Abdo to build apartments on vacant Logan Circle site; McDonalds and ChiDogO to return @ 14th and U

DC Urban Turf and DC Mud report that local developer Jim Abdo is seeking to construct an apartment building on one of the last remaining vacant parcels in Logan Circle. The developer is seeking to construct 70 apartment units at 1427 Rhode Island Ave. NW, along with an underground parking garage.



Why is the site vacant, you ask? Abdo acquired the property, along with the adjacent lots, in 2001. The adjacent lots have since been redevelped, while the currently vacant lot housed two 19th century romanesque townhouses. Abdo's team originally removed the roof from the townhomes after they were found to be hazardous; in 2007, the entire structures were demolished.

According to DC Mud: "Design of the building will mirror the adjacent buildings, designed by William Harris in 1929 and 1930. The new addition will add "a classical tripartite organization, with a two-story stone base, a five-story midsection clad in brick, and a brick attic story with a cornice." Abdo Development is seeking a zoning variance for reduced parking, and will share the existing driveway to a planned underground garage."

The project has received the support of the Historic Preservation Office, but must still receive approvals from both HPRB and BZA.

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In other development-related news, as reported here and in the Business Journal reported last week, JBG Cos. and Georgetown Strategic Capital announced plans to commence work on the unnamed project formerly dubbed the "Utopia Project" in the 4th quarter of 2011.



According to JBG, at least two tenants for the project are already known: McDonalds will return at its 14th and U location becaus eit has a longterm lease there, and recnet arrival ChiDogO will return as well. In addition, the developer also announced that they would work to retain as many of the existing tenants along the U Street-side of the project as possible. These tenants, which inhabit the series of rowhouses that will be preserved and incorporated into the project, include Coppi's Organic, DC Noodles and restaurant and jazz lounge Utopia.

The massive project will rise nine stories above the 14th and U intersection and include 267 apartment units.

Utopia project set to get going as businesses, Freemasons move out

Last week, we snapped the photo below of employees from local Tex-Mex restaurant El Paraiso packing up their belongings for greener pastures. (In this case, their sister restaurant, El Paraiso II in Alexandria.)



Soon after, the City Paper's Lydia DePillis reported on the sale of the United Supreme Council National Headquarters and Archioves building, located next door to El Paraiso at 1924 14th Street NW, to JBG for $5 million. With the recent exodus of the fast food restaurants further up the block, that moves things a step closer for JBG's groundbreaking of the Utopia project, which is anticipated this fall.



The Utopia project will bring 220 rental units and over 20,000 sf of retail to the intersection that serves as the inspiration of this blog's name, which is also one of the busiest in DC. Originally announced back in 2008, the financial market calamity took its toll on JBG's ability to finance the project. However, financing is now on track, and the recent departures pave the way for the commencement of construction of the 90 foot high, Eric Colbert-designed building.

Utopia will be JBG's second large construction project along that stretch of 14th Street, with their District Condos project in full swing two blocks south at 14th and S. And it will be one of many projects currently ongoing in and around 14th Street, all set to deliver at some time during the next one to three years. (Not included in that post, BTW, are Giorgio Furioso's office project near 14th and P, and the recently announced--and HPRB rejected--Level 2 development at 14th and Wallach Place.)

In other words: get used to seeing a lot of upturned dirt along 14th Street over the next few years.

Resaurant and Bar update: Happy Hour on its way

While we've been away on a (somewhat unanticipated and not particularly enjoyable) "vacation" some restaurant and bar news has crept up that we wanted to pass along:

Remember Mova, the former bar on P Street that vacated its space last year amid cries of exhorbitant rent in excess of $25,000/month? At the time, owner Babak Movahedi indicated that Mova wasn't closing--it was simply going to relocate.

Now it looks like we know where. U Street Girl noticed that there are signs up in the former Bicycle Station space at 14th and W streets for a "martini lounge and tapas-style restaurant" under the name Mova. A tapas lounge would certainly be a departure from Mova's previous incarnation as an upscale gay bar, but sometimes the description of the restaurant/bar on the placard differs from how it will actually operate. (And, yes...another tapas bar, you're thinking? You can't really have too many, you know.)

Left for Ledroit has the news about a new bar called Happy Hour to be located above the Islander at 1201 U Street. In addition to the drinks and "light fare" to be sold by the bar, the owners also want to host live bands as well as--wait for it--skiball. THIS might actually be a place I could get excited about, even if the name leaves a bit to be desired in the creative department. (Some day, I'm going to open a bar called "Class C Tavern License". My other idea is for a chic urban lounge called "Solstice" that will only be open twice a year.)

Next, some restaurant departure news: Prince of Petworth notes that the closing of the KFC/Taco Bell located on 14th between T and U is imminent. This is, of course, to make room for the long-awaited Utopia project at the corner of 14th and U. Guess you're going to have to find a new spot to satisfy that midnight craving for chalupas and absolutely horrible service. Opportunities abound.

Finally, it's nice to know that the "OMG the bars iz coming!" scare tactics aren't limited just to Logan/U Street. Columbia Heights: brace yourself.

Development-palooza: It's 2007 All Over Again at 14th and U

The pace of development activity along 14th and U Streets has picked up immensely over the last few months, harkening back to the "boom years" between 2003-2008. And with several new projects coming online soon, the scale of development will only continue to increase.

Last year, we wrote about what looked to be a busy summer of development in the Shaw neighborhood, with many anticipated projects set to come online. Some, such as Progression Place at the Shaw Metro Station and the Howard Theater restoration project, did get off the ground (if a bit late). Others, notably Roadside Development's CityMarket at O project, remain little more than a set of blueprints.

This summer, the development focus shifts back west, as a number of high-profile projects either are or are set to get underway along the U Street and 14th Street corridors. The photos you see below are ones I took yesterday (Saturday) so as to give visual representation of where each project stands--sometimes words don't tell the full story.



Starting in the north, Level 2 Development UDR has started work (above) on the Nehemiah Center project, with site clearing and preparation for construction of the project. When completed, the nine story development will feature over 250 apartments ranging in size from 500 sf to 1,600 sf, along with over 18,000 sf of retail space, which the developer hopes to lease to neighborhood-serving retailers such as a grocery store, dry cleaners or bank. No timetable for a completion date has been shared that I am aware of.



Farther south at 2241 14th Street, local developer tycoon Douglas Jemal is planning a groundbreaking this summer for a 30 unit apartment building with ground-level retail at the corner space formerly occupied by the Latino Auto Sales dealership. There's no development activity yet at the space (above), which only recently completed the planning and approval process. Interestingly, the building will house only 10 parking spaces--a seeming indication of both the city's and developer's transition away from parking-oriented developments. With a Metro station only a few blocks away, several bus lines (including a Circulator line), and many destinations within short walking distance, this makes tremendous sense.





Things are much farther along a block south at Perseus Realty's 14W development (above), where a construction crew has been hard at work on the construction of the mixed-use project. The development, which currently has an (optimistic) delivery projection of mid-2012, will include 231 residential units, a new YMCA, and over 12,000 sf of retail. A small number of the units in the building will be "affordable" units for individuals making 60% or less of the AMI (Area Median Income).



Across the street, a two story restaurant (tenant currently unknown) will fill the currently vacant space at 2208 14th Street. As DC Mud notes, the building has an interesting and varied history, serving previously as the home of the New School of Afro American Thought, as well as a base of operations for Stokeley Carmichael and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) during the 1968 riots.



At the intersection of 14th and U Streets, Georgetown Strategic Capital is on track to begin construction of the long-awaited Utopia Development, set to consume most of the block on 14th between Wallach Place and U Street. When the project kicks off this fall, the buildings currently housing Taco Bell/KFC and ChiDogs will be demolished, while the buildings housing El Paraiso, Ace Check Cashing andf McDonalds will remain intact due to their historic designation. When complete, the 90 foot building (monstrous by DC standards) will feature over 230 rental units and 20,000 sf of retail (large enough for another furniture store, one hopes). Currently, the plans call for a one year construction timeframe, with delivery of the project in fall 2012. And yes, this is where we add our standard disclaimer that such projections appear optimistic.



Also on tap at the corner of 14th and U streets is the imminent opening of Cafe Society, the latest venture from Local 16 owner Ayman Ayoubi. And considering that the signs are now up and talk of soft openings is rampant, we're inclined to believe them this time. The ground floor of the building will house a Dunkin Donuts and a Subway. No word on whether the "Subway smell" might infiltrate the Cafe Society space...



A block east, plans have apparently been ressurected for JBG's on-again off-again hotel project. When we last heard of this project a couple of years ago, nearby residents were flipping out at the prospects of a 10 story building blocking their views of The Ellington, and the financial market crash was putting a serious dent in JBG's plans to construct U Street's first boutique hotel in generations. However, according to DC Mud, JBG has indicated that the project is "actively in the design phase"--which implies that the project may in fact not be dead after all. Having knocked a story off of the structure, JBG now plans to offer a LEED-silver certified four star hotel replete with over 250 rooms, 23,000 sf of retail and 4,000 sf of conference space. Under the most optimistic of timelines, groundbreaking might commence as early as late 2012--but don't hold your breath.



While we're on the subject of 13th Street, the renovation of the building at the northeast corner of 13th and U streets, which seemingly has been undergoing renovation since the dawn of time, recently completed and tenants are starting to move in. First among them is Boundless Yoga, which opened this weekend on the U Street-facing side of the building. Also announced as tenants of the building: a frozen yogurt spot, and dry cleaners Georgetown Valet.



Heading south long 14th Street, work is underway at JBG's District Condos project at 14th and S (note photo above, taken mere seconds before a torrent of hail rained down). We've written about this project quite a bit here, but to quickly rehash the details: 125 residential units, 18,000 sf of retail, summer 2012 delivery date.



A block farther south, according to Borderstan work is finally set to get underway on the mixed-use project at the southwest corner of 14th and R streets. The 31 unit condo building, which was designed by Bonstra and Haresign architects, will also feature ground level retail. The project has been a veeeeery long time coming, as the ANC first reviewed the project back in 2004. Project delivery is anticipated at some point in mid-2012 (aren't they all?).

And finally, down the street a couple of blocks, developer Giorgio Furioso continues to work on the develpment and construction of an office building to fill the vacant space between the Posto restaurant building and the Great Wall Chinese restaurant. No groundbreaking has yet been announced for the 55,000 sf project.