300 Units and an Aldi? The Potential Plans For a Key Georgia Avenue Intersection

• September 11th 2019

by Nena Perry-Brown

This spring, UrbanTurf reported on a development which could transform a block of Georgia Avenue just south of Missouri Avenue. Now, more details are emerging on what could be in the works — if one specific development team is awarded development rights to a city-owned property. 

Marcus Asset Group and Neighborhood Development Company jointly own most of the commercial block from 5756-5810 Georgia Avenue NW (map), with the exception of a vacant city-owned firehouse at 5760 Georgia Avenue NW (map). The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development is expected to release a request for proposals (RFP) for the firehouse soon, and control of the building could enable the development team to realize a massive project: 300 or more apartments above neighborhood-serving retail, including a 22,000 square foot grocery store. The development team tells UrbanTurf that Aldi is one of the grocers which has already expressed interest in the site. 

The development team presented this potential proposal to the community at a meeting last night. The strip is zoned for by-right, medium-density mixed-use development with a maximum height of 65 feet. The proposed development would aim to incorporate the façade or a portion of the firehouse structure. 

While the development team has ambitious plans for the site, the full scope of the project will depend on the RFP criteria. The city has also expressed a desire to maintain some sort of public use either within the firehouse or within a development encompassing the firehouse. It is unclear when the RFP will be released, although DMPED indicated a timeframe of "Summer 2019" when the property was highlighted at March Madness this year.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/300-units-and-an-aldi-the-potential-plans-for%20georgia-avenue%60/15857.