A Big Year for Capitol Riverfront

• March 26, 2012

by Shilpi Paul

After developments stumbled during 2008’s economic turmoil, progress is now moving forward steadily in Capitol Riverfront and 2012 is shaping up to be a big year, at least from the restaurant, retail and recreation standpoint. Claire Schaefer, Deputy Executive Director of the Capitol Riverfront BID, filled UrbanTurf in on what has come or is coming to the neighborhood this year.

Restaurants and Retail

Nine new restaurants are opening/or have opened in the neighborhood in 2012: Bluejacket Brewery by Neighborhood Restaurant Group, Buzz Bakery, Kruba Thai and Sushi, 
Huey’s 24-Hour Diner, Potbelly
, Be Right Burger
, Willy’s Brew and ‘Que Sportsbar, Austin Grill Express
, and Canal Park Tavern (you can find more info and specific locations here).

In time for opening day at Nationals Stadium, Fairgrounds Outdoor Market, a temporary outdoor marketplace, will be opening up at Half Street and M Street SE (map). According to Schaefer, two food trucks (Bayou and Surfside) have agreed to set up there, and the space will be home to retailers and there will be a stage for live music performances. Fairgrounds will be open from the beginning of the baseball season until October 1st.

Parks and Recreation

Canal Park will be opening up this fall at 2nd and L Street NE (map). Taking over the site of an empty lot (over a canal that was designed by Pierre L’Enfant), Canal Park will have an outdoor cafe, an ice skating path, huge fountains, sculptures and additional public spaces. The main pavilion will be LEED Gold certified, with solar powered lamps, geothermal heating and cooling, green roofs, stormwater management and electric car charging stations. (JDLand has some great photos of the progress here.) In addition to Canal Park, the Anacostia River Walk, which eventually will include 16 miles of trail on both sides of the river, has opened up a mile walkway between the baseball stadium and Yards Park and Navy Yard.

Courtesy of the Capitol Riverfront BID

Residences in the Works

While no new buildings are delivering this year, several apartment projects are under construction to eventually join the 2,677 existing residential units in the neighborhood.

Rendering of the Park Chelsea. Courtesy of William C. Smith

Park Chelsea

This year, construction will be starting on the Park Chelsea, part of a 1.1 million square foot project at 880 New Jersey Ave SE (map) with 433 luxury apartments. Esocoff and Associates Architects designed the 13-story building. With studios, one-bedrooms, two-bedrooms and three-bedrooms, the development will also have ground-level retail and three levels of parking.

Camden South Capitol

Construction is underway at Camden South Capitol, an apartment project at 1345 South Capitol Street (map), right across from Nationals Park. With an estimated delivery date of June 2013, the development will bring 276 units to the neighborhood.

1212 4th Street

Also under construction is 1212 4th Street, a 225-unit apartment complex at 1212 4th Street SE (map). The apartments will sit on top of a new Harris Teeter. Developer Forest City Washington’s project may take a couple years to finish, with estimated completion in late 2013 or early 2014.

Similar Posts:

• Capitol Riverfront: Still Growing
• Capitol Riverfront: 25 Percent Done
• Capitol Riverfront: If You Build It, Will They Come?

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/2012_a_big_year_for_capitol_riverfront/5320