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Velocity Condos
1025 1st St. SE
Originally planned as first of three phases of development on Square 699N
Entire block purchased by Ron Cohen for $55 million in 2005
Construction begun spring 2007, opened fall 2009; site of Justin's Cafe, 2010-2018, Roy Boys 2019-present
Remaining two parcels sold to Toll Bros. in 2012
- Full Neighborhood Development MapThere's a lot more than just the projects listed here. See the complete map of completed, underway, and proposed projects all across the neighborhood.
- What's New This YearA quick look at what's arrived or been announced since the end of the 2018 baseball season.
- Food Options, Now and Coming SoonThere's now plenty of food options in the neighborhood. Click to see what's here, and what's coming.
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- Anacostia RiverwalkA bridge between Teague and Yards Parks is part of the planned 20-mile Anacostia Riverwalk multi-use trail along the east and west banks of the Anacostia River.
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- Virginia Ave. Tunnel ExpansionConstruction underway in 2015 to expand the 106-year-old tunnel to allow for a second track and double-height cars. Expected completion 2018.
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- Rail and Bus Times
Get real time data for the Navy Yard subway, Circulator, Bikeshare, and bus lines, plus additional transit information. - Rail and Bus Times
Get real time data for the Navy Yard subway, Circulator, Bikeshare, and bus lines, plus additional transit information. - Canal ParkThree-block park on the site of the old Washington Canal. Construction begun in spring 2011, opened Nov. 16, 2012.
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- Nationals Park21-acre site, 41,000-seat ballpark, construction begun May 2006, Opening Day March 30, 2008.
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- Washington Navy YardHeadquarters of the Naval District Washington, established in 1799.
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- Yards Park5.5-acre park on the banks of the Anacostia. First phase completed September 2010.
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- Van Ness Elementary SchoolDC Public School, closed in 2006, but reopening in stages beginning in 2015.
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- Agora/Whole Foods336-unit apartment building at 800 New Jersey Ave., SE. Construction begun June 2014, move-ins underway early 2018. Whole Foods expected to open in late 2018.
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- New Douglass BridgeConstruction underway in early 2018 on the replacement for the current South Capitol Street Bridge. Completion expected in 2021.
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- 1221 Van290-unit residential building with 26,000 sf retail. Underway late 2015, completed early 2018.
- NAB HQ/AvidianNew headquarters for National Association of Broadcasters, along with a 163-unit condo building. Construction underway early 2017.
- Yards/Parcel O Residential ProjectsThe Bower, a 138-unit condo building by PN Hoffman, and The Guild, a 190-unit rental building by Forest City on the southeast corner of 4th and Tingey. Underway fall 2016, delivery 2018.
- New DC Water HQA wrap-around six-story addition to the existing O Street Pumping Station. Construction underway in 2016, with completion in 2018.
- The Harlow/Square 769N AptsMixed-income rental building with 176 units, including 36 public housing units. Underway early 2017, delivery 2019.
- West Half Residential420-unit project with 65,000 sf retail. Construction underway spring 2017.
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- Novel South Capitol/2 I St.530ish-unit apartment building in two phases, on old McDonald's site. Construction underway early 2017, completed summer 2019.
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- 1250 Half/Envy310 rental units at 1250, 123 condos at Envy, 60,000 square feet of retail. Underway spring 2017.
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- Parc Riverside Phase II314ish-unit residential building at 1010 Half St., SE, by Toll Bros. Construction underway summer 2017.
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- 99 M StreetA 224,000-square-foot office building by Skanska for the corner of 1st and M. Underway fall 2015, substantially complete summer 2018. Circa and an unnamed sibling restaurant announced tenants.
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- The Garrett375-unit rental building at 2nd and I with 13,000 sq ft retail. Construction underway late fall 2017.
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- Yards/The Estate Apts. and Thompson Hotel270-unit rental building and 227-room Thompson Hotel, with 20,000 sq ft retail total. Construction underway fall 2017.
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- Meridian on First275-unit residential building, by Paradigm. Construction underway early 2018.
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- The Maren/71 Potomac264-unit residential building with 12,500 sq ft retail, underway spring 2018. Phase 2 of RiverFront on the Anacostia development.
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- DC Crossing/Square 696Block bought in 2016 by Tishman Speyer, with plans for 800 apartment units and 44,000 square feet of retail in two phases. Digging underway April 2018.
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- One Hill South Phase 2300ish-unit unnamed sibling building at South Capitol and I. Work underway summer 2018.
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- New DDOT HQ/250 MNew headquarters for the District Department of Transportation. Underway early 2019.
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- 37 L Street Condos11-story, 74-unit condo building west of Half St. Underway early 2019.
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- CSX East Residential/Hotel225ish-unit AC Marriott and two residential buildings planned. Digging underway late summer 2019.
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- 1000 South Capitol Residential224-unit apartment building by Lerner. Underway fall 2019.
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- Capper Seniors 2.0Reconstruction of the 160-unit building for low-income seniors that was destroyed by fire in 2018.
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- Chemonics HQNew 285,000-sq-ft office building with 14,000 sq ft of retail. Expected delivery 2021.
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If you want to view more before-and-after photos of Velocity from additional locations,
see the Expanded Project Archive.
The southeast corner of the block, at 1st and L, in February 2006. (02/06)
November 3, 2019 - The same location, with the Phase 1 Velocity Condos building completed. 
First Street north of L, in April 2005, where one of the many small, light-industrial businesses on the block had operated for a long time. (4/9/05)
November 28, 2009 - The same location, where Justin's Cafe operated from 2010 to 2018.
Square 699N, looking west from high up in the Courtyard by Marriott in March 2006; L Street is on the left and K is on the right. Nation, toward the rear, is in the next block west from Square 699N. (03/06)
... And the same spot, with construction nearing completion. The second phase building (now looking to be a hotel) will front K, to the right (the garage has already been dug, and a new plaza will be there until construction starts. (11/17/08)
April 14, 2018 - Velocity is clearly visible from the Southeast Freeway at South Capitol Street; it is rising at right-center in this photo, directly behind the red roof of the McDonald's. 70/100 I is at left, Onyx on First is the gray building that will now much obscured by Velocity, and 55 M is under construction at right.
Looking north across L at Cushing Street, in March 2007. The closed Edge nightclub is at left, and the building that housed Food and Friends is at right. (3/31/07)
May 19, 2019 - The same location, somewhat changed.
The Food and Friends food bank, at Cushing and L. (08/03)
January 12, 2020 - The same location, with Velocity completed. (And Capitol Hill Tower at rear.)
The Velocity sales center opened at Half and K in Fall, 2007, but was replaced in fall 2009 with a sales center inside the building and four model units. (2/9/08)
Another look at Square 699N, this time from the northwest, in January 2012, showing not only the completed Velocity building, but the stormwater garden installed by volunteers in fall 2011. (1/12/12)
The oldest photo I have of the Velocity footprint, taken with a film camera, where alas the film had gone bad. This is the northwest corner of First and L, in September 2000. (09/00)
The oldest shot in my collection of the First Street frontage, from April 2004. The businesses were still operating, they just were closed on this Sunday morning when I was taking photos. (04/04)
Latest News
January 23, 2014
To-Do Tidbits: Billy Joel at Nats Park, and More
October 31, 2012
Toll Brothers Buys Second Square 699N Lot From Cohen
April 16, 2010
Justin's Cafe Opens Today (and SW Safeway, Too)
April 6, 2010
Justin's Cafe Gets Liquor License; April 16 Opening
January 26, 2010
Justin's Cafe Liquor License Hearing March 22
January 11, 2010
ANC Supports Liquor License for Justin's Cafe
January 11, 2010
Tidbits (ANC 6D, Boathouse, Georgia Ave, Cupcakes!)
