WASHINGTON, DC | Development News

[202_Cyclist]

The blog, JD Land, covering the Southeast Waterfront (including the navy Yard and Nationals stadium) posted yesterday about a planned 430-unit development at 880 New Jersey Avenue, next to the freeway.

First Details on WC Smith's 880 New Jersey Apartment Project
http://www.jdland.com/dc/index.cfm/3...tment-Project/

[202_Cyclist]

Blocks From the President, Developers Plan Big

By TERRY PRISTIN
Published: June 21, 2011
NY Times

"WASHINGTON — Since the late 1990s, the once-desolate section of downtown Washington east of the White House has undergone a striking transformation. About $10.6 billion has been invested in more than 150 real estate projects. Some 56,000 people now live downtown, up from 38,000 in 2000.


A rendering of City- CenterDC, a $700 million complex under construction in the heart of Washington that is envisioned as a modern-day Rockefeller Center, with a public plaza and a park. (Image courtesy of the NY Times)

And after years of planning, the most ambitious of the downtown projects is finally under way. Construction began in March on CityCenterDC, a $700 million complex envisioned as a modern-day Rockefeller Center, with 2.5 million square feet of office, residential and retail space as well as a public plaza and park. Completion of the bulk of the project is expected in late 2013, according to the two real estate companies, Hines Interests of Houston and Archstone of Englewood, Colo., that won development rights in 2003...."

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/22/re...under-way.html

[babybackribs2314]

Who wants to wager that DC will break 650k with the 2020 Census, perhaps handily? The pace of construction has increased so dramatically since the depth of the recession (which really wasn't bad in DC to begin with), with downtown now completely filled out (or 99.5%) and Southwest etc taking up the slack. The demand for new housing is very apparent as is the fact that DC is enjoying very robust population growth at the moment.

The NYT article mentions 7k new units under construction/being delivered soon, and that's just as the regional economy is revving up again. By the end of this decade I think we'll see most of Southwest resemble downtown DC with very significant infill in near-Southeast as well (besides Shaw etc). DC proper is thriving at the moment and is really unlike anything else in the US besides NYC right now in terms of growth.

[202_Cyclist]

Since jazz in the Sculpture Garden is getting too crowded, my girlfriend, several friends and I decided to go to the Friday concert series held at the Yards waterfront park. The park opened last September and is stunningly beautiful, especially on a mild summer evening. Please excuse the photo quality of most of these photos, as they were taken with my Blackberry after a couple of glasses of wine.

Here are a couple of photos of the Foundry Lofts, being built by Forest City. The lofts are scheduled to begin leasing this August, with an opening in October. The blog JD Land, which is essential reading for all news related to the Southeast waterfront, has an informative website about this project: http://www.jdland.com/dc/sfc.cfm?tab=no2&filter=160







Here are some photos of the park, including the USS Barry and the bridge.

[babybackribs2314]

This is a rather random request, but where else will it be heard?

Most here are relatively active on the blogs, so I would encourage all of you to write to the prominent blogs (greatergreaterwashington, beyonddc as well) regarding this monstrosity:

http://www.tysons2.com/images/ColorMasterPlan_11.pdf

It's the plan by Lerner Enterprises for their expansion of their Tysons II development. While the process for approval has become more stringent for Tysons, this has obviously slipped through some kind of massive crack and represents the past rather than the future. The aerial alone shows how atrocious the layout is, with no reliance on urban norms for getting around while the roads are still huge and parking is still copious and unnecessarily visible. This particular example shows that tall buildings do not correlate with walkability and Lerner's plan is a major disappointment for anyone who wishes Tysons to be anywhere near urban, as the walkability (RIGHT ADJACENT TO METRO) is absolutely zero.

[202_Cyclist]

There is a lot of news about the Navy Yard/Nationals stadium/Southeast area today. Forest City, which is developing the Foundry Lofts (photos above) announced the restaurants that will be in both the Boilermaker shops and the Foundry Lofts. These include Potbelly, Austin Grill, a Thai/sushi restaurant, and a local upscale brewpub from the owners of Birch & Barley/ChurchKey.

Here is a rendering of the Boilermaker shops courtesy of the Capital Riverfront Business Improvement District.

http://www.capitolriverfront.org/_fi...opspoint10.jpg

JD Land (http://www.jdland.com/dc/index.cfm/3...-Teeter-Confi/) as well as a press release from Forest City (http://www.marketwire.com/press-rele...he-1531525.htm) have more information about the new retail and dining options planned for the Yards development.

[202_Cyclist]

According to DC Mud, construction will begin soon on Douglas Development's property at 14th and Florida. Jemal Douglas is planning to build a 6-story building with 30 residential units. There is a tremendous amount of development under construction now on the 14th Street corridor. Further north on 14th Street, new residential is under construction at the former Nemehiah strip mall. In the other direction, PN Hoffman is converting the former Verizon building into condos and right next to this, JBG is building the District Condos.

http://dcmud.blogspot.com/2011/06/do...n-on-14th.html

[202_Cyclist]

New 95-Unit Residential Project Proposed For 15th Street

July 6, 2011
by Mark Wellborn
DC Urban Turf


Rendering of proposed apartment building at 15th and V Street NW (image courtesy of DC Urban Turf)

"The Meridian Hill Neighborhood Association reported over the holiday weekend that Jair Lynch Development Partners has proposed a 95-unit, nine-story residential building for the corner of 15th and V Street NW. The association reports that the project would be built on the parking lot for the Paul Lawrence Dunbar Apartments, an affordable housing development for senior citizens. It is being referred to as an apartment (i.e. rental) building, but whether or not it will be for-sale units or rentals probably won’t be determined for awhile."

http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blo...th_street/3760

[202_Cyclist]

DC Mud has a post today about the proposed 52-acre waterfront development on the Southwest Waterfront (across from Haynes Pont, next to the fish market, I-395, and Cantina Marina). Already, in the past year, a new mixed-use Safeway and the rebuilt beautiful Arena Stage theater have opened. In Southeast, the Yards waterfront park openend in September and in Georgetown, phase 1 of their waterfront park opened. After being neglected for years, DC is starting to use the great asset of its waterfront properties along the Potomac and Anacostia rivers.

Plans Submitted for Southwest Wharf Waterfront
http://dcmud.blogspot.com/2011/07/pl...est-wharf.html

[202_Cyclist]

Plan would build atop Adams Morgan garage

By KATIE PEARCE
Georgetown Current
July 6, 2011

"A quiet industrial corner of Adams Morgan — now home to a public parking garage — would become a seven-story residential and retail complex under a proposed development scheme.

The concept calls for up to 130 new residences above street-level retail at the intersection of Florida Avenue and Champlain Street, south of the Marie Reed Learning Center’s recreation facility and a Pepco utility station.

A development team that includes the Triangle Ventures firm submitted a zoning application last month to kick off the project, aiming to start construction in 2013..."

http://currentnewspapers.com/admin/u....06.11%201.pdf

Here is an image of the proposed development courtesy of DC Urban Turf.

http://dc.urbanturf.com/pipeline/131..._Verizon_Site/

[202_Cyclist]

This setback is unfortunate but hopefully it is only temporary. There is a lot of developed either under construction or planned on the Wisconsin Avenue corridor and the development approvals will transfer with this sale. WMATA's western bus garage is right next to this property. The bus garage is several acres right above/next to the Friendship Heights metro station, so both of these properties have great potential, if WMATA and the District can agree to moving the bus garage to the soon-to-be vacant Walter Reed site.


Akridge puts 5220 Wisconsin up for sale


By Michael Neibauer
Washington Business Journal
July 8. 2011

"Akridge , which went through hell to get its 5220 Wisconsin Ave. NW high-rise proposal through the regulatory hopper, has placed the Friendship Heights property on the market, a D.C. council member said Friday.

"While I am disappointed to hear that the planned development project at 5220 Wisconsin Avenue Northwest in Ward 3 has been put up for sale before the project was completed, I am heartened to hear that there is a strong likelihood that the planned development, a green building with retail and residential space, will still be built by a potential new owner," Councilwoman Mary Cheh, D-Ward 3, said in a statement..."

http://www.bizjournals.com/washingto....html?page=all

[202_Cyclist]

My girlfriend and I took advantage of the great weather today to walk down to Georgetown and go to the new waterfront park that opened last year. Cirrus posted an excellent set of photos a few months earlier (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=189748) but I got a couple of photos of the second phase of construction towards the Washington Harbour development. All photos were taken with my Blackberry so I apologize for the quality.





These two photos are of the already-completed first phase of the park. This photo is looking towards the Key Bridge.



Another view of the park with the Whitehurst freeway in the background.

[202_Cyclist]

This is very unfortunate to see. The western bus garage occupies several (5-10) acres of land directly next to the Friendship Heights metro station. This article estimates the value of the land at $30M. The current occupants at Walter Reed are moving to Bethesda at part of the BRAC proposal. The western and northern bus garages could have been consolidated at the soon-to-be vacant land at Walter Reed and the western bus garage could have been developed into transit-oriented development. The Friendship Heights bus garage could have accommodated perhaps 200-400 new residents, directly next to the metro. Now these people will be living in less transit-accessible locations and no doubt many of them will locate in Maryland or Virginia instead, depriving the District of tens of millions of dollars each year in property and income taxes.

Garage Wars: Should Buses Park at Walter Reed?

Posted by Lydia DePillis
Jul. 12, 2011
Washington City Paper


What the 14th Street bus barn looks like. (Image courtesy of the City Paper)

"It's fair to say that, given a choice, you probably wouldn't want to live next to a bus barn. You can't get anything to eat there, or buy toilet paper. Big, smelly vehicles are coming and going all the time.

Right now, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority has two bus garages that it needs to move. The "Northern" location, a huge site on 14th Street NW between Buchanan and Decatur Street, is 104 years old and in need of substantial renovations. The "Western" location, on 44th and Harrison Street NW, is younger but still falling apart..."

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/b...t-walter-reed/

[202_Cyclist]

The NIMBY hysterics/paranoia is going to begin in 3, 2, 1...

This is great news. It's boom times on the Wisconsin Avenue corridor with this proposal, the development of the site next to the Western Union tower across Wisconsin Avenue, the Tenley library (even if it didn't include the residential part as a public-private partnership), the relocation of the American U. law school to the Tenley Circle campus, and construction soon to begin on the Giant/Cathedral Commons development. Public Tenley, a sports bar opened earlier this year, as well as several other restaurants. Additionally, between Tenley and Friendship Heights, the Harrison (http://www.theharrisondc.com/the-har...ew-renderings/) will finish construction soon


Plan in Queue for Babe's in Tenleytown

Posted by Kelly Matlock
7/13/2011
DC Mud


Image courtesy of DC Mud.

"Plans for the former Babe's Billiards site at 4600-4614 Wisconsin Avenue NW in Tenleytown have been knocked around, and ultimately scratched, since early 2004, three years before the well-known neighborhood hangout was forced to give its final last-call-for-alcohol. The site, dormant now for four years, is owned by Douglas Development, and the developer plans to rekindle an earlier vision for the parcel: a six-story, mixed-use development with a significant retail component...."

http://dcmud.blogspot.com/2011/07/pl...enleytown.html

[202_Cyclist]

DC Mud posted a rendering of the proposed mixed-use development that would replace the closed Babes Billiards in Tenley. I'm not an architect but this look like an attractive building and it certainly is an improvemet from the vacant building there now. This will help enliven Tenley and it is good to have more residents within a short walk of the metro station.


Image courtesy of DC Mud

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wd30nmzSO5...BWisconsin.jpg

[202_Cyclist]

DC Mud has a post about the plans to develop the Florida Rock property next to the Nationals stadium and near the Yards waterfront park that I posted photos. The site was a gravel pit and needs to be rezoned. According to DC Mud, construction will begin in 2013.


Image courtesy of DC Mud


Joint Venture to Kick Start Florida Rock on the Anacostia
http://dcmud.blogspot.com/2011/07/jo...iverfront.html

[202_Cyclist]

I couldn't care less about the Redskins but this is good to see. Not only do the solar panels generate clean, renewable energy, cover the parking lots also keep the cars cooler, reducing the need for air conditioning, thereby allowing the vehicles to get better fuel mileage.

Another benefit is that it shows the value and feasibility of renewable energy to the Real 'mericans who go to football games.

Redskins installing solar panels at FedEx Field


Artist's rendering of solar panels, expected to decrease game-day energy use at FedEx Field by 15 percent and provide 850 covered parking spaces. (Image courtesy of the Washington Post)

By Mike Jones
Washington Post
7/12/2011


"The Washington Redskins are installing 8,000 solar panels in a FedEx Field parking lot that will generate enough electricity to supply a portion of the stadium’s power on game days and all of its electricity the rest of the week, according to people with knowledge of the organization’s plans.

Construction is underway in the team’s Platinum A1 parking lot to set up panels that will generate two megawatts of electricity — enough to decrease FedEx Field’s annual energy use by 15 percent, according to people within the organization. The panels also will be used to create an 850-space covered carport that will feature 10 charging stations for electric vehicles..."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports...ZBI_story.html

[202_Cyclist]

A Population Changes, Uneasily

By SABRINA TAVERNISE
July 17, 2011
NY Times

"WASHINGTON — This city, the country’s first to have an African-American majority and one of its earliest experiments in black self-government, is passing a milestone.


In the Northwest area of Washington, H Street, shows signs of gentrification like new sidewalks and stylized street lamps. (Image courtesy of the NY Times)

Washington’s black population slipped below 50 percent this year, possibly in February, about 51 years after it gained a majority, according to an estimate by William Frey, the senior demographer at the Brookings Institution..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/18/us...agewanted=all#

[babybackribs2314]

DC's white population boom is concurrent with a population increase in general... I noted this above, but I fully expect the growth of the District to be rather phenomenal over the next decade. An increase to 700k is definitely not out of the question, as we're now seeing completely new areas developed, like SW DC.

[202_Cyclist]

bsbybackribs2314:

DC's white population boom is concurrent with a population increase in general... I noted this above, but I fully expect the growth of the District to be rather phenomenal over the next decade. An increase to 700k is definitely not out of the question, as we're now seeing completely new areas developed, like SW DC.

I agree with this assessment. The debate around gentrification is not helpful at all. As you note, many completely new areas are being developed. With most of the development in DC, it is surface parking lots, boarded-up stores, and businesses such as car repair lots that are being redeveloped.

Additionally, all of these new residents bring new income, sales, and property tax revenue to the District. This new tax revenue pays for services such as better schools, improved libraries, and expanded transit that benefits all District residents.