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Saturday, October 11, 2008
Major Retail Coming to Columbia Heights
Columbia Heights is poised to become the shopping destination for the entire Washington, DC area. Hundreds of thousands of square feet of retail space are in the works including DC USA, a 500,000 sq. ft. retail complex that will include major retailers such as Target, Best Buy, Bed Bath and Beyond, and possibly Whole Foods Market! More exciting retailers are planning to open in the newly renovated Tivoli Square and other developments across Columbia Heights. Read more in the Retail News section.
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.
Information
This site was left vacant after Giant Food relocated to the Tivoli Square during the summer of 2005.
The Allegro Condominium website has been updated (estimated pricing, floorplans, updated map).
February 27, 2006
Word from Metro Properties President, Jeremy Rubenstein
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.
February 11, 2006
According to a representative from Douglas Development, this site is slated for some kind of residential development.
what about the CH strip on 14th ST north Written by E on 2007-01-09 11:59:08It is nice to see larger condos being built north of the Tivoli area, however the commercial strip on 14th ST north of Allegro is terrible. I am a big guy and sometimes I do not feel comfortable walking through there in the evenings.
Plus, have you ever stopped for gas along that strip? Every time I do I have one or two bums asking for money. It is a shame these people do not have more pride in themselves or their cultures. I guess that 40 is more important to them than pride.
Written by
on 2007-01-09 22:05:38I'm sure it's just a matter of time for that area - as the main areas of CH develop and do well, more places will grow going north.
Written by Newton St on 2008-03-30 11:54:30I have an incredibly difficult time believing that what's needed is another condominium complex. Just behind this they recently finished the Newton Flats, and I've seen maybe 2 people who actually live there. Everything else is vacant, and I keep asking myself if fixing these run down apartment buildings is worth the cost since very little people seem to be moving into them. Same situation here. 315? Really? And only 76 have been sold? Eh, I hope for the best, big supporter of all the development going on, but they really don't need to build these monstrosities and have them only sell 1/4 of them.
Written by columbia road on 2008-04-02 12:35:46Newton St, you're behind the times. Allegro announced around a month ago (and it was posted on this very website in early March) that they are converting the condos to rental b/c of the very problem selling units that you noticed.
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.
