District of Columbia

Akridge, National Development Top Out 2.7 MSF Stacks Development in D.C.

by John Nelson August 2, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Akridge and National Real Estate Development (National Development) have topped out Phase I of The Stacks, a 2.7 million-square-foot mixed-use development in Washington, D.C. Situated in the city’s Capitol Riverfront district and within the Buzzard Point neighborhood, Phase I of the project is dubbed Building B, which is one of three 14-story residential towers coming to the development. The first phase will feature 1,100 apartments, 35,000 square feet of retail space, 300,000 square feet of below-grade parking and loading and a 15,000-square-foot public park. General contractor Clark Construction has finished vertical construction on Building B and will now pivot to finishing concrete operations on Buildings A and C. Bank OZK provided construction financing for the project. The Stacks is jointly owned by Akridge, National Development, Bridge Investment Group, Blue Coast Capital and institutional funds managed by National Real Estate Advisors. The project team expects to fully deliver The Stacks by the end of 2025.

August 2, 2023

Development District of Columbia Office Southeast Top Stories

Arctaris Impact Investors Opens $152M Northeast Heights Opportunity Zone Office Project in Washington, D.C.

by Jeff Shaw July 28, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Arctaris Impact Investors LLC has completed Phase I of Northeast Heights, a six-story, 281,000-square-foot office building in Ward 7 of Washington, D.C. The office building is located in a Qualified Opportunity Zone, which is an economically distressed area where new investments may be eligible for preferential tax treatment. The office building is the first phase of a three-phase, $600 million effort to revitalize Ward 7, according to Arctaris’ website. Future phases of Northeast Heights are expected to include a grocery store redevelopment, approximately 1,300 residential units and community spaces. According to Arctaris, the project was catalyzed by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s mandate for city agencies to use the leasing power of the D.C. government to encourage economic development in historically underserved communities. Northeast Heights was pre-leased to the city’s Department of General Services and will serve as the new headquarters for the agency, which employs approximately 700 people. The Department of General Services was the first city agency to sign a contract for office space east of the Anacostia River under this initiative. “Arctaris is proud to be part of the coalition led by Mayor Bowser, combining forces with like-minded, community-oriented investors to help bring new vitality …

July 28, 2023

Development District of Columbia Hospitality Office Southeast

Altus Realty to Convert Downtown D.C. Office Building Into Mint House Flexible Rental Space

by John Nelson July 26, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Altus Realty plans to convert an 11-story office building located at 1010 Vermont Ave. NW into Mint House Downtown Washington, D.C. Set to open in early 2025, the property will encompass 85 apartment-style flexible rental units that Mint House will operate. The spaces will be designed for guests who need accommodations ranging from two days to two months. The rooms will range from studios to two-bedroom units that will include a kitchen with a stove and dishwasher, as well as washers/dryers and work spaces. Amenities will include an onsite fitness facility, meeting space and a café. Altus Realty plans to begin repositioning the former office building this fall. The property is situated near a Metro station, McPherson Square Park, The White House and DuPont Circle. This will be the first location in downtown D.C. for Mint House, which operates 25 flexible rental destinations in 16 states. Mint House recently opened locations in Dallas; Birmingham, Ala., and St. Petersburg, Fla.

July 26, 2023

Acquisitions District of Columbia Retail Southeast

PRP Acquires Spring Valley Village Shopping Center in D.C. for $47.5M

by John Nelson July 25, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. — PRP has acquired Spring Valley Village, a 95,000-square-foot shopping center in Washington, D.C.’s Spring Valley neighborhood. The undisclosed seller sold the property for $47.5 million. Originally constructed in 1939 and renovated in 2017, the center comprises six buildings that were 98 percent leased at the time of sale to tenants including Crate & Barrel, Millie’s Restaurant, Capital One Bank, Starbucks, Small Door Veterinary, Compass Coffee and Blue Lane. Spring Valley Village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

July 25, 2023

District of Columbia Retail Southeast

US Retail Sales Rise in June, NRF Predicts Strong July Activity With Back-to-School Shopping

by John Nelson July 19, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Census Bureau reports that overall retail sales in June rose 0.2 percent from May and 1.5 percent from June 2022. Barron’s and other media outlets are reporting that economists had previously forecasted that June sales would grow 0.6 percent from May. The Wall Street Journal reports that the retail sector’s three consecutive months of positive sales activity can be attributed, in part, to inflation easing. The Consumer Price Index, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ leading indicator for inflation, rose at an annualized rate of 3 percent in June, the lowest figure since March 2021. The National Retail Federation (NRF), a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy organization for the retail industry, expects the momentum to carry into July as consumers shop for back-to-school items. “Back-to-class spending is one of the most important shopping occasions of the year, and NRF’s consumer research shows that back-to-school and college spending is expected to set new records,” says Matthew Shay, president and CEO of NRF. “Consumers are looking for the best value and deals, and retailers are well-stocked with essential items for families and students.” The NRF’s own calculation of retail sales excludes automobile dealers, gas stations and restaurants in order …

July 19, 2023

District of Columbia Leasing Activity Office Southeast

Texas A&M Expands Lease to 70,500 SF at 1620 L Street Office Building in D.C.

by John Nelson July 12, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Texas A&M University has signed a 23,000-square-foot office lease expansion at 1620 L Street, a 171,000-square-foot office building in Washington, D.C. The university, which first signed on at the building in 2020, now occupies approximately 70,500 square feet. Doug Mueller, Evan Behr, Nathan Beach and Thomas Myers of JLL represented the landlord, DivcoWest, in the lease negotiations. Doug Damron and Chris Lucey of Newmark represented Texas A&M. Texas A&M uses 1620 L Street as a “beachhead” location for students in the D.C. area. The building houses the university’s Bush School of Government and Public Service and includes classrooms, conference rooms, study lounges, collaborative/huddle rooms, an admissions center, catering kitchen, snack and beverage stations and a 150-seat theater/lecture hall.

July 12, 2023

District of Columbia Southeast

US Economy Added 209,000 Jobs in June, Lowest Level Since December 2020

by John Nelson July 10, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Nonfarm employment in the United States increased by 209,000 jobs in June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The total, which is the lowest figure since December 2020 when jobs fell by 268,000, fell below estimates from economists surveyed by Dow Jones, who had predicted the economy to gain 240,000 jobs last month, according to CNBC. The unemployment rate also ticked down 10 basis points to 3.6 percent. The BLS reports the unemployment rate has ranged from 3.4 to 3.7 percent since March 2022. The June gains were nearly 100,000 fewer than the May total, which the BLS has revised down to 306,000 jobs. The BLS also revised down employment for April, with the two months combining for 110,000 fewer jobs than previously reported. Job gains for 2023 have averaged 278,000 jobs per month, which is a 43.5 percent decline from the average monthly gains of 399,000 jobs in 2022. For June, the government added 60,000 new jobs, most of which was concentrated at the state and local levels. The figure is about average for government job gains in 2023 (63,000 per month) and was the leading employment sector for the month. Government employment is …

July 10, 2023

Affordable Housing District of Columbia Features Loans Multifamily Seniors Housing Southeast Southeast Feature Archive Student Housing

Rising Interest Rates Take Toll on Fannie, Freddie Deal Volume

by John Nelson July 7, 2023

The multifamily divisions of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are off to a slow start this year as the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs), their network of lending partners and multifamily borrowers contend with rising interest rates. Fannie Mae’s volume of new multifamily business totaled $10.2 billion in the first quarter of 2023, which is a 36 percent decrease from the same period a year earlier when the agency closed $16 billion. Freddie Mac closed $6 billion in new multifamily business in the first quarter, a year-over-year decrease of 60 percent. Seasoned agency lending professionals all point to elevated borrowing costs as the primary reason for the two agencies closing less business thus far in 2023. “The rapid increase in rates across the board has really been a shock to the industry,” says Vic Clark, senior managing director and head of conventional multifamily production at Lument. At its May meeting, the Federal Open Markets Committee raised the federal funds rate to a target range of 5 to 5.25 percent. The fed funds rate is the interest rate that U.S. banks charge each other to lend funds overnight. This time a year ago, the short-term benchmark rate was at a range of 0.75 …

July 7, 2023

Affordable Housing Development District of Columbia Loans Multifamily Southeast

DCHFA Provides $63.2M Financing for Redevelopment of Affordable Housing Community in D.C.

by John Nelson June 30, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA) has provided $63.2 million in tax-exempt bonds for the rehabilitation of Worthington Woods Apartments in the Washington Highlands neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Originally built in 1944 and renovated in 2002, the property comprises 394 affordable housing apartments. The Worthington Woods Tenants Association acquired the building and selected Montgomery Housing Partnership Inc. and the Anacostia Economic Development Corp. to oversee the $133.6 million overhaul. The DCHFA also underwrote $45.5 million and $9.1 million in federal and local Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity for the preservation of the affordable apartments. Additionally, the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development is providing a $38.8 million loan from the Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program for this project. Following the redevelopment, Worthington Woods will feature units in one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts reserved for residents earning 30, 50 and 60 percent of the area median income (AMI). Amenities will include a playground, community room, laundry facilities, onsite tenant services and 156 parking spaces. Communities Together Inc. will provide resident services to tenants.

June 30, 2023

Development District of Columbia Loans Mixed-Use Multifamily Retail Southeast

Tishman Speyer Obtains $150M Construction Loan for Mazza Gallerie Mall Redevelopment in D.C.

by John Nelson June 15, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tishman Speyer has secured a $150 million construction loan to fund the mixed-use redevelopment of Mazza Gallerie, an obsolete, three-story shopping mall in Washington, D.C.’s Friendship Heights neighborhood. The mall closed its last store this past Christmas, according to local media reports. RBC Capital Markets provided the financing. The reimagined development will comprise 320 rental apartments and 90,000 square feet of retail space, including 20,000 square feet of new ground-level retail space fronting Wisconsin Avenue. Tishman Speyer will maintain the mall’s 70,000-square-foot retail concourse that will once again be anchored by T.J. Maxx. The redevelopment will also maintain over 800 parking spots across four below-grade levels. Demolition of the existing structure is underway, and completion of the residential portion and first wave of new retail openings is anticipated for 2025. The project’s design-build team includes general contractors Davis Construction and Smoot Construction and architects 3XN and Eric Colbert & Associates (architect of record).

June 15, 2023

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