Project Website: artplacedc.com.

Developer: Cafritz Foundation

Art Place at Fort Totten is a multi-phase planned unit development (PUD) located on South Dakota Avenue NE between Galloway Street and Kennedy Street. The project replaces the Riggs Plaza Apartments (also owned by the Cafritz Foundation).

HR Retail is the leasing agent for the property. Contact H&R Retail for leasing opportunities. View the property site plan and property brochure (updated March 2025).

To read our posts on Art Place, click on the Cafritz Art Place at Fort Totten category link.

Phase 1 (Building A)

Phase 2 (Block B)

Phase 1 (Building A)

The first phase, between Galloway and Ingraham streets NE, broke ground in spring 2014 and was completed in fall 2017.

Documents submitted for the first-stage PUD can be viewed on DC’s Office of Zoning website by searching case number 06-10.

Details

• Six-story building with 520 apartments (the Modern DC) atop approximately 107,000 square feet of ground floor retail
• Four-story above-grade parking garage (337 spaces for retail/service and 264 spaces for residential use).
• 141 apartments set aside for affordable and senior affordable housing, including units for displaced Riggs Plaza Apartment tenants
• 174 secure bicycle parking spaces will be provided and a minimum of 35 bicycle parking spaces will be provided in the public space around Building A.
• The PUD permanently closed Hamilton Street between South Dakota and 4th Street and created a new extension of Ingraham Street west of South Dakota to 4th Street.
• As part of the transportation demand management plan, the owner has agreed to provide a one-time membership fee to a car-sharing service for each residential unit, upon request.
• The owner has also agreed to provide a $25 SmarTrip card to each residential unit at initial occupancy.

Current Tenants

• Explore! Kid Pop Up Space (395 Ingraham Street NE). View Explore! kid’s events at Explore! Fort Totten Events on eventbrite.
• Shining Stars Pediatric Dentistry (435 Ingraham Street)
• Hibiscus Medical (430 Galloway Street) opened on September 1, 2022.
• Love & Care Child Development Center (402 Galloway Street)
• One Life Fitness Center (5198 South Dakota Avenue) – opened January 2022 and expanded into adjacent space in October 2024.
• DC Dental Studio (430 Galloway Street)
• Menomale (Italian restaurant/pizzeria) – coming soon to 5184 South Dakota Avenue NE.
• Phenix Salon Suites (South Dakota Avenue) – coming soon to 5220 South Dakota Avenue NE.
• Retail team looking to sign language school and other eateries and retail.
• Retail opportunities still available in Building A. Contact H&R Retail.

In 2019, Rocketship Public Charter School leased and renovated two existing warehouses at 5450 3rd Street NE and subsequently subleased space to Social Justice Public Charter School.

Social Justice School will relocate to 333 Kennedy Street NE for school year 2024-2025. The school will temporarily occupy prefabricated modular classrooms while renovating the remaining existing warehouse for permanent school space.

Future phases are expected to bring a children’s museum and additional retail and housing, but the developer has asked for more time to consider other potential uses for the remaining phases of the development.

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Phase 2 (Block B): Plans filed with Zoning Commission September 4, 2018 (case number 06-10D)

The second phase sits along South Dakota Avenue between Ingraham and Kennedy streets NE. The developer is phasing construction of the Phase 2 in order to reevaluate proposed uses in the second phase. The Zoning Commission required the developer to submit 2nd stage PUD documents by December 31, 2024. On December 20, 2024, the developer submitted a request for an extension of time.

Block B Details

Block B Uses Under Evaluation

Block B Phasing Plan/Construction Sequencing

Block B PUD Documents

Block B Details

• Aldi grocery store opened on December 5, 2024
• 294 apartments – mix of studio, 1 bedroom, & 2 bedrooms
• 30 ground floor artist studios/maker spaces
• Dog run
• 95,000 square feet of cultural uses
• 4th Street closed to provide shared vehicle/pedestrian walkway
• Green roofs

Block B Uses Under Evaluation

• Family Entertainment Zone (FEZ): artist collective, children and adult programming (under evaluation
• Performance venue
• Food Hall
• Children’s museum operated by KID Museum, which is negotiating a lease. Previous operator was to be Explore! Children’s Museum (view the Explore! Sandbox).
• 50,000 square feet ground floor retail

Art Place Block B Modification of Consequence with Updated Sequencing

View renderings of phased construction.

1st Construction & Occupancy Sequence

• Build the FEZ north block, which includes the ALDI grocery store and Children’s Museum core and shell. The core and shell will be complete, including rooftop green roof areas. The Applicant intends to allow the ALDI grocery store to occupy their space first, with parking provided on B1 level of garage.
• In support of the occupancy of the ALDI grocery store and Children’s Museum space within the commercial north block, construction of the below-grade garage, the north parking ramp to Kennedy Street, and the commercial loading docks will occur.
• The extent of site development includes construction of the ALDI facades to the curb along South Dakota Avenue, with attendant civil improvements. In addition, the sidewalks up Kennedy Street and along South Dakota will be installed for pedestrian access to the ALDI and Children’s Museum entrances/exits. The internal private road connection from Kennedy Street to the commercial loading dock will be built in order to provide access to dock.

2nd Construction & Occupancy Sequence

• Construction of the balance of the FEZ central block, and the Residential East, North, and South buildings. The residential buildings will include at-grade, retail core and shell space.
• The extent of site development includes construction of the approved site features to access the residential and retail entrances and exits. The alley will be constructed in order to provide access to the residential loading dock, rear entrance, and connection to the private street.

3rd Construction & Occupancy Sequence

• Construction of the balance of the FEZ building, primarily southern block, including the rotunda.
• The extent of site development will include the remaining approved site features along the pedestrian sections of the private street and the perimeter of the FEZ building along Ingraham Street and South Dakota Avenue.

Old Phasing Plan

• 1st quarter 2020: Begin construction on Block B, expected to take 30 months
• 3rd quarter 2022: Block B construction completed
• December 31, 2024: Applicant will file PUD application for either Block C or Block D
• December 31, 2030: Applicant will file PUD application for final block

The old phasing plan was delayed due to relocation of Riggs Plaza tenants and the coronavirus pandemic.

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Block B PUD Documents

• Applicant September 2018 Supporting Statement (pdf);
• September 2018 Full book available here; Reference copy also available at reference desk at Lamond-Riggs Library
• Block B Fact Sheet October 2018 (pdf)
• Block B FAQs October 2018 (pdf)
• January 2019 Prehearing Submission (pdf)
• Block B Fact Sheet Updated March 2019 (pdf)
• Community Presentation March 2019 (pdf)
• Proposed Construction Management Plan March 2019 (pdf)
• Applicant Request for Extension of Time, 06-10I (December 2024) (pdf)
• Zoning Order Extension of Time, 06-10I (May 2025) (pdf)

Construction notices for Block B were previously available at https://www.artplacedc.com. The old website was http://fezartplace.com.

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