Cotton Annex Sold

The auction of the historic Cotton Annex building at 12th and C streets by the GSA was completed last month and it was revealed this week the winning bidder was Douglas Development. Due to some sleuthing by the Washington Business Journal, they figured out a new company called Jemal’s Cotton Annex LLC was filed with the District Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. Douglas’ bid for the property was $30.3 million. 

During an interview with Bisnow, Douglas Development’s Norman Jemal did not reveal its intended use for the building. From the article: 

"We loved the location," Jemal said. "It's a block away from Metro and Southwest is absolutely going through a renaissance and the tide is rising. We want to be a part of that rising tide. We have some very exciting ideas for it." 

Douglas Development’s other holdings in Southwest include a block of one-story retail buildings on the 1200 block of South Capitol Street and a large office building at 1900 Half Street in Buzzard Point, the latter of which will be redeveloped as a 462-unit rental apartment building with ground floor retail. Elsewhere in the city, the company has specialized in redeveloping historic structures or incorporating them in new development, including commercial buildings near the Verizon Center in Chinatown (now retail and office space), the Hecht warehouse in Ivy City (now apartments), and the Uline Arena in NoMa (now a flagship REI store and offices). 

With its location a block from the Smithsonian Metro and the National Mall, just off an exit ramp from the 12th Street Expressway, and within walking distance of the Portals and District Wharf, there is potential for the redevelopment of the Cotton Annex. What do you think Douglas Development should do with the Cotton Annex building and adjacent land? Vote in the poll on the left sidebar or leave a comment.

A Few Quick Thursday Morning Items: Critique of Wharf Critique, Wharf Permits, HHS Consolidation, Buzzard Point History, Channel Inn History

Ward 6 Council Member Tommy Wells posted an article on Greater Greater Washington refuting the critique that the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts has for some of the design elements of The Wharf.  From the article:

The Wharf development has the potential to create an exciting pedestrian-oriented, human-scale space along DC's Southwest Waterfront. But a federal board of artists and architects, most of whom don't live in the Washington region, is trying to make it much more boring.

Rendering courtesy of Hoffman-Madison Waterfront

A Sheeting and Shoring permit was issued to excavate for a parking garage for the planned office building at Parcel 3 of The Wharf, according to the Washington Business Journal. The groundbreaking ceremony for the project occurred last month and a 42-month construction period is anticipated to complete phase one.

Rendering courtesy of Hoffman-Madison Waterfront

The WBJ also reported that the Mary Switzer building at 4th and C streets and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services headquarters (AKA the Hubert Humphrey Building) at 4th Street and Independence Avenue will be remodeled to consolidate more HHS office space and save the GSA money over the long-term.

A Hill Rag article gives a description of the history of Buzzard Point by local historian Hayden Wetzel.  Apparently, Buzzard Point is one of the oldest neighborhood names in the city. This research was done as part of the application process by the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly to get the Buzzard Point Power Plant building at Half and V streets designated a historic landmark.

 

Also in the Hill Rag, there's an article about the history of the Channel Inn and its role in the day-to-day life of several Southwesters. The hotel and its two restaurants closed at the end of March to serve as the construction office for The Wharf and a temporary home for the Capital Yacht Club. CM Wells will be moving his monthly office hours next month to the seating area in the Waterfront Station Safeway.

GSA's Latest RFQ Involves Federal Triangle South Parcels

The General Services Administration (GSA) issued a Request for Qualifications today to interested entities that can provide construction and related services in an “Exchange Consideration” for GSA’s headquarters building at 1800 F Street, NW and for up to three buildings at St. Elizabeths West for use by the Department of Homeland Security in exchange for the Cotton Annex and GSA’s National Capital Region Regional Office Building in Federal Triangle South. This area south of the National Mall has a concentration of GSA-owned office buildings that the agency is looking to either modernize or redevelop. 

The Cotton Annex is a nearly two-acre parcel located at 12th and C streets, across the street from GSA’s Central Heating and Refrigeration Plant and cattycorner from The Portals complex. According to testimony given by the GSA in 2012, the Cotton Annex was built in 1937 and was used by the Department of Agriculture until 2007, when the agency vacated the space. The parking lot behind the building has most recently been used by the Federal Protective Service to inspect packages and trucks that visit the Ronald Reagan Building International Trade Center downtown. The building was considered to house the National Health Museum and the National Women’s History Museum was interested in the vacant triangular parcel north of C Street. The six-story building is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. 

The second property is the GSA Regional Office Building (ROB), a three-acre facility located at 7th and D streets, across the street from HUD headquarters and L’Enfant Plaza. It is a 942,000 square-foot, seven-story office building with one level below-grade that is currently occupied by GSA. These employees would move to the F Street, NW headquarters once those renovations are complete. The rear of the  ROB fronts on the L’Enfant commuter rail station and Reservation 113, both of which are recommended for improvements in NCPC’s Southwest Ecodistrict Initiative. The office building is not eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, so any redevelopment at the site would be easier to complete. Perhaps part of the land could be used as a “Union Station South” that could be an intermodal transit station with Metro, bus, VRE, MARC, and streetcar service? 

Don’t expect activity on these sites to happen anytime soon; however, renovations to the GSA Headquarters and the St. Elizabeths administration buildings must be completed before the parcels are conveyed to the winning developer in Quitclaim Deeds. Responses are due for Stage One of the solicitation by May 22. After that, those that qualify will be invited to a second stage of the solicitation to submit specific proposals. Then, a winner will be selected sometime in 2015. What uses do you envision for these two sites?

Image courtesy of GSA

$25 Million Renovation Underway at Holiday Inn Capitol

 

Interior renovations began in November at the Holiday Inn Capitol, located at 550 C Street.  About three years ago, the exterior of the hotel was refurbished with new signage, lighting, and paneling, but now the interior is getting some attention, to the tune of $25 million.  The 552-key hotel is staying open during the renovation, which will be done floor by floor. The third floor was the first one to be completed and reopened for use by guests last week.  Each room has been stripped and given a more contemporary look, with improvements including new lighting, furniture, artwork, headboards, bedding, carpet, wallpaper, window treatments, upgraded cable, wall-mounted 42" LED HDTVs with free HD programming, a slide out desk, refrigerator, safe, and a Keurig coffee maker. Bathrooms have also been modernized with new wall tile, flooring, fixtures, wallpaper, and mirror. The only thing that remain in the bathrooms from the old rooms are the counter tops which are still in good shape. The King rooms have a chaise lounge and shower stalls.

Below are some before and after photos of the rooms and hallways.

King room before

Double room after

Double room after

 

Bathtub before

Bathtub after

 

Vanity before

Vanity after

Hallway before

Hallway after

In addition to the rooms, the two ballrooms and three breakout rooms are being modernized with new carpet, wallpaper, and lighting. The lobby will also get new carpeting and furniture in June. WiFi access is being upgraded throughout the hotel. Elevator cabs will be renovated once the rooms are complete.  The fitness center will be moved to the top floor and will offer views of the Capitol, next to the rooftop pool and deck, which will also be remodeled once the pool season ends this fall.  21st Amendment restaurant will be renovated starting in June. The rooms are scheduled to be complete in April and the rest of the hotel by next year.

There are three job openings currently available - Catering Sales Manager, Conference Center Manager/Director of Catering, and Marketing Office Assistant. A job description for each is located here. Holiday Inn Capitol is owned by Donohoe Hospitality Services and is the 5th largest Holiday Inn in the system.

A Stroll Down 4th Street

View 4th Street Development in a larger map

There is a lot of construction activity either underway or planned along 4th Street with something going on at almost every block from the National Mall to N Street. Above is a map of construction projects along the corridor with a summary of each project listed below from north to south.

Going south on 4th from the National Mall, the first project that comes up is the reseeding of the lawn on a section of the Mall stretching from 7th Street to 3rd Street. 

After crossing Independence Avenue, the west side of the street in front of the Department of Education will be transformed into a memorial to President Eisenhower. The memorial will take up the rectangle bordered by 6th Street to the west, Independence Avenue to the north, 4th Street to the east, and the Department of Education headquarters to the south. There’s been a lot of controversy over the memorial’s design, done by famed architect Frank Gehry.

Image courtesy of Gehry Partners, LLP

On the next block between C Street and D Street, renovations continue at the Mary E. Switzer federal building. Interior work is being done, along with the creation of green space along C Street that will replace the surface parking lot that once was there.

At the northwest corner of 4th & E Streets, the new Consolidated Forensic Laboratory (CFL) is nearing completion.  I took a tour of the building last fall (unfortunately we were not allowed to take photos inside) which will include a forensic lab, MPD test firing range, and the coroner’s office.  Interior build-out is underway.

On the southwest corner of the intersection, a new office building with the address 400 E Street will replace the parking lot, and a new Engine 13 firehouse will be on the ground floor on the 4th Street side. In addition, there will be space on the E Street side for DC Central Kitchen and KidPower. A sign on the lot says the building will deliver in the 4th Quarter of 2013, but I don’t see that deadline being met since a major tenant hasn’t been lined up yet for the office building and construction has not begun.

Rendering courtesy of WDG Architecture

On 4th Street from School Street to I Street, a bike lane has been created on either side of the street.  The bike lanes were supposed to be installed a couple years ago shortly after the I Street to M Street segment was done, but better late than never I guess.

Potomac Place Tower, the condo conversion by Monument Realty at 800 4th Street has sold over 80% of its 396 units and is the largest condo project currently selling in the city.

The northeast and northwest parcels of Waterfront Station are currently slated for residential.  Construction on the northwest parcel may begin in 2014 once Sky House Apartments are completed a couple blocks south. The District owns the northeast parcel and the timetable for issuing a RFP has not been determined yet.

Construction at Sky House I Apartments began in February, the conversion of the former EPA towers at Waterfront Station by Urban Atlantic and the JBG Companies. Upon completion, both buildings will contain 530 apartments with 20% set aside as affordable housing for households earning up to 50% of Area Median Income (AMI).

The two vacant lots (well, one of those lots has a Bank of America trailer) at Waterfront Station fronting M Street are slated for office buildings.  No timetable has been set yet for construction.  

Tiber Island is planning to redo the stark, wind-swept plaza area that connects the four towers at the complex with a new oval-shaped fountain, seating, a pergola, and plantings.

 Rendering courtesy of SmithGroup

Street Closures for the State of the Union Address

The following streets will be closed by the Capitol tomorrow evening at 7pm for the State of the Union address:

• D Street, NE between 2nd Street, NE and Louisiana Avenue, NW
• C Street, NE between 2nd Street, NE and Louisiana Avenue, NW
• Constitution Avenue between 2nd Street, NE and Louisiana Avenue, NW
• Delaware Avenue between Columbus Circle and Constitution Avenue, NE

• New Jersey Avenue, NE between Louisiana Avenue, and D Street, NE

• Pennsylvania Avenue between 1st Street, and 3rd Street, NW
• East Capitol Street between 2nd Street, and 1st Street, NE/SE
• 1st Street between Columbus Circle, NE and C Street, SE
• 1st Street between Louisiana Avenue, NW and Washington Avenue, SW
• Maryland Avenue, SW between 1st Street, and 3rd Street, SW
• Independence Avenue between 2nd Street, SE and Washington Avenue, SW 
• C Street between 1st Street, SE and Washington Avenue, SW

• Delaware Avenue between Washington Avenue, SW and C Street, SW

• New Jersey Avenue between Independence Avenue, and D Street, SE

• South Capitol Street between Independence Avenue and D Street, SE/SW

The streets will reopen at the conclusion of the event.

Maryland Avenue Small Area Plan Draft Released

The DC Office of Planning released its draft report on the Maryland Avenue SW Plan earlier this month after working on it for several months. This report is a component of the Southwest Ecodistrict Initiative that the National Capital Planning Commission is studying for the area. In the Maryland Avenue SW draft report, there are recommendations on how the avenue can be reconstructed, diversify land uses, and serve as a connector through the Southwest Rectangle (the area between the National Mall and Interstate 395). Currently, the Maryland Avenue corridor is disjointed – a small section of the avenue was rebuilt above railroad tracks west of 12th Street as a part of The Portals complex with a landscaped median and on its eastern end, it will bisect a future memorial for President Eisenhower. However, Maryland Avenue doesn’t exist between 12th Street and 7th Street. Along this stretch, railroad tracks for freight and VRE are in the avenue’s right-of-way. East of Reservation 113 (the green space at 7th & C Streets), Maryland Avenue reemerges before intersecting with Independence Avenue across from the National Air & Space Museum.  

Four components that the draft report addresses include land use, transit, connections, and public realm:

Land use

The draft report encourages a diversification of land uses for the corridor, which is currently dominated by office space. To that end, there are four Federally-owned parcels along Maryland Avenue that the GSA is considering for conveyance out of the Federal inventory. These parcels could then be redeveloped as mixed use sites, potentially with residential included in the mix. Zoning in the area can be changed to encourage residential development with Housing Credits, similar to the bonus density incentives used to increase housing downtown over the past 15 years. Other parcels along the Maryland Avenue corridor could also be redeveloped, including the GSA Regional Office Building at 7th & D Street, the Reporters Building (where Pizza Autentica is located), and two sites at The Portals (perhaps one could be luxury condos affiliated with the Mandarin Oriental Hotel next door with sweeping views of the Tidal Basin?). The draft report indicates at least 1,000 residential/hotel units need to be created in the area to justify the creation of more retail amenities.

Transit

Connections between the L’Enfant Plaza Metro station and the L’Enfant commuter rail station should be improved.  According to the draft report, about 20,000 riders use the Metro station each weekday and over 15,000 VRE riders use the commuter rail station. Future ridership estimates anticipate an increase over the next few years and the commuter rail station may need to expand to accommodate a possible extension of MARC train service to L’Enfant as well as the electrification of the rail line. After looking at three options to expand the commuter rail station, the report recommends the best option would be to build an extended platform in the vicinity of the current platform to accommodate four tracks and bi-level trains.  The Reporters Building would eventually become an intermodal hub where VRE, MARC, Metro, Metrobus, and streetcar service would intersect.

Connections

Three alternatives were considered for decking over Maryland Avenue: one creates a boulevard with a landscaped median along its length and a newly constructed 9th Street would connect Independence Avenue, Maryland Avenue, and D Street; a second would create a center roadway section from 12th to 10th Street with a ramp connection to D Street, while the area between 10th Street and Reservation 113 would become a linear park; option three would create a center roadway from 12th Street to Reservation 113 and create a square around it by shifting the railroad corridor to the south. The report prefers a center roadway section to a median because of its consistency along the centerline of Maryland Avenue, but also allows flexibility along the edges depending on what structure abuts the right-of-way. The approximate cost to re-establish Maryland Avenue would be $429M, including streetscape, railroad enclosure, commuter rail station improvements, connections to the street grid, and four-track railroad enhancements.

Public Realm

Reservation 113 has the potential – if designed properly, to be a center piece for the neighborhood. Views to the Capitol should be maintained and Maryland Avenue’s significance as a L’Enfant diagonal street should be considered in its design; however, pedestrian-scale elements need to be considered as well. The tree canopy of the area needs to be enhanced and sidewalks designed for heavy pedestrian use. New buildings along the corridor should be oriented towards Maryland Avenue and Reservation 113 with the building facades meeting the edge of the right-of-way to create a defined street wall effect. Retail nodes should be created at 7th and 10th Streets with ceiling heights along the ground floor at these locations at a minimum of 14’. Sustainable infrastructure elements should be maintained throughout the corridor, including storm water filtration and collection, and piezoelectric generation along the rail corridor.

Development along the Maryland Avenue corridor can begin in the eastern end between 6th & 7th Streets, where the avenue already exists and improvements would take less time (and money) to implement. The Switzer Building modernization and greening, along with Federal Building 8, is breathing new life to the area. GSA Parcel 4 is located between 6th & 7th Streets and if conveyed, the parcel could be redeveloped into a use other than office to help change the perception of the area as an “office-only” destination. In addition, some improvements can be made to Reservation 113 to make the area more inviting. As the Southwest Waterfront redevelopment gets going and the future of the Department of Energy campus is determined, that will help spur activity on the western side of the Maryland Avenue corridor.

The full report can be accessed from OP’s website and the 30-day comment period is now open until February 3. 

Renderings courtesy of DC Office of Planning

SW Ecodistrict Meeting Recap (Belated)

After several public meetings over the past couple of years to solicit feedback on plans for the Southwest Ecodistrict, the NCPC held another meeting on July 26th to go over the three development scenarios proposed for the area. While the Office of Planning’s meeting on July 14th dealt with the Maryland Avenue corridor, the NCPC meeting took a more holistic approach to the Ecodistrict, but focused more on the 10th Street corridor. The Mission Statement of the SW Ecodistrict is as follows: Establish an Ecodistrict that transforms the 10th Street and Maryland Avenue corridors into a vibrant well connected place to commemorate, visit, work, and live in a matter that creates a national showcase of sustainability through innovation, technology, and design. NCPC recommends at least 1,000 residential units and/or hotel rooms need to be created in the area in order to sustain the neighborhood. Currently, no one lives in the study area. Mixed use development (including residential) will be encouraged in the central portion of the study area from around C Street south to the freeway, while federal and cultural uses will predominate the northern area bordering the National Mall and civic uses at Banneker Overlook. Below are descriptions of the three development scenarios currently under consideration.

The rehabilitation scenario proposes the least amount of changes out of the three development scenarios.

Rehabilitation: Under this scenario, several federal properties would be rehabilitated, including the Department of Energy Headquarters complex along 10th Street, the historic HUD building at 7th & E Street, USPS headquarters along 10th Street, GSA’s building at 7th & D Street, Department of Education headquarters at 4th Street & Independence Avenue, and Wilbur/Orville Wright FAA buildings along Independence Avenue. Infill opportunities exist along Maryland Avenue, 12th Street near Independence Avenue, and at Banneker Overlook. An additional 2.1 – 2.4 million SF of space (divided evenly by federal office, cultural, and residential/hotel) would be added under this scenario, along with 70,000 SF of retail, 3,500 – 4,000 employees, and 840 – 960 residents.

The redevelopment scenario would remove the Department of Energy Forrestal Complex.

Redevelopment: The redevelopment scenario takes things further and proposes instead of rehabilitating the DOE complex, that it should be redeveloped, allowing the view shed to be reestablished along Virginia Avenue towards the Washington Monument. In addition, a portion of I-395 would be decked from 9th Street to just west of 10th Street to create more space for infill development. Between 3.3 and 3.9 million SF of space (divided evenly by federal office, cultural, and residential/hotel) would be created in this scenario, along with 100,000 SF of retail, 5,500 – 6,500 employees, and 1,320 – 1,560 residents.

Repurposing is the most comprehensive of scenarios.

Repurpose: In addition to the rehabilitation and redevelopment of the Ecodistrict, this scenario would look to repurpose three buildings for different uses– the USPS headquarters, the GSA building, and the Wilbur Wright FAA building. The repurposing scenario would add between 3.9 and 4.9 million SF of space.

These are four possible scenarios for a redesigned 10th Street.

Currently, the 10th Street corridor from the Smithsonian Castle to Banneker Overlook is a wide, mostly empty road that’s devoid of a significant tree canopy. There are four scenarios under consideration for the reconstruction of the street – a median axis (or “Ramblas”) with street lanes on the sides and a large median; a roadway axis where the street would run in the middle with wide sidewalks on either side; a pedestrian axis with a large sidewalk on the west side and the street running off-center to the east; and a hybrid median/plaza axis with the median axis format north of Maryland Avenue and south of L’Enfant Plaza, but a plaza format at L’Enfant Plaza. All four scenarios provide ample tree canopy and offer space for a plaza area near L’Enfant Plaza and infill areas along the street. Deep tree wells will allow larger trees to grow along 10th Street and filtration systems will be installed to carry water to storage tanks below the street that will reduce run-off.

Above shows the "maximum" buildout alternative for Banneker Overlook, which includes civic uses near 9th Street.

At Banneker Overlook, two build-out scenarios have been proposed. One is the “minimum” buildout, which adds civic/cultural buildings adjacent to the freeway, a parking zone beneath, and landscape features that connect to Maine Avenue and The Wharf. The “maximum” buildout also includes a civic/cultural building on the hillside near the intersection of 9th Street and Maine Avenue. Throughout the Ecodistrict, sustainable features and principles are proposed to comply with the President’s Executive Order mandating the greening of federal buildings, including water filtration systems (as mentioned above), photovoltaic panels on rooftops and along the freeway, green roofs, a cogeneration plant, building placement to reduce sun exposure, and better use of the district heating system currently in the area.

More information about the SW Ecodistrict can be found here. NCPC will be accepting comments on the plan until this Friday on their project website.

Images courtesy of NCPC

Capital Bikeshare Expansion Planned

DDOT has announced that the increasingly popular Capital Bikeshare has plans to expand later this year in the District with 25 stations and 250 bikes. There are several locations under consideration, including some in Southwest. The proposed Southwest stations include 4th & E Street, 4th & C Street, and 4th Street & Independence Avenue. All three of these proposed locations are proximate to the Federal Center SW Metro station. To see a map of all the proposed stations, check out this link. There are currently four CaBi stations in the quadrant (Waterfront Station, 7th Street Landing, Smithsonian Metro, and L'Enfant Plaza Metro). DDOT will host a public meeting on May 25 to solicit input from the community about which locations should be chosen.  The meeting will take place from 6pm - 8pm at 441 4th Street, NW, Room 1107.  In addition, the public can send an email to DDOT to comment on the proposed locations or submit their own suggestions (ddot.bikeshare@dc.gov).  

A Couple Quick Items: Federal Government News

- The Washington Business Journal reports that Congress is trying to get the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to move its headquarters from a choice location in the Federal Triangle to another office in order to let the National Gallery of Art expand. One of the locations the FTC could relocate to, according to the article, is Federal Building 8, the office building at 200 C Street that is currently under renovation.

- In other federal government agency news, the WBJ reports that in President Obama's 2012 budget, it calls for delaying the move of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to St. Elizabeths in SE. FEMA's headquarters are currently located at the 600 block of C Street. Under the proposed budget, the delivery of FEMA's new headquarters would be delayed for a year. The headquarters facility was originally supposed to deliver between 2014 and 2016, along with offices for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is headquartered at 500 12th Street, among others.

CaBi Arrives at Waterfront Station

A 15-bike Capital Bikeshare station was installed across the street from the Waterfront-SEU Metro station today. Service on the bike sharing program, which spans 110 stations with 1,100 bikes in the District and parts of Arlington County, will begin on Monday, September 20th. There will be a total of five Capital Bikeshare stations located in Southwest - Waterfront Station; 4th Street on the National Mall; 7th & I Street near Jefferson Middle School; 12th & Independence Avenue at USDA headquarters; and 7th & C Street near L'Enfant Plaza. Check out the Capital Bikeshare website for a map of all the stations and how to sign up. I took a couple of nighttime photos of the bike share station - I'll try to get some daytime photos tomorrow. Above is a photo of the station, located at the northwest corner of 4th & M Street.

Here are instructions on how to use the bike share station. Will any of you be using Capital Bikeshare?

Update: Below is a daytime photo of the Waterfront Station Capital Bikeshare station, with bikes now docked.

Switzer Building to Add Public Plaza

The street scape along a couple blocks of C Street will soon be enhanced with public plazas and an increase of green space, if the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) approves the landscaping plans by the GSA for the Mary E. Switzer Building at its September meeting. Interior renovations are ongoing at the Switzer Building, which are scheduled to be complete by July 2011. Currently, the C Street frontage of the Switzer Building contains a 114-space surface parking lot and narrow sidewalks. The Cohen Building, which is similar in design to the Switzer Building and is located on the north side of C Street, also has a large surface parking lot along C Street.

There are three design alternatives under consideration for the Switzer Building, but all three alternatives will bring the following improvements: C Street, from 3rd Street to 4th Street, will be reduced to one lane in each direction, which will allow the sidewalks on both sides of the street to be widened; bulb-outs at the corners of 4th & C Street and 3rd & C Street; the installation of curb cuts and wheelchair ramps to comply with ADA regulations; a landscaped plaza on the north side of the building; street trees; a concession/coffee stand; public art to hide vent shafts; permanent perimeter security measures; install a back-up generator below-grade; provide Level IV security for the building; and use sustainable practices. Here are descriptions of the three design alternatives from the Environmental Assessment:

Alternative A
Under Alternative A, the entire existing surface parking lot on the north side of the building would be converted to landscaped plaza. The proposed design would combine both open lawn and fully planted landscaped panels. A coffee/concession stand accessible to the public would be installed at the east end of the plaza.

Alternative B
Alternative B proposes to convert the existing surface parking lot to a landscaped plaza. The landscaped plaza design would include open lawn panels opposite the two entrances with fully planted landscaped panels flanking
the lawns on the east and west ends. Surface parking for approximately 11 vehicles would be located at the center of the plaza and would be bordered on 4 sides by planting beds. The lot would be designed such that it could serve as an additional outdoor venue when not used for parking. A coffee/concession stand and small seating area would be installed at the east end of the plaza adjacent to the 3rd Street sidewalk.

Alternative C
Alternative C proposes to convert the existing surface parking lot to a landscaped plaza. The landscaped plaza design would include open lawn panels opposite the two entrances with fully planted landscaped panels flanking the lawns on the east and west ends. Surface parking for approximately 28 vehicles would be located at the center of the plaza and would be bordered on the north, east, and west sides by planting beds. The lot would be designed such that it could serve as an additional outdoor venue when not used for parking. A coffee/concession stand and small seating area would be installed at the east end of the plaza adjacent to the 3rd Street sidewalk.

These proposed improvements come on the heels of plans for Federal Building #8 next door, which is currently under renovation and will also incorporate elements of the Switzer Building landscaping plan. Other improvements in the SW Federal Center area include Eisenhower Square at 4th Street & Independence Avenue and the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial at 2nd Street and Washington Avenue.

The GSA prefers Alternative B and will make its case to the NCPC at the September 2nd meeting. Public comment is open on the proposal until August 9th.

A Few Quick Items

- The Washington Post reports that the main MLK Memorial sculpture is stranded in China because the Greek government (who volunteered to ship the sculpture to DC for free) doesn't have enough money to do it due to its economic crisis.

- The third installment of the Transformers movie series may shoot part of the film on the National Mall, but the producers are running into resistance from the National Park Service, according to The Washington Post, because of the types of scenes they want to film, including a car race on the gravel paths along the Mall and simulated explosions on Independence Avenue.

- An unclaimed bag at C & 6th Street caused some street closures earlier this evening, according to The Washington Post, but by 8:15pm, C Street was reopened by MPD.

- The WashCycle complains there aren't enough bike parking spaces at Waterfront Station. Also, there was a complaint that there is no loading area in front of Safeway and cars are blocking the bike lane on 4th Street (umm...the loading area is in the garage).

NCPC Approves Design for C Street Renovation

A press release from the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) states the following about the renovation of 200 C Street:

...the Commission approved preliminary and final site development plans for site improvements and perimeter security for Federal Office Building 8 located at 200 C Street, SW. The General Services Administration (GSA) plans to convert the Modernist-style building—constructed in 1965 as laboratory space for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration—into office space primarily for staff of the Legislative Branch. At its January 2010 meeting, NCPC approved preliminary and final building plans for the building’s renovation. The plans propose to transform an existing surface parking lot located along C Street into a landscaped plaza that would provide an entry forecourt into the building. The plans also call for using hardened street furnishings as perimeter security elements around the building’s four sides. These furnishings include benches, bike racks, bollards, streetlights, garden walls, newspaper boxes, and trash receptacles. The perimeter security plan presented today responded to previously unfavorable comments made by the Commission at its October 2007 meeting. The Commission noted that GSA worked with NCPC staff and with other federal and local agencies to ensure that the new perimeter security elements will be successfully incorporated into the urban landscape with little impact on the surrounding public space.

Several office buildings in the Southwest Federal Center area have parking lots in front of them, which looks terrible and takes away from the urban fabric of a city, so it will be nice to see one of these parking lots removed. The WBJ reports that the building will seek LEED-Gold certification and will be completed by October 2012. Below is a description of some of the elements of the exterior renovation, from the WBJ article:

The landscaped plaza will result in a 43-percent reduction in impervious surfaces north of the building, and the proposed plan increases the number of street trees from 15 to 35. The site will also accommodate storage for 100 bikes. Proposed perimeter security elements include steel bollards that are mostly made of recycled content.

It's supposed to be a nice weekend, so I plan on taking some photos around the neighborhood, including 200 C Street. Above is a rendering of the renovated building, from the WBJ website.

Update: Below is a photo of the 200 C Street building.

A Couple Quick Items

- I wrote about this in the Real Estate Notes article in October's Southwester, but I haven't mentioned it here yet that the Mary E. Switzer Building at 330 C Street is undergoing a second round of renovations. Grunley Construction is doing the renovation work, which includes the modernization of 311,000 square feet of space and the construction of an 18,000 square foot addition, which will add office space to the 6th & 7th floors. Tenants include the U.S. Department of Education, Department of Health & Human Services, and the GSA. HTNB designed the renovated space. Grunley also worked on phase one of renovations, which were completed in 2008. Work began on phase two over the summer and parking spaces have been blocked on 4th Street & D Street. Construction is supposed to be complete by July 2011 and the project will aim for LEED-Silver certification. The D Street spaces have been blocked since August and are scheduled to be available again by mid-December. Above is a photo of the back of the Switzer Building, at the corner of 4th & D Street.

- The sidewalk along 4th Street near the Phase III building at Patriots Plaza reopened a couple weeks ago. Back in August, the closed sidewalk on E Street was reopened to pedestrians. Now, the plaza in front of all three buildings is mostly done. No tenants have been signed yet for the Phase II & III buildings. Above is a photo of the Phase III building, which is just about complete.

Additional Inaugural Activities in Southwest

Back in December, Southwest...TLQTC posted about the International Inaugural Ball being held at the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel on the 17th. Here are a few other events taking place in the neighborhood:

Saturday

• On Saturday, January 17th, from 9 am - 4 pm, St. Augustine's Episcopal Church will be hosting an Americorps service project, which will include chili lunch (11 am) with 50-75 service volunteers from all over the country plus the DC clients that they serve. A keynote speaker, group discussion and a non-violent canvass through the Southwest DC neighborhood with the mayor’s office, a safety patrol, and Guardian Angels will follow this. This event is a direct response to Obama’s call for a National Day of Service. RSVP to 202-554-3222. St Augustine's is located at 600 M Street.
• Also on Saturday, there will be a Young & Powerful Group Launch Event at the Holiday Inn Capitol, which is located at 550 C Street, from 7-11pm. Tickets are $50 and more information about the event can be found on their website.

Sunday

• On Sunday, January 18th, two events will take place at Zanzibar, located at 700 Water Street. The first is an event called All for Africa & Africare: A Celebration of Unity Inaugural Event. The event will be from 9pm-2am and ticket prices range from $75 - $500. See the website for more information. The other event is called the Mambo for Obama Ball, from 8pm - 5am. Ticket prices range from $75 - $250. Here's a link to the event's website.
• Also on Sunday, the Air & Space Museum on Independence Avenue will be the location of The California Bash. However, this event is already sold out.
• The Oklahoma State Society will host a reception at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian on Independence Avenue from 7-9pm. This event is FREE, but a RSVP is required.

Monday

• There's a Champagne Reception at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art at 950 Independence Avenue from 7-11pm. Tickets are $175 and here's a phone number for more information: 877-CHN-0844.
• The Land of Enchantment Inaugural Ball will be held at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian from 7-10pm. Unfortunately, this event is sold out.
• The Mandarin Oriental Hotel, located at 1330 Maryland Avenue, will be the venue for the Pearl Gala from 7pm-12am. This event, however, is sold out. (To the right is a photo of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel taken in October 2008)
• The South Carolina Presidential Inaugural Ball will be held at the Air & Space Museum starting at 8pm. This event is sold out.
• The Young & Powerful Black Tie Gala and Awards Ceremony will take place at the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel starting at 8pm. Tickets cost $125.

Tuesday

• On January 20th (Inauguration Day), there will be a service of Morning Prayer from 8:30- 9am at St. Augustine's.
• The Hawai'i State Society is having their Inaugural Ball at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. If you're looking for a ticket for President-Elect Obama's home state ball, sorry, this event is already sold out.
• The Living the Dream Inaugural Ball will be held on January 20th at the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel on 480 L'Enfant Plaza. Tickets are $250. (To the right is a photo of the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel taken in December 2008)
• The 2009 Florida Inaugural Celebration will take place at the National Museum of the American Indian, starting at 7pm. Tickets cost $200, and call (703) 905-9838 for more information.

Saturday

• On Saturday, January 24th, from 3 – 5pm, St. Augustine’s will end Inauguration week by hosting a community event, “MLK and Our Century”, a multifaceted tribute to the life and legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. featuring actor-filmmaker Michael Mack and a diverse panel of well-known artists, activists, politicians and educators. The event will begin with "The Drum Major,” a 20-minute live documentary written, directed by and featuring Mack as “The Voice of Dr. King” and followed by a panel discussion of this historic presidency and current events with Dr. King’s values in mind.