Last week, Washington, D.C.-based Level 2 Development filed a Planned Unit Development (PUD) proposal with that city’s Zoning Commission for The Highline at Union Market, a 227,089-sf mixed-use building that will include 315 apartments and 8,472 sf of street-level retail.
It’s no accident that the word “Highline” is in this project’s name. The goal of this developer, according to its principal David Franco, is for the building to be a kind of gateway into the larger redevelopment of the surrounding neighborhood to resemble New York’s City’s trendy downtown Meatpacking District, through which runs a portion the High Line elevated park.
Level 2’s apartment building is located a block from D.C.’s NoMa/Gallaudet Red Line Metro Station, which since opening in 2004 has been the impetus for development.
Franco told The Washington Post that he sees The Highline at Union Market as “the front door” of the Union Market District, which he speculates could become a mecca for “specialty retail, artisanal food, dining, and entertainment.”
Getting people interested in living in or near this neighborhood appears to be a significant part of the redevelopment plan. Edens Realty, which is transforming the upscale shopping center Union Market, has submitted a PUD for a nearby 520-unit apartment building that Level 2 would be responsible for developing and completing.
The Highline at Union Market, designed by the architectural firm Eric Colbert & Associates, attempts to create a stylish yet industrial look with the appearance of rail car-looking boxes stacked on top of which other, albeit with different, seemingly random setbacks.
The apartments within range from 400 to 1,000 sf, with some premium units available. Franco tells BD+C that a zoning change is required in order to get the density that Level 2 wants from this building.
A hearing by the Zoning Commission is likely to occur next month, with public hearings to follow this summer. If all goes well, Franco says construction could begin in the third quarter of 2016.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Structure Tone, Turner among the nation's busiest reconstruction contractors, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 75 Reconstruction Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Skanska completes $74 million Harbor Towers project six months ahead of schedule
Skanska USA Building Inc. announced the completion of a $74 million rehabilitation project at Harbor Towers, a 40-story luxury condominium complex comprising two towers located on Boston’s waterfront. Skanska served as Program Manager and oversaw the repair and replacement work that dramatically enhanced the reliability, cost-effectiveness, and energy efficiency of the buildings’ MEP systems.
| Aug 11, 2010
Best AEC Firms of 2011/12
Later this year, we will launch Best AEC Firms 2012. We’re looking for firms that create truly positive workplaces for their AEC professionals and support staff. Keep an eye on this page for entry information. +
| Aug 11, 2010
Manitoba Hydro Place, Tornado Tower among world's 'best tall buildings,' according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat last week announced the winners of its annual “Best Tall Building” awards for 2009, recognizing one outstanding tall building from each of four geographical regions: Americas, Asia & Australia, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. This year’s winners are: Manitoba Hydro Place, Winnipeg, Canada; Linked Hybrid, Beijing, China; The Broadgate Tower, London, UK; Tornado Tower, Doha, Qatar.
| Aug 11, 2010
Call for entries: Building enclosure design awards
The Boston Society of Architects and the Boston chapter of the Building Enclosure Council (BEC-Boston) have announced a High Performance Building award that will assess building enclosure innovation through the demonstrated design, construction, and operation of the building enclosure.
| Aug 11, 2010
CampusBrands Inc., NYLO Hotels team to launch student housing franchise brand
Which would you choose: the cramped quarters, thin mattresses, and crowded communal bathrooms of dormitory life or a new type of student housing with comfortable couches, a game room, fitness center, Wi-Fi in every room, flat-screen televisions and maybe even a theater?
| Aug 11, 2010
Portland Cement Association offers blast resistant design guide for reinforced concrete structures
Developed for designers and engineers, "Blast Resistant Design Guide for Reinforced Concrete Structures" provides a practical treatment of the design of cast-in-place reinforced concrete structures to resist the effects of blast loads. It explains the principles of blast-resistant design, and how to determine the kind and degree of resistance a structure needs as well as how to specify the required materials and details.
| Aug 11, 2010
New website highlights government tax incentives for large commercial buildings
Energy Retrofit Group (ERG), the subsidiary of 40-year-old, award-winning Adache Group Architects, Inc., has announced the creation of their new energy conservation web site: www.energy-rg.com.
