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Near Southeast DC Past News Items
In the Pipeline
25 M
Yards/Parcel I
Chiller Site Condos
Yards/Parcel A
1333 M St.
More Capper Apts.
Yards/DC Water site
New Marine Barracks
Nat'l Community Church
Factory 202/Yards
SC1100
Completed
Thompson Hotel ('20)
West Half ('19)
Novel South Capitol ('19)
Yards/Guild Apts. ('19)
Capper/The Harlow ('19)
New DC Water HQ ('19)
Yards/Bower Condos ('19)
Virginia Ave. Tunnel ('19)
99 M ('18)
Agora ('18)
1221 Van ('18)
District Winery ('17)
Insignia on M ('17)
F1rst/Residence Inn ('17)
One Hill South ('17)
Homewood Suites ('16)
ORE 82 ('16)
The Bixby ('16)
Dock 79 ('16)
Community Center ('16)
The Brig ('16)
Park Chelsea ('16)
Yards/Arris ('16)
Hampton Inn ('15)
Southeast Blvd. ('15)
11th St. Bridges ('15)
Parc Riverside ('14)
Twelve12/Yards ('14)
Lumber Shed ('13)
Boilermaker Shops ('13)
Camden South Cap. ('13)
Canal Park ('12)
Capitol Quarter ('12)
225 Virginia/200 I ('12)
Foundry Lofts ('12)
1015 Half Street ('10)
Yards Park ('10)
Velocity Condos ('09)
Teague Park ('09)
909 New Jersey Ave. ('09)
55 M ('09)
100 M ('08)
Onyx ('08)
70/100 I ('08)
Nationals Park ('08)
Seniors Bldg Demo ('07)
400 M ('07)
Douglass Bridge Fix ('07)
US DOT HQ ('07)
20 M ('07)
Capper Seniors 1 ('06)
Capitol Hill Tower ('06)
Courtyard/Marriott ('06)
Marine Barracks ('04)
 
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More New Photos
In addition to the latest stadium photos that I posted on Saturday, there's also a smattering of new photos on the 20 M Street and Capper Seniors #2 pages, and even the Monument Half Street page (showing the hole in the ground starting to be dug as part of the Navy Yard Metro station upgrade). I also tossed in a few updated photos of the 4th and K and 4th and L intersections into the Photo Archive as well.

 

New Stadium Photos Posted
Another gorgeous Saturday, so I've posted an updated batch of photos in the Nats Ballpark Construction Gallery, including shots of the new roof canopy now starting to be installed.
More posts: Nationals Park
 

1325 South Capitol at the Zoning Commission
Last night was the public hearing and Capitol Gateway Overlay Review for 1325 South Capitol Street, a 244-unit residential building planned by Camden Development for the northwest corner of South Capitol and O streets, right across the street from the new baseball stadium. First, I will admit right off that I am only grudgingly following this project (I still optimally want my coverage area to end in the South Capitol Street median), but I'm not sure that excuses the sordid truth that, while watching the webcast of the hearing, I kind of, well, um, nodded off. Multiple times. So apologies that what follows does not rise to the normal level of JDLand OCD Detail.
In general, the ZC commissioners were favorable toward the project and were also cognizant that 1325 is a bit of a test case in terms of being the first structure going up on South Capitol Street under all the new rules; they were also quite happy to see a residential project on South Capitol, seemingly expecting that the street would only be drawing in office developments. There was some concern that the ground floor level of 1325 is not completely retail--there will be a two-story retail component on the O Street corner, but the rest of the first floor will include a gym and other areas for residents; but these areas will have the same sort of glassed-in look to make it appear "active." There was also discussion of the west side of the building, which abuts a number of townhouses and will be easily seen when looking eastward from the neighborhood, that because of this layout it can't really be considered the "back of the building", and so the commissioners want more "articulation" on that side. Also, the project will not being applying for LEED certification, but the commissioners want to hear more about what "green" steps the project will be taking. There was also some discussion about the Inclusionary Zoning (i.e., affordable housing) components, and whether the project can restrict those units to the lower floors.
If all requested additional submissions are made in time, a ZC Special Public Meeting will be scheduled for March 20 for an initial vote. (Perhaps I won't be as sleepy on that night.) It is expected that construction would begin sometime this summer, with delivery in summer 2009.
 

801 Virginia Avenue Gets Its Permits
I've received word that all permits have at last been secured for 801 Virginia Avenue, the 40,000-sq-ft residential/retail/office project on the southeast corner of 8th and Virginia. It will have 17 residential units (condos), plus about 8,000 sq ft of office and retail space. The developers expect to begin construction within the next 90 days, with completion expected in summer 2008. More information is available on the this web site (geared toward selling the office/retail space)--marketing of the condos should begin "soon", I'm told.
More posts: 801va, 8th Street
 

Florida Rock Project Still Moving Forward
Thanks to reader Scott for snagging this press release off the wires [links mine]: "Patriot Transportation Holding, Inc. announced today that its subsidiary, Florida Rock Properties, Inc. ("FRP"), continues to pursue its efforts to obtain approval of a final planned unit development application for its Washington, D.C. property located on the banks of the Anacostia River across Potomac Avenue from the new baseball stadium being constructed for the Washington Nationals. In response to comments recently received from members of the District of Columbia Zoning Commission, FRP is seeking to refocus the proposed project to respond to the concerns raised. FRP believes that its proposed project, which had previously received preliminary approval, will complement the new stadium and will contribute to the overall redevelopment of the baseball stadium district. At this time, Patriot is uncertain when the Zoning Commission will act finally on the FRP application or what action the Commission may take." If you read on, you'll even get a nice little explanation as to how Florida Rock Properties, Florida Rock Industries, Patriot, and Vulcan Materials are connected (or not connected). It's like they wrote it just for me! For background, read these previous posts.
More posts: Florida Rock, zoning
 

Looking Up.... And Down
Wasting no time after the permits were approved last week, JPI has within the past few days put up a construction crane now towering over the Southeast Freeway at 70 I Street, where the digging down for the company's 448-unit residential project must be pretty close to done. I imagine there will eventually be another crane for 100 I Street (the companion 246-unit building) within a few months.
A few blocks to the south at the Nationals ballpark, the roof canopy has started to be installed--they've even repositioned the Stadium Construction Cam to give a good view of the work. Before long, the lighting that will sit beneath the canopy will start to be put in place as well.
But be careful while you're wandering around looking upward at these new sites--some monster potholes have erupted as the temperatures have warmed. If you do the circuit around the stadium site, this is your fair warning to drive incredibly slowly until the holes get filled in, because otherwise your car is a-gonna-get swallowed.

More posts: 70/100 I, jpi, Nationals Park
 

Meetings and Whatnot
Tomorrow night (Feb. 22), the DC Zoning Commission is having a public hearing on Case 06-41, a Capitol Gateway Overlay Review for 1325 South Capitol Street, the planned 244-unit residential building at South Capitol and O streets SW, right across from the ballpark. The ZC hearing is available via live webcast. Apparently this project was presented at the Feb. 12 ANC 6D meeting, but since the ANC for four of the last five months has been unable or unwilling to send out its agendas before the meetings or post them on their web site (check out those dates!), I wasn't able to post a heads up that this project was going to be discussed.
On the other hand, the agenda has already been released for the Feb. 28 Anacostia Waterfront Corporation Public Board Meeting, where one of the main items will be a presentation and public comments on the AWC's Draft Environmental Standards, and also a presentation on their new Workforce Intermediary Services. See the agenda for time and place and how to participate.

 

Anacostia River Cleanup Effort Coming in March
From the Examiner: "An Illinois-based environmental group plans to spearhead a large-scale environmental cleanup in the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers in late March.The Capital River Relief cleanup effort, launched by Chad Pregracke of the Living Lands and Waters nonprofit agency in cooperation with a host of local environmental groups, will work to remove trash from the polluted rivers waters starting March 28. This year's efforts seeks to beat the 40 to 50 tons the cleanup pulled from the rivers last year. The program, which lasts until April 22, calls on hundreds of volunteers to scour the shoreline of the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers picking up trash that will be stacked onto a 110-by-30 foot barge which stores the bottles, bowling balls, refrigerators and coconuts that Pregracke said volunteers have found over the last three annual cleanups. By the end of the nearly monthlong event, the trash on the barge resembles an aluminum popcorn bag after heating on a stove, ready to burst, Pregracke said." For more information, see the Living Lands and Waters web site and the Capital River Relief site (though it still just shows info from last year's cleanup). The Anacostia Watershed Society is said to be participating in the cleanup as well.
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Florida Rock Industries Inc. Acquired by Vulcan Materials - Impact on Near Southeast Project?
Yesterday it was announced that Florida Rock Industries was acquired by Vulcan Materials for $4.6 billion in cash and stock (h/t to reader Mark). Like all good citizens of the 21st Century, my initial reaction was "Very nice, but how does this affect ME?" The Florida Rock property along the Anacostia River is actually owned by FRP Development (aka Florida Rock Properties, not the company just acquired by Vulcan) which is a subsidary not of Florida Rock Industries, but Patriot Transportation Holding Inc. Whaaa? Here's how it shakes out, according to the Patriot company profile at Reuters: "Florida Rock Properties, Inc. owns real estate, of which a substantial portion is under mining royalty agreements or leased to Florida Rock Industries, Inc. (FRI), a related party." You can get a feel for how these separate-but-related companies are intertwined by reading these transactions summaries. But to go back to the original question, of how the Vulcan Materials acqusition of FRI might impact the Anacostia riverfront Florida Rock project--I have no idea, but will watch for tidbits and hints.
UPDATE: I would have hoped this went without saying--no, this story is NOT reporting that the Florida Rock site across from the stadium was sold for $4.6 billion. It's a story about big companies acquiring other big companies. And that one of those big companies has interests in a site in Near Southeast.
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More posts: Florida Rock
 

Old RSS Feed Shutting Down - Use Feedburner Feed Instead
For those of you who subscribe to my Near Southeast RSS feed at the old URL (ending in nearse-rss.xml), that feed is being shut down as of, well, now. You'll need to point to my official Feedburner feed in order to keep receiving updates via RSS. Sorry for the hassle, but this needed to be done....
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Building Permit Applications Filed for Stadium Parking Garages; Monument Half Street Excavation Permits Approved
At this point I hate to even utter the phrase "parking garages," but I would be remiss if I didn't pass along the news that this week building permit applications were filed for 25 N Street and 75 N Street (and another one for both addresses together), which would be the address of the two lots on the north end of the stadium site where the garages are to be built. The applications really don't tell you anything, but it's certainly a sign that the garages are moving forward. In other building permit news, Monument Realty has gotten its shoring/sheeting/excavation permit approved for their big Half Street/Ballpark District project, and they tell me they expect to have the site cleared by early March. (Alas, you can't yet see this approved permit in my DC Gov't Building Permit feeds module, because that feed has apparently been taking some snow days this week.)
More posts: parking, Nationals Park
 

DOT Pilot Agreement; Ground to be Broken on Canal and Diamond Teague Parks in 2007
In other news from the same press release announcing the interim AWC CEO: "Yesterday, the District of Columbia, AWC and the JBG Companies signed a Payment-in-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILOT) agreement to secure the development of the US Department of Transportation headquarters, a JBG-owned property. The PILOT will fund $140 million in infrastructure investments for the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative. The revenue stream from the agreement will be dedicated to support District issued bonds. These projects include: Southeast Federal Center, Anacostia Metro, Reservation 13, Ward 7 Waterfront, Marvin Gaye Park, [and the] Southwest Waterfront." See previous posts on this PILOT agreement here, here, and here.
That $140 million must be burning a hole in the AWC's pocket, because they've already posted an RFP for a Construction Manager for several AWC capital projects: "The total construction value for these activities is up to $140 million." There is a good tidbit buried in the accompanying press release, that AWC intends to break ground in 2007 on both Washington Canal Park and on the first phase of Diamond Teague Park, the planned 39,000-sq-ft public plaza at the terminus of First Street on the banks of Anacostia, nestled between Florida Rock, the Earth Conservation Corps, WASA, and the Nationals ballpark. (And who is Diamond Teague? Read this NOW With Bill Moyers transcript from 2004.)
 

Deputy Mayor Albert Named Interim CEO of AWC
A press release from the Mayor's office: "Today, with the support of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, the Anacostia Waterfront Corporation (AWC) Board of Directors appointed Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Neil O. Albert to serve as interim president and chief executive officer of the AWC. The appointment follows Monday's resignation of Adrian G. Washington as president of the corporation, chartered in 2004 to revitalize land and communities along the Anacostia River." The press release goes on to say that some of Albert's duties, while Mayor Fenty "awaits Council review of both AWC and the National Capital Revitalization Corporation (NCRC) as well as the findings of a report analyzing alternative structures of the corporations", will be "examining the organization's structure, assessing staff and leadership positions, driving development initiatives, [and] reviewing AWC finances and budget." Hmmm....

 

Reaction to Zoning Commission's Florida Rock Move
Today's Washington Business Journal print edition (available online to subscribers only) addresses Monday's Zoning Commission decision to request large-scale changes to the Florida Rock development plan (which the WBJ had trumpeted merely a week ago as being on the cusp of approval), saying that the recommendations for a redesign "were news to the developer and the Anacostia Waterfront Corp., which has been involved in the project-planning process. 'We were astounded,' says David Briggs, FRP's representative and land-use attorney at Holland + Knight. FRP plans to meet with the District's Office of Planning to determine its next course of action. The Office of Planning is expected to reconnect [JD: recommend?] incorporating the commission's suggestions unless the developer wants to leave the site as is -- a concrete mixing and gravel storage area."
More posts: Florida Rock, zoning
 

Latest Capitol Gateway Overlay Amendment Published
Today's DC Register has published the final version of the text amendment (case 05-10) to the Capitol Gateway Overlay District zoning regulations that has been winding through the process since early 2005. From the order: "The amendments place limits on density transferred through combined deployments, extend the Zoning Commission review and approval process and design guidelines to additional properties within the boundaries of the Capitol Gateway ("GC") Overlay, and establish preferred retail and entertainment use requirements and regulations along First and Half Streets S.E. within the area. In addition, the rules impose, within the Overlay, a 15-foot setback and a 1:1 upper story step-back above a height of 110 feet for buildings fronting South Capitol Street; an upper stories set-back for building[s] fronting Half Street S.E.; and a 1:1 upper story step-back above a height of 110 feet for buildings fronting Potomave Avenue S.E. and S.W. The rules also provide for referral to the National Capital Planning Commission of all applications for the review of buildings and uses on lots that abut South Capitol Street." Whew! The CG Overlay has yet to be posted in its entirety on the Zoning Commission web site (see that "Reserved" for Chapter 11?), but in the interim I've cobbled together the various ZC orders and other documents (we're still waiting on the publication of the final order for ZC case 06-25, which extended the CG Overlay boundary across South Capitol Street) into a single sleep-inducing document. You can also read my explanatory treatise from a few months back on this Overlay and its companion, the Southeast Federal Center Overlay.
 

Breaking - AWC CEO Adrian Washington Resigns
Not posted on the AWC web site yet, but here's a portion of the press release: "The Board of Directors of the Anacostia Waterfront Corporation (AWC) announced the resignation of its President and CEO Adrian G. Washington today. Washington, who served in that capacity from December 2005 to now, is returning to the private sector to resume his previous activities as a local developer and entrepreneur. [...] Mr. Washington's resignation is effective immediately." Will add the link to the press release when it's available online. UPDATE: Still not on the AWC, but here's a PDF of the press release.
UPDATE, 2/14: Here are the Post and Washington Business Journal pieces on Washington's departure, both of which also mention the additonal recent departure of the head of the National Capital Revitalization Corporation, the other quasi-government organization that, along with the AWC, has recently come under fire by members of the city council (with hearings to be held in March).
UPDATE II: Hi, Wonkette visitors. The nausea-inducing mouseovers are on that map over there to the right. After you're finished playing, click on a project or two, you might learn something.
 

AWC Draft Environmental Standards
The Anacostia Waterfront Corporation has released a set of Draft Environmental Standards for "integrated environmental design, green building, stormwater control, and site planning and preservation" for projects that fall within the AWC boundaries; the accompanying press release says that "The Committee's recommendations would establish some of the most environmentally protective development standards in the United States, requiring use of 'sustainable development' techniques to help restore the Anacostia River and provide a cleaner, healthier environment for District residents." Comments are being solicited through March 13.
 

Breaking News - Zoning Commission Sends Florida Rock Back to the Drawing Board (But Monument Realty Gets Its Approvals)
The long and winding road of the Florida Rock project took a pretty surprising turn tonight, as the Zoning Commission opted not to vote on the second-stage PUD, instead asking the applicant for to come back with an altered design that addresses the commission's concerns: the need for a greater amount of residential within the project (up from the current 40%, with the understanding that this would cut down the amount of office space), better views of and from the stadium (specifically in terms of the views of the Anacostia River from the grand staircase at 1st Street, and also the views of the stadium from the South Capitol Street Bridge), and a somewhat amorphous desire for a better "expression of place" (something that makes the site and the project more identifiable on the waterfront side).
Commissioners Parsons and Jeffries led the discussion about the concerns; Parsons in particular was extremely concerned that the project--which started long ago, well before there was a stadium to the north--would be looked at as a huge missed opportunity if it were approved in its current form. He mentioned how originally there was great emphasis put on the need to keep the axis of Half Street running through the project (see the project map to orient yourself and understand the discussion), but now that Half Street doesn't exist anymore thanks to the ballpark, perhaps the site could be pushed in at the center to allow more space at its ends and to respond to the stadium. Commissioner Jeffries expressed that this should be much more of a "civic" location (i.e., more for residents and less for office workers), and that there needs to be a better design plan, and that the commission has a responsibility to "get this right." When Commissioner Turnbull said that these requests constitute "major surgery", Jeffries replied that in his view the project needs major surgery, that incremental changes aren't getting the project where it needs to be.
Next steps? Good question--there was talk about how, when an extension was requested back in 2004, there were concerns that if it weren't granted the Florida Rock people would just leave a concrete plant on this valuable land, and the commissioners expressed a bit of worry about whether they'd do that now--and Commissioner Hood, who was skeptical of these requests at such a late date in the process, said that if he were the applicant, he would leave it as a concrete plant at this point. Yeowch. I will keep you apprised, of course.
UPDATE: Monument Realty's Half Street mixed-use project was given final approval on a 5-0 vote, with the exception of one variance request. Commissioners Mitten, Hood, and Parsons all remarked on how much they like the project, and Parsons made mention of how responsive Monument was to the concerns expressed by the commission at the January hearing.

 

Trafficking in Coffee Rumors
I've held off posting about this because I was waiting for confirmation, but I've now heard it from enough different sources that I'm at least willing to mention it as a pretty wide-ranging rumor--the word is that the little glassed-in nook on the DOT HQ building on the southeast corner of New Jersey and M is going to house a Starbucks. I don't drink the stuff, but I understand it's a popular place :-). Like I said, I haven't been able to confirm this, but it's what DOT workers are being told. ("Come to Near Southeast..... There's expensive coffee to be had on your walk in from the subway....")
 

Photos. Lots and Lots of Photos.
As promised yesterday, I went back today and got the few additional shots to round out the Stadium Construction Gallery update--It was a bit more difficult than usual taking pictures today, as I spent a lot of time dodging the legions of sightseeing Nats fans who had come down to the Hood after (I presume) reading this morning's Post. You also might want to start visiting the Near Southeast Photo Archive and clicking on the intersections around the perimeter of the stadium site (1st, South Capitol, Potomac, and N) to see even more before-and-during photos that aren't currently displayed in the Construction Gallery.
Speaking of the Archive, I've also now finally gone through alllllll of the locations on the map and made sure that all angles of the intersections are represented in the archive; I can't believe how many shots I didn't actually have. So if you visited the archive a few weeks back when I first launched it and weren't wowed by its offerings, feel free to give it another shot. (I only wish I'd done this a long time ago, and I also wish I had gotten this wild hair in the summertime, not in February when the sunlight is so hard to work with.) You can either browse by the map and compare old and new photos for a location, or just see the new photos I posted today and yesterday. Or you can do what I do and just reload the map page over and over and groove on the random before-and-after shots at the top of the page....
More posts: Nationals Park
 
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