Old Town Waterfront Project Nears Opening

EYA is nearing completion on their Old Town Alexandria project, Robinson Landing.  Originally the site of a deep water landing when first mapped in 1749 by a surveyor and his young assistant, George Washington, the land had once one of the busiest seaports in America but was gradually filled in.  The nearly complete project consists of 70 condos in 3 buildings facing the water, as well as 26 (already completed) townhomes.  Designed by Shalom Baranes and built by Donohoe Construction, the project sits on 2 acres of land on the south side of Old Town, overlooking the Potomac River, the MGM hotel at National Harbor, and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.

Incorporated into the site is a warehouse, first built in the late 1700's and replaced in the late 1800's, which still stands.  Excavation of the historic site was expected to take 9 months but stretched to double that thanks to the discovery of 3 buried ships, sinking old ships being a common practice to fill in land. 8,000 s.f. of retail space will also face the Potomac and include restaurants Shoreline and Barca by Alexandria Restaurant Partners, the latter designed by Hapstak Demetriou made partially out of shipping containers located on a pier.  Condo sales began at $1.25m for a one-bedroom unit.

Alexandria Virginia commercial real estate news

DC's Best Water Views Opening Next Month

A Washington DC address - and a view of the water - are nearly oxymoronic desires.  At least until next month, when RiverPoint opens at the southern tip of Buzzard Point with 485 apartments and 70,000 s.f. of retail next month.  The southwestern promontory of DC was, not long ago, an industrial no-man's land, but real estate development has recently and rapidly shifted the landscape toward much trendier uses, including a strong retail presence on the waterfront.  The mixed use project by Akridge, Western Development, Orr Partners and Jefferson Development Group is close to  completion on what is very nearly the southern tip of southwest DC.  The conversion of the former Coast Guard headquarters was achieved by Antunovich Associates, the same firm that designed the conversion of the Watermark, the other Coast Guard headquarters building a block away, another office-to residential project by Douglas Development that delivered this summer.

In keeping with its location highlighting river views, RiverPoint features a rooftop pool with views that stretch well down the Potomac, and beyond the Frederic Douglass Memorial Bridge (still under construction).  Development of the land also completes one more section of the Anacostia River Trail, which will soon connect under the FDMB, making an easy walk or bike to the Navy Yard or Anacostia. 70,000 s.f. of retail will include restaurants by Greg Casten (of ProFish, Ivy City Smokehouse, Nick's Riverside Grill and Tony & Joe's), and by Spike Gjerde, a James Beard chef that until recently ran A Rake's Progress at the line hotel in Adams Morgan.  Architect Joe Antunovich noted the challenges of converting such a large building from "a very sturdy headquarters, but we were able to carve out atrium spaces to let light deep into the building that created more views of the water."  Antunovich called Buzzard Point "a sleeping giant, neglected for so long, and yet so close to so many things."  The firm had to remove the second floor to accommodate retail, noting the unhelpful 10 foot slab-to-slab floor plates required removal of a floor to allow for 20 foot ceiling heights in the retail.

Washington DC commercial real estate news

Will Ivy City Get Its Park?

Its been four years since the District selected the real estate development team to renovate the decaying Crummell School (circa 1911) in Ivy City and build on the surrounding land, but the parties seem to have made no progress since upbeat announcement in 2016. 

Development plans began in earnest in 2015 with a presentation by the District government, which owns the historic school and 2-acre site.  Ideas were bandied for a full renovation of the deteriorating school and public-private partnership to add neighborhood amenities along with development, presumably housing, on the site, by turning the school into a community facility of some kind.  Following an RFP, the District government selected Ivy City Partners, a team comprised of StonebridgeCarras (now rebranded as Stonebridge), the Jarvis Company and Ocean Pro Properties in 2016.  The team produced a plan for 343 rental apartments, approximately one-third of them subsidized, but detractors saw too much development and too little open space for the public.

Parisa Norouzi of Empower DC was against the original plan, which she contends left no room for a park, and allowed developers to build "right up to the edge of the school."  Developers don't agree with that characterization, but some in the community fought for additional park space, Norouzi fought for "at least 1 acre" of open space.  The DC Council finally held a hearing in 2018 to "surplus" the land, a legal step allowing development, but granted no authority.  In February 2019, Councilman Kenyan McDuffie, who's district covers the site, held a meeting with the developers and told the community they would now be given .69 acres of open space under a new plan, but the Mayor's office has moved the ball since. Norouzi argues for decoupling the development from renovation of the school, and getting the District to just pay for the Crummell School renovation, which in the current plan will be paid for by the developers, though that would still require a development plan.  "This is a neighborhood without any parks, without any trees" she says.  It does have a roastery, breweries, distilleries, ax-throwing, a day-drinking spot for parents, traditional retail, and some uniquely historic architecture, but some trees wouldn't hurt.

trees coming into focus...

Washington DC commercial real estate news

Jefferson's Pursuit of Cleanliness

18 months into renovation, a scaffolded Jefferson Memorial, commanding the preeminent position overlooking the tidal basin, remains under construction for a cleansing and roof restoration.  Expected to last 15 months when initiated, the monumental renovation is now expected to go through February of 2021.  A leaky and moldy roof lead to the decision by the National Park Service to hire Grunley Construction to replace two lower layers of the roof beneath the dome and clean the black biofilm (algae, fungi and bacteria) that has accumulated on the marble exterior.  The entirety of the monument's exterior will be cleaned by laser, a new waterproof subsurface will be installed, and the front portico entry will be lifted and have its waterproofing replaced as well, and missing coffers and beams in the portico will get replacements, and all stone surfaces will be re-grouted and cleaned, keeping Mr. Jefferson dry.

click image for photo gallery

As to the extended renovation time, a park service spokesman says "a variety" of factors contributed to the delay; "Covid didn't help."  The memorial is one of the most photographed places in Washington DC thanks to its epicentral position on the tidal basin surrounded the city's venerated cherry trees.  And while work on the monument may be nearing an end, a larger water problem looms: the land on which the Jefferson sits is sinking, and rising sea levels don't help.  But that is a more protracted problem, and the Trust for the National Mall is leading the charge to think through some solutions, though easy answers seem elusive.

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