H Street & Beyond: Emerging Neighborhoods/Pioneering Investors
Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 2:30 p.m.

Executive Office of the Mayor

Office of Communications

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, March 8, 2012

Mayor Gray Breaks Ground on The Heights on Georgia Avenue

Development Offers Affordable Housing, Retail Space Along Georgia Avenue Corridor

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Mayor Vincent C. Gray, government officials and representatives of the development team today celebrated the groundbreaking of The Heights on Georgia Avenue – a mixed-use project that provides affordable housing and
retail space along the historic Georgia Avenue corridor in Ward 1.

“Breaking ground on The Heights on Georgia Avenue is a milestone that signals the ongoing renaissance of the Georgia Avenue corridor,” said Mayor Vincent C. Gray. “We thank Neighborhood Development Corporation, Mi Casa and everyone who came together to bring this project to fruition. This kind of development signals my administration’s commitment to increasing the availability of affordable housing across the District, and it is critical to the vitality of this historic neighborhood.”

Principals from the development partnership, Neighborhood Development Corporation, were joined by Mayor Gray, Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham, D.C. Housing Finance Agency Director Harry Sewell and Department of Housing and Community Development Director John Hall to ceremonially kick off construction at the site that will house the 100,000-square-foot building.

When completed, the striking new building,which mixes traditional architecture and contemporary design elements, willcontain a total of 69 one-, two- and three-bedroom units. It will also contain a second-floor tenant community space, a second-floor garden area, a “green” roofdeck and other sustainable development features. In addition to bringing new rental housing to the community, the first floor of the building will contain over 10,700 square feet of retail space that will serve the Pleasant Plains/Petworth community.

The project is part of the over $2.3 billion worth of District-affiliated projects currently under construction across the city, creating thousands of construction jobs and permanent jobs. Under Mayor Gray’s administration, more than 330 units of affordable housing have been brought online, and more than 460 units of affordable housing-including the units at The Heights-are currently in the District’s pipeline.

“Projects like The Heights on Georgia Avenue serve as a symbol of what is to come along Georgia Avenue in the District,” said Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Victor L. Hoskins. “We look forward to continuing our plans to build quality, affordable housing and bringing much-needed, community-serving amenities to neighborhood corridors across the District.”

The project is expected to be complete by the early second quarter of 2013.

The Residences at Georgia Avenue apartments has become more involved in the food and nutritional needs of the residents.  NDC Real Estate Management, Inc., the firm that manages the building, has initiated “The SHARE Program”.   Tenants of the building are invited to participate in this program that is designed to help families maximize their food budgets.

For only $20 dollars, tenants will have access to delicious hearty food packages that include steak, fish, chicken, vegetables, sweet rolls, and many other delectables of abundance that are usually unaffordable.  Amazingly, due to “The Share Program” groceries bills may be cut in half!

And for the convenience of all income levels, this program accepts all methods of payments; in addition to visa and debit cards, they even accept food stamp/EBT cards and money orders.

This is a very exciting time for tenants at The Residence at Georgia Avenue.To learn more about the SHARE Food Network, please visit www.sharedc.org. Sponsored and supported by the Share Food Network located in the District of Columbia.

Healthy Food for All!

The Residences at Georgia Avenue is managed by NDC Real Estate
Management Inc. (http://www.ndcrealestate.com)

WASHINGTON, DC – December 23 2011 – The Neighborhood Development Company (NDC) announces the closing of financing for “The Heights on Georgia Avenue”.   The project is being jointly developed by NDC and Mi Casa, Inc.  The Heights will be a 69 unit rental housing building and will be located at 3232 Georgia Avenue, N.W. in Washington, DC at the corner of Georgia Avenue and Lamont Street.   This striking new 95,000 square foot building, which mixes traditional architecture and contemporary design elements, will contain a mixture of one bedroom, two bedroom and three bedroom units.

In addition to bringing new rental housing to the community, the first floor of the building will contain over 10,000 square feet of neighborhood serving retail.

The project came to fruition due to the collective efforts of many parties. Financial partners for the project were the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA), the District of Columbia’s Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), the Deputy Mayor’s office for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), Citi Community Capital (Citibank), Wells Fargo Affordable Housing Community Development Corporation and Enterprise Community Loan Fund.

Key members of the development team include Grimm + Parker Architects, Dantes Partners (Financial Consultant), Hamel Builders, Inc. (General Contractor), Klein Hornig LLP (Legal), Holland & Knight LLP (Legal) and Answer Title.

Adrian Washington, Founder and Principal of NDC, said:   ”NDC is proud of the role we have played in the revitalization of the Georgia Avenue corridor, and The Heights is a shining example of what can be accomplished when the private sector works hand in hand with the community and the District government to move neighborhoods forward.”

On site construction will begin in January 2012.  A ground breaking ceremony is forthcoming where District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray and District Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham will be special invited guests.

About the Company

The Neighborhood Development Company (NDC) www.neighborhooddevelopment.com is a unique real estate development company that focuses on the revitalization of emerging urban neighborhoods. The company’s mission is to create exciting residential and commercial properties that advance the revitalization of urban neighborhoods while respecting the rich diversity of their existing fabric. Founded in 1999, the company has completed the development of over 450,000 square feet of real estate, with another 500,000 square feet in the development pipeline, and is a joint venture participant in other projects representing nearly $2 billion in investment. NDC has led the revitalization of the District’s vital Georgia Avenue corridor, with over 400 housing units constructed or under development in this area.  NDC has received numerous awards and has been recognized in numerous national and local publications and has been twice listed as a member of Black Enterprises’ “BE 100.”

For those who have seen the evolution of Georgia Avenue in the District, there were the days of outdoor heroin markets, dangerous go-go clubs and residents afraid to go to their favorite barbershop.

Those days, for the most part, have been relegated to the not-so-distant past. But more change is on the way for the strip of liquor stores, neighborhood restaurants and long-held businesses that serve as the facade for a community of adjoining, brilliantly colored rowhouses.

Residents say they have seen the effects of gentrification and displacement — in the District and across the country — as development has flourished and trends redefined realities for neighborhoods. They hear that development and neighborhood change are shaped by the invisible hands of the economy and behind the mysterious cloak of political deal-making.

They think that there’s a better way and that they have the opportunity — before projects are approved and businesses are ready to move in — to influence the forces of progress. Looking to take on the challenge is a group of residents who call themselves the Georgia Avenue Community Development Task Force. They have a large enough presence to apply pressure on city leaders and do their own deal-making to ensure that the Northwest D.C. neighborhood becomes what residents want.

Residents say they don’t trust timelines that have been repeatedly lengthened or forgotten.

“It’s about empowering ourselves to do something, rather than twiddling our thumbs and five or 10 years goes by and nothing happens,” said Sylvia Robinson, who runs the Emergence Community Arts Collective. As a leader of the task force, some consider her the neighborhood’s “unofficial mayor.”

The group takes on projects big and small. Abandoned storefronts are a problem in the neighborhood, and the group hopes to showcase artists’ work there as part of a “window walk,” creating a sense of community and cleaning up eyesores.

The first such project was installed Saturday by artist John Grunwell as the group helped kick off the Georgia Avenue/Pleasant Plains Heritage Trail, another goal of the task force. The idea behind Grunwell’s self-described “psychedelic” work has its roots in other District mural projects, which create a sense of pride and are a way to clean up blight, task force members said.

The group’s efforts circle back to residents who don’t want to be overtaken by outsiders.

“We do want new people on Georgia Avenue,” said Darren Jones, a task force leader. “But we want to make sure that the people who want to stay can stay and shape Georgia Avenue in the way we want.”

‘We need more foot traffic’

Georgia Avenue poses development challenges that differ from those in other areas of the city.

The parcels and buildings are aging and small, making renovation difficult. Big projects elsewhere — the Target in Columbia Heights or Whole Foods Market near Logan Circle, for example — were possible because there were large or adjoining parcels for the taking. Such projects would be difficult on Georgia Avenue, developers say.

Adrian Washington, who heads Neighborhood Development Co., said he can look at history to see that major change is coming. He said there were plans for Dupont Circle in the 1970s, Logan Circle in the ’80s and Columbia Heights in the ’90s.

“If you start from downtown and the areas near downtown that were already developed .?.?. you can almost draw an arrow and see it moving east,” said Washington, whose company has developed several properties in and around the Georgia Avenue corridor and has more in the pipeline.

“Georgia Avenue is the next place,” he said.

Romeo Morgan, owner of Morgan’s Seafoods, which has been on Georgia Avenue for more than 80 years, has his own plan for a small development around his store.

One of Morgan’s main goals for the project — which would include new stores and apartments, among other amenities — is to bring more people and the money they would spend to the area.

“Look, it’s 5 p.m.,” Morgan said on a recent day, gesturing outside. “We’re talking about three people up here! The biggest issue is we need more foot traffic on Georgia Avenue.”

Redefining the corridor

D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) apologizes for being “unabashed,” but there has been a lot of progress on Georgia Avenue, he said. A new police substation has provided stability for what came after it, including the Park Place Apartments above the Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metro station, the CVS pharmacy across the street, and the small apartment buildings and lofts that dot the street, Graham said.

There’s also E.L. Haynes Public Charter School and a new senior center.

“Things have come to life on Georgia Avenue,” Graham said. “The revitalization of lower Georgia Avenue is a certainty now, and just a short time ago it wasn’t so certain.”

The historic Howard Theatre is being refurbished near the Shaw-Howard University Metro station, and, across the street, construction has begun on the mixed-use Progression Place, which will include apartments and the future home of the United Negro College Fund.

One of the biggest developments on its way is called Howard Town Center, on the drawing board since 2002. The site is to bring a grocery and other retailers to Georgia Avenue and V Street. The development would encompass several city blocks on lower Georgia Avenue, and residents and Howard students have long wanted to see it finished.

“We continue to work with the District to ensure the successful development of the project as speedily as possible,” Kerry-Ann Hamilton, a Howard University spokeswoman, said in an e-mail.

But lower Georgia Avenue is still a mixed bag. There are pesky liquor stores and vacant storefronts, but also nonprofit organizations and artists’ studios, the kind of neighborhood-friendly businesses many neighbors want to see.

Shirikiana Gerima, co-owner of Sankofa Video Books & Cafe, which sells African heritage books and items, worries about what gentrification could mean for her business.

“We’re like a black church,” Gerima said. “We depend on a black clientele. Without a black clientele, there’s no store. I would like to see businesses that are here be supported. A lot of the businesses up and down Georgia Avenue have been there for decades. You don’t always have to bring in Whole Foods.”

Graham said residents moving to the area, anchored by new housing, will drive the demand for new businesses and services.

No one knows how quickly development might speed up — the economy and other forces play a role beyond what residents can control. But there are things resident can do, they say, and they aren’t going to wait for the city to make good on past promises.

“They do the plans and there’s a lot of hype, and nothing happens,” said Robinson, of the task force. Now, she said, “we’re large enough, and we make a lot of noise.”

Residents put pressure on city leaders to restore more than $1 million in Great Streets streetscape funding to the area and worked with a property owner to bring in a theater and jazz club instead of a liquor store.

“We didn’t like the model of ‘let’s bring people in and then develop the community,’ ” Robinson said. “The change that was coming needed more people at the table .?.?. namely, the community.”

Sales and marketing efforts are being managed by DC Realty UrbanLand Company (www.urbanlandcompany.com) and information on the project can be obtained by going to the project’s website www.LeDroitPlace.com. Financing is being provided by Eagle Bank (www.eaglebankcorp.com).

About the Company

The Neighborhood Development Company (NDC)  is a unique real estate development company that focuses on the revitalization of emerging urban neighborhoods. The company’s mission is to create exciting residential and commercial properties that advance the revitalization of urban neighborhoods while respecting the rich diversity of their existing fabric. Founded in 1999, the company has completed the development of over 450,000 square feet of real estate, with another 500,000 square feet in the development pipeline, and is a joint venture participant in other projects representing nearly $2 billion in investment. NDC has led the revitalization of the District’s vital Georgia Avenue corridor, with over 400 housing units constructed or under development in this area. NDC has received numerous awards and has been recognized in numerous national and local publications and has been twice listed as a member of Black Enterprises’ “BE 100”.

NDC purchased the property for $2.2 million in 2009 and will raze a rather unremarkable strip shopping center to make way for their 118,160 s.f. project. A post office at 3321 Georgia Avenue, also on the site, will remain, the U.S. Postal Service could not be enticed out of their long term lease. With the help of project architect Grimm and Parker, NDC will incorporate the one-story post office into their new construction plans. “The entrance to the post office will be repositioned facing Georgia Avenue,” explains NDC Principal Adrian Washington, “and the facade will be recast with brick to match the look of the first floor retail component.”

Washington reports that while not many of the details have yet to come to life, several green features are in the works, as well as an indoor gym and media center. He expects “some really good, local retail” to occupy the ground floor spaces, likely restaurants and cafes. Down the street, where many online commenters were clamoring for Trader Joe’s to become the 10,000 s.f. retail anchor of The Heights, a deal has not been reached with any specific tenant. “We’ve been in talks with Gary Cha [President] of Yes! Organic Market and a couple hardware supply stores,” says Washington, “but no commitments have been made.”

Back up the street, The Vue’s zoning application was recently set down by the Zoning Commission. NDC’s legal representative Kyrus Lamont Freeman at Holland & Knight expects the hearing to be scheduled for late February, about the same time Washington’s team anticipates a groundbreaking at The Heights. In anticipation of the Zoning review process, developers have already briefed local entities on their new development plans; most recently NDC met with the The Georgia Avenue Community Development Task Force and have scheduled an informal meeting with ANC 1A for December 8th. While the Vue’s completion is distant, Adrian Washington expects to deliver the building within sixteenth months of a construction start, placing a ribbon cutting somewhere during second quarter of 2012.

The D.C.-based company’s proposed project, the Vue on Georgia Avenue, features 112 residential units and 7,000 square feet of ground-floor retail at 3333 Georgia Ave. NW, less than a half mile south of the Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metro station. It’s the latest example of the unmistakable progression of development eastward from Columbia Heights to lower Georgia Avenue, anchored to the south by Howard University and to the north by the Petworth Metro.

“We think it’s the next major growth area for the city,” said Adrian Washington, founder and CEO of Neighborhood Development Co. “Dupont Circle happened 30 years ago, then Logan Circle 20 years ago, and Columbia Heights 10 years ago. Look on the map and see the wave of development and it’s heading east. Georgia Avenue is the next hot area, and 10 years from now it’ll look a lot like Columbia Heights.”

But that progress has its limits and challenges. The D.C. government’s Retail Action Strategy for Georgia Avenue, for example, describes lower Georgia as “somewhat gritty, but lively,” with small-scale retail generally in “poor condition” and bearing “no obvious anchors or hierarchy of streets.”

The Office of Planning portrays lower Georgia Avenue as having an “underlying bone structure” of densely packed row houses and tight alleys that “make this section unlikely to change from its current live-work set-up.” There are some infill development opportunities, according to the Retail Action Strategy, but few opportunities for anchor retail.

Neighborhood Development is making a nine-figure bet against that skepticism. Its projects dot the Georgia Avenue corridor from Park View and Pleasant Plains to Brightwood, the neighborhood just south of Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The company, formed in 1999, has developed roughly 300,000 square feet on the corridor, with an additional 200,000 in the pipeline, investing more than $100 million, Washington said.

If Neighborhood Development gets the Zoning Commission’s approval for its $30 million Vue, at Georgia Avenue and Morton Street, that project will contain roughly 118,160 square feet of gross floor area in buildings as high as 90 feet, as well as 49 parking spaces in an underground garage. The company bought the site, including an adjacent U.S. post office that will stay on the property, about six months ago and filed its planned unit development application with the commission on Oct. 14. The PUD would rezone the site, about six blocks from the Metro station, from low to medium density. The developer has not decided whether to build apartments or condominiums.

A block south of the proposed Vue is the 38-unit Lamont Street Lofts. A block north is The Heights on Georgia Avenue, a 69-unit building with 10,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. Neighborhood Development will break ground there in two months. The Lower Georgia Avenue Job Training Center is planned for 625-633 Park Road.

Neighborhood Development, partnering with EYA Development, has presented a bid to redevelop the 121,000-square-foot Bruce Monroe Elementary School parcel at Georgia Avenue and Irving Street. The proposal, Washington said, features rental units atop street-level retail — a hardware store, perhaps, or a Yes Organic Market — in addition to EYA-built row homes on the western portion of the site. The two companies submitted the sole bid for the site on Oct. 21.

“We’re heavily invested in Georgia Avenue,” Washington said, “so maybe we see an opportunity where others don’t.”

Aakash Thakkar, EYA’s vice president of development, said the row homes will “blend with the existing community,” like those found at the company’s Harrison Square project at 13th and V streets a mile south of Bruce Monroe.

The city will need several weeks to vet the proposal before moving forward, said Jose Sousa, spokesman for the deputy mayor for panning and economic development. Construction, which may include a new school, is years away.

But that timing doesn’t unnerve Washington. “We’re here for the long term,” he said. “We’ve been here for eight years now. We’ve delivered 300 units of housing, a new grocery store, a new sit-down restaurant [Brightwood Bistro]. We’re patient, but we’ve had a lot of success along the way. We’re not just sitting here surviving on bread and water.”

Democratic D.C. Councilman Jim Graham, whose Ward 1 includes the Seventh Street-Georgia Avenue corridor, said the area is about to explode with development — from the Howard Theatre and United Negro College Fund headquarters at Seventh and T streets to the Howard Town Center at Georgia and V streets, from Bruce Monroe to Petworth Metro.

It’s a long time coming, Graham said.

“There’s a huge set of opportunities, and it’s all ready to go,” he said. “It’s a logical next step for Ward 1 and the city. Georgia has been ready for this.”

Sales and marketing are being managed by DC realty UrbanLand Company (www.urbanlandcompany.com) and information on the project can be obtained by going to the project’s website www.TheChelseaDC.com.  Financing is being provided by City First Bank of DC (www.cityfirstbank.com).