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Way back when, the Cohen Companies' plan on Square 699N was to build the Velocity condo building at 1st and L and then almost immediately start work on a twin residential building directly to the north. Velocity went up, but the twin did not follow for nearly four years--after Cohen sold the empty lot to Toll Brothers, which is now building the River Parc apartment building on the site. And having a different developer build the twin has brought about a sticky situation. Within recent days, Velocity residents have discovered that Toll's layout for the River Parc roof includes a wall that completely obscures the formerly expansive Capitol dome views from Velocity's roof deck. In addition, the new building's design appears to place the building's 237 air conditioning units on the south side of the concrete wall, facing Velocity. A recent e-mail to Velocity residents informed them that "[T]he ANC Commissioner, The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs and the offices of Planning and Zoning have all been contacted and we are being told that all construction is being done in accordance with all plans, permits, zoning, and easements" and that "Every avenue is being pursued to somehow make this situation better for us." Alas, "[A]s long as they are within all legal parameters of their construction of this building, there is little we can do."  Capitol Dome views are a sticky wicket in the neighborhood, since almost all of the buildings that have already gone up stand to eventually lose their panoramic vistas as newer projects continue to fill in the empty spaces. (Just ask Nationals Park!) The exceptions are 70/100 I (aka the Jefferson and Axiom) and the about-to-be-built 800 New Jersey, all of which border the freeway and so will likely keep their views pristine, as long as Capitol Hill north of the freeway doesn't suddenly start to allow 13 stories of construction. But an impenetrable concrete wall certainly puts an exclamation point on the issue.
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202_cyclist says: (6/14/14 8:42 AM)
Considering all of the knuckleheads in Congress, perhaps it isn't a bad thing to lose the view of the Capitol. I am just going to be glad when the 6:30 AM Saturday construction is finished.
Whatevs says: (6/15/14 5:53 AM)
First world problems...did you people think that you would have an unobstructed views into perpetuity? What did you think would happen when you bought a unit in a building that had SEVERAL vacant lots surrounding it on THREE sides. Your sales agent hoodwinked you if they told you that there were any guarantees of an permanent unobstructed view. You've enjoyed an unobstructed view for almost 5 years.
Wait till you lose your view on the 1st St SE side...heh heh
Get. Over. It.
JES says: (6/15/14 5:13 PM)
Of course "we people" did not expect a permanent u obstructed view. We expected the building to be a twin of ours though, as that's what everyone was told when we bought. And with that twin, there would not be a giant wall there. End of the world? Of course not. But d**K move by Toll Brothers? Absolutely.
JES says: (6/15/14 5:14 PM)
Sorry, that was supposed to say "permanently unobstructed." Stupid phone.
Whatevs says: (6/16/14 5:28 AM)
...as that's what everyone was told when we bought. If it wasn't in writing,you weren't told that.
JES says: (6/16/14 9:50 AM)
Actually, I'm pretty sure when someone opens their mouth and words come out, that's the definition of being told something. Not having it in writing obviously means there isn't anything we can do about it, but this is a forum that allows local residents to present opinions, and that's what I'm doing here, nothing more.
Whatevs says: (6/16/14 10:23 AM)
Even if you were told that, and if the second twin tower had been built exactly the same as Velocity, the Congressional Square/Plaza on K parcel still has the potential to block the view of Capitol dome. So, even if you were told that, or if it were put in writing by the Velocity folks, the value would have been NIL. So, I'm confused by your comment that it was a D**K move by Toll Bros. It seems unfair to them. Just my opinion...
JES says: (6/16/14 10:35 AM)
Yes, congressional square has the potential to do the same thing, this is true. So maybe it would all be for naught anyway, but since that building is nowhere near ready to be constructed, that becomes a "cross that bridge when we come to it" problem. In response to the d**k move comment, Toll Brothers has done a lot of annoying things during this entire construction process like starting too early, ending too late, not securing any of their crap during windstorms resulting in our balconies getting pelted by trash every time it storms, closing parts of our garage, and on and on. This is yet another move that paints them in a light where they're completely ignoring the concerns of their immediate neighbors. That and the wall seems entirely unnecessary. It's not serving any kind of structural need, it's only there to block noise from their AC units (and direct that noise back towards us as a result). They could knock a few feet off that wall, accomplish the same goal, and make their neighbors view them less negatively.
Whatevs says: (6/16/14 10:50 AM)
Well, all folks in the area have to suffer through something during construction. I lived at the Onyx when Velocity and 909 were both still under construction. Some of the issues that you list, are things that Onyx folks had to suffer through in the early days. So, I guess some days, you're the statue and some days you're the pigeon...
202_cyclist says: (6/16/14 10:55 AM)
@JES: I completely agree with you that Toll Brothers has been an awful neighbor during the River Parc construction. As you're aware, there is regularly 5:30-6 AM construction, even on Saturdays. There has been 3 AM construction at times, etc...
Pcat says: (6/17/14 11:03 AM)
We have the same problem at our condo complex on 13th St. By right developments can be built without any input from anyone. We are losing our sun and our views but apparently can do nothing about it. Good luck.
JES says: (6/17/14 2:53 PM)
Thankfully our building (and everything down here) was built to the max allowable height, so losing sun isn't a problem. Could be worse.
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Construction underway in early 2018 on the replacement for the current South Capitol Street Bridge. Completion expected in 2021.
1221 Van
290-unit residential building with 26,000 sf retail. Underway late 2015, completed early 2018.
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New headquarters for National Association of Broadcasters, along with a 163-unit condo building. Construction underway early 2017.
Yards/Parcel O Residential Projects
The 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.
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A wrap-around six-story addition to the existing O Street Pumping Station. Construction underway in 2016, with completion in 2018.
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Mixed-income rental building with 176 units, including 36 public housing units. Underway early 2017, delivery 2019.
West Half Residential
420-unit project with 65,000 sf retail. Construction underway spring 2017.
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.
1250 Half/Envy
310 rental units at 1250, 123 condos at Envy, 60,000 square feet of retail. Underway spring 2017.
Parc Riverside Phase II
314ish-unit residential building at 1010 Half St., SE, by Toll Bros. Construction underway summer 2017.
99 M Street
A 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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375-unit rental building at 2nd and I with 13,000 sq ft retail. Construction underway late fall 2017.
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270-unit rental building and 227-room Thompson Hotel, with 20,000 sq ft retail total. Construction underway fall 2017.
Meridian on First
275-unit residential building, by Paradigm. Construction underway early 2018.
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264-unit residential building with 12,500 sq ft retail, underway spring 2018. Phase 2 of RiverFront on the Anacostia development.
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11-story, 74-unit condo building west of Half St. Underway early 2019.
CSX East Residential/Hotel
225ish-unit AC Marriott and two residential buildings planned. Digging underway late summer 2019.
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Recent Issued Building Permits
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1300 4TH ST SE 1001
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02/22/21
AP BOWER RETAIL LLC / null
E2104231 /
SUPPLEMENTAL
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1346 4TH ST SE APT 1M
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02/06/21
null / NA NA NA
EHOP21945129 /
HOME OCCUPATION
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1331 4TH ST SE R-2
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02/08/21
FC 1331 LLC / FC 1331 LLC
BP2101814 /
POST CARD
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10 I ST SE
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02/16/21
CAPITOL HILL RACQUET CLUB / NA; VICTORIA STEINHOFF
SB2100112 /
CONSTRUCTION
Installation of up to six (6) 3-inch diameter direct-push Geoprobe borings to depths of up to 30 feet below grade as part of an environmental assessment.
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555 L ST SE
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01/29/21
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / RENNE WELL; RICK HARLAN SCHNEIDER
B2102004 /
CONSTRUCTION
DGS PROJECT REHABILITATION+RESTORATION OF THE HISTORIC LINCOIN FIELDHOUSE
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861 NEW JERSEY AVE SE 20003
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02/23/21
809-853 NEW JERSEY AVE ACQUISITION LLC / SUSANA VAZQUEZ
AH2100728 /
CONSTRUCTION
Dismantling of tower crane.
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809 NEW JERSEY AVE SE
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02/11/21
GREYSTAR GP LLC 809-853 NEW JERSEY AVENUE ACQUISITION LLC / null
E2103926 /
SUPPLEMENTAL
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853 NEW JERSEY AVE SE
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02/11/21
GREYSTAR GP LLC / null
E2103924 /
SUPPLEMENTAL
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861 NEW JERSEY AVE SE
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02/05/21
GS CSX HOTEL OWNER LLC / null
E2103762 /
SUPPLEMENTAL
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1275 NEW JERSEY AVE SE
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02/02/21
FC 1275 NJ LLC / null
E2103662 /
SUPPLEMENTAL
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02/11/21
FC 1275 NJ LLC / null
P2103445 /
SUPPLEMENTAL
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848 SOUTH CAPITOL ST SE
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02/16/21
CXS TRANSPORTATION INC / VICTORIA STEINHOFF; TBD
SB2100111 /
CONSTRUCTION
Installation of up to six (6) 3-inch diameter direct-push Geoprobe borings to depths of up to 30 feet below grade as part of an environmental assessment.
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AH = After Hours; B = Alteration & Repair; D = Demolition; E = Electrical; FB = Boiler; M = Mechanical; P = Plumbing and Gas; PC = Post Card; R = Raze; SG = Sign; TL = Tenant Layout; TN = Tent; RW = Retaining Wall;
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