Catching up on news…

Art Place at Fort Totten, Bldg A under construction, view from new Ingraham Street NE extension

On June 2, 2017, the Cafritz Foundation filed a status report update for the multi-phase Art Place at Fort Totten development in response to a request from the Zoning Commission. See Art Place Status Update June 2-2017 (pdf).

Building A: Gym, dentist, pharmacy, cell phone store, possible coffee shop & restaurant

Building A (the first phase) is the building currently under construction. Pre-leasing has started for the residential apartments called The Modern. Hardhat tours are available for prospective tenants. A certificate of occupancy is expected by mid-June, with move-ins anticipated to begin around August.

As previously reported and confirmed in the letter, the developer has executed leases with a few retailers for Building A: X-Sport Fitness, T-Mobile, a dentist, and a pharmacy. They anticipate securing leases with a coffee shop and a restaurant in the near future. The letter does not identify the coffee shop and restaurant, but we believe they will be a Starbucks and a restaurant from the proprietors of a Virginia-based restaurant. We have been told that the retail components should be open by late fall/winter 2017.

Building B: Children’s museum, community recreation, possible grocer

The development team is still working to figure things out for Building B (second phase). Recall that the Commission previously raised concerns about the design, uses, and amenities proposed for Building B (e.g., recreation components including ice rinks). The team had put Building B on the backburner to focus on delivering Building A. The status report indicates that the delay in relocating the Riggs Plaza tenants, the presence of Walmart, and anticipated financing challenges for the planned unique uses of Building B all present obstacles for planning.

The letter states they are close to executing a letter of intent with an unidentified specialty grocer for 20,000 square feet for Building B. [Editor’s note 6/13/2017: After publishing, we learned from this Bisnow newsletter that the development team has reached out to Trader Joe’s and MOM’s Organic]. They are also looking at community recreational uses for Building B (but no specifics yet), and of course the Explore! Children’s Museum has committed to being part of Building B.

With respect to Building B, the Foundation will file prehearing statements within 90 days of executing letters of intent with retailers for not less than 70,000 square feet; they will file a building permit application within one year of 2nd stage approval order; and construction will begin within one year of filing permit application.

The Foundation will give the Commission periodic updates on the development of Building A and the proposed development of Building B no less than semi-annually beginning in Jan 2018, or within 30 days following a request for a status update from the Commission.

Finally, not stated in the letter, but important to know, we reported previously that a new neighborhood library will not be part of this development.

That’s the Art Place update for Buildings A and B. What are some recreation or community uses that you think would be ideal for the second stage of this development?