Thank you so much for writing about our project at the former Giant Food site in Columbia Heights. The project is known as Allegro, and its website is www.allegrospaces.com. At present the website is somewhat limited, but we expect to update it regularly and hope to have a rendering of the property up in about a month or so. I hope that you will both look at it now and come back to it later as more information is added.
As far as the development is concerned, we are fortunate to not only have the Giant site under contract but also the rather rundown lots behind that site as well. Thus, we will be able to eliminate the current eyesore of broken pavement, etc.
Allegro will be one of the largest developments in Columbia Heights, with a total of approximately 315 residential homes. The building is designed with multiple courtyards and a large amount of open space for the residents. Allegro will have a fitness center, courtyard water fountain, and "internet lounge" for homeowners among other features. It will have approximately 246 underground parking spaces available for purchase, and many of the units will have balconies and/or bay windows. There also will be two level penthouse units, with second floor rooms bordering on private, rooftop terraces.
Standard features will include the homeowner's choice of maple or oak flooring in the kitchen, foyer, living and dining areas; stainless steel appliances; granite countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms; designer lighting; European style flat panel maple cabinets; nine-foot ceilings; advanced structured wiring for internet and television; etc.
As you may be aware, Metro Properties, Inc. is now completing the 162 unit Rhapsody project at 2120 Vermont Avenue, NW, just above U Street (www.rhapsodycondo.com). Most of the same team members that put together The Rhapsody are also involved in this project, including award winning architect Eric Colbert and Associates, general contractor Clark Residential, LLC and, of course, Metro Properties, Inc. as the developer. Another recent project of note completed by Metro Properties, Inc. is the Newton Hall condominium, a 40 unit project at 1417 Newton Street which happens to adjoin the Allegro site.
As for retail, Allegro will be completed in 2008, at about the same time as the DC USA project is complete. DC USA will have over 500,000 square feet of retail just a few hundred yards away including a large amount of small retail spaces. After careful consideration, we determined that a purely residential project was the most feasible approach in light of the DC USA project and other factors. I am highly confident, however, that the property will be a wonderful and welcome addition to Columbia Heights.
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The former Giant Food site was sold to Metro Properties, Inc. by Douglas Development. Metro Properties will build a 315 unit residential condominium building on this site called Allegro.
