Former Engine 13 Demolished

The former DC FEMS Engine 13 building at 6th and E streets has been demolished to make way for a mixed-use development by E Street Development (h/t to reader Ben). A raze permit was filed back in November for the building. E Street Development is planning a 253-key citizenM hotel on the site, as well as a 194-unit mixed-income rental apartment building, and 10,750 SF of ground floor retail. The residential portion of the project will include 58 affordable units (ranging from 30% to 50% of Area Median Income) for seniors ages 62 and older and 136 market-rate units for all ages. E Street Development won the rights several years ago to develop this parcel, along with a vacant site cattycorner to it on 4th and E streets, which became a Hyatt Place hotel with a new Engine 13 firehouse on the ground floor in 2015. 

The block where the former Engine 13 building was located also was where MPD’s First District headquarters used to be, which was on the northwest corner of 4th and E streets before it was relocated to the former Bowen Elementary School building along M Street in 2009 and the city’s Consolidated Forensic Lab was built in its place. 

Rendering courtesy of E Street Development

555 E Street Lands Hotel Flag

Plans for the former Engine 13 firehouse site at 555 E Street have come into focus, a couple years after the first phase (a mixed-use Hyatt Place/firehouse project) opened down the street. A second hotel is planned by E Street Development, along with a mixed-income residential component and 10,750 SF of ground floor retail. The 253-key hotel has been identified as a citizenM hotel, a European brand hotel known for providing “affordable luxury.” The hotel company’s website describes the needs of its clientele as the following: 

Mobile citizens know what they like from good lodgings. This includes stylish design, great value, the best entertainment, sociable atmosphere, a comfortable bed and big fluffy towels. They need accommodation in a good location, and they could do without unnecessary or hidden costs. 

The residential building will include a mix of 136 market-rate multifamily rental units and 58 units of affordable housing for seniors ages 62 and above. This would be the third residential building planned north of the Southwest freeway and south of the National Mall - 1399 Maryland Avenue at the Portals is currently under construction and Urban-Atlantic has plans to convert the Reporters Building at 7th and D streets to residential. Construction of 555 E is currently scheduled to wrap up by the end of 2019, which would put groundbreaking sometime before the end of 2017. 

Renderings courtesy of E Street Development Group

400 E Street Ribbon Cutting

District officials, FEMS, E Street Development Group, and members of the community gathered at 400 E Street to celebrate the opening of a mixed-use development, including a new Engine 13 firehouse, Hyatt Place hotel, KidPower headquarters, and ground floor retail. Back in the summer, I got a tour of the project while it was still under construction. FEMS will be moving to the new firehouse sometime over the next month or so, while Hyatt Place is already accepting guests.

The project started construction a little less than two years ago; however, it has been planned for several years. In fact, my very first post on this blog in 2008 had to do with DMPED’s solicitation of development proposals for 400 E Street and a nearby parcel at 6th and E streets. The developers will start designing the second phase of development starting in 2016, with construction likely beginning in 2017.

Below are some photos from the ribbon-cutting.

Geoff Griffis from CityPartners

Mayor Muriel Bowser

Ward 6 Council Member Charles Allen

FEMS Chief Gregory Dean

Here are a few interior photos of the firehouse:

Foam unit

Fire poles

Inside the firehouse

 Interior photos of Hyatt Place:

Gallery Market

Fitness center

Reception area of hotel

Conference room

Business center

Exterior photos:

Building exterior

View from City Bar

City Bar will open in spring

Pool on the third floor

View to the south

Exterior sign

Hyatt Place Rooftop Bar to be Named City Bar

The rooftop bar planned for the rooftop of the new Hyatt Place Washington DC/National Mall has been named City Bar, according to an article in the Washington Business Journal. Back in August, I took a hard hat tour of the under-construction hotel, which is scheduled to open in November. City Bar will have a menu separate from the hotel's restaurant on the third floor. It will be open seasonally from 8am until 2am during the week and 3am on the weekends. The operators of Hyatt Place say City Bar will be a unique destination in the District that will be unlike the POV at the W Hotel or Donovan House. They have been looking at rooftop bar concepts from across the country for inspiration and expect to have great food and cocktails. This kind of rooftop bar is the first for the Hyatt Place brand. City Bar have capacity for 100 people.

South-facing view from City Bar

Sneak Peek Inside Hyatt Place

In about three months, the newest Hyatt Place in DC will be opening at 400 E Street, a mixed-use project developed by E Street Development Group and designed by WDG. I was able to get a hard hat tour of the project from Stacy Smith and Carl Barnett from Hyatt Place last week. This project has a special place in my heart since it was the subject of my very first blog post back on June 4, 2008. Hyatt Place Washington DC/National Mall is a 214-key select-service hotel. Service is key at Hyatt Place, which offers “casual hospitality in a smartly designed, high-tech and modern environment.” All Hyatt Place hotels have free Wi-fi and breakfast is included, as well as 24/7 access to freshly-prepared food at the Gallery Market (for a fee). The same person who checks in a guest is also capable of preparing a meal, making an espresso or a cocktail. 

The main entrance to the Hyatt Place Washington DC/National Mall is located on E Street, where elevators take guests to the lobby lounge on the third floor. At the lobby lounge, guests can check-in; use free computers and printers at the e-Room; pick up a sandwich from the Grab n’ Go case; eat at the Gallery Market (non-hotel guests can also order and pick-up food any time of day or night); get a drink at the Bakery Café, which serves Starbucks by day and wine, draft beer and spirits in the evening; work out at the 24-hour StayFit Gym which faces an outdoor pool; and socialize outdoors on the Gallery Terrace.  There are also five meeting rooms with over 3,000 SF of flexible event space on the second floor. The fourth floor contains back-of-house operations for the hotel and administrative offices for KidPower, a local non-profit organization. 

Future location of front desk and bar.

U/C lobby lounge area.

U/C pool and deck.

View from Gallery Terrace still U/C.

Rooms begin on the fifth floor (with the exception of a few on the third floor) and are a mix of king-bedded rooms, queen-bedded rooms, 16 king suites, and eight studio suites. All rooms contain a 42” flat screen HDTV, mini-fridge, separate workspace, Cozy Corner sectional sleeper sofa, in-room safe, and luxury skin and hair care products in the bathroom. King-bedded rooms have stand-up showers and queen-bedded rooms have a tub. 

Queen-bedded room.

King-bedded bathroom.

Cozy Corner sectional sleeper sofa.

King-bedded room.

A rooftop bar will be open to the public and will have a menu distinct from the Gallery Market. The rooftop bar will be open seasonally from 8am until 2am during the week and 3am on the weekends. Stacy and Carl say that the yet-to-be-named rooftop bar will be a unique destination in the District that will be unlike the POV at the W Hotel or Donovan House. They have been looking at rooftop bar concepts from across the country for inspiration and expect to have great food and cocktails. 

Rooftop view to the south.

Traffic report.

Rooftop view to the north.

Roll-up bar area on rooftop still U/C.

Reservations are already being accepted for stays at Hyatt Place Washington DC/National Mall beginning in February 2016, but once an exact opening date is announced for the hotel, reservations will open up for dates closer to opening. Rates start at $159, but Southwest residents will receive a 20% discount on the best available rate and holiday specials will be available. In addition, job postings will soon go up for the hotel. 

400 E Street is a true mixed-use building, which in addition to Hyatt Place will also include 1,400 SF of ground floor retail at the corner of 4th and E streets and a firehouse along 4th Street. The retail space is envisioned as a market or deli and the firehouse is the first newly built facility for DCFD in nearly 30 years. When a call comes in and a fire truck leaves its bay, the traffic signals will synchronize, allowing the fire truck to leave the station without the need to blare its horn, which hotel guests will surely appreciate! In addition, the windows are triple-paned to keep out any noise from the Southwest freeway next door. 

Red facade going up on firehouse.

Inside one of the firehouse bays.

Prior to becoming a hotel/firehouse, 400 E Street was a District-owned lot used as parking and at one time was a gas station. E Street Development Group was awarded the rights to develop 400 E Street and a second parcel at the existing Engine 13 site at 555 E Street back in 2009 by DMPED through a 99-year ground lease. Back then, 400 E Street was planned as an office building with a firehouse below, but due to unfavorable office market conditions, the use changed to a hotel. Construction began on phase one in December 2013. A second phase is planned for 555 E Street. An office building with ground floor retail was originally planned, but according to DMPED’s new Project Pipeline Database, the current plan for the site calls for a 193,000 SF multifamily building, an 89,000 SF hotel, and 15,000 SF of retail space. Construction on the second phase is expected to start in 2017. 

Additional Hotel Brands Announced at The Wharf

It was announced today that Canopy by Hilton and Hyatt House will be the hotel brands opening at Parcel 5 of The Wharf. Parcel 5 is located at Maine Avenue and 7th Street, between 7th Street Park and VIO. During the PUD process when JBG owned Parcel 5, it was mentioned that Element and Aloft would be the hotel brands coming to the site, but the parcel was sold to Hoffman – Madison Waterfront earlier this year and apparently the plans changed. From the press release: 

The combined hotels will include café/bar and other dining options; a 1,100-square-foot fitness center; 2,500 square feet of meeting room space; a courtyard with outdoor terraces and water features; an outdoor pool; and a rooftop bar with Washington Channel views. The penthouse will include an additional 10,000 square feet lounge area with sweeping views of the Potomac. 

Canopy is a new hotel concept developed by Hilton in 2014, a lifestyle hotel brand. Here is a description of the new concept, according to the Canopy website: 

Canopy by Hilton is the energizing, new hotel in the neighborhood offering simple guest-directed service, thoughtful local choices, and surprisingly comfortable spaces, so guests simply feel better going forward. Each property is designed as a natural extension of its neighborhood, with local design, food and drink, and delivers a fresh approach to hospitality and the guest experience. 

The Wharf location will have 175 keys and will be one of the first to open in the world. Canopy will be located closest to 7th Street Park.

Hyatt House is an extended-stay hotel brand launched in 2012 that has more than 60 locations in the US – three in the Washington metro area. The Wharf location will have 238 keys and will be the first Hyatt House to open in the District. These two hotels will join the InterContinental Hotel in the first phase of development at The Wharf and all three hotels will be open by the end of 2017. 

A fourth hotel is currently under construction in Southwest – Hyatt Place Washington DC/US Capitol at 4th and E streets, which is further along than The Wharf and is scheduled to open this November. I took a hard hat tour of Hyatt Place yesterday, so be on the lookout soon for a post on this project.

Rendering courtesy of Hoffman-Madison Waterfront

Capitol View's Cafe Phillips Changes Name

Over the weekend, storefront signage was changed at the corner of 3rd and E streets for Café Phillips deli, which is now known as Sandwiches by Phillip. Three of the five former Café Phillips locations across the city have made the switch to Sandwiches by Phillip. The 3rd and E Street location opened in June 2011 on the ground floor of the Capitol View office building. The other retailer in the building is Pizza Autentica, which also opened in 2011.

Old Cafe Phillips sign.

A Few Quick NYE Items: DC United, SoCap, Fiddler Breaks Record, Topping Off

In one of his final acts before leaving office on January 2, Mayor Gray signed soccer stadium legislation into law yesterday, paving the way for a new stadium for DC United on Buzzard Point. The 20,000-seat stadium will be located at 2nd and R streets, next door to Fort McNair and about three blocks southwest of Nationals Park.

The Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) for the South Capitol Street Project is now available and public comments can be submitted until February 2. A copy of the SDEIS is also available at the SW Branch Library. Check out JDLand for more details on the recent revisions proposed for the South Capitol Street corridor upgrade, including the reduction in size of the traffic oval planned on the west side of the Anacostia, changing the location of the replacement Frederick Douglass Bridge, and more. There will be a public hearing on January 22 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm at Mathews Memorial Baptist Church, Fellowship Hall located at 2616 Martin Luther King Jr, Avenue, SE.

Arena Stage announced this week that Fiddler on the Roof has broken box office records for the SW-based theater. Previously, the record was held by the production of Oklahoma!, which was originally run in 2010 during Arena’s inaugural season back in Southwest and returned for a summer run in 2011. Fiddler’s run has been extended and will now end on January 11, 2015. 

Before the Christmas holiday, a topping off celebration was held at the Hyatt Place/Engine 13 firehouse under construction at 400 E Street. Construction began on the long-awaited project last December and was the subject of my very first post on this blog back in 2008. Delivery of the hotel/firehouse is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2015. In attendance was Mayor-elect Muriel Bowser, who also announced that she has appointed outgoing Ward 6 Council member Tommy Wells as Director of the District Department of the Environment.

A 2014 Year in Review will soon be posted. Happy New Year!

Renderings courtesy of DC United and DDOT; Photo taken by Margot Schulman, courtesy of Arena Stage; webcam image courtesy of Oxblue 

Will Fannie Mae Reconsider Southwest for its HQ?

It was reported in the Washington Business Journal and the Wall Street Journal that mortgage finance giant Fannie Mae is selling its headquarters building in Upper Northwest and wants to consolidate its operations in leased space closer to downtown DC. Fannie Mae is looking to move to their new headquarters over the next two to three years, so they have the option of leasing in existing space or new construction. Almost a decade ago, Fannie Mae was planning to be the anchor tenant at Waterfront Station, but financial troubles put the kibosh on those plans and they remained at their current headquarters. Subsequently, the District government decided to lease both buildings in phase one of Waterfront Station and the project was able to move forward. Now that Fannie Mae is on the hunt for new space, perhaps it will give Southwest another look? Let’s take a look at their options in Southwest (since the size requirement for Fannie Mae wasn’t disclosed in the articles, the following options may or may not work based on size needs):  

(1) Waterfront Station: There are still two vacant parcels along M Street on either side of 4th Street that are slated for office. The SE parcel is right on top of the Waterfront metro station and both buildings have plans for ground floor retail. Waterfront Associates won’t start construction on either of those parcels until it secures an anchor tenant. Since Fannie Mae was already planning to move to Waterfront Station at one point, this location probably has a leg up on the competition. 

(2) The Wharf: Alternatively, Fannie Mae could opt for office space at The Wharf, which started construction in March and won’t be complete until 2017. There is an office building planned in Phase One of construction (Parcel 3A) facing Maine Avenue and a second building could be built closer to the Maine Avenue Fish Market (Parcel 1) if Hoffman-Madison Waterfront found a tenant. The Graduate School USA was originally going to occupy the Parcel 3A building, but backed out of the deal a couple years ago. The Wharf was a contender for The Washington Post, but ultimately the media company decided to move only a few blocks east from its current headquarters building downtown. 

Rendering courtesy of Hoffman Madison Waterfront

(3) The Portals: Republic Properties has an empty parcel at The Portals that is next to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on the 1200 block of Maryland Avenue. In addition to the hotel, there are three office buildings that have already been completed at the complex. A Portals address would give Fannie Mae execs sweeping views of the Tidal Basin and high visibility from the traffic that comes into the city daily on the 14th Street Bridge. 

(4) L’Enfant Plaza: The JBG Companies has plans to build a 220,000 SF, LEED-Gold office building at 500 L’Enfant Plaza that will offer direct access to the L’Enfant Plaza Metro station and connect to the retail area that was recently upgraded. The building would be south of the under-renovation L’Enfant Plaza Hotel, adjacent to the 9th Street tunnel.

Rendering courtesy of The JBG Companies

(5) 400 6th Street: Trammell Crow is currently building a 12-story, 342,000 SF office building at 400 6th Street, located across the street from Constitution Center and one of the entrances to the L’Enfant Plaza Metro station. If Fannie Mae moved here, it would be near other financial-related tenants including the Federal Housing Finance Agency and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency; however, the site is not as prominent as some of the other options in Southwest. 

Rendering courtesy of Trammell Crow