Shogungts says: (10/27/13 5:23 PM)
"no retail"

grrr

steve says: (10/27/13 10:08 PM)
Will it definitely be only units for leasing? No condos?

JD says: (10/27/13 10:10 PM)
Yes, all rentals. (I've added that word to the post.)

JES says: (10/28/13 9:32 AM)
Thanks for the shoutout, JD! Glad you're (mostly) back!

Packinblackandred says: (10/28/13 10:15 AM)
Selfishly disappointing that there's no ground-level retail, but seeing development move along quickly is always strangely satisfying.

Westnorth says: (10/28/13 11:13 AM)
Satisfactory. It's got a nice pattern of vertical stripes. As for retail, there's plenty of vacant retail proposed elsewhere in the area (particularly The Yards and Half Street) that I'd rather see filled.

JD says: (10/28/13 11:32 AM)
Thanks, Jake. I wasn't actually planning on diving back in to actual news just yet, but it was hard to not do anything during a week with news of Whole Foods, Bluejacket, Hampton Inn, and Toll Bros.... I will probably be remaining on a somewhat abbreviated blogging routine, though--in other words, don't expect me to start going back to ANC meetings. :-)

Shogungts says: (10/28/13 3:10 PM)
"Westnorth says: (10/28/13 11:13 AM)
Satisfactory. It's got a nice pattern of vertical stripes. As for retail, there's plenty of vacant retail proposed elsewhere in the area (particularly The Yards and Half Street) that I'd rather see filled."

I agree that it would be nice if they filled the other places, but I look at it almost as a chicken or egg thing; the retail attracts people, but people are needed to support the retail. Unfortunately once they build it without retail, it will be hard (if not impossible) to convert it to retail later. It would be nice if there was something to attract people who dont live in the neighborhood other than the baseball games. Hopefully the yet to be built buildings by the stadium will have more retail in them.

JD says: (10/28/13 3:17 PM)
I don't think people need to worry about there being a shortage of retail in the neighborhood once it's all built out.

Westnorth says: (10/28/13 7:39 PM)
In the city's densest census tract, south of Logan Circle, only 14th St. has retail. The other blocks are mostly mid-rise residential.

I'd rather have a critical mass of well-curated retail south of M St. and a quiet residential area north of M (built soon, to provide customers) than have scattershot retail throughout. With big draws like a Boilermaker restaurant row, a cinema, hotels, and oh, the stadium, I think there'll be plenty enough to do in the neighborhood even if not every building includes a throwaway retail space (a la Cap Hill Tower).

Also, plenty of spaces can be converted from residential later -- many shops throughout historic neighborhoods around here were once rowhouses.

202_cyclist says: (10/29/13 10:19 AM)
Speaking of retail, it looks like something might be happening with the space at the corner of 909 New Jersey Ave. The lights were on in the building at 12 AM last night and it looked like there might have been some construction work in this space.

JD says: (10/29/13 12:05 PM)
No building permit has been submitted or approved anytime recently for 909 New Jersey. (Not saying you didn't see some activity, just that there's no evidence of a permit in process just yet.)

Westnorth says: (11/4/13 6:33 PM)
Nice steady lineup of apartment openings:
2013 Camden South Capitol
2014 Twelve12 & Park Chelsea
2015 Toll Brothers
2016 Parcel N & 800 NJ

If DCHA could get their act together and start one of their 5/6-story apartment buildings in early 2014, they could deliver in 2015 and beat the rush.

202_cyclist says: (11/5/13 2:15 PM)
@Westnorth:

You can add this to your list as well: link

JD says: (11/5/13 2:36 PM)
(Shh, I'm working on a post on that one. You people are too impatient!)

IMGoph says: (11/10/13 8:00 AM)
The lack of retail kind of proves that Toll Brothers still doesn't really know how to build in an urban environment. Maybe they'll learn someday. :(