DC Ponders Resuscitating Franklin School

The Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to redevelop the historic, Adolf Cluss-designed Franklin School. According to the RFP, the District seeks to enter into either a land disposition agreement or lease with a qualified developer, though there is a "strong preference" to enter into a "long-term ground lease." The three story building is centrally located off of Franklin Square on the southeastern corner of 13th and K Streets NW.

Currently zoned for high density business and retail, the RFP indicates the developer may vary from this use and plan to request a zoning variance, special exception or Planned Unit Development (PUD). Both the interior and exterior have been designated as "historic," so the developer will have to work around both DC and federal laws, as well as the numerous DC historic preservation advocates that have long eyeballed this project, when considering the design. But, be prepared to hire on 35% LSDBE entities while requiring no more than 20% in capital from same.

The storied school is nothing if not historic, completed in 1869 by one of DC's best known architects, the site of Alexander Graham Bell's first "photophone" wireless message, and has since been used as a homeless shelter and office building. The thought to match the majestic architecture to a proper use is not new; in 2003 Mayor Anthony Williams' administration led an effort to revamp the school with an RFP, and selected Western Development to turn the property into a hotel. But the plan foundered on the shoals of realpolitik when the nearly evicted homeless men had nowhere to go.

Then-Councilmember Adrian Fenty supported keeping the building dedicated to housing the homeless, but upon ascension as mayor resolved to clear up the issue immediately.

Park Morton Gets a Two-For

Just over a year after DC announced the Request for Proposals (RFP) concerning the $130 million initiative to redevelop Columbia Height's Park Morton public housing complex, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty chose Park View Partners (Landex Corp., Warrenton Group and Spectrum Management) to move forward with their plan for 500 new units of affordable, work force and market-rate housing and a 10,000 s.f. park. The architect for the project is Wiencek and Associates. In a surprise move officials described as a"two-for," the Park Morton developers will also absorb the land on Georgia Avenue currently owned by the Central Union Mission to bring a wealth of mixed-use development to the Georgia Avenue Corridor. A ground breaking date was not announced. The Park View team won out over the narrowed down field of teams named in March including the Park Morton Partners (Pennrose Properties, LLC, FM Atlantic, LLC, and Harrison Adaoha, LLC) and the other Park Morton Partners (Neighborhood Development Company and Community Builders, Inc.). Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, Valerie Santos, praised Landex for it's experience in successfully completing redevelopment projects of distressed urban housing, including HOPE VI projects, in cities along the East Coast. The announcement about Central Union Mission came as a surprise, as the group recently went before the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) and carried out a series of community meetings about their planned development at Georgia Avenue and Newton Place. According to Catherine Fennell, a consultant working as the Project Manager with the Warrenton Group, the Mission continued moving forward while the award for Landex was pending. But Fennell indicated the two groups have been working on their agreement and will make the purchase official now that the award for Park Morton was announced. The Park Morton project is one of four designated New Communities, an initiative begun by Former Mayor Anthony Williams. Others include Barry Farm, Northwest One, and Lincoln Heights/Richardson Dwellings, all of which, the Mayor today promised, would continue forward with a guarantee of "no displacement" for current residents.

Washington DC commercial real estate news

DC Seeks Developers for Georgia Avenue in Takoma

DC's Takoma neighborhood may be on the receiving end of new development, thanks to a Solicitation for Offers from the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED). The solicitation is for the 15,000 s.f. parcel at 6925-6929 Georgia Avenue, NW, across from the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The district seeks a group to plan, finance, build and operate a project that may include mixed-income housing, community-serving retail, and cultural amenities. Responses are due January 15, 2010 at 3PM.

Currently, the property is unimproved and zoned for R-5-B, with height limits set at 50 ft and maximum lot occupancy at 60%. In the solicitation documents (PDF), the District boasts of the property's location on Georgia Avenue, "ubiquitous mass transit" in the form of a "highly-trafficked arterial" road and its relatively short distance from the Takoma Park Metro, a little more than half a mile away.

Community preferences for the parcel include residential (apartments or condominiums), child care facilities, green space (particularly setbacks), LEED standards and appealing architecture. Big no-nos are commercial uses and clubs and liquor stores; probably strip-clubs and check-cashing stores too. Hint: the solicitation indicated that these preferences should be taken into strong consideration by developers.

Grocery Store and Apartments Coming to H St NE

The H Street corridor may soon have a new 6-story apartment building and full service grocery store, a boon for the up-and-coming neighborhood in northeast Washington DC. Steuart Investment Company has owned several of the lots on the northeast corner of 3rd and H Streets, and in 2005 assembled a developable site by acquiring the remaining portion from BP AMOCO (BP) for $1.5 million, scotching BP's plans for a giant filling station and truck depot. The developer plans to build a six-story building with over 200,000 s.f. of residential and 46,500 s.f. of retail designed by Torti Gallas. The mixed-use building, with neighborhood approval, calls for an anchor grocer and LEED- certified rental units, and will continue the reinvigoration of a corridor already known for its burgeoning restaurant, bar and entertainment scene.

 

Things have not always been so peachy at 3rd and H. BP once had plans for a "BP Connect" gas station megaplex, but the company met severe opposition from the community and, after knocking down historic houses on the site in favor of gas pumps and a truck stop, abandoned plans. The Steuart acquisition was welcomed with relief when its PUD application for zoning changes was first approved in 2006, with local ANC and community groups supporting the application. Steuart will go back before the Zoning Commission November 30th to request several changes to the original plans, reducing the number of stories from eight to six and removing one level of parking. The new proposed application includes 212 residential rental units, featuring studios, one-bedrooms and a few two-bedrooms, as well as two levels of below-grade parking. The first level of parking will service the grocery store with 152 planned spaces and the second level would be reserved for residents with 146 spaces (0.7 spaces per unit). Pending Commission approval, Guy Steuart, Sr., Vice President of Steuart Investment Company, said he hopes "all the pieces will come together" and will be digging by "mid-summer or fall of next year." Construction now underway is Steuart's consolidation of the lot and installation of storm sewer and water connections. 

As DDOT executes the H Street Great Streets Plan, the developer decided to take advantage of the "mess" and install utilities now to avoid future expense and inconveniences for area residents later. However, Steuart said his group will not move forward with construction until a grocer is signed on for the retail space. He affirmed discussions with a full-service grocer, but was unwilling to disclose which one. Previous discussions had fallen through with a grocer that had decided to locate on the other side of NOMA, referring to the Harris Teeter coming to Constitution Square. So residents might be looking at yet another Safeway (which would be consistent with Torti Gallas's extensive work with the grocer throughout the DC area) or perhaps a Giant or even, dare we say, Whole Foods on H Street? No one would have thought that was likely in Logan Circle ten years ago. Meanwhile, the Dreyfus property group plans for a similar-sized apartment building just across the street that has yet to start construction. Hopefully both will rent more quickly than the painfully slow pace of occupancy next door at Senate Square.

Washington DC retail and commercial real estate news

Housing Authority Director's Departure for NYC Miffs Some, Changes Nothing

Former Executive Director of the DC Housing Authority (DCHA) Michael Kelly assumed his new position as the new General Manager of the New York Housing Authority (NYCHA) today.

Kelly's last day in his position with DCHA was last Wednesday; DCHA announced his departure as a chance for Kelly to “explore other opportunities in the affordable housing industry.” To New Yorkers, leaving DC for The City is a promotional no-brainer, while those of us remaining feel no pangs of being dumped, or need to justify why DC is every bit the city New York is. Because it just is. Really, its obvious.

So why is New York pilfering from its smaller but not inferior neighbor? In a New York City press conference held last Thursday, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Kelly’s appointment as NYCHA’s new General Manager. "During his tenure in Washington he oversaw a significant modernization of public housing in that city. Under his leadership the housing authority there also received the highest possible ratings for quality of its financial and management operations."

So do New Yorkers tip their hats to DC as something to emulate? Don't count on it. When asked about which part of Kelly’s almost decade of work in DC impressed the New York powers-that-be, New York City Council spokesman Howard Marder told DCMud that the decision had less to do with DC and “more to do with his overall career.” Though, as Marder pointed out with evident contentment, “I was just reading that Marion Berry didn’t want to give him up and thinks DC shouldn’t have let him go.”

Despite that faint praise, Marder added “I think he’s going to fit in very nicely here,” adding that in addition to his service in DC, Kelly served as “President of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, brings an incredible academic record, and has 28 years of experience in the public housing sector.”

Since beginning his position with the Housing Authority in DC in 2000, Kelly, according to DCHA's website, secured "over $786 million in public and private funding for public housing" in the District and helped DC win an additional $105.7 million in the form of HOPE VI Grants.

Asked about whether the DCHA would suffer from Kelly's absence, DCHA spokeswoman, Dena Michaelson said “I doubt it,” adding that there will be “sadness, but no big changes are in the works yet.”

In his new role, Kelly will be responsible for the day-to-day NYCHA operations as well as helping implement strategies to expand New York’s public housing while making it more cost-effective; a tall order from a housing system that serves over 403,000 people (1 in 20 New Yorkers), has a $3.2 billion dollar budget and carries over $130 million in annual deficits.

Back in DC, a national search for a permanent DCHA director marches forward. Adrianne Todman, former deputy executive director for administration and external affairs, will serve as the interim Executive Director until Kelly’s permanent replacement is named. Maybe we should check out how Baltimore's Housing Authority is being run. Not that coming to DC would be a step up or anything.

Liberty Market Open in Mt. Vernon Triangle

Mt. Vernon Triangle's new Liberty Market, a farmer's market, has opened for business. The market located at 7th and K Streets, NW on the grounds of the old Carnegie Library, now home to The Historical Society of Washington, DC, will be open every Tuesday afternoon from 2:30-6:30 p.m. Producers expect that vendors will offer fresh produce as well as prepared food, beverages, art work, and live music.

Liberty Market is produced in cooperation with The Historical Society of Washington, DC by Michael Berman of Diverse Markets Management, which also runs the Sunday Eastern Market and the downtown holiday market.

Though last week's inaugural debut saw only six vendors and one musician, the market managers are eagerly expecting to add new vendors. Bill McLeod Executive Director of Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District (CID) said " We hope the market will grow as word gets out and vendors tell other vendors." And musicians tell other musicians...

"This exciting neighborhood keeps getting better and our substantial population of residents and office workers are continuing to benefit from the focus of the area's retailers and service providers," said Jeff Miller, Chairman of the Mt. Vernon Triangle CIDs. Interested vendors can contact Diversified Markets Management at (202) 543-3370 or info@diversemarkets.net. Now if they can just figure out how to resolve DC's most odious traffic circle that surrounds it.

WWI Memorial Refurbishment Approved

The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) met Thursday to review several project that fall under its purview, ultimately "commenting favorably" on all. One of the bigger items on the agenda was improvements to the District's World War I Memorial on the National Mall. The National Park Service (NPS) plans to restore the District of Columbia World War I Memorial, located on the Mall just above Independence Avenue, SW. It is the only District monument on the National Mall and honors residents of the District who fought in the war. Originally dedicated by President Herbert Hoover on November 11, 1931, the 47-foot tall memorial was used as a band stand, able to hold an 80-person band with space enough on the surrounding lawn to seat 300 people. It's last recorded use for public music was in 1960, since that time, the memorial has fallen victim to wear, tear, and obscurity. The NPS will clean and repair the memorial by adding bluestone and Elm trees, replacing non-historic paving with granite, and removing "non-historic trees." When completed, the memorial could once again be used as a bandstand. Restoration is expected to be complete by September 2012 and will cost an estimated $5.2 million, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. But that won't remedy the security fences and lack of parking that make visiting the memorial difficult, and comparatively rare.

Washington DC commercial real estate news

Manna's Latest Condos Open This Weekend in Southeast

Affordable Housing provider Manna will host the Grand Opening of its latest new condo project, the newly-renovated Belgrove Condominiums. Just across from the Good Hope Marketplace, at 2760 Naylor Road, Belgrove offers affordable one and two bedroom units, starting at $143,500 for one bedrooms and $179,500 for two bedroom homes, but unlike many of Manna's projects will not be subject to income qualifications. Not walking-distance to a Metro, parking will be available to purchase.

But don't expect concierge service. In keeping with the profile of no-frills, affordable condos, the three-story walkup offers features like modern energy efficiency, low-flow toilets and shower heads, "resilient tile floors", individually-metered electric and gas, common laundry room, secure controlled entry, and private storage bins. Condos will be open from 1-4 pm this Saturday and Sunday. Manna acquired the property with a LISC loan in February of 2007.

Washington DC real estate development news

DC's Canal Park Gets Federal OK

The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) on Thursday approved final plans for Canal Park in Southeast DC. Canal Park, in the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood, will encompass approximately 2 acres of federal land under District jurisdiction - three city blocks of parkland between 2nd Place and 2nd Street, and from I to M Streets. Each park block will have a distinctive design, including a linear rain garden, combination of large and small open spaces, three pavilions, an urban plaza, and a prominent water feature. The rain garden will act as an on-site water collection, treatment and reuse of stormwater runoff. The larger flexible green space between K and I Streets could be used for movies or concerts, with seating room for 500 and standing room for 1,200. The water feature is envisioned as supporting "interactive use" in the summer and skating rink in the winter. In March of this year the city announced the choice of OLIN, a Philadelphia-based landscape architectural firm, to design the park. Studios Architecture, a consultant of OLIN, designed the planned pavilions for the park as pictured above.

To close out the meeting, the NCPC also agreed to release their CapitalSpace plan for public comment.

Washington DC commercial property news

Giant Controversy on Wisconsin Ave Development

On Thursday, the Zoning Commission reconsidered several elements of the previously approved application for the planned Giant grocery store and surrounding redevelopment. The Commission approved the Planned Unit Development (PUD) for Friendship-McComb SC, Inc. along with their developer, Street-Works, in July, but both the community and the developer took issue with parts of the Commission's decision. Prior to last night's hearing, the Wisconsin-Newark Neighbors Coalition (WNNC) had filed a lawsuit to prevent the project, challenging, as they had previously, the Zoning Commission's authority to make the zoning amendment. The development will replace the abandoned 1950's era G.C. Murphy Co. store and existing Giant, which will yield to a proposed 55,000-s.f. grocery and additional retail, residential, and office component. Parent company Stop & Shop owns the site bounded by Idaho Avenue, Wisconsin Avenue, and Macomb Street and divided by Newark Street, all of which now contains a mostly-abandoned, one-story retail and surface parking. According to Sharon Robinson, a Consultant for the Giant Team, Giant requested more "specific language that would facilitate evaluation of compliance" with the approval. In July the Commission order stated, "the applicant shall also fulfill any other commitment or promise it made as referenced in the findings of facts above, even if not specifically stated in one of the above conditions." Surprisingly, developers found that language vague. The request was deferred until the October 19th meeting, with the Commission asking the applicant and the community to define “off peak hours” in relation to a parking discrepancy. WNNC's beef with the Commission, besides its alleged lack of authority, has to do with

residential parking permits. The group requested that the Commission consider, again, the amount of planned parking. Previously, the District Department of Transportation, the Office of Planning and the Zoning Commission staff all agreed that the residential parking provided (1 per unit in the multi-family residential and 2 per townhouse) was more than adequate. But the appeal received a big ole "Denied" stamp last night. In response to the lawsuit, Giant posted a statement on its website saying they were not surprised a suit was filed, given the contentious nature of the PUD process. They say the appeal is subject to a judicial process that could take"two or more years to complete." Giant reaffirmed its commitment to the new store as well as to the large group within the community who supports the new development.

Washington DC retail and commercial property news

Adams Morgan Safeway Facelift Revealed

With the supermarket battles having long since become a mainstay of development, not to mention indicator of neighborhood revitalization, we feel obliged to point out the existence of new grocery stores. And sometimes even old ones with a nip - tuck, as in the case of the Adams Morgan Safeway at 1747 Columbia Road. City officials will be marking the occasion too, at 2pm tomorrow (Friday), when DC Mayor Adrian Fenty cuts the ribbon on the newly minted Safeway.

The store has remained open for the past four months during construction, an attempt to bring it up to speed with the newish Harris Teeter around the corner. Safeway spokesman Craig Muckle told DCMud that although the re-do would not entail the start-over makeover given several other area Safeways, this would at least "a complete interior renovation and decorum upgrade,” he promised. “It will look like…our other upgraded Safeways, of which there are now nine or ten in the area.” We'll see if its enough to make the mayor stay and shop.

Shaw Main Streets Development Woes

At the annual Shaw Main Streets (SMS) Development Forum Wednesday night, representatives from developers were invited to present the current status of their plans for major renovation and new construction in the area. The status, unsurprisingly, was "more of the same," leaving community members to resign themselves to continued hopeful waiting. SMS Executive Director, Alexander M. Padro, made excuses for several invited developers who were unable to attend. Quadrangle Development was a no-show because of the recently publicized litigation over their Marriott Marquis Convention Center Hotel deal, though Padro said Quadrangle indicated that financing is now secured. Banneker Ventures, slated to build The Jazz on Florida Avenue, declined to attend as their Land Disposition Agreement with WMATA has not been finalized. And Hines-Archstone, developers of the planned City Center cited scheduling issues. 1. Paul Millstein of Douglas Development, certainly does not sugarcoat anything. About the Wonder Bread Factory development Millstein said it was a "victim of the times...stuck in a trench" and "could be stuck for a while." As for Squares 450 and 451 on the 1100 block of 7th St, Millstein announced that though the original plan was to redevelop the site, the group will now remove window boards, put some lipstick on them, and lease them out for the time being. On the positive side, Douglas secured a NY-based restaurant, Carmine's, to fill the 18,000 square feet of their Penn Quarter property near the Clara Barton Condos and Wooly Mammoth Theater. As for their 7th and Florida Ave. project, Douglas is seeking tenants, but according to Millstein the group is being picky, refusing to go the "fast and ugly" way of cell phone stores or fast food. Neighbors gave a round of applause for that one. 2. Next came 1501 9th ST NW a smaller development by a small business, Inle Development. According to the property owner/developer, the space will be leased to a single tenant, Mandalay Restaurant and Cafe, a Burmese restaurant currently based in Silver Spring. Mandalay will have a ground floor restaurant with outdoor seating, a second floor bar and the remainder will be residential space for the restaurant owner and family members. The developer cited a few financing "hiccups" but estimated the project should break ground in three to four months, delivering late 2010. The project takes up a single lot and will likely be 50 ft in height. 3. On their Addison Square project Metropolitan Development had hoped to be into the ground by now, but it's looking more like summer 2010, at which point the 4-5 weeks of demolition will commence, followed directly by construction. The group received their final PUD two weeks ago, and a few changes mean the 54 units of affordable housing will be distributed among the 224 market-rate units, for a total of 278 rental units in the main building. The ground floor retail plans are largely unchanged with the group looking to have both a white table cloth restaurant as well as a faster, less formal restaurant. 4. Ellis Development Group and Four Points, erstwhile developers of Howard Theatre and Media Center One, formerly Broadcast Center One, said the financing for the projects, which have been repeatedly punted down the road, hit a "road bump," but the group expects the project to move forward, breaking ground on Media Center's 300,000 s. f. mixed-use development on 7th and S Streets NW before the new year. Construction will take approximately 24 months for Media Center to finish and, as the developer noted, they are one of the few lucky projects to actually have a tenant secured. Over at the Howard Theatre, demolition of the 1940s facade has already begun, ground breaking may still happen this year, and the developers are, of course, talking with prospective tenants. 5. Roadside Development's City Market at O finally has some legs and a timeline. In an agreement with several DC Council members, Roadside received a $2.5 million grant, enabling them to "put the architects back to work." The big day will be September 3, 2010, when the group starts work on stabilization of the historic market. The next big date is January 15, 2011, when the current Giant will close its doors and from which date Roadside will have 24 months to finish construction of the new Giant location. The takeaway from the evening, with projects stuck in trenches, hitting road bumps or just plain falling victim to the economic climate, was that Shaw developers seem to be in a regular war zone these days. With so many groups blaming the current "financial situation" for development and construction delays, we are beginning to wonder what they'll blame whenever the financial situation improves...

Washington DC commercial real estate

Ballston Bus Garage Gets Final OK for Founders Square

The Arlington County Board and WMATA agreed last week on final terms of sale for the former WMATA bus garage site for the final piece of the Founders Square puzzle in Ballston. The site, at 675 North Randolph Street in Arlington, will be sold to Ashton Park Associates, LLC (APA). Though APA was chosen as the developer and executed a sale agreement in June 2007 for the entire property, the developer had since requested a phased purchase due to financing issues. Under the amended sale agreement APA, along with its managing affiliate The Shooshan Company, can purchase the property in two or three phases as long as the sale is complete as of December 23, 2011 for the agreed upon $25 million. The parties will close on the first phase in mid-November with Clark Construction set to dig-in before the new year.

The first phase, sold for an undisclosed amount, will be the home of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) when construction finishes on the 355,530-square-foot, 13-story, secure office building in 2012. To land the agency, Shooshan worked with architect RTKL Associates, Inc. to design a building that will meet LEED Silver requirements and the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Minimum Antiterrorism Standards for Buildings. It will be the first in Arlington to meet DoD’s new standards, featuring force protection, 82’ standoff distance and controlled parking.

According to John Shooshan, while most of the project will be financed through APA's own equity, the state of Virgina is providing a $10m grant to help defray the development and construction costs attributable to the force protection requirements under the DARPA lease. Tally another project to the list of those lubricated with government dollars, whether for leases, stimulus, or subsidies to keep development on track.

The DARPA building will be the first of the planned buildings for Founders Square, which is intended to house 26,000 square feet of retail space (8,000 of which is a standalone building that will be owned by a separate investment group and constructed by Paradigm Development), 730,000 square feet of office space in two towers, and another two housing towers with 378 residential units.

Arlington Virginia real estate development news

SW Developer Seeks Another Extension on SW Church

Tomorrow, the Zoning Commission considers magnanimously granting a second three-year extension to developer Steve Tanner and his Square 643 Associates for the Old Friendship Baptist Church in southwest Washington DC. The Commission's decision will determine whether the developer, who bought the property for $550,000 in 2003, can continue waiting with fingers crossed for dramatic change in the SW neighborhood, or whether a denied extension and defunct PUD will mean a renewed effort or the end of the line. Tanner has a bit more at stake than just the PUD; the property, advertised as 800 Delaware Avenue, has been on the market for over a year with an asking price of $3.5 million. Certainly denying the PUD would put a damper on the price for a property that has not changed in an area that, according to the developer, has not seen much change either. The development, designed by Shalom Baranes Architects (rendering pictured at left), may someday incorporate the Old Friendship Baptist Church, built in 1886-1887, into a mixed-use building, preserving the historic landmark as non-profit office space and constructing between 18 and 27 new condominiums, with one set aside as an affordable rental unit. The site will provide a minimum of 32 parking spaces with at least 23 for residents and 9 for a future but undetermined non-profit tenant. The L-shaped building will be four stories high on the east side of the church and seven stories high on the north, with no more than 10,000 s.f. set aside for non-profit office space. The ZC set limitations on the non-profit tenant, ordering that no more than 40 employees and volunteers can work on site during work hours limited to 7 A.M. to 8 P.M., which seems to mean they would need a court order to work overtime. Hm. The Zoning Commission (ZC) originally approved the Planned Unit Development (PUD) September 15, 2005 and the current extension, granted in 2007, expired September 15, 2009. In 2007 the ZC granted a three-year extension to the PUD, meaning it would remain valid as long as the developer filed for a building permit within two years, and began construction within three. The developer failed to file a building permit and now the PUD is back before the ZC. In 2007, Tanner claimed the "current market conditions in the immediate neighborhood...made it impossible to attract a non-profit office tenant." The developer had been banking on the nearby redevelopment of Randall School by Corcoran College of Art and Design and Monument Realty, a partnership which ended last spring. Potential non-profit tenants apparently hesitated to sign on without the reassurance that the area would be changing for the better in the near future. In 2007 the ZC said the extension was "justified by the uncertainty of market conditions" near the project - mind you this was in 2007, before the Big Mess. According to Office of Zoning records, between Jan. 2007 and October 2008 only seven time extension applications came before the Commission, one of which belonged to Tanner. Maybe the ZC will feel generous again.

Washington DC commercial real estate news

Velocity Condos Opens in Southeast DC

The Cohen Companies’ Velocity Condos, near the SE Navy Yard Metro and Nationals Stadium, hopes to entice buyers with their October 3rd and 4th "Grand Opening" event to celebrate completion of construction. Developers worked with ADC builders to create a condominium complex that promises to give on-the-go DC-types a taste of “downtown Manhattan in the middle of DC.” Boasting standard "luxury" features like stainless steel and granite, Velocity hopes to entice very patient buyers to invest in the Capitol Riverfront's only new condo for sale.

The 200-unit, 14-story Velocity features standard amenities like the 24-hour concierge service and underground garage parking. But the sales team hopes other touches like Velocity’s rooftop pool deck, private balconies, full-height granite backsplashes, and built-in lazy Susans will go a long way toward separating these units from the pack. Residents may even have a manicured central courtyard to look forward to next year, if plans coalesce for construction of an identical, 200-unit, Phase 2 condominium next door; but that looks unlikely, and the lot is still vacant. 

  Sales Manager Vicki Johnston explains that some of the condo's finer details like extra walk-in storage space and deeper-than-standard bath tubs can be attributed to a woman’s touch as they were envisioned “by the amazing, completely female design team at GTM Architects.” And according to Johnston, Southeast DC condo shoppers might be "surprised" to learn these are “the only condos in the ballpark area. All the other units around here are co-ops and rental units.” Of course that may be by default - since JPI's three nearby condo projects turned rental thanks to the market (JPI fizzled as well), as did Faison's Onyx, all of which are now substantially leased (ok, thanks to giving away months of free rent). Then there's Velocity. Since beginning sales in 2007, only 58 of the available 200 units have been purchased—so it might be premature to rule out rental units in Velocity's future. Despite these modest sales numbers, Johnston sounds confident that the right potential buyer could rake in big bucks on resale, assuming he or she is “willing to hold out for a little while.” Prices for Velocity units begin at $317,900 ($295 condo fee) for a 644 s.f. studio and run the gamut up to $784,900 ($683 condo fee) for a 1,492 s.f. 2BR/2BA/Den combo. The one bedroom, two bath, den condo has been the most popular among buyers thus far and runs $483,900 ($488 condo fee). If you are willing to take the risk while the units are still plentiful, the rewards include a $1,000 credit towards customizing your own closets and a free parking space worth $35,000 (the garage holds an unusually high ratio of 1.5 spaces for condo). Now, it’s only that small matter of the neighborhood building up around it.

District of Columbia retail and real estate development news

Marriott & Donohoe Team Again to Open Courthouse Hotel

Marriott has opened yet another link in its impressive chain of DC area hotels, a Residence Inn hotel at the Courthouse Metro in Arlington at 1425 North Adams Street. The Residence Inn Arlington Courthouse hotel's 176 suites replace what had been a vacant lot for almost 20 years. Marriott won the RFP in 2004, began construction in September of 2007 and opened its first rooms for business in August.

The hotel is the newest in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor. Donohoe Construction company built the project, which was developed by Donohoe Development, designed by Leo A Daly Architects, and is managed by Donohoe Hospitality.

The new Residence Inn has LEED building features certified to meet Arlington County environmental standards boasting a green roof and chemical-free cleaning solutions - made through an in-house process that mixes tap water with salt and electricity, a process used in many hospitals and throughout Europe for, like, years.

As for economic benefits to Arlington, Chris Bruch of Donohoe highlighted the estimated $2 million in tax revenues to be generated annually and the creation of 42 new hospitality jobs, 90% of which are for Virgina residents.

Fire Works restaurant will occupy approximately 5,500 square feet at the street level on Clarendon Boulevard and open up to the Western end of Courthouse Plaza for patio dining. The 240 seat (160 indoor, 80 outdoor) restaurant will offer "upscale casual dining featuring local, fresh and organic ingredients" and is expected to open in Spring 2010. And by the way, it's a pizza place. Bruch indicated that there is still over 3,700 s.f. of ground floor retail space available and ready for a tenant.

Central Union Mission's Development Blues

The hotly contested Central Union Mission property on the corner of Georgia Avenue and Newton Street in northwest DC had its day at the DC Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) last Tuesday. Original plans to move the Christian men's residential facility (read: homeless shelter) from its dated digs in Logan Circle to Georgia Avenue met significant community resistance, leaving the Mission to scrap the homeless shelter idea and design a new building with mixed-use residential and office space instead. The BZA ultimately approved the new plans for a mixed-use project, on the condition that the Mission not modify its approved use. Having relented to community pressure over the proposed shelter and without any prospective buyers or development partners, the Mission worked with designers at Cox, Graae + Spack Architects to develop a more conformist project. The new plan calls for 37 residential units affordable to residents with incomes of 50% - 80% AMI (about $45,000 - $80,000). The building will include a small bay of ground floor retail on Georgia Ave., an additional 3,700 s.f. of office space, which may be reserved for Mission administrative uses, and 27 parking spaces in a below-grade garage. The community has vociferously opposed building a homeless shelter on the site. At a September ANC meeting, the Mission assured residents that the project would no longer include the shelter, but would rather provide low-income housing and retail/office space. ANC-1A08 Commissioner Cliff Valenti appeared at the BZA meeting to reiterate that the ANC's approval was conditioned on removal of the homeless shelter from the Mission plans. The ANC remains anxious over the property, despite the Mission's assurances, largely because the proposed alternate location for the shelter at Gales School (pictured, at right) near Union Station has now become a legal issue. Originally, the plan was for a land swap in which the city would gain the Georgia Avenue property and the Mission would get use of the school as a shelter. But the exchange was derailed by an America Civil Liberties Union law suit claiming an Establishment Clause violation - i.e. separation of church and state - because the property swap would result in a net gain of $12 million for the Mission, which requires homeless men to participate in religious services in return for room, board and counseling services. With the swap in doubt, the ANC demanded, and now received, a formal prohibition of the shelter. With their tenancy in Logan up and their Mass Ave location in doubt, it seems the Mission itself may now be in need of a home.

Washington DC commercial real estate news