential mixed-use planned unit development proposal.

Abdo (with partner Broadway Management), envisions building at new town center called "Arbor Place" (so named after the nearby National Arboretum), which will include eight 11-story residential towers (some possibly with rooftop swimming pools) containing approximately 3,600 residential units (mainly condos, with some rentals possible), plus 130,000 sf of retail facing new York Avenue, a grocery store, and the 42,000-sf "Arbor Club" health club/day car center open to public membership - all surrounding a three-acre park. Pricing is expected to be in the $450 to $475 per sf range, with about eight percent of the housing reserved as affordable housing. Abdo is currently working with WMATA to get a bus stop at the development, but will also provide a shuttle to the nearby Rhode Island metro station.

The developer plans to finish acquiring all the land by June 2007, with demolition starting in mid-2008. If all goes on schedule, the residential buildings will be ready for occupancy in late 2010.

Note: We know, we know - you all want pictures and designs. As soon as we get our hands on some, we will be sure to put them up!

Sales Begin at Jefferson Condos

Sales officially begin this weekend at The Jefferson, a new condominium converted from a historic 39-unit apartment building at Jefferson and 9th Streets in Petworth. BHI International began renovating the site in 2005, and will feature private rooftop terraces and ground-level patios with many of the units. Condos will range in size from a studio to 3-bedrooms with terrace, priced from $225,000 for a studio, with one-bedroom units starting at $285,000, and completion scheduled for May 2007. The Petworth neighborhood, historically populated by single-family homes, has recently seen an influx of developers attracted by the relative abundance of under-utilized lots and attention the District has been lavishing on Georgia Avenue, which it intends to redevelop into a commercial corridor with higher-density mixed-use projects. Petworth was given a shot in the arm last Fall when Donatelli Development began construction on Park Place, its mixed-use project above the Petworth Metro.

Changes Coming to Mount Rainier

Driving east along Rhode Island Avenue from DC toward the District line into Prince George’s County, you pass a stretch of empty buildings and lots as you cross Eastern Avenue. This 3200 block of Rhode Island Avenue was once part of the vital downtown of Mount Rainier, a charming neighborhood formed around an old rail and streetcar depot, but one still waiting for more of the revitalization that has been spreading across the Washington metro area. But plans are now being discussed to bring such change. This week, the Mount Rainier City Council heard a presentation by representatives of Landmark Developers Inc. focusing on this block as well as a large empty building on the 3100 block. One possibility is a mixed-use residential, retail, and arts-oriented development, with a parking structure to support it. The centerpiece would be a three or four-story condominium that would focus on attracting artists as residents, with the first floor being retail space for the community. Such a development would complement (and be similar to) the already-built Mount Rainier Artist Lofts at 3311 Rhode Island Avenue (pictured), an artist work-live structure (44 rental units with retail on the ground) completed in 2005 as part of the Mount Rainier, Brentwood, and Hyattsville "Gateway Arts District" project. In any event, given its location on the DC border and eclectic, small-town feel, Mount Rainier appears ready for its moment in the spotlight.

Two New Hotels to Join Development of New York Avenue NE

Once described many years ago by a local alternative paper as "The Devil's Bowling Alley" for its long stretch of dilapidated auto lots and boarded-up buildings, things are beginning to look up for New York Avenue NE. The latest news is that the joint venture of Rocks Engineering Co. and SharCon Hotel Management & Development Co. is moving forward on its development of side-by-side hotels next to the National Arboretum at the southeast intersection of New York Avenue and Bladensburg Road in the Ivy City neighborhood. The hotels will both be five-story structures, with one being a 126-room Fairfield Inn & Suites and the other a 125-unit Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites. The hotels take the place of the old, now-demolished Travelodge Hotel (pictured, officially at 1917 Bladensburg Rd NE). Both hotels are expected to be ready for occupancy in early 2008.

The developers are banking on not only the 80,000 vehicles that pass the intersection each day, but also the other major developments planned for New York Avenue NE. The projects (as have been reported in past dcmud postings) include: Abdo Development's $1 billion mixed-use "Gateway" redevelopment project of 17 acres on the north side of the Bladensburg intersection into almost 4,000 residential units, green space, and a grocery (delivery after 2009); MRP Realty’s "Washington Gateway" project, a $350 million, 150-room hotel and 250-unit residential tower development to be located along New York and Florida Avenues NE (2010 occupancy); and New Town Development LLC’s $1 billion redevelopment of the 24-acre Florida Avenue Market, located between New York and Florida Avenues NE, into 1,700 residential units and 330,000 sf of retail, restaurant, and merchandising space.

Old Post Office Due for Redevelopment

The General Service Administration and the Office of Management and Budget have begun evaluating redevelopment options for the lower levels of the famed Old Post Office on Pennsylvania Avenue. After an enthusiastic response to the GSA’s Request for Information in 2005, the two federal agencies began discussing the next steps for the 375-unit building. Federal Triangle’s Old Post Office was the largest government building and the first steel-framed building in the capital when initially built as the headquarters of the Post Office Department- an attempt to revitalize the surrounding neighborhood. Now, 100 years later, based on government and developers’ interest in the project, the building will either become a government office building, or the GSA will submit a Request for Qualifications and Proposals to gather ideas for making the Post Office a multi-use project.

Complete demolition is not a threat as it was after WWII, but under the National Historic Preservation Act the government space can be leased to private tenants, providing endless possible uses for the building. In the 80’s, the GSA tried to take advantage of this by creating retail space on the first two floors, a project that has since proved financially unsuccessful. Congress suggested that the use of the lower level space not be predetermined, but rather this redevelopment project to be used as an opportunity for developers to submit unique ideas for the building – with the stipulation that any changes made to the inside of the building during redevelopment be reversible. The decision to issue a Request for Qualifications and Proposals is still pending with no deadline, it may be a while before this historical building receives a modern internal revamp.

New Friendship Heights Commercial, Residential Center Gets Underway

Demolition has now begun on Wisconsin Place, a mixed-use, 1.1 million s.f. project at the corner of Wisconsin and Western Avenues in Chevy Chase. Wrecking crews began a very visible demolition in January of the Hecht’s department store, while the foundation is currently being poured on the 480,000 s.f. residential tower, which is expected to come out of the ground in April. The nine-building, four-architect project, developed by a partnership of New England Development Company, Archstone-Smith, and Boston Properties, will be completed by 2009, and include 423 residential units, 305,000 s.f. of office space, retail space, and a 20,000 s.f. community center.

While there are a number of prospective vendors for the town center, Whole Foods Market and Bloomingdales are the only confirmed companies at this time. The trapezoidal Wisconsin Place will front four different streets; specialty retail and office space will overlook Wisconsin Avenue and the Metro Station, while Bloomingdales and other retail space will be located at the corner of Friendship Boulevard and Western Avenue. Connected to the community center, the residential tower will encircle a courtyard, with exterior units facing the new Whole Foods Market on Willard Avenue and a one-acre park at the corner of Willard Avenue and Friendship Boulevard.

Construction on the eight-acre property began two years ago with the construction of the Bloomingdales’ parking garage on which the store will eventually sit. Hecht’s Department store remained open until late last year, a condition of NEDC’s acquisition of the property from Hecht’s parent company, May Department Store Co., but has now been closed for demolition. Bloomingdales, expected to open in September, will take Hecht’s place as the plaza’s department store. The "Residences at Wisconsin Place", developed by Archstone-Smith and designed by Bethesda-based SK&I Architects will include 423 "luxury" rental studio apartments. According to Darryl South, Vice President of Development at Archstone, the residences will feature a high percentage of glass including living rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows. Initial occupancy of these one, two, and three bedroom apartments, starting at $1700 a month, will begin in June 2008.

Washington DC real estate development news

Bethesda Church Site To Add Residential Units

If you look closely while driving west on Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda, just as you pass Glenbrook Road you will notice a small cardboard sign in front of the Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church at 8011 Old Georgetown Road announcing the possible future of new residential units just outside the downtown core of restaurants and rising condos. It appears that Bozzuto Development and the church have submitted an application with Montgomery County to change the zoning at the site from single-family to multifamily use, which would pave the way for them to build 107 new residential units, as well as make improvements to the church. A hearing on this application is scheduled for June 1, 2007, with the Montgomery County Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearings. If all approvals are met, construction is expected to begin by mid-2008 at the earliest, with completion two years after that. More details will be provided as they are learned....

NCRC, AWC Complete Land Swap; Development to Move Forward

After two years of legal wrangling and waiting, the land swap between the National Capital Revitalization Corp. (NCRC) and the Anacostia Waterfront Corp. (AWC) is finally expected to happen this month, paving the way for development at both the Southwest waterfront site along the Washington Channel and the McMillan Reservoir site in along North Capitol Street. The AWC can now move forward with its $800 million project to develop the 47 acres along the Southwest waterfront into "maritime-themed" housing and retail (pictured). The AWC awarded this project to the DC-based venture of PN Hoffman and Struever Brothers Eccles & Rouse last Fall. Meanwhile, the NCRC can now focus on plans for the 25-acre former McMillan sand filtration property, located just north of the US Capitol. In October, the NCRC announced that 5 development teams responded to its solicitation for development of Phase I of the McMillan site along, with the respondents being Horning Brothers, Republic Land Development, KSI Services, Inc., EYA and EastBanc, Inc. Original plans incorporated massive mixed-use development, including 1200 residential units, with affordable housing, 100,000 sf of retail, a community center and "cultural center." No timeline has been set for choosing the developer.

National Gateway Developer Sells Hotel Portion to Marriott

Meridian Group, which is developing the massive National Gateway project just west of Reagan National Airport with partner Archon Group, has decided to sell the 2-acre plot in the project zoned for hotel use to Marriott International, which is planning to place two hotels (a Residence Inn and a Renaissance) on the site with a total of 625 rooms. No sales price was disclosed, nor is there a known timetable for the hotels to be built. Progress is being made on the National Gateway project, a mixed-use development slated for the Potomac Yard area along Route 1 between Crystal City and Alexandria, with Meridian and Archon reportedly ready to break ground this Spring on one of the project's office buildings, with completion targeted for 2009. When finally built (no final completion date has yet been set), the overall National Gateway project - which also includes developers Comstock and Camden Realty – will cost over $1 billion and contain 2.2 million sf of office space, 1,550 apartments and condo units totaling 880,000 sf, the two aforementioned hotels, and retail space totaling 210,000 sf, including a Harris Teeter grocery store. Arlington Virginia real estate development news

Shirlington Hotel Approved

Arlington County gave approval this week for a final site plan application by Shirlington HHG Hotel Development on Arlington Mill Drive in Shirlington across from Jennie Dean Park. The proposal for the project, located at the corner of South Stafford St., was for a 7-story, 142-room Hilton (110,000 s.f.) located on a 0.79 acre parcel with street-level retail. The masonry structure with red, blond, and buff colored brick will feature a mix of studio, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom units, indoor pool, and provide parking with a residential garage located across S. Stafford Street. The entrance will face South Stafford St., and the developer will improve landscaping and sidewalks surrounding the building as part of the project. The county is requiring a minimum LEED score for the project, though the developer does not intend to seek certification for the project.

This hotel was initially given the green light by the County Board in late 2000 as part of a larger development by the Federal Realty Investment Trust, a nationwide developer which has been a shaping force in Shirlington. The completion of the hotel will be the final element of the Phase II plan.

Abdo to Expand Arlington Holdings, Buys Land Across From Its Mercer and Wooster Project

Jim Abdo must like what it sees when surveying the sites from his new Mercer and Wooster Lofts condo project in Arlington along Clarendon Boulevard between Rosslyn and Courthouse. That would explain his company’s recent purchase for $42.2 million of five lots, bounded by North Quinn, and North Queen Streets, 16th Road and Clarendon Boulevard, across from his existing complex. While no plans have been drawn up yet for this stretch of street, Abdo is contemplating building residential condos. Currently the lots hold aging garden apartment buildings and a single-family home – most likely these will be demolished. Sales at the Wooster and Mercer Lofts (pictured) started last Fall, with delivery expected this year. The Mercer will house 34 condo units averaging about 1,500 sf, while its sister Wooster will contain 53 units. Both brick structures will feature 17-foot ceilings and floating stairs, penthouses with 21-foot high living spaces, private roof terraces, and underground parking and storage. There will also be a garden pool between the buildings. Pricing begins in the $500,000s and goes up to $2 million.

Camden USA Buys a Piece of NoMa Pie

Last week, Camden USA purchased 60 L St., NE, a 71,000 s.f. site, joining the laundry list of developers vying to join the NoMa development surge. This location has become a hot potato, belonging to three different companies in the last three months. As we previously reported, 60 L St. belonged to J Street Development and was called “First Place”; it was then sold to Tishman Real Estate Services. While Tishman won’t comment on the quick turnaround of land ownership, the lot was then sold to Camden USA, a Houston-based company with projects throughout the Mid-Atlantic and lower half of the United States, which plans to turn the site into a two-building, 700 residential unit project designed by WDG Architecture. Located between Tishman Speyer’s remaining property on L Street and J Street Development’s Property on North Capital St., Camden’s “luxury” apartment high-rises will begin the first phase of construction in mid 2008. Ginger Ackiss, Vice President of Camden’s Real Estate Investments in the DC area, said the first phase will include 315 “luxury” apartments rather than condominiums, followed by 375 units in the second phase. While the project is still in the permit process, Camden is happy to have its foot in the door. Ackiss said, “We wanted to get into NoMa because of all of the development going on there, we see the area transforming and we would like to be in that mix.” According to Ackiss, the DC and Dallas-based architect, experienced in residential properties including the Potomac Promenade Condominiums on the National Harbor, will begin the design process next month.

Rockville Town Center Project to Start Construction in Early 2008

After two years on maneuvering, Duball (a joint venture between Reston-based Duball LLC and LA-based CIM Group) is now expected to break ground in early 2008 on its Rockville Town Center project, a $240 million, two residential-tower complex in downtown Rockville just one block west of the Rockville metro station and bounded by East Montgomery Avenue, Maryland Avenue and Monroe Street. Duball plans to develop 485 homes, 45,300 sf of street-level retail, and about 1,400 garage spaces on this 3-acre plot, with architecture by Torti Gallas. Final project review by Rockville planning officials is scheduled for this month, after which applicable permits will be acquired. Construction is expected to be completed by 2011. While these units are believed to be condos, there is still a possibility that the developer will instead make them rentals. If apartments are built, then a hotel might also be constructed on the site (an approved use according to Rockville officials). The Rockville Town Center project has gone through some morphing over the years, with Akridge being the original owner of the site and planning a tall 300-unit building that met opposition due to its height. In 2006, Akridge sold the site to Duball for $34.5 million.

Progress in Pointe at Cheverly

Cheverly, Maryland will soon host the Pointe at Cheverly, a new condo project expected to break ground in the fall. This two-building, 244-unit project, developed by DC-Based Republic Land Development, LLC and Maryland-Based Stepping Stones Development, LLC will offer a pair of four-story buildings built over a two to three level-parking garage with room for upwards of 300 vehicles, built as a gated community. Known for their large-scale mixed-use projects including residential development of the Washington Harbour in Georgetown and Market Square at 701 Pennsylvania Ave, Republic’s development will combine five separate plots of land, totaling 3.34 acres, and replace a one and a half story office building and several empty lots. Designed by Morris and Ritchie Associates, the site will include open space for a swimming pool, courtyards, and a sundeck. Cecil Brown, the Project Architect at Morris and Ritchie, said of the first project of its size to be built in the area, “We wanted to bring a contemporary if not modern feel to the community. We wanted to sort of change the design process in that area.” According to Stacy Hornstein, Republic’s Director of Development, building on the southwest corner of 57th and Annapolis road will begin after the purchase contract with Prince George’s County Redevelopment Authority is completed in the fall; the team is currently in the process of filing for permits. The Cheverly Newsletter reported in October that the average estimated selling price for the units was about $350,000. The project's estimated completion is mid 2009, but sales are expected to begin in May. According to Ken Stuart, Deputy Director of Capital Markets for PGRA, the Prince George’s County Redevelopment Authority will work with the developer to provide below market interest rates to buyers.

H Street Project Finally Gets Go-Ahead

On February 6, the DC Board of Zoning Adjustment unanimously approved plans submitted by H Street Ventures LLC to build a mixed-use development at 601-645 H Street, NE. H Street Ventures wants to turn this stretch of block into a 312,000-square-foot residential, retail and office complex valued at nearly $150 million. According to documents filed with the Board, the developer is hoping to build 240 residential units (no decision yet whether condos or rentals), with 13,000 sf of retail space and 180,000 sf of office space. This project had faced much community opposition since its proposal last Spring, with the main concern focused on the nine-story building H Street Ventures was hoping to build between two existing buildings in this space, specifically its height and scale compared to the rest of the block (citing that it violated the H Street Overlay guidelines regulating the construction of buildings over 6,000 sf, thus necessitating a special exception). The developer subsequently worked with neighbors to reach consensus on a reconfigured, more pleasing scale for the building that adhered to all the other Overlay guidelines, and proved its exemption would not set a bad precedent for future construction on H Street. Construction is expected to start later this year, with completion in 2009.

JBG Looking to Develop Next to Red Line’s Glenmont Metro Station

Developer JBG has big plans to mine the untapped potential of the underdeveloped strip of upper Georgia Avenue running past the Metro Red Line’s last stop at Glenmont (officially located at 12501 Georgia Avenue, north of Layhill Road). JBG has reportedly reached a deal with the owner of Privacy World, a 1960’s era, 352-unit apartment complex just north of the station at 2501 Glenallan Avenue, and the developer hopes to build a new, large mixed-use complex on the 31-acre site. The JBG project would include a total of 1,550 residential units (including 250 townhomes) and 90,000 sf of retail space. There will be a 12.5% unit set-aside for affordable housing. The developer is looking to also include an upscale grocery store and restaurant. If approved, construction is expected to begin around 2010 and continue over the next 15 years. JBG’s transit zoning application for this project is expected to be considered next week by the Montgomery County Planning Board.

Suitland Metro Station to See New Center of Development

After 20 years of buying land and a four-and-a-half year zoning process, Kevin Sills, President of Oakton-based Mid-Atlantic Real Estate Investments, is planning to break ground late this summer on a 22-acre, mixed-use residential and commercial development near the Suitland Metro and across the street from the future site of Prince George’s County Redevelopment Authority’s Suitland Manor. The $800 million Town Center at the intersection of Silver Hill and Suitland Roads will have 1 million s.f. of retail and office space as well as 1,100 residential units, likely including condominiums and apartments. The project, which will replace several houses, two strip malls, and several unimproved lots, all owned by Sills, will include retail and office space on the first floor, with the residential units on the upper floors. Mid-Atlantic is in the process of replacing the project architect and plans to select a land planner within three months; no renderings have been released thus far. In the meantime, Mid-Atlantic plans to begin demolition soon, breaking ground on a 16-acre portion of the site late this summer. Mid-Atlantic, whose past projects include primarily industrial and professional centers such as Coral Hills Shopping Center in Capitol Heights, is currently in the final stages of an $8 million interior and exterior renovation on a nearby office building that, upon completion in the next month, will house the Prince George’s County Health Department.

Club at Quincy Project Expands to Neighboring Funeral Home Lot

Florida-based WCI Communities, which originally planned to build its new 12-story mixed-use condominium building completely in the parking lot of the Arlington Funeral Home property on North Fairfax Drive, has now announced that it hopes to expand this development to cover the existing funeral home building land as well. The Club at Quincy project, located in Virginia Square at 3901 N. Fairfax Drive, will now be a 124-unit condo complex, with WCI first demolishing the funeral home then building the condo building and a new funeral home on the site. The condo units are expected to average 1,200-1,300 sf. Pricing has not yet been set. With the additional space now afforded by this expansion, WCI plans to also include 3,440 sf of ground-floor retail and a 75-seat community theater to the complex, as well as a landscaped deck with a pool and spa. The project is being designed by WDG Architecture. WCI is still going through the approval process, but hopes to start construction by early 2008.

A Second Chance for First Baptist Church of Clarendon Project?

Contrary to what F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote, sometimes there are second acts in America. Last October, dcmud reported that - after two years of much back-and-forth waiting - it appeared the First Baptist Church of Clarendon’s "The Views at Clarendon" project was off the drawing board, as the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that Arlington County violated its own zoning regulations when it approved the church’s plans in 2004 to build a mixed-use church and residential development at its current location at 1201 N. Highland Street. However, just last week the Arlington County Board of Supervisors surprised everyone and decided to once again take up this project, citing the need for more affordable housing in Arlington. The church has resubmitted its plans, and the Board, with the court's required zoning changes in place, will hold a vote on the project on February 24. "The Views at Clarendon" project will keep the church's 107-foot steeple, while rebuilding the church (a smaller version) within a 10-story, 116 rental-unit structure (with 70 units reserved for moderately priced housing) that would help defray the church’s operating expenses.

The long tale of this project will make a nice novel one day. When the church originally received zoning-change approval from Arlington for this development, neighbors immediately objected to the tall tower, and filed a lawsuit in November 2004 to reverse the decision. While the County Circuit Court judge ruled in 2005 against the neighbors, in September 2006 the Virginia Supreme Court reversed the Circuit Court and sided with the neighbors, stating that the County violated its own Zoning Ordinance 27A by not complying with its eligibility requirements. Stay tuned for the next chapter in this saga....

Crystal City Office-to-Residential Conversion Expected to Start this Spring

Feeling the residential boom immediately to its south along Route 1 down to Alexandria, and finding itself with plenty of suddenly empty office space due to the US government’s recent base realignment and closure measures, Crystal City is making big strides to transform itself into a more residential-friendly neighborhood. First up is Charles E. Smith Commercial Realty’s plan to gut and convert Crystal Plaza 2, located at 220 20th Street S., from almost 200,000 sf of office space to mixed-use residential. The company expects to start the conversion this Spring, with a target completion date of Spring 2008. Crystal Plaza 2 was once home of the US Patent and Trademark Office, before the agency moved to Alexandria in 2005. According to Arlington County records, Crystal Plaza 2 was approved last September for 266 residential units (including six additional floors on top of the existing structure), plus 29,000 sf of retail space. The building will also be re-skinned with new glass and metal. No final decision has been made yet on whether the units will be rentals or condos.

Centex Sells Pavilions at Takoma to New Developer – Project Back On, But As Rentals

Just when you think you’re out, they pull you back in. Yes, real estate and the Godfather have plenty in common, none more so than the more things change, the more they stay the same. Just weeks ago, Cityhomes by Centex Homes announced that it was canceling its Pavilions at Takoma project and not moving forward with this development. But now arrives word that the company actually is in the process of selling the project to another developer, which plans to build it more or less as originally rendered, but then offer the units as mostly rentals rather than condos. The new owner has not yet been identified, though Centex has confirmed the sale. The Pavilions at Takoma originally began condo sales in November, with prices starting in the low $200,000 range for studios in a LEED-registered, four-story building at 7023 Blair Road NW, just one block from the Takoma metro station. Expected rental prices are not yet known at this time for the revived project.

Washington DC commercial real estate news

Douglas Development Brings Sister Apartment Buildings to Takoma Park

Douglas Development met with Takoma Park residents last week to present plans for a pair of 55,000 s.f. sister apartment buildings to be built between Willow and Maple Streets behind the once hotly debated CVS on Carroll Street. The buildings will be named after their respective street proximities, just three blocks from the Metro Station. The transit-oriented project will be built on several vacant lots and will force the relocation of three existing homes. Douglas Development, known for its work in Penn Quarter and commercial development, worked with GTM Architects, which has designed several multi-family homes including Tenley Townhomes. Each building will consist of four levels, three above ground, and a basement floor. The suburban-styled complexes will include balconies, detailed windows, and a large surface parking lot to provide one spot per dwelling. And though an apartment project is more savory than what often goes on behind drug stores, there has been a mixed reaction from the traditionally development-resistant neighborhood.

According to Melissa Cohen, an architect at GTM, "They (the neighbors) are skeptical. I think development is difficult and some of the projects in the neighborhood haven't been completed as they might have liked so there is some resistance." Cohen added that Douglas still has to meet with the Historic Preservation Review Board and the Zoning Commission; under ideal conditions, it will be another two years before the Maple and the Willow break ground. In related news, SGA Architects is currently preparing to build Ecco Park, an 85-unit condominium nearly across the street.

Dakotas Condo Project Near Fort Totten Ready To Roll

After years of planning and dreaming, it appears residential development is about to begin near Fort Totten metro, one of the few stations that has not seen a construction boom over the past years. Work is about to start on Phase I of The Dakotas, a $300 million, 10-acre project containing 800 mixed-income condo units and apartments, a grocery store and restaurant, plus needed retail stores for the area (80,000 sf of retail total). The Dakotas will be located at Riggs Road and South Dakota Avenue (on both sides of Riggs), just a block or so from the metro station. The developers for this project are Lowe Enterprises, Jack Sophie Development and Ellis Denning Properties, who also envision creating landscaped green space for public use, along with well-lit and landscaped pathways connecting The Dakotas and the Fort Totten metro station. The project will be comprised of low-rise, wood-framed buildings, with fitness rooms and rook decks for residents. The condos are expected to be priced starting in the upper $100,000s for a studio to almost $400,000 for two-bedroom and den units. Development of this size has not occurred yet in this part of town, so it will be interesting to see if and how it transforms the area, and if it sparks some more development for this corner of upper Northeast DC.

New Hampden Lane Condo in Bethesda Moves Forward

Having secured rezoning approval last September from the Montgomery County Council, Hampden Lane Associates LLC has submitted its proposed plans to build a new seven-story, 60-unit condominium in the northeast quadrant of Hampden Lane and Arlington Road on the lots now occupied by five single-family homes (now used as commercial offices) at 4913-4921 Hampden Lane. Nine of these condo units will be moderately priced dwelling units (MPDUs). The Hampden Lane plan, just two blocks from the Bethesda metro, will join a number of new residential projects in the downtown Bethesda area, including the renovated Chase (377 condo units), the Bethesda Row extension (180 rentals), 7001 Arlington Road (111 condo units), and 4901 Hampden Lane (70 condo units). With this project moving forward, the county, which originally planned to build a 12-unit homeless transitional housing project on the site, will now construct this transitional housing adjacent to the future Hampden Lane condo structure.

JPI to Start New Jersey Avenue SE Project This March

As previously reported in dcmud, construction projects around the Nationals ballpark in Southeast are starting to heat up in anticipation of the stadium’s opening in Spring 2008. The latest development centers on JPI’s 13-story, 244-unit residential and retail project planned for the 900 block of New Jersey Avenue SE (bounded by 1st, I and K Streets SE), near where the Nexus Gold Club used to define fabulous living of a different sort. JPI’s building and excavation permits have been approved, and the developer expects to start demolition on the site this March.

J Street Development Company Set to Revamp Two NoMa Corridor Lots

For some, the term "NoMa" is reason to shudder and damn the group of individuals who coined a focus-group term annoyingly similar to SoHo. Love it or hate it, NoMa is transforming, and two of those changes will feature DC-based J Street Development Company: One to take place at 1111 North Capitol Street between L and Pierce Streets, the other at 60 L Street. On North Capitol Street, J Street will redevelop a warehouse used by the Smithsonian Institution to prepare up-and-coming exhibits, turning it into a yet-undetermined combination of housing, office space, and retail stores. The majority of the property is owned by J Street, though a small portion of the lot, "Lot 29", recently sold to Tishman Real Estate Services. Paula Gaskins, an Executive Assistant at J Street, said the company is still in the zoning and permit stages. The building's lease to the Smithsonian doesn't expire until September 2011, so demolition and rebuilding won’t begin until at least that time, but Gaskins noted that "nothing happens overnight, so we are going through the steps because it is a historic building." J Street Development Company’s other NoMa development, "First Place", at 60 L Street (pictured) was bought just a year ago, and is now in the master planning stage. One block south of the New York Ave Metro station, First Place will include 500 residential units, office, and retail space when completed in 2009.

Arlington Apartment Demolition Makes Way for Affordable Housing

A new affordable housing project got underway Wednesday, when Arlington-based AHC started demolition of the Fairview Manor Apartments to make way for The Shelton (rendering pictured), a 94-unit apartment building dedicated exclusively to affordable living. The $27 million project, located at 2310 Shirlington Rd. in the Nauck section of Arlington, replaces a dated 22-unit apartment building that provided HUD Section 8 homes. Prominent DC architects Bonstra | Haresign designed the new 4-story building to include 108 underground parking spaces and 94 units for a range of low and moderate income tenants in a structure that progressively departs from dominant affordable-housing design, employing a lively masonry facade and window appearance. Said David Haresign, architect for the project: "Affordable housing and high-quality, thoughtful design are not mutually exclusive...."

The Shelton should be ready for its first tenants, with incomes from 40 to 60% of the AMI, in 18 to 24 months, and will offer studios, one, two, and three-bedroom apartments. AHC acquired the property in 1983, and received approval for this project one year ago from the Arlington County Board. Joe Weatherly, Project Manager for AHC, says the design was the result of close cooperation with neighbors, who ultimately endorsed the project. Construction will be performed by Harkins Builders.

Kenyon Square in Columbia Heights Fills Up its Retail Space

Continuing its rapid development from a neglected thoroughfare along 14th Street NW into the next residential hot spot, Columbia Heights is now getting the retail it needs to follow and service the wants of all its new condo dwellers. The latest retail announcement comes from Donatelli Development, which has announced six new tenants for its Kenyon Square project, located on the northeast corner of 14th & Irving Streets, above the Columbia Heights metro station and across from the DC USA retail center. The newly signed Kenyon Square retailers, which are scheduled to open in May or June, are: Starbucks, FedEx Kinkos, Raidance MedSpa, Georgetown Valet, BB&T Bank, and The Heights restaurant (from the owners of Logan Tavern and Grillfish). These stores will be joined by Target, Best Buy, and Washington Sports Club when DC USA opens next year. Kenyon Square will contain 153 condos designed by Torti Gallas. Delivery is expected this Summer.

Anacostia’s Waterfront to Become Social, Business, and Residential Center

The fate of Florida Rock Industries' South East Waterfront property was as left undetermined at the January zoning meeting. The current gravel yard is in the planning stages of becoming a four-building, 1.1 million square foot project, on 6.5 acres next to the new Nationals ballpark. The mixed-use project by FRP Development, located at 100 Potomac Avenue, SE, at the southern end of the Anacostia River and directly below the new Nationals ballpark, will include two office buildings, a residential complex, and a hotel to replace the current concrete plant. A Cinderella Story for the commercialization of the formerly industrial area, lower levels of the East office building will include waterfront retail stores in a Georgetown Waterfront–esque approach. Residents and visitors will have access to the newly planned First Street Plaza, a 40,000-sq-ft park that will also overlook the Anacostia River. Architects Davis and Buckley have released renderings depicting an urban center with a view of both the Anacostia River and the Frederick Douglass Bridge. A final decision on the 2nd stage of the PUD was delayed until February. Jenny Shaffer, an Executive Assistant at FRP Development, said the development team was waiting for feedback from the zoning commission before finalizing or releasing plans about the project. The issue is expected to be taken up in early to mid February.

Tysons to Convert Current Sprawl into Urban "City Center"

Having driven through the maze of roads and stores spread across the Tysons Corner landscape (roughly the area surrounding Routes 7 and 123 just west of the Capital Beltway in Fairfax County), any concept of corralling this retail and office-heavy sprawl and one day making it a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly urban center would be met with polite skepticism. However, this is exactly what Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors envisions, based on the Board’s passage this week of a proposal that would surround the Tysons Corner Center mall with a "ring" of eight 30-story towers (four residential, four office) containing over 1,400 residential units (124 to be affordable housing), 1.4 million sf of office space, and a 300-room hotel. The 3.5 million-sf project, proposed by the Macerich Co. (owners of the 300-store mall), would double the existing size of the mall area and hopefully create a small, vibrant city, with the ring of towers providing a "town center" of sorts with the mall at the center. Plans also call for all parking to be placed underground, allowing for the creating of plazas and an ice rink. With the planned extension of a Metrorail line stop at Tysons mall in 2012, the proposal could turn Tysons into a close-in commuter city, as well as provide residential space for those working in this area. This project is scheduled to break ground in 2008, and be completed around 2020 assuming everything proceeds according to plan.

Bozzuto Group Wins Silver Spring Mixed-Use Project

Back in late October, the Montgomery County Planning Board of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (MC-MNCPPC) heard proposals from three development teams competing to design and build a new mixed-use project on 3.24 acres at the corner of Georgia Avenue and Spring Street, at the northwestern entrance to downtown Silver Spring. This week, the Commission officially announced the winner to be SilverPlace, LLC (comprised of Bozzuto Group, Spaulding & Slye, and Harrison Development).

 Phase I will include a mixed-use building on Georgia Avenue that will hold 358 dwelling units (261 for sale, 91 for rent), 30% of which will be affordable. The initial development will also include retail, a specialty grocery store, and over 500 underground parking spaces, as well as a 9-story office tower on Spring Street that will house the Montgomery County Park and Planning Commission (PPC). Overall, there will be 150,000 sf of office space. The project will extend Fenton Street to open it to residential and retail development.

Groundbreaking is likely to be in 2008, with completion in 2010. Silver Spring-based Torti Gallas will provide master planning for the project. The two proposals not selected included one from Silver Place Joint-Venture, LLC (Donohoe Companies, Otis Warren & Company and MCF Investment Company), which proposed three buildings (one residential, one mixed-use with residential, office space, and retail, and the PPC headquarters), and another from PN Hoffman / Stonebridge Associates, which would have built residential and retail on this site, and a new PPC headquarters at a different lot already owned by the team.

Silver Spring, MD real estate development news

Monument’s Half Street Project Near Ballpark Heats Up

After buying up the last dilapidated parcel of land it needed this past Summer at the corner of N and Half Streets SE, it looks like Monument Realty is ready to move forward with its planned mixed-use project in the new Southeast DC Ballpark District. Monument’s Half Street project, to be located on the eastern section of Half Street between M and N Streets SE, at the north entrance of the new ballpark location, will contain a total of 775,000 sf of mixed-use space, with 320 residential units, a 200-room hotel, 275,000 sf of office space, and 50,000 sf of retail. Monument is now accepting registrations from those interested in this project on its Web site, and has released a rendering of the final complex (pictured). Monument plans to start building the project this Spring, and have it completed in April 2009 (one year after the ballpark is scheduled to open).

Poplar Point Plan Meets Resident Resistance

On Saturday, the Anacostia Waterfront Corp. (AWC) and DC government officials finally unveiled at a public hearing in Anacostia the long-awaited plans for a mixed-use project on 110 acres along the Anacostia River that would include a new soccer stadium for DC United, but the plan as it currently stands is meeting some resistance from area residents. The Poplar Point plans call for 2,000 housing units, a 27,000-seat stadium, a hotel and conference center, and a 70-acre park. Residents and neighborhood activists quickly voiced concern over the upscale nature of the project, which might preclude them from enjoying the development, if not price them out of the area. Also, the hotel, conference center, and stadium were not services they need or would use, and there was no guarantee regarding job creation for the community. The AWC will continue to hold public hearings through the Spring (when the US Department of Interior will complete transfer of this land to DC) in hopes of addressing these concerns and altering the project accordingly.

New NoMa Condo Opens for Sales

Macy Development has opened its sales center at its latest condominium project, Basilica Lofts, a 21-unit condo in the Eckington - NoMa neighborhood. The Basilica Lofts project is the conversion of a row of historic storefronts-turned condos in an area once known for its expanses of undeveloped land and lonely Greyhound Bus Station, but that now stands apart by the sheer volume of new construction planned and underway. Developers have been attracted to NoMa’s proximity to downtown, where vacant land is now scarce, and new Metro station, though nearly all development is office space, with over 10 million s.f. of commercial space on the way. Basilica Lofts will feature two-bedroom condos on two stories starting at $359,000 with immediate occupancy. As DCMud reported last week, the nearby Washington Gateway project will add another 250 residential units to the area, but no further residential units are project to complete until 2009 at the earliest. Marketing and sales by DCRE.

Loudoun County Approves One Loudoun Project

There is still a lot of empty space out in Virginia in Loudoun County, and county officials have now decided on just how to fill it. This week, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has approved plans for the One Loudoun project, 360-acre massive development in Leesburg along Route 7 and the Loudoun County Parkway that will consist of 1,000 residential units, 700,000 sf of retail, 3 million sf of office space, a 300-room hotel, and a movie theater complex. The developers for this project, Miller and Smith and The Meridian Group, hope to attract science and biotech companies to this complex. One Loudoun is also the first project in Loudoun County to be recognized by the Smart Growth Alliance for its pedestrian-oriented design. Groundbreaking is slated for early 2008, with construction talking place over the following decade.

Marriott Breaks Ground at National Harbor Project

This week, Marriott International officially broke ground on its new 162-room Marriott Residence Inn, a key component of the massive National Harbor project in Prince George’s County along the Potomac River, just south of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Marriott expects to have its hotel open by March 2008. National Harbor, a 300-acre, 7.3 million-square-foot, mixed-use development being developed by the Peterson Companies, is expected to be a strong pull for business, retail and commerce to this southern part of Maryland. In total, five hotels (offering 4,000 rooms), a 470,000-square-foot convention center, 2500 residential units, 500,000 sf of office space, and 1 million sf of retail are planned for this development, along with four piers and two marinas. National Harbor is scheduled to be completed in 2009.

Centex Homes Cancels Pavilions at Takoma Project

Surprising news! Cityhomes by Centex Homes announced its cancellation of the Pavilions at Takoma project, and will not be moving forward with this development. The Pavilions at Takoma began sales in November, with prices starting in the low $200,000 range for studios in a LEED-registered, four-story building at 7023 Blair Road NW, just one block from the Takoma metro station.

This announcement comes just months after Centex canceled its nearby Cityhomes development at 1200 East-West Highway in Silver Spring. When contacted, a Cityhomes representative would not comment on these developments. We will report additional details as learned.

New "Transit Center" Coasts into Union Station

The latest sleek new building in DC may not feature stainless steel appliances, but it will make stealing a bit harder and in turn please many metro commuters who rely on their foot power rather than gas to get to work in the morning. The DC Transportation Department is getting ready to break ground at Union Station this Summer on a new, modern bicycle "storage, rental and repair facility" – formally called The Union Station Bicycle Transit Center – thus making this Capitol Hill location a new hub for bikers and hopefully encouraging a new generation of pedaling commuters. The attractive $2 million glass-and steel bike station, modeled after similar structures in San Francisco and Seattle, will be constructed on the northwest side of Union Station, and compliment this historic building; the US Commission of Fine Arts is expected to approve the final design later this month. The Bicycle Transit Center will hold up to 150 bicycles inside and 30 outside (plus the repair facilities), with only a $1 fee to store a bike. There will also be a limited number of memberships and monthly passes sold, allowing 24-hour access and discounted storage rates. Construction is expected to be completed in Spring 2008.

Akridge Posts Details, Images for 5220 Wisconsin Avenue Project

DC-based developer Akridge has posted comprehensive details and images for the $30 million condominium complex it hopes to build in Friendship Heights at 5220 Wisconsin Ave. NW, just south of the metro station between Harrison and Jenifer Streets NW. The site is now home to a flower store and a used-car lot and auto body shop. The planned building would house up to 70 condo units (seven percent reserved for affordable housing), and offer 13,200 square feet of street-level retail, plus two levels of underground parking. Units (one and two bedroom) are expected to be between 1,100-1,300 sf, with an average price of $800,000. The structure would include a five-story traditional-style brick section facing Wisconsin Avenue to help mesh it in with the existing streetscape, with an additional two stories of glass set back from the street. The southern part of the structure will taper down to three stories on the southwestern side. There will also be an open courtyard at the center of the building, which is planned to be LEED Certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), with "green" features such as a roof that stores and filters storm water and the recycling and reuse of 50% of all construction materials waste. In addition to this building, Akridge plans to upgrade the existing yet foreboding PEPCO substation to the south of this site by restoring its façade, fixing the sidewalks around it, and adding windows for artwork displays. Akridge hopes to start construction on this project later this year, assuming its proposal is approved by the DC government.

Centex Keeps Busy in Silver Spring with Office Construction

While Centex may have recently pulled back from residential construction in Silver Spring when it put its Cityhomes project at 1200 East-West Highway on hold, that doesn’t seem to have affected the company’s drive for office development in town. Centex has started construction on an $87 million office complex at the FDA’s new campus in north Silver Spring (White Oak) at 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, where the Federal agency is consolidating all its suburban sites (Centex has already worked on three other pieces of the complex). This new six-story, 393,000-sf building - scheduled for completion in early 2009 – will include office space, conference rooms, and a 150-person conference center. The building is being designed by KlingStubbins in partnership with RTKL.

Sheridan Garage Condo Sales to Start this Spring

After much anticipation and years of planning, condo units in Georgetown’s historic Sheridan Garage project are expected to be offered for sale starting this Spring. Sheridan Garage, located at 2516 Q Street NW, will contain 34 high-end residential units, with the original building flanked by two new wings. The original garage, built in 1922, is being restored to its original industrial appearance, but this being Georgetown, exposed ducts are out and instead you’ll see crown molding. The original building will be joined by a glass walkway to a new 3-story building on the East and a third building made to look like two historic townhouses on the West. There will also be 34 underground parking spaces. Units are expected to average 1,100 sf, and will range from $400,000 to $1.6 million. Construction started this Fall, with completion slated for the end of 2007. Sheridan garage is being developed by Keener-Squire/ KS East Place Development, with architecture design by Shalom Baranes and Eric Colbert.

Washington Gateway Project Ready to Get Going

In late December, the DC Zoning Commission approved MRP Realty’s plan for its Washington Gateway project, a $350 million development to be located in the NoMa section of Washington, just north of the New York Avenue metro station along New York and Florida Avenues NE. The 1 million-sf, mixed-use project (pictured) is expected to feature two office towers, plus a T-shaped structure, with one side containing a 150-room hotel and the other side a 250-unit residential tower (with 8% reserved for affordable housing). MRP (created in 2005 by former Trammel Crow executives) will also reconfigure the walking areas along New York and Florida Avenues to improve pedestrian access and safety, and also include new plantings and shops along these routes. The architect for the office towers will be Gensler, with SK&I handing the residential and hotel tower. Land and streetscaping will be designed by Occulus. MRP expects to break ground in late 2007, with completion scheduled for early 2010.

Mount Vernon Church Ready to Add Office and Retail Space to Property

Since 1917, the Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, at the northwest corner of Massachusetts Avenue and 9th Street NW, has served those in search of spiritual guidance. Starting in 2009, though, this corner will also welcome office workers and shoppers, as United Methodist and developer CarrAmerica (with Clark Construction handling the actual construction) are planning to demolish two of the property’s education buildings and redevelop some of its underutilized land to make way for a new $130 million, 250,000-sf office building project that will also contain 7,000 sf of retail and 220 underground parking spaces. United Methodist will retain 35,000 sf of this new 12-story building for its ministerial work and use, in partnership with the Baltimore Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church, Wesley Theological Seminary, and Asbury United Methodist Church. Meanwhile, United Methodist will dedicate $5 million of its proceeds from this sale to finance the preservation and renovation of the church’s original 1917 sanctuary. In addition, sale profits will be used to create an endowment to sustain and support the church for years to come. United Methodist’s project, which is expected to break ground in the Fall of 2007, is one innovative example of how to adapt to a changing real estate landscape and prepare for the future influx of new residents and workers to the Mount Vernon area.

Arlington’s North Tract Project Back on Track

After months of appearing to be called off, Arlington officials have now announced that the county has reached a preliminary deal with Washington-based Monument Realty to swap and obtain the land necessary for it to move forward with its North Tract project, a world-class athletic and aquatic facility along the Potomac River south of the 14th Street Bridge and north of Crystal City. Under this agreement, Arlington County would receive from Monument the final seven (of the total 30) acres needed for its project. In return, Monument will gain a 5-acres site at the south end near Crystal City. Originally, the county was to also receive $25 million as part of the swap, but this arrangement was terminated by Monument last September. The recently announced new deal leaves out the monetary payment from Monument, which plans to build a 685,000-sf, mixed-use residential and office complex on its new site. As for the North Tract project, Arlington County expects to begin the first phase of the complex in late 2008.

New Condo Tower Planned for Post Office Site in Bethesda

Years ago, it was old churches and schools that developers eyed, updated and rebuilt into condos. These days, it’s U.S. Post Offices. Following on the heels of its Phoenix (pictured) redevelopment of a historic Post Office on Washington Blvd in Arlington VA into a 11-story, 194-unit condo building near the Clarendon Metro, the Keating Development Group appears to now be planning a similar project for the Post Office located at 7001 Arlington Road in Bethesda, just north of Bradley Blvd and south of Bethesda Row. Keating has submitted an application with the Montgomery County Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearings to rezone this property to allow for the construction of a 111-unit condo building above the Post Office. As with the Phoenix, this project is expected to rebuild and preserve the exiting Post Office. Together with the residential expansion of Bethesda Row just up the block, this portion of Arlington Road might soon be providing plenty of new traffic for the all the nearby shops and restaurants.

Woodmont View Project in Bethesda Moves Forward

In late December, the Montgomery County Planning Board, backing the Alternative Review Committee’s recommendation, approved the Development Plan Amendment submitted by Battery Lane LLC for its Woodmont View project, allowing the developer to proceed with its plans to build an eight-story, mixed use project with residential units, including Moderately Priced Dwelling Units (MPDUs), and ground floor retail at the northwest corner of Woodmont Avenue and Battery Lane, a block or so east of the main drag of restaurants and shops in Bethesda. The amendment will permit Battery Lane to add 14 feet of height to the building to allow it to meet the MPDU requirement without impacting finances. When done, Woodmont View will consist of 68 condo units (with eight being MPDUs), plus one single family home on the northern end of the parcel (the existing office building on the property will be destroyed). The public hearing on this amendment is set for January 21, 2007.

Happy New Year – Now Ignore that Resolution to Get in Shape

Did you make that annual resolution to get in shape, but know full well it’s not going to happen? Never fear – DC’s developers are here to help make you fell less guilty about it. Developers hoping to pursue new high-rise residential projects in the city are looking to the DC Zoning Commission to give them an exemption from having to include mandatory fitness facilities in their buildings. The zoning amendment, which is expected to win Zoning Commission approval this year, would free developers from the current requirement of making five to 20 percent of the residential space into recreation area (with at least half being outdoors) when building in commercially zoned areas. If approved, this amendment would allow developers to add more residential units in their buildings ... and, one would hope (since there would be one less amenity), to lower condo fees per unit.