A lot of residents have asked questions about the status of the second phase of Art Place at Fort Totten, also known as the “FEZ at Art Place” or” Block B.” I have confirmed with the development team from the Cafritz Foundation that Meow Wolf (which was to anchor the second phase) will no longer be part of the project. The good news is that the development team is looking at another experiential tenant for this phase, and they will be making an announcement about that in the near future. The remainder of the previously announced tenant mix for Block B (children’s museum, food hall, Aldi grocery store, arts/maker spaces) remains the same at this point. The development team will likely submit a modification of consequence with the D.C. Zoning Commission at some point in the future to reflect the updated tenant mix. The expectation at this point is that the design of the buildings for this phase will largely remain the same as previously approved. (They previously filed a modification in spring 2020 to reflect some minor design changes. The Zoning Commission voted to approve those changes in June 2020, effective September 2020 (zoning case number 06-10E). We discussed that process here.)
The team is currently working through obtaining permits from DCRA to fully begin construction on the second phase. Meow Wolf’s departure from the project should not impact construction work/permits needed in the short term.
As noted in this post, Love & Care Child Development Center expects to open soon at The Modern at Art Place on Galloway Street NE. The daycare applied for a certificate of occupancy on January 12, 2021. Residents might have seen construction taking place outside the building this week. I have been told that is being done to install a wheelchair access ramp for the daycare center.
Installation of wheelchair ramp at 402 Galloway Street NE
A couple of neighbors passed along information they received from Love & Care Child Development Center indicating that the daycare will be opening soon at the Modern at Art Place with COVID-19 precautions in place. It has taken a long time to get to this point, so I am sure some families will be happy to have another option for daycare in the neighborhood soon. Excerpt from Love and Care communication to families below:
Greeting Families!
We are excited to announce that Love and Care is almost ready to open its doors!
We will be hosting an open house over the course of 4 days, February 10-13th, with guided tours occurring at … each day. Love and Care is located in the Modern at Art Place, at 402 Galloway St. NE just steps away from the Fort Totten Metro. Please swing by at any of the listed times to see the new space!
As you know, construction on Phase B of Art Place at Fort Totten project is underway. I had a couple of follow up questions related to construction activities and reached out to the team around Thanksgiving via the hello@fezartplace.com email address for answers. I encourage everybody to ask their questions via that email address as they are very responsive.
Regarding general construction status, the foundation for the buildings is proceeding with the completion of the construction documents. The general contractor, L.F. Jennings, put out the project for competitive bid, with the process expected to be completed by January or February. They also noted that, “as with everything and everyone, Covid-19 has had an impact on our lives, our health and how we all work.” The general contractor has implemented strict guidelines at the site for its workers and visitors, going on to say, “So far, we have not had any outbreaks, or any significant delays related to an outbreak.” That said, it has been difficult to get District agencies and utilities to perform inspections, they admit.
The team also does not have any new updates to share at this time regarding the groups who have already signed leases (e.g., Meow Wolf, Explore! Children’s Museum and Aldi). However, announcements may be forthcoming in the spring about operators for the food hall.
I asked if they have received any concerns from the community about construction. They have not. I am taking that as a good sign that construction activities may not be interfering too much with our day-to-day lives. If any arise going forward, they are willing to address them. On a related note, the construction team is willing to participate in a community meeting to discuss construction related activities. A date and time needs to be worked out, but in the interim, please indicate in the comments section if you would like to join such a conversation and if you have any concerns or questions to share.
Remember back earlier this year, the joy of saddling up to a bar, ordering some tater tots and a beer? I bet you are getting that warm and fuzzy feeling inside too! Well, that was the time pre-COVID-19 of course. This was also a time when the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) released their proposed FY 2021 budget (see this post as a reminder of days gone by).
I was pleased to read, at that time, WMATA was interested in continuing its investment in transit-oriented development at the Fort Totten Metro station (see CRB 0005 on page 215 of the proposed budget). This proposed action spurred on my desire to learn more about the planning, design, and related station improvement concepts under evaluation.
Before we go further, a quick history lesson is in order. This was not WMATA’s first Fort Totten development rodeo. In the summer of 2018, WMATA and Donatelli Development announced they would no longer pursue plans to redevelop the surface parking lot at Fort Totten into a mixed-used project (see this post). Before that, at the end of 2013, WMATA issued an RFP, which did not get any takers (see this post). I assume WMATA still considers this site as one with much potential, which is why it was mentioned in their proposed budget.
Back to the future, I inquired about the development opportunities under consideration as part of my comments on their proposed budget in March. In addition to some comments related to enhancing safety for visually-impaired riders (see these stories in the Washington Post and WAMU to understand where I’m coming from), I also provided the following comments to them as it related to transit oriented development at the Fort Totten metro station:
“Any proposed planning for transit-oriented development at Fort Totten metro should also align with concepts described in the Upper Northeast element of the proposed District of Columbia’s Comprehensive Plan (such as Policy UNE-1.1.3, Policy UNE-1.2.1, Policy UNE 2.7, and Policy UNE-2.7.1). Moreover, the future design of the Fort Totten metro site, including the streetscape, should consider elements that enhance safety, walkability, a uniform visual feel, include native vegetation in landscaping, underground powerlines, traffic mitigation, and trash/recycling receptacles.
I appreciated reading about WMATA’s actions to address its environmental impact and sustainability goals. As part of this endeavor, I recommend WMATA consider allocating funds to transforming as much of its impervious surfaces into green space. For instance, in Policy UNE-1.2.7 of the Comprehensive Plan referenced earlier, it calls for the District to do something similar with District-owned institutional spaces. Fort Totten Metro could benefit from such a transformation too. For instance, part of the paved parking lot, large concrete islands, and wider sidewalks at this site could be converted into more environmental friendly spaces with native vegetation, trees, rain gardens, and storm water retainment.”
WMATA’s statements about transit oriented development at Fort Totten station continued into the budget which was subsequently passed too. Well, that was then, and this is now. As most folks know, WMATA is now facing some budget constraints as a result of the pandemic, so it’s unclear what steps will be made regarding transit oriented development at the Fort Totten station going forward.
So, I reached out to their real estate office to learn more. After a few months of silence (and multiple emails from me), here is some of what they recently shared with me:
“In short, we are doing what we call “advanced transportation facility plans”, which is more detailed analysis of how to improve the infrastructure at Fort Totten, which includes first and foremost commuter parking, but also the Kiss & Ride and bus loop. We are very interested in making the property available again for development, but two threshold decisions first need to be made before we issue a new joint development solicitation: (1) the DC Comprehensive Plan needs to be approved by the DC Council; and (2) determination of what the future parking need is at this station.”
In a follow up message, they go on to say, “The developer (once selected) actually designs the buildings and the site. WMATA’s work is limited to figuring out what transit facilities (i.e. parking, bus bays, etc.) the site needs to accommodate, so that the developer can plan our requirements into their plans.”
WMATA does not have any studies to share at this point. But, they added, “Donatelli had done their design work back in 2014/15 or so and this study that WMATA is commissioning (not yet under contract) will be completed in about 12 months.”
Let’s keep tabs on this project to ensure the future of the Fort Totten metro station and surrounding area meets the needs and desires of the community. I’ll share any new information I learn going forward.
Permanently closed sign on KFC/Taco Bell. Photo credit: Tom Budinger
The end of an era. The KFC/Taco Bell located at 220 Riggs Road NE across from the Walmart has permanently closed. A new Chick-fil-A will replace the restaurant, a topic covered in several posts on the blog. The developer is still awaiting permits.
On October 30, 2020, Mayor Muriel Bowser broke ground on Riggs Park Place, a new EYA townhome community at the corner of South Dakota Avenue and Riggs Road NE that will have 90 townhomes (five below market rate), 80 rental units for seniors, and retail. The project will be built in two phases beginning with the townhomes. Over 50 percent of the homes have been sold.
This project has been in the works in some form or fashion since at least 2006. During the groundbreaking, Gwen Cofield and I were recognized for our efforts in representing the community (view a video snippet here). Pictures and the full press release below.
Gwen Cofield with Edwin Washington, Executive Director of The Parks Main StreetWard 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd viewing 3D modelMayor Bowser with communications team and DMPED Director of Real Estate Sarosh OlpadwalaWard 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd giving remarksEYA Executive Vice President Aakash Thakkar giving remarksGroundbreaking with Mayor BowserMayor Bowser with current and former leadership of the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association and The Parks Main Street
New Development to Deliver Homeownership Opportunities, Apartments for Seniors, and Retail Options
(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd, along with Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), broke ground on Riggs Park Place in Ward 4, a long-awaited housing community of townhomes, apartments, and retail located at the intersection of Riggs Road and South Dakota Avenue, NE.
“Today is a special day in Ward 4 – we are excited to start construction on Riggs Park Place, a community where DC residents from all walks of life can call home,” said Mayor Bowser. “We’re going to keep investing in projects that bring housing, particularly affordable housing, to neighborhoods across all eight wards.”
The first phase of Riggs Park Place will feature 90 new townhomes for sale, five of which will be designated as affordable homeownership opportunities. Phase two will be an 80-unit mixed-use senior apartment community with at least 30 affordable units. The 90 townhomes will be modern, two-, three-, and four-bedroom floor plans close to Fort Totten Metro Station, a café and shopping across Riggs Road, the newly renovated Lamond-Riggs Library, as well as cultural and art experiences at Art Place, an adjacent mixed-use development offering apartments, retail, a new fitness center, a children’s museum, and more.
“I couldn’t be prouder to break ground at this historic development after working for years with the community, developers and other stakeholders,” said Councilmember Todd. “This new community in the Riggs Park/Fort Totten neighborhood is a huge win for our seniors who wish to age in place, our families and individuals alike who are looking for an affordable place to live. It is these economic opportunities and creation of affordable housing that will uplift our communities and help us make an equitable recovery.”
“This project is an example of how the Bowser Administration continues to push ahead on complex, and long-stalled projects because we know that having safe and affordable housing options and neighborhood amenities for our communities is what our residents want,” said Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development John Falcicchio. “We also want to thank this community for their active engagement in this project for many years and for sticking with us to get to today.”
Other financial partners for Riggs Park Place include EYA, JBG Smith and Paramount Development, with its lender, Eagle Bank.
“Riggs Park Place, and our partnership with the city, exemplify EYA’s ability to effectively work with residents, local jurisdictions, and our financial partners to both create value and bring meaningful projects to life,” said Aakash Thakkar, EVP at EYA. “Despite uncertain times, this partnership has shown that there is tremendous demand for high-quality, attainably priced new housing in the region. The public-private nature of the project, its revitalization impact on the neighborhood, and its delivery of missing middle townhomes that address a broad demographic are all core tenets of EYA’s mission. We appreciate the partnership with JBG Smith, Paramount Development, Eagle Bank, the District, and the community that enabled us to move the project forward.”
Bowser Administration’s Commitment to Affordable Housing
Mayor Bowser reaffirmed her commitment to investments in affordable housing with her Fiscal Year 2021 budget, recognizing that both short- and long-term efforts must be ongoing to preserve housing affordability and stability for all District residents. The Mayor’s FY21 budget includes an investment of $100 million in the Housing Production Trust Fund – for the sixth consecutive year – and a $1 million investment in the Housing Preservation Fund.
At the start of her second term, Mayor Bowser set a bold goal to deliver an additional 36,000 units of housing – including at least 12,000 units of affordable housing – by 2025. From January 2019 through July 2020, the District has produced 10,658 units, of which 1,692 are affordable. You can track the District’s progress toward #36000by2025 at open.dc.gov/36000by2025.
Next Stop...Riggs Park 