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Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Development Pipeline Updates from ANC Meeting

At its July 2009 meeting, ANC2C apparently received status updates regarding several (but not all, apparently, e.g., Addison Square formerly known as Kelsey Gardens) major Shaw area projects in the pipeline. Here is a summary of what was reported on the Shaw Yahoo! message board (originally recounted by Commissioner Sule, I believe):

The Howard Theater (renovation of historic theater in the 600 block of T Street, Northwest, into a live performance venue with restaurant and bar) - Work began recently on the front facade. The anticipated opening is late 2010 or early 2011. The Howard Theatre acquired 1830 Wiltberger Street, Northwest, which will house the Washington Jazz Institute.

The Convention Center Hotel (mostly new construction of convention center headquarters hotel at Ninth Street and Massachusetts Avenue, Northwest) - With financing in place, hotel may break ground on October 1. Construction should take three and a half years.

CenterCity - (mixed use development of ten acre site of old convention center) - The developer, Hines/Archstone, is attempting to secure financing, which is, in part, dependant on finding an anchor office tenant.

Shaw Junior High School - (demolition and replacement of school facility on Rhode Island Avenue) - A budget of $54 million is being put in place for the complete demolition and reconstruction of the school.

Broadcast Center One - (mixed use office/retail/residential development at Seventh and S Streets, Northwest above north exit to the Shaw/Howard Metro Station) - Project could break ground later this year if financing falls into place. Financing is apparently tied with securing a co-anchor tenant to occupy the office portion of the building along with financially troubled RadioOne (originally slated to be the one and only anchor tenant). The residential portion of the project will now be apartments and not condominiums.

Parcel 42 - (all-below-market building planned for Seventh and R Streets, Northwest) - The project lacks financing in part due to the income cap for residents.

City Market at O - (mixed use grocery/retail/hotel/condominium/senior housing project bounded by O, P, Seventh and Ninth Streets, Northwest) - The groundbreaking should occur in late 2010.

9 comments:

ML said...

I feel like I've been seeing this same Shaw development post/email for a really long time now - just with different years shown. I guess, at least the Watha T. Library and eXchange building are no longer on it. That's something.

Here's hoping the developers meet *any* of these timelines thrown out here. I wouldn't count on it though as developers seem to only advertise "super, best-case, if all the planets align, and money falls from the sky" scenario dates when talking about their projects.

The sad reality is that we probably won't see some of these for a long time, if ever.

Anonymous said...

I am so happy I did not buy in Shaw based on the hope of O St Market actually happening. After watching it for two years it is clear that this project is doomed.

Anonymous said...

AW: Is there any plan to maintain the Wonderbread factory?

Shaw Rez said...

Anon # 1 - I completely disagree that O Street is "doomed." It is advancing daily toward a groundbreaking in October 2010. The plan is to underpin and excavate the historic market starting next October, with the Giant to be demolished and full-scale construction on the site to commence in January 2011. The new Giant will open 2 years (or sooner) after the current one is demolished. The developer very much is on the ball and I know of no indication that the project won't move forward as planned.

Mr. Q said...

Thanks for the update ShawRez...

I understand the frustration with ML's and Anon's comments re: slipping start dates on these projects but given the current economic environment I think that's understandable...and unfortunate. I do think they will happen though...

Would love to hear if/when you do hear something re: Kelsey Gardens/Addison Square...as much as I appreciate the major fencing around it, KG is now just another vacant building along with the rest...it would be nice to hear about a demolition date...

Thanks again for all the updates!

Anonymous said...

Well, they HAVE continued to push the dates back for the City Market- it was supposed to be January, then May, now October?! Ditto for the others. I think what you see here is developers who mostly aren't up to the task at hand. Get JBG in here and they'd have it done already.

Unknown said...

Didn't the O st. market just get a million $ from the city. Why would it take them more than a year to begin anything?

Shaw Rez said...

ML - last I heard, the city has not actually ponied up the $1 million it promised to Roadside.

The $1 million will be used to complete full construction drawings by the architect. After they are complete, Roadside must pull the permits.

Additionally, Roadside cannot close/demo the Giant during certain months of the year (I think roughly October to January), so the construction planning has to take into account when they'd need to demo Giant for planning purposes.

ML said...

ShawRez - Thanks for the info, and I really appreciate that you keep it so positive. It's important that we don't become cynics, and continue to push for what we all want - a vibrant, diverse, safe urban neighborhood with sustainable businesses and amenities, and without vacant properties, crime and trash.

I too disagree with the anon comments that the O St. project is doomed. It will happen, but when I think is anyone's guess. Roadside, particularly Armond Spikell should be commended for hanging in on the project for so long, through so much bureaucratic red tape and the rediculous payouts and concessions that have to be made to get anything built in Shaw.

It's disappointing to hear the city is delaying promised $1 mil financing payment to keep this project on track.

I think that in terms of Shaw's continued development, the Convention Center Hotel is key at this point. If they get construction underway (and economy be damned, it sounds the political will is there to make it happen), that should spur investment up 9th St. north of Mass Ave. Once that happens financing and investment in other Shaw projects should become more palatable, and I think we'll start to see more happening.