Cedar Hill Gets HPRB Approval

Another step! The Cedar Hill townhouse/condo project at the corner of W and 13th Streets is on track to finally start construction... soon.


On W Street looking towards 13th.

"The Board approved the design in concept, with delegation to staff of further review, with the conditions that the V Street building be limited to two stories of height; the applicant satisfactorily address the issues raised in the staff report; and that the applicant careful revise and develop the balcony details on the Type 2 houses, the stairs, the siding on the Type 3 houses, and the width of the alley and the continuation of the 13th Street sidewalk and vegetation along it."

Still awaiting word from Stan Voudrie of Four Points, LLC as to when exactly this will start. Last I heard, the HPRB approval was one of the final steps before construction.

188 New Apartments Coming to Good Hope Road

The Washington Post just broke the news that Chapman Development - the same company that developed the Grays at Pennsvania Avenue (AKA the Yes! Organic Market building) has purchased Murphey's Auto Body Shop and (you may want to sit down for this) plans to develop 188 apartments (by right, without zoning changes) on the site, along with 25-30,000 square feet of ground floor retail. As a comparison, the Yes! Organic building is only 118 units.



The site, located between 17th and 18th Streets on Good Hope Road, sits across the street from the Anacostia UPO and Bread for the City, and is just one building down from the Anacostia Neighborhood Library.

Yes, folks, development is finally hitting Good Hope Road (!!!), which has so much potential as it is bookended by the heart of Historic Anacostia and the more affluent and also-redeveloping Hillcrest neighborhood.



My first thoughts:

(1) This will be a precedent-setting development for the neighborhood. Because it is the first large-scale redevelopment in this part of the neighborhood, it it will set the bar for design and quality. It is hugely important that the neighborhood make known that we will accept nothing less than excellent.

(2) The article mentions that the developer might build it out as a senior-living building. Is this something the neighborhood wants or needs more of? If so/not, this needs to be made clear.

(3) As you can see, there are a lof of above-ground wires on this section of Good Hope. Some communities in the DC area have specified that with new development, wires should be undergrounded. Is this something the neighborhood wants to pursue/ask for?

Read the article in its entirety HERE.

Potential Bright Future for the Big K Site

As you know, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DCHD) bought the Big K lot (MLK and Morris Road) and adjacent abandoned properties along MLK Avenue last year. They have been working with the neighborhood to develop a development plan for the site, and we got our first peek at the site's possible future last week. See before and after images below:





DHCD will begin stabilization of the historic properties this fall. As part of a community survey that went around, most people would like to see a mix of commercial and cultural uses at the site. As it is now, it is one of the most dilapidated sites in the neighborhood, and is a terrible gateway fore anyone entering the historic district. The rendering above looks amazing!

• Click Here to see DHCD's June 9 presentation on plans and survey results regarding the Big K site
• Click Here to see their more general presentation on Anacostia neighborhood stabilization

What do you think? Is this spot on or what? Of course, still a lot of work to be done, and these are in no way final renderings... but major kudos to DHCD for listening to the community!

Supercool HQ Under Construction at GH/MLK

I'm excited to finally give a proper construction update for Environmental Design & Construction's expanded headquarters project just below the intersection of Good Hope and MLK. A long time coming, this project (like my last post) very much represents the quality of design and construction that is (or rather, should) represent the future of this neighborhood.


the new build is taking place in the red and yellow buildings

Inside, EDC has combined two buildings into one, and have completely embraced the exposed and industrial feel while still adding modern space and flavor into the mix as well. (AKA my favorite style)


inside the lobby: the brick wall was once the exterior wall of the yellow building, which was built before the red brick one

As you can see, an original painted sign from the exterior of the old building, which was a hardware and feed store, was partially restored inside:


love the random "M" on the exposed brick


inside the president's new office ... historic Anacostia chic!

The views to the outside should give you some better context for where these buildings are. Because they are on a triangular lot, they have frontage on both MLK Avenue and Good Hope Road.


looking out onto MLK...


...and onto Good Hope

Another cool part about the interior is just how lofty and airy it is. This space was created out of two stodgy old falling apart buildings, yet EDC has created a space that feels refreshing and allows for modern use ... All while preserving the exterior and parts of the inside! (Me <--adaptive use of old buildings dork)





Want another cool feature? Voila, the green roof. The green roof covers the roof of the red brick building, while there is a reflective white roof and (soon to arrive) photovoltaic solar panels on the roof of the yellow half.


looks patchy now, but it will fill in as the rain falls and time goes by

These buildings are on the last block of Good Hope Road before you hit Anacostia Park/Poplar Point. They are adjacent the old CSX railroad line, as well as all the 11th Street Bridges construction. A lot of dirt flying now, but this will be a little jewel box of a block as it develops further.



That concludes the tour! EDC is expecting construction to be complete sometime in May or early June. The building is LEED Gold designed, and they hope to officially certify it at that or another LEED green building level after construction. Three cheers for EDC for staying in Anacostia and adding to its vibrancy and revitalization!

W Street Project Named "Cedar Hill"

Well, things are finally becoming more official at the corner of W and 13th Streets SE. The developer's sign heralding their long-awaited townhouse and condo development is finally up, and the official name for the project: Cedar Hill.



The development is being built by Comstock Homes in some sort of partnership with Four Points. Four Points is also the development partner for Curtis Companies, who owns a majority of "downtown Anacostia" along MLK Avenue.


looking NW at the 13th and W intersection


looking NE up W towards 13th Street

The development's name, Cedar Hill, is the name of Frederick Douglass' hilltop estate just one block away at W and 14th. Although it seems a but odd for the name to be the exact same, I don't really foresee any major problems. These townhouses and condos will integrate with the neighborhood rather than being any sort of private enclave, so I can't imagine the name even sticking once all the units are marketed and sold.

Yes friends, brand new townhomes and condos for sale in the $200s. And on the same block as Uniontown and Big Chair Coffee. I don't think these will have much trouble selling.

Subsidized Housing at V and Fendall?

A conversation has been growing on the Historic Anacostia Google Group about the buildings being renovated at V and Fendall Streets.



The buildings are owned and under development by Pounds Properties, the development company of former Redskin Darryl Pounds.



According to Mr. Pounds, when construction is complete the buildings will be sold to the city and the units will become housing for single mothers.



I'm glad that Pounds is finally finishing work on these properties, which have sat abandoned for as long as I've been around the neighborhood. What do you think?

New Unity Health Building on Galen Street

Wondering what that huge dirtscape is on Galen Street between 16th Street and the Frederick Douglass estate? Unity Health Care is finally fully under construction on their new health center.



As you can see, the site is quite large and will certainly add new activity to this corner of the neighborhood. The new center will be replacing the health "shack" at the corner of W and Chester Streets SE.



One of the remarkable things about this project is its proximity to the Frederick Douglass estate, which you can see in the background of the above photo. I hope that there will be major landscape screening between the two sites to that the juxtaposition isn't so jarring.



What do you think of the design? It's not in the historic district, so it did not have to follow any design standards. Remember that an abandoned apartment building used to grace this plot of land.



From Galen Street, the above view toward 16th Street is of a large portion of the neighborhood that is outside of the historic district.



I'm glad to see the health center move from its present location, but definitely have concerns about its location adjacent Cedar Hill. Do you think this is "the next Salvation Army", or will this be a net positive addition to the community?

New Apartments for Good Hope Road

After years of redevelopment limbo, construction is finally underway on the Art Deco building at 15th and Good Hope Road. I noticed that new windows were going in (and glad to see that they are good looking windows), so peeked inside and learned that it will be a mixed-use residential building.


no word on what the other uses will be, but likely ground-floor retail or office space


despite being just outside the historic district, I hope further efforts are made to protect and highlight the Art Deco design


the residential units will be on the second floor, with a few on the first floor on this back half of the building (technically 1916 15th St)


the interior is being gutted now, but it appears that general layout is being preserved


this permit is only for interior demolition

Although the permit I saw was just for interior demo, it shows that there will be 11 residential units, and that the building will remain mixed-use. Here's hoping that the building ends up looking great!

W Street Townhomes & Condos Financed!

It's been a long time coming, but Four Points' W Street townhomes and condos project (likely to be called something like Cedar Hill Row) has finally received financing! Stan Voudrie of Four Points, the developer, gave me the good news today that his company has entered into a joint venture partnership with a publicly-traded regional homebuilder to begin construction in 2011. Final building permits still need to be issued, and a formal announcement about the deal is expected early next week.


a slightly outdated aerial rendering - Click to Enlarge

Located the corner of W Street SE and 13th Street SE, the development is the first significant new-construction residential project in Historic Anacostia, and is on the same block as Big Chair Coffee and the under-construction Uniontown Bar & Grill. The project is comprised of 32 condo units, 7 townhouses, and a rebuilt single-family home that will replicate a structure that sat on the site until it was demolished last year.

This is amazing news for the neighborhood because until now one of its greatest deficiencies is its lack of housing diversity. You either buy a condo in an old mid-century low-rise apartment building conversion, a total fixer-upper, or a houseflip (and those aren't all bad ... wink wink). People like options, and this project will help fill in some of the gaps.

The Hive - Coming This Month

The Hive is coming to main street Anacostia (2027 MLK), and it's opening later this month. What is it? The name says a lot: a place buzzing with creative energy. More specifically, The Hive is a creative and shared workspace for freelancers, satellite offices, and small businesses.



Why join? A lot of you work for yourself yet don't have a great place to "legitimize" the business side of it. Having a place where you can fax & print, hold meetings, and get out of the house is an important way to boost business.

What's available at The Hive? (all services not available at all membership levels)

• Professional Receptionist
• Phone with voicemail
• Free High Speed cable Internet access
• 16 hours a Month Free Conference Room Access
• Fully equipped break area
• Video Conferencing Capability
• Mail and package delivery
• Receiving e-faxes and local e-fax sending
• Dedicated off Street car parking at monthly rate of $75. Hybrid cars $60 a month

Space at The Hive is available at three levels: Full Member (private offices, only one still available), Shared Space, and Virtual Memberships.

Full Member - ($525-575/month)
This option works for individuals and companies who need a dedicated work space, but do not need a full office suite. This option provides the general infrastructure for an organization to carry out its day-to-day operations. Full members have 24-hour, 7-days-a-week, and 365-days a year use of the facility.

Shared Space - ($400/month)
The shared member option is for those who spend a good portion of time outside of the office, yet also require an office space. With this option, individuals or organizations have a desk space and a voicemail. Shared members have 24/7/365 access to the building.

Virtual Member - ($250/month)
The virtual option is for professionals with full-time jobs or those that work out of their homes and but are interested in having a space as a receiving point for packages and mail as well as a company meeting point. Virtual Members may use the common areas and resources) of The Hive.

For more information, download the full Hive membership info page here and go to the Hive's not-quite-ready website at www.theDChive.com

EDC HQ Expansion Finally Underway

The headquarters expansion project for Environmental Design & Construction (on Good Hope Road just below MLK) has finally started back up! The company had outgrown its current building on the site, so acquired the two adjacent historic structures and is now working to completely restore the exteriors and build it out as one space on the inside.






you can see where they have begun connecting the two buildings on the inside


my favorite signage mural, which will be preserved as an interior wall


the back of both buildings will be restored/rebuilt along MLK



I love projects like this because they are exactly the type of development that will bring Anacostia into a greener and functional future. Here's a professional company that has chosen Anacostia as its home base, and is retrofitting existing vacant buildings to do so.

The Rippeteau Architects-designed project is expected to receive a LEED Silver certification.

Yes! Organic Market Opening Tomorrow!

I haven't blogged much (if at all) about the new Yes! Organic Market opening tomorrow in on Pennsylvania Avenue in Fairlawn, Anacostia's neighbor to the north, because well, it's in Fairlawn and this is a blog about Anacostia. However, it's big enough news and close enough by to make it bloggable. Folks, we officially have good produce, organic dog food, and Fig Newmans in River East!



Owner Gary Cha was kind enough to give me a sneak preview of the new store - the only organic grocer east of the Anacostia River, and the first (of I hope at least a few) Yes! Organics on this side of town.

This market is noticeably larger than both the Capitol Hill and Brookland locations (although apparently similar to Georgia Ave store), and is much more spacious than I expected. Although not the same size as a Whole Foods, this store carries many of the same products and is remarkably comparable!



The first thing you encounter upon walking in is the produce: heaping bushels of peaches, heirloom tomatoes, kiwis, and avocados. It's shockingly awesome to see the colors and the freshness light up the displays.



Because Yes! Organic is committed to only serving fresh produce, it was the last to arrive and will not be completely stocked until just hours before tomorrow's grand opening.









You won't find Skippy on these shelves - the peanut butters are natural, and the bread comes in more colors than white. And check out the cheese selection!





I'm a huge fan of Naked brand juice, so this got me pretty stoked. They also have President Obama's favorite Honest Teas well stocked.







Like most grocery stores, this one carries more than just food - things like toiletries, paper goods, soaps and lotions. And yes, even great quality pet foods.





The refrigerated and freezer aisles are located towards the back of the store, and seriously people, this store has it all: soy milks (and almond, rice, cow, etc) galore, Ciao Bella sorbets and gelatos (and shelf upon shelf of other dairy treats), and tons of yogurt.







Tofurkey.



One of the coolest features of this market is the bulk foods section: flax seed, dried beans, dried fruit, lentils, rice, and even candy. I found owner-in-training Jodie making sure that each of the machines was properly working.







One of the key items missing east of the river is good quality snack food. There are a countless number of places to grab a bag of cheetos and a bottle of blue juice, but this adds something new: whole grains, gluten free options, and stuff that tastes good but is a few steps healthier.





Located at the foot of Pennsylvania Avenue's rise into Wards 7 & 8, the Fairlawn Yes! Organic Market will be a very welcome addition to the greater neighborhood. Grand Opening and ribbon cutting is scheduled for tomorrow, August 31, from 2:30-5:30PM. The store will have its first full day on Wednesday, September 1st.