Focus on the Family: Larger Apartments Planned For 56-Unit Development Near Union Market

• February 11, 2016
• 3 Comments

by UrbanTurf Staff

Rendering of 301 Florida Avenue NE.

Among the complaints related to new residential development in the city is that the number of family-sized units being built are few and far between. A new project near Union Market is hoping to change that.

Ditto Residential and Zusin Development have a 56-unit residential building on the boards for 301 Florida Avenue NE (map) that will forego the usual mix of one- and two-bedroom units in favor of three- and four-bedroom rentals, and a handful of studios.

“There is real demand in DC for family housing, so we are aiming to fill that void with larger, family-sized units at 301 Florida,” Ditto’s Dan Roth told UrbanTurf. “Also with the slew of apartments and condos coming to the NoMa/Union Market area, most of which are one and two bedrooms, we are hoping that our unit mix will help differentiate the building.” All told, there are over 1,150 units on the boards for the Union Market area.

The three- and four-bedroom units at 301 Florida will have a bedroom/bathroom mix seen often in single-family homes around the city with just two bathrooms, and a master bedroom surrounded by smaller bedrooms.

The planned project, which will go before the Zoning Commission later this month, will rise on a triangular plot currently the site of a liquor store and a Penske truck depot. Dep Designs is the architect for the new development, which is slated to begin construction in the latter part of this year.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/ditto_focuses_on_family_units_for_56-unit_union_market_development/10865

3 Comments

1. skidrowedc@gmail.com said at 9:03 pm on Thursday February 11, 2016:
   Bravo to Ditto for the bravery to fill a market niche that no one else is interested in! The city needs larger units as a matter of stability: Millenials are great, but they grow up. Furthermore, 56 units on 7 stories = 8 units/floor, which means that these residents will probably get to know their neighbors -- a great move for community-building in a serious sense of the term, and unlike the more typical developments with 25-50 units/floor. The exterior architecture is a little unexciting. But it's competent. With the right specific material and detailing choices, it might even move up to elegant. In any case, the use is redeeming.

1. Brett said at 9:14 pm on Thursday February 11, 2016:
   Another weak design, showing zero imagination, uniqueness or talent. Ditto and Zusin, if you need another bland box for your next project, I can draw one for you for half the price. I'll through in some contrast for free.

1. Papabear said at 4:50 pm on Friday February 12, 2016:
   The variety is welcomed, and the "family friendly" marketing certainly makes for good politics. However, if you look at the price point for these 3-4 bedrooms units, a family is almost certainly going to buy, for a similar or even lower mortgage. The much more likely scenario is that they will be rented out by groups of singles in a multiple roommate share, as Ditto's other similarly mixed projects have been. Nothing wrong with that at all - splitting a slightly higher rent 3 or 4 ways vs. by 2 makes for cheaper rents and allows more people to enjoy the neighborhood. I just wouldn't get my hopes up for this project being a magnet for families.