Abdo Returns to Logan With 30-Unit Project

• May 2, 2012
• 12 Comments

by UrbanTurf Staff

Rendering of new project.

Developer Jim Abdo made his name in Logan Circle, and is now returning to the neighborhood with a mixed-use project at 14th Street and Rhode Island Avenue NW.

On Wednesday evening, ANC 2F approved the concept and massing for a residential project with ground floor retail and second-floor office space at 1400-1404 14th Street NW (map). The new project will rise six stories on the northwest corner of 14th Street and Rhode Island Avenue where Caribou Coffee now sits. The buildings at 1400-1402 14th Street NW will be demolished, while the facade of 1404 14th Street NW will be preserved.

The project will consist of 30 units. The four levels of residences will be located on floors 3-6 of the new building and will range in size from 351 to 1,136 square feet. The proposed restaurant would have 5,089 square feet of space on the ground floor and 4,745 square feet in the basement for kitchen and storage. The proposed office space would spread over 4,575 square feet on the second floor with an additional 906 square of retail space in the existing building at 1404 14th.

No word on when ground will start moving on this project. The next stop for Abdo Development is the Historic Preservation Review Board.

Similar Posts:

• Popularise Revamps, Launches Drawing Boards
• 14th Street’s Central Union Mission to Turn Into 51-Unit Condo Project
• Residential Development Aplenty for 14th Street

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/abdo_returns_to_logan_with_mixed_use_project/5487

12 Comments

1. Len said at 9:00 am on Thursday May 3, 2012:

   My friends and I will be very sad to lose our Caribou patio! I’ve started a push already on popularize.com to see if Caribou would have an interest in leasing the available floors of the Lustine Real Estate building diagonally across the street on the same intersection. The side yard could be turned into a great patio too.

1. Len said at 9:11 am on Thursday May 3, 2012:

   The website should have read popularise.com.

1. xmal said at 10:35 am on Thursday May 3, 2012:

   Any thoughts on why so short? All the other apartment buildings on Rhode Island are 10 stories.

1. Bab said at 10:39 am on Thursday May 3, 2012:

   I bet that zoning requirements are limiting this particular site.  A shame too because it’s such a prominent location.
   Like the design though.

1. jules said at 10:44 am on Thursday May 3, 2012:

   @xmal,

   Like Bob said, I think it is due to zoning restrictions. Agree with him on the design, though. Gonna liven up that corner a lot!

1. Mike said at 2:30 pm on Thursday May 3, 2012:

   Jules, Bob, not sure why you assume that it is based on the zoning restrictions, since a height of 75 feet is allowed in an ARTS/C-3-A district. 

   Construction type might be a factor.  Would this project, at six floors be (less costly) stick-built rather than steel/concrete?

1. JS said at 2:39 pm on Thursday May 3, 2012:

   I’d bet the reduced height is intended to fight off neighborhood opposition. Just look at the fight that place a little bit south on 14th is going through(forget the name of the project, but it’s going into that empty lot by Ghana Cafe/Thai Tanic). That project’s already been through one height reduction. I’d wager the NIMBYs will stage a similiar battle over this project.

1. Yep said at 8:21 am on Saturday May 5, 2012:

   I’m one of the alleged NIMBY folks.  The project shown is the one ABDO presented to the neighborhood.  We didn’t have concern about the height/massing.  The major concern that everyone should have (not just those living in the neighborhood) is that the building has over 5000sf of restaurant space AND 30 residential units, PLUS 2nd floor office space, and currently ONLY HAS FOUR (yes-4) parking spaces planned.  That density w/ such limited car space means they will be parking in my back yard, literally.  That JS, is what I don’t want, NIMBY.

1. makeba said at 9:55 pm on Wednesday May 23, 2012:

   Nice work Jim! I love the design. He always plays the dark red brick with black trim on windows, etc. I think its a sophisticated look if you ask me. It has staying power. Parking sucks, but hey…more $$ for the city in public trans. Wondering if the glass enclosure on top is a common element or an awesome duplex penthouse? Make it a private unit! Betcha it will crack the $700k mark

1. Chris said at 9:48 am on Wednesday February 13, 2013:

   “Residences” start at 351 sq feet? I’m pretty sure that should not be legal. I get that some people can live in small spaces, but that’s pretty much the size of a closet. I wonder how much rent will be.

1. Hugh G. Rectshun said at 11:04 am on Wednesday February 13, 2013:

   This boring utilitarian building seems nearly indistinguishable from all the other mixed-used buildings put up in DC over the last 10 years.  If you’re going to take away neighborhood-based architectural texture, which contributes to lively neighborhoods and street-life, can you at least build something interesting?

1. JPC said at 12:09 pm on Wednesday February 13, 2013:

   WHAT A BORING BUILDING !!!! This corner doesn’t deserve plane-Jane, tired, fake-old designs like Abdo’s designs.  HOW PROVINCIAL!

   I find Jim Abdo to be a developer lacking creativity. He is good at business though. His developments lack REAL architectural presence and essence, and the interiors are common as they can be. Why so much success? 
   -Is it because the city officials don’t like to push the envelope on modern design? Do we want a ‘Victorianesque’ movie set here? DC may one day be part of Las Vegas or Disneyland, where everything is fake and ‘make-to-look-like.

   -Is it because most of its citizens who wear khakis and blue shirts, walk in tennis shoes to work, and think Pottery Barn is modern are accustomed to mediocre buildings?

   -Is DC not ready for world class architecture like Frank Gehry’s Corcoran addition?....seems like the most we got was those awful Court Buildings and the IFC buildings on Mass Ave by Michael Graves- who actually designs for Disney !

   A developer like Abdo, with so much opportunity to make a REAL mark in DC, and help shape and usher the city onto the future is just comfortably doing copycat construction (the word architecture doesn’t suit him) and resting behind uninspired designs.

   Abdo should hire any of the very talented, successful and prominent architects in the city- but its cheaper for him to try doing it himself.

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