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.

Progress at District Condos

The demolition at the soon-to-be District Condos site is nearing completion, which means that the actual construction phase should be commencing shortly.

In other words, enjoy the views of Swann and S streets while you can...

JBG breaking ground on District Condos this Monday

According to James Nozar of JBG, the raze permits finally arrived for the span of low-lying buildings along 14th Street between S and Swann, meaning that demolition can commence and the long-anticipated District Condos project can finally get off the ground.

Clark Construction will handle the demolition, which is expected to last between 15-20 days, after which Bovis Construction will commence excavation and construction. All told, construction should last approximately 18 months, placing an anticipated delivery date sometime around summer 2012.

Nozar mentioned that JBG will be planning a community meeting to discuss the details of the construction process--access, loading, parking, etc.--once those details are finalized. In the spring, JBG will be setting up a sales cente rin the neighborhood to commence condo sales for the building.

And no, for those wondering: no info on potential commercial tenants yet.

Additional info can be found at the District Condos website.

"District Condos": What's in a Name?

There was speculation when details came out a couple of months ago about what JBG might call their new development at the former Whitman Walker site at 14th and S. After all, they have a lot of options to choose from in a neighborhood like Logan/U Street that is so rich in history and historical figures. We've seen the region's history used before in names like The Ellington and the Langston Lofts. (It has also been completely forsaken with names like The Metropole and Union Row, but no matter.)


So, what eye-catching name did JBG ultimately decide on?

If you guessed "District Condos," you have very little imagination--but you'd be right. If you're like me, you were more than a bit perplexed about the rather mundane name that was bestowed on such a significant project. So I contacted JBG's project manager James Nozar for a bit of an explanation.

"We’ve read the many comments about the “District” name," he said. "It’s impossible to please everyone, but we tried to find a name that would market the neighborhood (your “district”), the building (how the building is different), and the end-user’s personal style."

OK, but still. The name seems a bit...boring.

"It is obviously an incredibly simple name, but that was the point," said Nozar. "We’re confident the overall project marketing campaign will work quite well and will resonate with those in the neighborhood."

Fair enough--I guess we'll wait for the marketing campaign to kick in before passing complete judgment on the name. Onto more important information, such as when demolition and construction might finally get underway. On this point, Nozar sounded a familiar refrain.

"(We) should be in a position to start demo in the next few weeks. We’ll start actual construction in late November or early December, which keeps us on our schedule of delivering units in Spring 2012."

When complete, the project will feature over 120 units and over 18,000 sf of retail along the western side of 14th Street between S and Swann streets.