Buzzard Point Will be Buzzing with Construction Activity in 2016

2016 will be a big year for Buzzard Point as a multitude of projects both large and small are expected to get underway on the peninsula. The most high-profile project is construction of a new soccer stadium for DC United, which is scheduled to start by September. Raze permits were filed last month for the parcels the city purchased in the stadium footprint, including Super Salvage which is now closed. Meanwhile, eminent domain proceedings are underway for a two-acre parcel in the stadium footprint previously owned by Akridge. The city still needs to remediate the stadium site before construction can begin, which is filled with containments due to the area’s former heavy industrial use. The 20,000 seat stadium will be located at 2nd and R streets and is scheduled to open in time for the beginning of the 2018 MLS season. 

Pepco has already cleared land across R Street from the stadium site to build a new substation in order to handle all of the new development occurring in Southwest and Navy Yard/Near SE/Capitol Riverfront. The new Waterfront substation has been designed to blend in with the area and will replace the unsightly exposed substation that currently exists a couple blocks to the southeast. On the southeastern side of the new substation where R Street, 1st Street and Potomac Avenue intersect, the area will complement the public plaza planned as a part of the new DC United stadium. Aside from the substation, transmission lines will be installed along several nearby streets. The new Waterfront substation will be open by June 2017. 

Five years after Marina Place was approved and more than a decade after it was first proposed, the condo and retail project may finally move forward this year. Capital City Real Estate purchased the lot fronting the recently shuttered Buzzard Point Marina at 1st and V streets from Duane Deason in December for $9.8 million, according to the Washington Business Journal. The new owners are planning a 90-107-unit condominium project, which will have sweeping views of the Anacostia and Potomac rivers due to its location near the tip of Buzzard Point. Construction is expected to wrap up by early 2018. 

A raze permit was filed last month for 69 Q Street, a row house dating to the late 1800’s recently purchased for $599,000 according to Zillow. No details yet on what will replace it, but it is a block east of where a new hotel and hostel by Carr Hospitality is supposed to be built. 

Construction of a new Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge and traffic oval by DDOT is also expected to begin by the end of 2016 or early 2017. The two-phase project involves building a new, six-lane bridge across the Anacostia River with pedestrian and bike paths, as well as new traffic ovals on either side of the bridge, the transformation of South Capitol Street into a grand urban boulevard with interchange improvements including an at-grade intersection at M Street and new ramps to I-695. The interchange improvements are part of the second phase of construction.

Renderings courtesy of DC United, Pepco, Eric Colbert & Associates PC, and DDOT

Pier 4 at The Wharf to Remain Commercial, Rise to 3 Stories

Hoffman-Madison Waterfront (HMW) has filed with the Zoning Commission to modify the approved Stage One PUD for Pier 4, located adjacent to the new Waterfront Park currently under construction at The Wharf. Initially, the plan was to work on Pier 4 in the third phase of The Wharf, but HMW has decided to move up construction of Pier 4 to coincide with the completion of Waterfront Park, in order to minimize disruption to the park. In addition, the development team seeks to change the permitted use from residential to commercial in light of the lack of support from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to allow townhouses constructed on the pier. Instead, Pier 4 will continue to be be used by Entertainment Cruises, which currently operates out of the pier and neighboring Pier 3. Entertainment Cruises will consolidate its operations to Pier 4. 

View from Washington Channel

A permit was given to HMW in 2015 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to do the following, according to the Zoning Commission application: 

To renovate, including constructing additional stories not to exceed a total structure height of 55 feet above the existing site, in the same roofline footprint; to construct an approximately 23-foot wide by 200-foot long pier at the channelward end of the existing pier structure, to install two dolphins; and to construct a 20-foot wide by 40-foot long floating platform with 6 piles on the west side of the existing pier, all to extend a maximum of 530 feet channelward of the existing bulkhead. 

View from Waterfront Park

The plan for the pier is to maintain the brick head house structure for passenger ticketing and locker rooms for employees and build a two-story addition to the existing concrete canopy structure located behind the head house. McGraw Bagnoli Architects has designed the new pier building as a concrete structure with wood and metal accents. A passenger staging area, restrooms, and office space will be located on the first floor while the second and third floors will contain more office space and terraces, both covered and uncovered. 

The existing head house building at Pier 4 will remain.

HMW will go before the ANC next week to seek their support for the change in plans to Pier 4. 

Renderings courtesy of Hoffman-Madison Waterfront

Extreme Makeover: New Windows and Doors Edition

The corner of South Capitol and I streets looks a little brighter these days with new windows recently installed at the Capitol Skyline Hotel. The new windows at the Capitol Skyline Hotel have a white frame, which gives the hotel exterior a much different look compared to the old blue-framed windows.

Old windows with blue frame

New windows with white frame

Across the street, windows at Randall Recreation Center have been painted, security bars removed, and doors replaced. One of the windows at Randall will also be replaced. The improvements at Randall are a result of money given by the Bernstein Companies as a part of their PUD approval for Town Center East. In addition, DPR has $250,000 available to make ADA-compliant improvements to Randall, but they are seeking more funds in the FY 2017 budget to make additional improvements.

Randall Turf Field Photos

A new turf athletic field at Randall is now mostly complete. A partnership between DPR/DGS, the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation, Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, and Under Armour have teamed up for the effort, which includes a new turf field, scoreboard, and dugouts for youth baseball/softball and soccer. The position of the ball field on the southwest corner of Randall Field shifted to the northwest corner. Only one of the fields will be turf – the other ball field on the southeast corner will remain grass due to lack of funding. The changes to the field will accommodate youth sports to the detriment of adult sports leagues due to the source of donated funds for the project. Below are some more photos of the new field.

Under Armour logo on turf field

New scoreboard is at left.

Outline of soccer field

Parcel 11 Construction Progress

Construction of 525 Water Street condos at The Wharf is progressing, with most of the exterior now covered in brick. By spring, the condos will be ready for occupancy. This will be the first new building to be complete in The Wharf and the first new construction condos to be built in Southwest since Potomac Place Condos were finished in 2005 (Waterfront Tower was a condo conversion). VIO, the other new condo building planned during the first phase of The Wharf, is also under construction and is scheduled to be completed in 2017. 

Meanwhile, the steel frame of the new St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church continues to rise along Maine Avenue. At the new St. Augustine’s, there will be views of the church from M Street and Maine Avenue since it will be located at a prominent corner. There will be a soft curved edge in front of St. Augustine's to complement the curvature of Arena Stage across the street. The two-story church will be approximately 15,000 square feet with the sanctuary located on the second floor offering views toward the Washington Monument. Also on the second floor will be classrooms and a library. On the ground floor, the entrance will lead to a vestibule that connects to classrooms and an all-purpose room, which will be available for community events, similar to how the former St. Augustine's building was used for meetings. The church began construction last May and is scheduled to be completed later this year. 

Waterfront Park, the 3.5-acre green space to be located behind parcel 11, began construction in the fall, but completion is still several months away. Park elements include plantings, pergolas, a water feature, play mounds, pathways, seating areas, an access road for the Harbor Patrol, and a plaza. The plaza will be named after DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton - the section of the park between the access road and the Wharf promenade.

Renderings courtesy of MTFA Architecture and Hoffman-Madison Waterfront

Enterprise Opening This Week at Waterfront Station

A sign has been posted at the old L’Enfant Plaza Enterprise car rental location on D Street stating that they will be moving to their new Waterfront Station storefront on or near December 7. A peek inside the new storefront shows that the Enterprise sign is ready to go up on the exterior of 1100 4th Street. Has anyone seen whether Enterprise opened today? With the imminent opening of Enterprise, there remains one vacant retail space at Waterfront Station along 4th Street – a storefront located adjacent to Station 4.

Annual Parade of Lighted Boats This Saturday

The 24th annual Parade of Lighted Boats will take place on Saturday evening from 6-8 pm at Gangplank Marina Park located at 600 Water Street.  As in previous years, festivities include photos with Santa Claus, the lighting of the Gangplank Marina Christmas tree, a firepit with s'mores, live holiday music, gingerbread cookie decorating, the first "snowfall" of the season, and of course, the boat parade, where boaters decorate their vessels and compete for prizes.

Leasing Begins at 1000 Maine

Leasing has commenced for 1000 Maine, an office building currently under construction at The Wharf, the development team announced today in a press release. From the looks of it, Hoffman-Madison Waterfront is looking to land a high-profile anchor tenant. From the press release: 

"1000 Maine offers both extraordinary creative office space and the opportunity for classic customized space within a top-tier trophy building with dramatic floor plates," said Amer Hammour, chairman of Madison Marquette. "1000 Maine's setting overlooking the Potomac River - in the heart of the nation's Capital - and with a full complement of outstanding amenities, creates a new benchmark in excellence for office design created to appeal to the most discerning national and global office tenants." 

1000 Maine will be a 250,000 SF trophy office building, designed by Kohn Pederson Fox and Fox Architects for LEED-Gold certification, with ground floor retail, a multi-story atrium, and panoramic views of the Washington Channel and monumental Washington. The office building is scheduled to deliver in 2017. Below is a promotional video from the building’s website.

In other Wharf news, according to the Washington Business Journal, building permits have been obtained for components of Phase I in recent weeks, including Parcel 2 and Parcel 3a. Parcel 2 will contain Wharf Hall and two apartment buildings, as well as a co-generation plant. Parcel 3a is 800 Maine Avenue, an office building that will be the future home of the American Psychiatric Association. Meanwhile, construction is underway at Waterfront Park, located behind 525 Water Street condos and the new St. Augustine’s Church, which should deliver in 2016.

Rendering courtesy of Hoffman-Madison Waterfront

Will St. Matthew’s Lot Finally Turn Dirt?

St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church will be holding another Christmas tree giveaway later this month on their vacant lot, located at 222 M Street. At last year’s giveaway, the development team said construction on a new sanctuary and 221 apartments would begin in April 2015, but financial complications due to the property’s location in a flood zone delayed the start of construction. This problem seems to be resolved, since the 17th Street NW levee project on the National Mall has since been completed, which moves the St. Matthew’s lot outside of the 100-year flood zone. According to Pastor Phillip Huber of St. Matthew’s, the latest estimate for starting construction is mid-January, with completion by the end of 2017, or sooner. The development team includes Trammell Crow Company and CSG Urban Partners.

The Christmas tree giveaway will be on Saturday, December 12, starting at 10am. In order to receive one of the 130 free trees, a reservation is required – either email stmatthewsdc@hughes.net or call 202-484-3189, first come, first serve. Day-of reservations will be accepted on site, starting at 10am to pick up a tree after 12pm, if any remain. Free food and beverages will be provided during the giveaway.

Rendering courtesy of Shalom Baranes Associates

7th Street Recreational Pier May be Built Sooner

Hoffman-Madison Waterfront has submitted an application for Stage II PUD approval of 7th Street Recreational Pier, which was originally proposed to be built in Phase III of The Wharf, but may now be developed during the initial phase, in concert with construction of 7th Street Park. The pier will be located at the terminus of 7th Street, adjacent to the planned 7th Street Park and is one of the four public piers planned for The Wharf. 

7th Street Recreational Pier has been designed by Michael Vergason Landscape Architects and Moffatt & Nichol, according to the Zoning Commission application as “a narrow quay for enjoying views of the water and the monuments, and will have a lower floating pier that can accommodate various rental activities and other water-based recreational program.” On the upper portion of the pier, wooden benches, oversized swings, lighting, and a “fire feature” are planned. As designed, the pier will gradually descend towards the water’s surface before rising to its terminus, 432 feet into the Washington Channel. A series of floating wetlands will be located to the east of the pier, providing visual interest and environmental benefits. A large shade structure is planned for the area where the pier, wharf promenade and 7th Street Park meet, which will include a gathering area and retail kiosk. 

In order to build the pier during Phase I of construction, a revised transition plan needed to be developed, specifically for the live-aboards at Gangplank Marina. The revised plan moves access to Gangplank Marina away from the construction zone of the pier and moves the live-aboards to a centralized location. ANC 6D will need to give its support before the pier design is taken up by the Zoning Commission. The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts approved the concept design back in July. 

Renderings courtesy of Hoffman-Madison Waterfront