Transpoint Building to be Redeveloped as Riverpoint

The former Coast Guard headquarters building at 2100 2nd Street in Buzzard Point is slated to be redeveloped as a mixed-use project with apartments, condos, and 80,000 SF of retail. Per the Washington Business Journal, a development team including Akridge Development, Western Development, Jefferson Apartment Group, Orr Partners, and Redbrick LMD will take on the Transpoint Building project, which has been renamed Riverpoint. From the article: 

Riverpoint is slated to include roughly 425 apartment units and 110 condo units, Orr said, though that mix could change, and the team is in the midst of screening architects. Early plans are to add a floor or two to the 609,265-square-foot building and to seek permission for some restaurants to extend onto the waterfront or even float on the Anacostia River, though those details are still being worked out. 

This is one of two office buildings in Buzzard Point that are planned to convert to residential. Earlier this year, Douglas Development filed plans with the Zoning Commission to convert an office building on Half Street to 462 apartment units and 24,032 SF of retail space. Riverpoint is located just to the south of 100 V Street, an empty lot owned by Akridge that was partially taken by the city through eminent domain to build the new D.C. United stadium. Previously, 100 V Street was envisioned as an office campus for a federal tenant; however, the changing dynamic of Buzzard Point and a soccer stadium next door will likely mean those development plans will be altered. With 100 V Street and Riverpoint, Akridge will have a large presence in Buzzard Point. 

Construction of Riverpoint could start within 12 months, adding to the bevy of construction activity coming to Buzzard Point over the next 2-3 years, including Douglas’ project, a new D.C. United stadium, Pepco substation, Marina View condos and a new Frederick Douglass Bridge and traffic oval.

525 Water Begins Settlements

The first units have settled at 525 Water, one of the condo buildings at The Wharf. According to the Washington Business Journal, four units have settled so far, and all of them belong to leadership at PN Hoffman, the master developer of the mega project on the Southwest waterfront. More than 50 percent of the units at 525 Water have sold so far, which means that settlements can begin. The article states that the building received its certificate of occupancy within the past week. 525 Water is part of Parcel 11 at The Wharf, which will be the first buildings to deliver in phase one. The new St. Augustine’s will open its doors next month with a convocation service on September 24. The remaining buildings in phase one from 7th Street to the Municipal Fish Market will deliver in the fall of 2017.

Buzzard Point Construction Activity

A stroll down 2nd Street in Buzzard Point reveals a much changed landscape. In two years, there will be a new Pepco Waterfront substation and a D.C. United soccer stadium, but for now, the area is a large construction zone. Hardly any buildings exist from Q Street to T Street, save for the historic Dent house at the corner of 2nd and R streets, which is owned by Pepco and will be preserved while they build their new substation. The Pepco substation construction is further along – digging has reached 15 feet below grade and excavation is complete with the foundation being poured (see above photo). Construction should be complete by June 2017. 

Looking NE toward Nationals Park from S Street

Meanwhile, demolition of existing structures at the D.C. United stadium site is complete and utility work is about to begin. The District is responsible for horizontal development, so the District’s portion of the process will be complete this fall.  A demolition ceremony was held in April when Mayor Bowser helped take down a metal-clad building at 2nd and S streets. Once utility work is complete and D.C. United finishes the PUD process for the design of the stadium, the team will be responsible for building the stadium, along with implementing the environmental remediation plan the District devised. The latest estimate of when construction could begin is the end of 2016 with the stadium opening in 2018. 

Both projects are happening simultaneously, so the two are coordinating a traffic control plan with phased street closures as delivery trucks haul away dirt and bring in concrete. There will be an enforced work zone around Buzzard Point with a 15 MPH speed limit in the area; cameras will be set up by MPD; and no construction trucks will be allowed in the residential neighborhood north of Q Street. The traffic consultant from Dewberry presented phase one of the Traffic Control Plan at Monday’s ANC meeting, which involves street closures at Potomac Avenue, Half Street, and R Street.

Parcel 11 Update

Construction will be wrapping up at the new St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church in the next couple of months. On Wednesday, September 24, the church will celebrate its reopening with a convocation, starting at 4pm. Meanwhile, 525 Water condos are approaching 50% pre-sold and the building is open for unit tours. Move-ins are scheduled to start this summer. These are the first buildings at The Wharf that will be completed. Infrastructure work continues at Waterfront Park, a three-acre open space adjacent to 525 Water, and construction should be completed either late this year or by early next year. The remaining buildings in phase one are supposed to be complete in the fall of 2017.

Breaking: STC and Erkiletian to Withdraw The Bard PUD Application

Erkiletian Development and Shakespeare Theatre Company announced this morning that they have withdrawn their PUD application for 501 I Street. Known as The Bard, the project would incorporate administrative, educational, and rehearsal space as well as a costume design shop for Shakespeare, as well as actor and fellow housing and an apartment building. The development team plans to resubmit the application this fall. From the press release: 

The Shakespeare Theatre Company and Erkiletian Development is committed to staying in the District of Columbia and Southwest DC, and will continue working with community leaders and neighbors on a building that meets the requirements articulated through the planning process.

Last week, the development team submitted a revised PUD with additional community benefits. Community opposition and the Office of Planning's recommendation that the project not get a set-down hearing may have prompted the PUD withdrawal.  Stay tuned...

Rendering courtesy of Shalom Baranes Associates

More Community Benefits Added to Bard PUD

An amendment was filed last week to the Planned Unit Development (PUD) application for The Bard, a planned development at 501 I Street by Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) and Erkiletian. These amendments are the result of meetings with the community and the ANC to discuss community benefits. These new benefits are in addition to those previously included in the PUD. Below is a summary of the additional benefits proffered by the development team: 

• The number of Inclusionary Zoning units has increased by two to 11, which is set aside for households earning up to 80% of Area Median Income (AMI). 
• Two units at 40% of AMI will be set aside for at least 10 years for top leadership and teaching talent at neighboring Amidon-Bowen Elementary School and Jefferson Academy. 
• STC will create a long-term curriculum with Amidon-Bowen and Jefferson, including live performances twice a year at each school and after school programming twice a week. 
• STC will bring up to 100 students and teachers to one STC production each year for free, including bus transportation.

Whether these proposed additions will be sufficient to the vocal opposition to this project remains to be seen. The Office of Planning has recommended that a set-down hearing not be scheduled for the project since the proposal is inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan or the Southwest Neighborhood Plan. Those plans call for institutional uses or moderate density, but the proposed mixed use building would vary in height between four and seven stories, which is inconsistent with moderate density.

Rendering courtesy of Shalom Baranes Associates

Adios Z-Burger, Eliot Getting Closed Up

At Waterfront Station, a new sign is up outside of the restaurant formerly known as Z-Burger. It is now called All About Burger. The Southwest location was one of four former Z-Burger restaurants that were affected by a settlement agreement between the ownership groups. In addition to the new sign, the beverage cups no longer have the Z-Burger logo. Otherwise, the restaurant decor and the menu don’t look much different than they did before.

Up the street from All About Burger, Eliot on 4th has most of its windows now installed on the 4th Street side of the building. What's not shown in the above photo is the red facade that's now being placed on the south-facing facade. The 365-unit apartment building is scheduled to open in early 2017 with about 5,000 SF of ground floor retail. 

Wharf Retail News

A few more retailers have been announced for the first phase of The Wharf. According to the Washington Business Journal, Social Restaurant Group plans to open a French-Mediterranean restaurant called La Vie. From the rendering, it appears that La Vie will be located in Parcel 2, which includes Wharf Hall and an apartment building. La Vie will be a 9,800 SF restaurant with a 1,100 SF waterfront terrace and will have access to a 5,000 SF rooftop terrace. Social Restaurant Group operates other establishments across the city, including Provision 14, The Prospect, and Bonfire.

In addition to La Vie, a lease has been signed with District Hardware and Bike, which would be the first hardware store (and bike shop) in Southwest. From the WBJ: 

The Foggy Bottom mainstay will open its second location at The Wharf, with a 6,300-square foot store. In addition to the hardware offerings and the bike shop, the Southwest location will also sell water sports equipment and feature a café in conjunction with local coffee roaster Vigilante Coffee. 

At this month’s ANC 6D meeting, it was announced that Cordial Craft Wine, Beer & Spirits was applying for a liquor license at The Wharf on the future Pearl Street, an interior street between Maine Avenue and Wharf Street. The shop has an outpost at Union Market in NE and will be opening a 525 SF space at The Wharf. The commissioners decided to protest the license application because not enough information was known about the shop. According to the ABRA application, Cordial Craft Wine, Beer & Spirits will be: 

”A neighborhood liquor store serving alcoholic beverages and offering tastings on premise.” 

The proposed hours of operation would be Sunday through Thursday 7:00 am - 2:00 am, Friday and Saturday 8:00 am - 3:00 am. 

A 9,000 SF CVS is also planned – likely to be along Maine Avenue, which was where neighborhood-serving retail was supposed to be placed. Several other tenants were announced back in March, but the new batch are the first non-restaurant retailers to sign at The Wharf. 

In other Wharf news, Globest.com states that a lease has been signed with MakeOffices, a collaborative office space provider for 45,000 SF at 800 Maine Avenue. The office building is one of two that will be built during the first phase of development at the Wharf.

Rendering courtesy of Hoffman-Madison Waterfront

International Spy Museum to Open in L'Enfant Plaza in 2018

Preliminary site work started this month on the new International Spy Museum. By spring 2018, the museum will relocate from Penn Quarter to L’Enfant Plaza on a site fronting 10th Street. The new International Spy Museum will occupy 140,000 SF, much larger than the current facility and will allow for three levels of permanent exhibition space in addition to event space. A museum store and lobby will be located on the first floor. Part of the design includes a transparent “veil” which will allow people on 10th Street to see activity inside of the museum. JBG has partnered with the International Spy Museum on the project and has been designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. Hickok Cole is the architect of record. 

JBG came before the ANC last week to get their support for doing foundation work in the parking garage during evening hours. The developer also wanted support for closing off an area in front of 10th Street for construction staging. Both requests for support were granted, although the ANC wanted JBG to report back to the commissioners if additional late work requests are needed. 

L’Enfant Plaza has been revamped in recent years, including a renovation of the retail center with new restaurants and stores and two renovated office buildings. Meanwhile, the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel is currently closed for renovations. The foundation and loading dock for a new office building was built in 2015 by JBG, but the rest of the building won’t be completed until an anchor tenant is secured.

The new museum will be located just a couple blocks south of the National Mall and will contribute to the revitalization of 10th Street, a wide, but forlorn stretch between the Smithsonian Castle and Banneker Overlook. A revitalized 10th Street was part of the SW Ecodistrict plan, which was developed by the National Capital Revitalization Commission for a multi-block area south of the National Mall and north of the Southwest freeway. The area is currently dominated by federal office space, but the plan calls for mixed use, sustainable development, as well as the reintroduction of Maryland Avenue and other streets.  

Rendering courtesy of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners

Neighborhood Events

• On Thursday evenings, live jazz and blues will be played at Gangplank Marina Park at The Wharf, located at 600 Water Street from 6:30 to 8:30pm. The remaining schedule for June includes: 

June 9: Thad Wilson Quintet
June 16: Shirletta Settles & Friends
June 23: Marshall Keys Jazz Ensemble
June 30: Swampdog Blues Band 

• Tonight is the first “Dive-In Movie” night, a Friday night free movie series with water-themed movies at Gangplank Marina Park. Tonight’s movie is Sharknado. Dive-In Movie night begins at 8pm. Other movies in June include:

June 10: Finding Nemo
June 17: The Perfect Storm
June 24: Splash 

• Saturday mornings in June will bring Waterfront Workouts, including DC Dragons at 8am; YaLa Fitness at 9am; and M Street Yoga at 10am. 

• The USDA Farmers Market at Night starts today from 4-7pm at 12th Street and Independence Avenue. The market will operate each Friday from now until September 30. Below is a list of vendors: 

Farmers and Growers: 

Eco Friendly Food, Moneta, VA
Good Sense Farm & Apiary, Washington, DC
Quaker Valley Orchards, Biglerville, PA
Ryan’s Fruit Market, Timberville, VA
TLV (Triadelphia Lake View) Tree Farm, Glenelg, MD

Baker: 

Black Pearl Tarts
Emma's Bakeshop
Lynnette's Cakes and Catering
Second Rising
The Cookie Jar 

DC Food Truck: 

Ball or Nothing
Dirty South Deli
Far East Taco Grill
Federal City Brothers  

Food Concessions: 

Eat 170
Thunder Beast
Timber Pizza Company  

Soap Maker: 

Georges Botanique Aromatiques
Specialty: Greca Terra
Undone Chocolate
Value Added Food Producers:
Number 1 Sons
PinUp Preserves
Senzu Juicery
She Peppers  

Dairy Product Maker: 

Ruby Scoops Ice Cream  

This is in addition to the day market at the same location every Friday through October from 9am to 2pm. 

• Another farmer’s market can be found at The Lot at 4th and M streets on Saturdays from 10am – 2pm though November 19th. Dreaming Out Loud is bringing the Southwest DC Farmers Market to Waterfront Station with the support of SWBID and Waterfront Associates.

• Market SW night market returns for a second year to The Lot at 4th and M streets and will take place on the fourth Friday of each month (the first one was last Friday) until November. The next one will be on June 24. For more information, visit marketSWdc.com.

• There will be a Southwest Community Yard Sale tomorrow starting at 9am. The yard sale will be at Harbor Square and Tiber Island (4th and N streets).