PentaGONE City

Sorry to dash the hopes of developers with their eyes on Pentagon City, but the entire area's "last developable parcel of land" has now been spoken for. The Arlington Board approved Monday night a Phased Development Site Plan for phase one of Pentagon Centre, Kimco Realty Corporation's mixed-use development that will deliver a twenty and eight story office building and a parking structure.

According to the county, "The approved plan begins to implement the final piece of the development plan puzzle for the entire Pentagon City area."

Designed by international firm, Callison Architects, with Arlington-based MTFA Architecture, Pentagon Centre will replace a 337,000 s.f. warehouse facility that was built in the 1950's. Both office buildings are designed to achieve LEED Silver certification. The project will sit on 16.8 acres above the Pentagon City Metro Station and offer 33,599 s.f office and 13,095 s.f. of ground floor retail space in the larger office building and 152,112 s.f. office and 14,600 s.f. of ground floor retail in the second.

Kimco currently owns the property at South Hayes Street and 12th Street South on which Pentagon Center will be developed as existing retail leases expire. Borders Books, Costco, Best Buy, Marshalls, and Linens N Things are currently renting the existing retail space. Phase Two will follow the expiration of the Big Box Storage lease; Phase Three will be built upon the expiration of Costco's lease.

The original Pentagon City Phased Development Site Plan approved in 1976 was intended to make Pentagon City an "urban center" that hosted a mix of uses. "With this phased development site plan, we at last have the full picture of the future of Pentagon City," said J. Walter Tejada, County Board Chairman.

In addition to filling out P City's development portfolio, Pentagon Centre will make a $500,000 contribution for community improvements that may include a water park at Virginia Highland Park, improvements for the Pentagon City Metro Plaza, and/or subsidies to reduce the rent for an Urgent Care Facility. It will also make contributions of $423,500 to "Utility Undergrounding," $75,00 to Public Art, and an undisclosed amount to Affordable Housing. Sounds like Arlington squeezed everything they could out of the last new developer they will see for a while.

The developer is a New Hyde Park, NY - based company that has the largest portfolio of shopping centers in the US.

Butterfield House Architectural Tour

SPONSOR
The Butterfield House will be offering a guided tour, led by the project architect, Sassan Gharai, principle of SGA Architects of Bethesda. The tour will take place at 3 pm on Saturday, July 26th, on location at 1020 Pennsylvania Ave., SE. The Butterfield House, a 28-unit residential building near Capitol Hill's Eastern Market, recently completed construction, and was featured last month by the prestigious National Building Museum for its design, which successfully blends modern amenities and technology within the framework of Capitol Hill's historic fabric, adding to the Hill an elegantly detailed structure, even by the rigorous standards of the surrounding architecture.
SGA Architects has designed and developed a number of large commercial, residential, and retail buildings throughout the greater DC area. Development of the Butterfield House, named after celebrated architect William Butterfield, involved removal and remediation of the structures and soil of the service station that had occupied the site for many years. Mr. Gharai will be discussing the environmental improvement of the site as the architecture and design of the building. Marketing and sales by DCRE.


Washington DC real estate news

Founder's Square Approved

The Arlington County Board approved late Saturday The Shooshan Company's plan to turn an Arlington bus garage, Shell gas station, recycling drop-off center, and Super Pollo restaurant into a five-building, mixed-use real estate project that will expand Mosaic Park and bring retail, residential, and office space to the Ballston Metro area. A far more sightly use of the land, the county anticipates that the project will bring increased green space and revenue to the county as the current bus garage paid no property taxes. The 5.35 acres, bounded by North Randolph Street, Wilson Boulevard, and North Quincy Street, will host 26,000 s.f. of ground-floor retail, two residential towers with 362 units, and a single story, relocated Super Pollo. 

The residential buildings will climb to twelve and seventeen stories, one office building will rise fifteen stories, and the final office building - a secure building built to house defense-related facilities as part of the 2005 BRAC - will rise to thirteen stories with an 82-foot setback. Designed by global design firm, RTKL Associates, Inc., the project is planned to achieve LEED certification and position the highest buildings on the north and west sides of the site - farther from the Ashton Heights neighborhood and closer to the Ballston Metro Station. As part of the usual county-developer negotiation process, Arlington will expand the now 1.08 acre park onto the development site, a concession that will give the developer bonus density. According to the board, the ability to retain federal defense contractors and the ability to expand open, public space was well worth the trade. Other community benefits include sidewalk improvements, nineteen units of affordable housing, and pedestrian access through the site. Groundbreaking is anticipated for late 2009. The architects are also responsible for the FDA Headquarters in White Oak Maryland, Downtown Silver Spring and Reston Town Center. The Arlington-based developer is responsible for several buildings in the Ballston area including One and Two Liberty Center.

Arlington Virginia commercial real estate news

Columbia Pike is for Squares

Because no revitalization effort is complete without open green space, the Arlington County Board approved the master plan for Penrose Square, a 33,000 s.f. square planned for Columbia Pike's Town Center last night. Designed by a twelve-member citizen Working Group and landscape architectural firm Oculus, Penrose Square is the first and largest of three squares planned for the Town Center, and will include a tree-covered terrace with movable seats and tables, public art, a centrally located paved plaza, and an interactive water fountain.

The square will be developed in two phases. Phase One, a $2.4 million endeavor, will begin construction in mid-2010 and will deliver 17,760 s.f. Phase Two will be coordinated with the redevelopment of the Fillmore Shopping Center site and will cost an additional $2 million. There is no set completion date.

The parcel was dedicated to the county by Carbon Thompson Development, which is planning a mixed-use Penrose Square development that will include a 57,000 Giant supermarket with 325 residential units above it that will be completed in 2011. The project, which was approved in 2006, will also deliver structured parking (325 retail and 400 residential spaces) and 40,000 s.f. of retail space.

Logan Station Completes Sales

Bogdan Builders' Logan Station officially finished sales with its final settlement last Friday. The 63 condominiums at 1210 R Street, NW, in the Shaw neighborhood, began sales in March, 2006, but most sales occurred after construction completed in August of last year. The new four-story building with a green roof replaced a vacant lot at R Street and Vermont Avenue, and features townhouse style units with private entrances on the first floor, with flats on the upper units. The project was Bogdan's largest to date. The Bethesda-based developer previously completed the Ivy at Harvard (14 units) and Villaggio (14 units), and is currently putting the final touches on Belmont Vista, a 28-unit building in Columbia Heights. Designed by Eric Colbert and built Bogdan's own construction team, Logan Station was priced originally from mid $300k's, with two-bedroom condos from the high $500k's, and penthouse units in the $700's. Logan Station was financed by Sandy Spring Bank.

Washington DC commercial real estate news

From AWC to NCRC to DMPED, Fenty Lauds Change

Mayor Adrian Fenty, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Neil Albert, and Councilmember Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) held a public ceremony this morning to celebrate the one year anniversary of the District's decision to disband and take control over the portfolios of the Anacostia Waterfront Corporation (AWC) and National Capital Revitalization Corporation (NCRC). In a tribute to their combined foresight, the Mayor lauded the District's "significant progress" on over two dozen key from the portfolios since the merge, and offered up morsels of imminent announcements. "There were a lot of properties in these two quasi-public entities and it was the decision of the Council of the District of Columbia to make sure that those properties moved a lot faster, that they got developed quicker, and most importantly, that people saw results and I can say that a year later there has been a flurry of consistent activity," Fenty said. With $60 billion in the citywide pipeline since 2001 and $13 billion in current economic development projects, the Office of the Deputy Mayor's portfolio now includes over 12,000 residential units - including 4,500 "affordable" units - 1,800 hotel rooms, 2 million s.f. of retail space, and 8 million s.f. of office space.

Looking back on their recent successes, the Mayor noted that on May 14th, the District issued a RFEI for a master developer for Hill East Waterfront, 50 acres around the former DC General Hospital site. On June 4th, the District issued a solicitation for a development partner for Parcel 69, a potential $130 million office/hotel project by the Southwest Freeway. Master land planning began at Boathouse Row in SE on July 11th. On Tuesday, the Council approved a $198 million TIF/PILOT package to fund park and infrastructure improvements for the $1.5 billion Southwest Waterfront redevelopment. Yesterday the District selected Argos Group to develop two properties on Capitol Hill, including the Old Engine House 10 into eight condominiums. And looking forward, Albert told DCMud the Strand Theatre project (5131 Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, NE), developed by Washington Metropolitan Community Development Corporation and Banneker Ventures, will break ground in the next two weeks. He added that his office will also announce a developer for 6425 14th Street, NW in the coming weeks, a 12,100-s.f. parcel of land in Brightwood. Sean Madigan, Director of Communications in the Office of the Deputy Mayor, predicts an announcement for 5th and I, as well as Minnesota-Benning Road, NE, in the next few weeks, and that the Park Morton development group will be announced "imminently." Evans, who had a hand in the creation of both the NCRC and the AWC, said the decision to create the organizations was correct at the time, as was the decision to consolidate them. "I was there for the creation of NCRC and AWC and at the time when we were looking at putting those semi-private entities in place, the District government wasn't functioning, and so the idea of having an NCRC was something like the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation model to get economic development projects done in the city," Evans said. "Then we learned that the semi-private entities were not doing what they were supposed to and we rolled them back into the government and put them under the Deputy Mayor and as we said today, it seems the decision was absolutely the correct one, because now we have a unified government and we can now focus on these projects and get them done. What we did in the past made sense and what we did last year made sense and we are now celebrating the results of those actions," 

Evans concluded, as the development troika lauded each other's vision and accomplishments. Albert added that a major goal of the consolidation was to establish one point of accountability for economic development in DC, but also to save taxpayers money. "One of the reasons the Council and Mayor worked so hard to consolidate the agencies, was to make sure that there was a single point of accountability on all economic development projects here in the District. Citizens had been asking for it, and they got it with this merger. Also, this merger resulted in significant savings for the taxpayers - over $5 million in savings because of the consolidating," Albert said. Like a gloating parent, Fenty added, "I just love efficient government, we have too much waste - a lot of these quasi-public commissions and entities and boards, they just spend money wastefully and we're gonna put a stop to that too." 

Washington DC retail and commercial property news

District Picks Developer for Old Engine House 10

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development announced yesterday that it selected the Argos Group to redevelop two Capitol Hill buildings including Old Engine House 10 into two buildings with four condo units each, half of which will be affordable.

Located in the northeast corner of Capitol Hill at 525 Ninth Street, NE and 1341 Maryland Avenue, NE, both buildings are just over 5,000 s.f., assessed at almost $1 million, and have stood vacant for years. The District issued a solicitation for developers in January, three teams responded.

Offers were evaluated based on experience, project feasibility, unit affordability, offer price, and Certified Business Enterprise participation. The developer, who has far exceeded the 30 percent affordable housing requirement, must also use green building design standards.

The Maryland Avenue building is 114 years old and was designated a historic landmark in January of this year. The Ninth Street property, built in 1932, was formerly a police station. Both were controlled by the former National Capital Revitalization Corporation until the agency was dissolved and it's properties transferred to the Deputy Mayor's Office.


Deputy Mayor Neil Albert said it is time for the buildings to become more aesthetically pleasing and put to better use. "These are great historic structures, but they've been neighborhood eye sores for far too long. Argos is a highly capable local developer that will put these properties back to productive use and make lasting improvements to these neighborhoods."

Argos' $3 million redevelopment project, within walking distance of the H Street corridor, will be designed by Architrave with construction by Hamel Builders.

Graham Calls for Investigation of ADUs

Councilmember Jim Graham (D-Ward One) asked yesterday for an investigation of illegal renting of affordable housing in at least two condominiums in Ward One. Graham believes both the Rhapsody Condominium at 2120 Vermont Avenue, NW and the Tivoli Townhomes Condominium at 1340 Monroe Street, NW are illegally renting lower priced units.

"I call on the Department of Housing and Community Development to investigate. I am concerned that evidence given to me suggest fraud. This is a very serious charge and requires a thorough investigation by the Mayor and the Council," Graham said.

Wilson Reynolds, Director of Constituent Services for Graham said this exploitation of affordable housing is an abuse of pre-delivery agreements between the District and developers. "The standardization and enforcement for affordable housing has not been what it needs to be. We have constituents that are telling us that they are finding affordable units being advertised at market rate. We have people taking advantage of something for which an awful lot of work was done and concessions were made. This has deep implications because the city has given things in return to allow developers to reach extra floor area ratios or other variances in exchange for creating units that were supposed to be affordable," Reynolds added.

Reynolds said the purpose of the investigation is to find out who is at fault; Graham is not specifically pointing fingers at the developers or the unit owners. Reynolds said it will be a multi-step process and will include the Department of Housing and Community Development, that has a history of dealing with affordable housing. Other involved agencies will likely include the DC Office of the Deputy Mayor, the Office of Zoning, and Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.

Under DC law, those who buy affordable units cannot rent it for five years. The District government offers developers additional square footage and other such incentives in return for affordable units.

"The idea is they're supposed to live in it for five years. There are variations, you may be able to rent it or sell it, you have the right of ownership, but because of the ADU covenant, there may be qualifiers in it. One example is that after five years, you can rent it but to someone who doesn't exceed the income level that you had when you purchased it," Reynolds said.

"Affordable housing is precious in our city, and we must do all we can to preserve it," Graham said.

Smithsonian Seeking Museum Architect

Five years after Congress established it, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the newest and 19th Smithsonian Institution Museum, is looking for an architect. The RFQ, issued last Wednesday, calls for a team that has experience working with government agencies and private industries, can design the building within a thirty-six month calendar, and who will "infuse" their vision with "an appreciation of African American History and Culture".

"We also look forward to working with a firm whose member share our respect for the National Mall and are excited about creating a signature, green building that will be worthy of its site, the Smithsonian and the richness of African American culture," said founding director of the museum, Lonnie Bunch.

Submissions are due by September 19, 2008 with selection scheduled for spring 2009. The Smithsonian has already reached out to members of the National Organization of Minority Architects, the American Institute of Architects, and other organizations to design the "symbolic" five-acre site between the Washington Monument and the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. The RFQ says, "Minority, small business, small disadvantaged business, women-owned small business....and Service Disabled Veteran owned firms are strongly encouraged to apply."

The development timetable for the 350,000 s.f. museum calls for groundbreaking in 2012 with completion in 2015.

Washington, D.C. real estate development news

District Approves SW Waterfront Bonds

The District Council today approved a financing project for the 23-acre Southwest Waterfront, providing $198 million in bonds for the waterfront project, a bill that Mayor Adrian Fenty is expected to sign. Under terms of the bill passed unanimously by the the DC Council, the District will issue revenue bonds supported by tax increment financing (TIF), payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT), and special assessments, for improvements that will begin after developers PN Hoffman and Struever Brothers, Eccles & Rouse finish the private portions of the redevelopment. The Southwest Waterfront Bond Financing Act of 2008 authorizes the Mayor to issue revenue bonds to fund site improvements, with $148m allocated specifically for "development costs" of the project. The remaining $50m is allocated to pay for financing costs incurred by the District. Any funds received in excess of $198 million will be transferred to the District's General Fund. 

According to the development team, the waterfront project is projected to generate more than $40m in annual tax revenues, with $13.3m contributed to the general fund annually after payment of the debt service. The land, when fully developed in 2017, is expected to support 2.4 million square feet of development, including 770 residential units, 700,000 s.f . of office space, nearly half a million s.f. of hotel space within three hotels, and 280,000 s.f. of retail. The more public amenities are expected to include new parks, four new piers, a half-mile promenade and bike trail, and renovation of the existing fish market.

Washington DC retail and real estate development news

Branching Out in Prince George's County

Bringing apartments to 19.37 acres near the Branch Avenue Metro Station, Archstone-Smith received approval last month from the Prince George's County Planning Department for Town Center at Camp Springs. Located on the east and west sides of Capital Gateway Drive and Auth Way, Archstone will create 801 rental apartments with 65,359 s.f. of retail in an effort to bring young professionals to the now under-developed section of Prince George's County.

What is their goal? "Humans," said Archstone-Smith Senior Vice President, Rob Seldin. "There's a lot to it. We're trying to take what is now a disaggregated series of different uses and put them together and use our project as a mechanism to create a community."

Seldin said the majority of Archstone apartment residents are between the ages of 25 and 36 and have at least a bachelor's degree. "We have about 85,000 units with 240,000 residents throughout the US. If Archstone was a city, it would be the wealthiest, most highly educated city in the US. We are very focused and targeted on expanding our brand within that demographic segment of the population."

While the Camp Springs project is still in the planning stage, according to the detailed site plan, it will be completed in three phases. Phase one will deliver 416 units, a 7,000 s.f. private club house, and a pool. Phase two will follow suit with similar amenities and 385 units. Phase three will be the retail space. The project will offer over 1,500 parking spaces for residents and shoppers at completion.

Seldin said the town center may even bring more jobs to PG County and that one of the things that drew the developer to the site was its proximity to not only Branch Avenue, but also Andrew's Air Force Base with 22,000 employees and the Suitland Federal Center with 9,500 employees.


"You have a very high concentration of reasonably highly compensated and educated employees working there, and no great place for them to choose to live. For us, this was an opportunity to give these people a chance to live where they work. It's difficult to create housing anywhere, in PG County, it is typically very difficult to have housing approved, so really, what's been happening is these highly educated, highly skilled, highly compensated workers have been systematically disenfranchised, so they go to Arlington, because they welcome them. Arlington knows that these people are great residents, everything good flows from an influx of successful young people. That was our market concept for what we think we would like the Branch Avenue are to expand into," said Seldin.

"If we can begin to recast this location as where this demographic can live, it will help foster entrepreneurial opportunities because office space is inexpensive there," he added.

The developer will finish its purchase of the now-vacant land from a private owner after the project receives all necessary approvals. Seldin said Archstone-Smith hopes to break ground in fall 2009. The Preston Partnership, LLC is the architectural team through entitlement; their portfolio includes the Alexan Dunn Loring in Falls Church and the Ketlands in Gaithersburg.

Four Mile Run

Draft design guidelines are now available for the physical and aesthetic features of the Four Mile Run Corridor, a 2.3 mile path that connects Alexandria and Arlington County and runs from Shirlington to the confluence with the Potomac River.

The design guidelines address channel stabilization and restoration, restoration planting, storm water management, public spaces, recreation facilities, and architectural features.

The public spaces include a network of trails including the existing commuter trail along the northern bank, a more winding community trail on the south side of the channel, and more narrow informal trails for hiking, jogging, and walking within the corridor.

To avoid biffs, the trails, which will all meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, will use green, recycled, porous materials for a smooth surface, and will have edges that promote drainage to avoid slips caused by flooding. And for all the avid gutter bunnies, out there, the Commuter trail will be twelve feet wide to allow for high-volume, high-speed, two-way bicycle traffic.

According to the design guidelines, "The commuter and community trails are the threads that weave together the natural landscapes, public spaces and built features. Like the stream itself, they are continuous elements meandering through diverse and changing environment."

In 2005, Alexandria and Arlington County adopted a Master plan for the Corridor because, "although the corridor is relatively well-served by parks and open space, there remains a need for additional recreational facilities and greater continuity to connect recreational facilities as part of a cohesive open space network." The plan also calls for promenades, public plazas, public art, and the restoration of current and creation of new sports facilities.

Four Mile Run is a nine-mile stream that flows adjacent to neighborhoods, commercial districts, and industrial facilities alike that have been subjected to repeated flooding since the 40's. In the 1970's, the cities partnered with the US Army Corps of Engineers to build a flood-control channel in the lower portion of the Run. No floods have occurred since its construction, but the channel is still in need of restoration; the trails are part of this effort.

LCOR Wins Tenley/Janney Site

Mayor Adrian Fenty announced this morning that the District will partner with LCOR for the development of the 3.6 acre Tenley Library/ Janney Elementary School site on Wisconsin Avenue.

The announcement, made nine months after the RFP's issuance, came as a surprise to those used to long-outstanding District RFPs; the decision surprised even the developer. "We didn't find out until 6:30 last night," said Timothy Smith, Senior Vice President of LCOR. "We were told to expect some word, but I had given up and gone home, so we were as surprised as everyone else...We are excited to be designated, we are awaiting paperwork from the District and will be working not only with the Office of Economic Development finalize plans, but also all of the stake holders in the neighborhood," Smith said.

This type of educational/residential mixed-use project is not new to the developer, who is responsible for the 47,000 s.f. James F. Oyster Elementary School and 211-unit Henry Adams House apartments in Woodley Park, in fact, Smith said LCOR prides itself in taking on such innovative, unique projects.

"I think our work on the Oyster School was one of the things that had to do with their decision to go with us. The current building is set back from Wisconsin Avenue and it will be a mixed-use project. One of the things we proposed was instead of a free standing structure, the library will be in the first two floors of the apartment building," Smith said.
Community involvement will be key to the development of this site, as it has been the subject of controversy between past developers and the community for years. But despite the site's conflict-ridden history, the developer said he just wants to get going.

"We are trying to make sure we work with the library to make sure their plan works within the building. We have done a lot of different kinds of developments, so this is right down our alley. We know that complex multiple use projects involve us working with community. Here we think we have the big picture, but we will still be working with the community," said Smith

LCOR's proposal included 174 rental apartment units and while specific details have not yet been announced, the development will likely achieve LEED certification and, in keeping with the Fenty Administration's affordable housing goals, offer workforce housing. Smith said more detailed information will be available in the coming weeks.

The District issued the RFP for the site last fall; three development teams responded and were evaluated based on "vision, financial capacity and past performance."

"We've got a real opportunity to leverage this site to help pay for the cost of improving Janney Elementary, enhance the existing open space and add both market-rate and workforce housing - all atop a Metro Station," Fenty said.

The projects puts to bed a contentious process that began with Roadside Development proposing to build what is now LCOR's mandate, a plan that was stymied when activists demanded an open bidding process. The District then mishandled the RFP, changing its terms after the response date passed, forbidding integration of the library within a residential building.

"Not many people know this, but LCOR has been in Washington for thirty-two years. We were really under the radar until we did the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Headquarters project," said Smith. Not anymore. LCOR recently completed the first residential building in the company's North Bethesda Town Center project, its 32-acre project at the White Flint Metro station.

Convention Center Marriott Tiptoes Forward

In an inconclusive show-and-tell session before the Historic Preservation Review Board on June 26th, Marriott International, Cooper Carry Architects, and EHT Traceries presented plans for the long-anticipated convention center hotel. During the informational presentation, the development team presented plans for a 1,100 plus room hotel at the corner of 9th Street and Massachusetts Avenue, NW, across from the Washington Convention Center.

The hotel, which will likely achieve LEED Silver Certification for its use of glass and brick, will take up the majority of the block, save the PEPCO power plant that supplies the White House with electricity, and the American Federation of Labor headquarters, a historic building that will remain. The hotel is intended to bring jobs and revenue to the city through traditionally high hotel taxes while serving Convention Center guests.

Norm Jenkins, Senior Vice President with Marriott International said the project was essential to the success of the existing Convention Center which has yet to meet city performance expectations.

"This is a great hotel site, but it's a tight hotel site, and we need to get 1100 plus rooms on the site in order to satisfy the needs of the Convention Center...the city sunk $850 million into this Convention Center several years ago and that project will never be optimized until you have this headquarter hotel," Jenkins said.

Laura Hughes of EHT Traceries raised the issue of the historic American Federation of Labor building on site and explained the history of the building, which was designed in 1915 and designated as historic in the 70's. State Historic Preservation Officer David Maloney cited the building as one of his staff's main points of interest in the project.

"I think the staff does not have any major concerns at all with what's been proposed. I think it's appropriate to expect that the facades of the historic building would be restored to their historic appearance, which I think it anticipated. The treatment of the public space in front of the building is also important...The other thing that's important about the historic building is integrating it with the hotel in a natural way...It's a small building relative to the size of the new hotel, so it's somewhat of a design problem to make it look as if it fits in a continuous streetscape..." Maloney said.

He added that the staff was concerned with how the design relates to the city and Massachusetts Avenue, the over 130 foot height of the project, the building being secondary to the Convention Center and the treatment of public space along Massachusetts Avenue.

"Mass Avenue, as you know, is one of the city's important L'Enfant boulevards. It is historically a residential boulevard really with green space in the front yards. And this building, because of its nature, has very difficult servicing requirements. But their staff, as well as the department of Transportation, have pushed the hotel folks to try their hardest to make sure that there is a sense of continuous green space maintained along Mass Avenue," Maloney said.

While the meeting concluded with accolades from staff members, the board still had questions about the building's width, appearance, and name.

"My last point, slightly in the jocular vein, is why do we use all of these aristocratic French revolutionary terms like marquis and Monaco? Wouldn't it be nice to have a democracy? I mean I'm not saying you name it The Log Splitter, but I mean, maybe the President..., said Chairman Terch Boasberg, to general laughter. The developer will return in the coming months for concept review and permitting.

Steven Siegel from the Office of the Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development noted the urgency of the project and said the Mayor asks about its status each week. "He asks how the projects going. And every time I tell him the date of delivery, he says that's not soon enough. So we're all working very hard to make sure that this process moves forward smoothly. And, you know, it's obviously important to the success of the Convention Center to make sure that this hotel is delivered as quickly as possible and as soon as possible," he said.

The project is on the HPRB's July "List of Cases Filed for Consideration." A final agenda for the July 24th meeting will be available on July 18th. The Atlanta-based architects are also responsible for Bethesda Row and the National Gateway Hotel Complex in Arlington County.

Centex's Symphony in MC

After years of discussion and revision, Centex's Symphony Park project in Montgomery County may have reached its coda. Named for its proximity to the nearby Strathmore Music Center, Symphony Park, which will offer 112 one-family, attached townhouses, will go before the Montgomery County Planning Board tomorrow with recommended approval from the Development Review Division.

The new development will reserve half of its 18.61 acres for open green space, including a pond and overflow space for the music center. Centex received preliminary approval in March of last year, but has since undergone revisions to improve its aesthetic value and pedestrian accessibility.

"It is an intersection of two properties and it's of great interest. It's a high profile property, especially since Montgomery County owns the land next to it. The Strathmore Music Center next door has a festival each year on the land that we would own, so we ended up giving them five acres. It was negotiations like that that took a while. We spent a lot of time figuring out how to make this land work best for the county," said Keith Tunell, Director of Community Development in Maryland for Centex.

The developer does not yet own the land at the intersection of Rockville Pike and Strathmore Avenue, but will purchase it from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association if the project receives final approval. The site is currently occupied by the ASHA office building that the developer will eventually raze to make room for the new development.

Near both the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro Station and the Rock Creek Hiker-Biker Trail, the project will offer 373 parking spaces and two types of townhouses, one traditional and the other with internal courtyards. The developer said the project's setting is ideal given its surrounding amenities.

"It is certainly for fans of the arts, it's a very commuter-friendly property. There is the Metro right on the other side, we are also keeping a lot of it green and a park-like setting between us and Strathmore. It's a harmonious connection and great property for quality homes," Tunell said.

Tunell said that if the project is approved, the team will submit a certified site plan in the next few months, raze the building in the winter, and begin construction next summer.

NCPC's Strategic Plan

Nothing moves forward in Washington without two things - official approval and monetary support. Urban development is no exception to the rule, which is why each year the National Capitol Planning Commission (NCPC) puts together a strategic development plan for the coming six years that looks at the federal building pipeline and indicates which projects have the most potential, are consistent with NCPC policy, and warrant further consideration. This year's report for FYs 2009-2014 is now available for public review and feedback.

While the recommendations made are not necessarily an indication of how the NCPC will vote on a given project, the yearly evaluation helps guide the planning process for the Capital region and examines both the positive and negative effects of future federal developments. The recommendations made during this process are then forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget for consideration in the President's annual budget.

This year's Federal Capital Improvements Program includes 195 proposed projects, the estimated cost for which is over $8.5 billion. While submissions are subject to change, NCPC ranked the current projects in four categories based on their conformity with "established planning policies"; the categories are "Recommended and Strongly Endorsed", "Recommended", "Projects Requiring Additional Planning Coordination", and "Recommended for Future Programming." Here is how some of the big-name projects ranked:

The Armed Forces Retirement Home Master Plan was ranked as a "Project Requiring Additional Planning Coordination" because of "outstanding development issues and pending completion of a master plan." Unlike most projects that go before the NCPC, funding for this project is provided by a trust fund supported by the residents living at the home, military fines levied against troops, and active-duty soldiers. The DC Master Plan, which has a proposed budget of $200,000 for FYs 2009-2014, involves the development of 107 acres and 6.14 million s.f. of residential, hotel, retail, and Assisted Living space. It is intended to generate revenue to help with the annual operating deficit at the AFRH. The AFRH is working with the NCPC to address issues with traffic, historic preservation, and open space.

The 1.3 million s.f. Department of the Interior Building at 19th and C Streets, NW, will require $85,000,000 in FYs 2009-2014 for major building system updates including fire safety, HVAC, interior architectural features, and relocations of walls. The project, which was "Recommended and Strongly Endorsed", will also include the restoration of historically significant spaces. The project has been in the FYIP since the 1992-1996 program.

The E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse at 333 Constitution Avenue, NW, will undergo renovations similar to the DOI building, but will require $176,000,000. The renovations for the 634,297 s.f. building were also ranked as "Recommended and Strongly Endorsed."

The National Museum of African American History and Culture was established within the Smithsonian Institution in December of 2003 by President Bush to provide a new collection and study of African American historical and cultural material. The Smithsonian Institution is requesting $250,000,000 for the programming, design, and construction of the new museum that will break ground in 2012. This funding is just half of the $500,000,000 necessary; the remaining half will be privately funded. The project, located on the corner of 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, first appeared in the NCPC plan for FYs 2006-2011. According to the NCPC FCIP, "Coordination will continue to be needed to address the many complex issues at this site," thus, it was ranked as a "Project Requiring Additional Planning Coordination." According to the Smithsonian Institute, an architect will not be selected until 2009 and drawings will not be available until 2011. Under the current timeline, the museum will deliver in December 2015.

The proposed National Museum of Natural History Revitalization will cost $151,500,000 during FYs 2009-2014, and will continue the ongoing Major Capital Revitalization of the building. Renovations at the 10th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, site were ranked as "Recommended" and will include the restoration of antiquated plumbing, temperature control, and electric systems, the creation of a handicapped-accessible entrance from the National Mall, and the abatement and encapsulation of asbestos and lead. The project first appeared in the 2003-2008 report and has received $177,070,000 in prior funding.

Renovations on the Smithsonian Castle were "Recommended" and will cost $170,000,000 from 2009-2014. The project will include the restoration of interior spaces, replacement of mechanical and electrical systems, and the creation of handicapped accessible features. Work will be done to the facade of the 149,000 s.f. Romanesque Castle and on the overall building to bring it up to current building and fire codes. The building, which is also a National Historic Landmark, currently hosts 200 members of the Smithsonian staff and 1.6 million visitors per year.

It's Konterra Country

What to do with 2200 acres next to the interstate? Build a city. At least that's what developers are doing with Konterra, a joint venture between Gould Property Company and Forest City Washington, which earned approval to develop 488 of those acres, a phase called the Konterra Town Center East project, just one part of their massive mixed-use development that will include residential neighborhoods, business campuses, and two town centers, and lots of retail. The approved town center will deliver 4,500 residential units including condos, apartments, and town homes, 1.5 million s.f. of "fashion" retail, 3.8 million s.f. of Class-A office space, 600 hotel rooms, and green space.

The titanic development, designed by several architects, including California-based Altoon + Porter Architects, is intended to bring "upscale dining" and retail to northern Prince George' County, create 12,000 jobs in the area, and generate revenue for a "civic framework" in the new community including a police force and fire department.

The developer, owner of the land since the 1980's, submitted plans for the Town Center East last August after meeting with the community and county to design a sustainable mixed-use project. The gargantuan development will replace what is now vacant space, once a gravel and sand mine, situated along I-95 at the intersection of the nascent Inter-County Connector, just north of the beltway.

The business component of the soon-to-be Konterra city in PG now offers fourteen buildings and over 500,000 s.f. of office space, while 500 acres of existing residential space is divided among three neighborhoods: The Wilshire Estates, Fairland Park Community, and The Villages at Wellington. Project spokesperson Julie Chase said the town center will bring together the existing business campuses and residential neighborhoods in the surrounding area.

"The town center is the core. The goal of this development is to bring smart growth and high-end retail to an under served and deserving area. When we say smart growth, it's about retail offerings and services and the opportunity to live and work in same area. There will be transportation within the community, but the project is also about having everything accessible and walkable," Chase said.

The project website describes the town center as a new neighborhood in itself. "A leisurely walk or a convenient bus trip to the heart of Town Center places you amongst tree-lined, pedestrian friendly streets with outdoor cafes, high-end boutiques and exciting entertainment options."

The developer hopes to break ground on this phase in late 2009 with delivery planned for 2012, but the team still has two more hearings with the county. The first is for the preliminary plan of subdivision on July 24th, and the second is for the detailed sight plan that has been submitted, but is awaiting a meeting date.

The second town center, which will also host a mix of retail, commercial, and residential space, will be 253 acres and is still in the planning phases. Altoon + Porter, the one confirmed architect on the project, also has offices in Shanghai and Amsterdam and focuses on hospitality, institution, university, and mixed-use developments.

Washington DC real estate development news