The 2,300 Units Planned Around Dave Thomas Circle

• September 28th 2021

by Nena Perry-Brown

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With the recent closure of the Wendy's at the center of DC's "Dave Thomas Circle" and plans for an upcoming park and accompanying street reconfiguration, the intersection of New York and Florida Avenues NE (map) will look markedly different a few years from now. Beyond the park and streetscape, however, residential development on the boards within eyeshot of the "Circle" may render the area unrecognizable.

Below, UrbanTurf takes a look at the residential projects in the works within a block or two of Dave Thomas Circle.

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One Florida Avenue

The Exxon at Florida Avenue and North Capitol Street NE (map) has been razed to make way for a 388-unit, 13-story-plus-penthouse project by Aria Development.

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22 P Street

Aria Development also has building permit applications pending next door at 22 P Street NE (map) for a 14-story building with 172 units.

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7 New York Avenue

A raze application was filed earlier this month for the Covenant House building at 7 New York Avenue NE (map). Designed by Eric Colbert & Associates, the by-right development would deliver 116 market-rate residential units across 14 stories and will forgo vehicular parking. A zoning hearing is also scheduled for this week.

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Capitol Point North

Across the street from Dave Thomas Circle, JBG SMITH has plans for the site of the McDonald's at 55 and 75 New York Avenue NE (map). The first phase of the proposed development would deliver 500 apartments above 13,130 square feet of ground-floor retail and a 5,250 square-foot rooftop bar/restaurant, and the second phase would deliver 305 apartments above 9,125 square feet of retail, a 4,000 square-foot fast food restaurant, and pet boarding.

The first phase would also provide 273 below-grade parking spaces and up to 220 long-term bicycle spaces for residents, along with a rooftop pool deck and six small second-floor clubrooms. Hord Coplan Macht is the architect.

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First and New York

Douglas Development filed plans earlier this year for a new project across the street from Dave Thomas Circle, on the triangular parking lot at First Street and New York Avenue NE (map). The proposed development would deliver 557 market-rate units and 10,550 square feet of ground-floor retail (including pet boarding) in a 13-story building topped with a publicly-accessible indoor/outdoor restaurant/bar.

The project would also provide 264 parking and 120 bicycle storage spaces on two below-grade levels, and amenities would include a rooftop infinity pool. HOK Architects is the designer. 

UPDATE: It was also announced this week that a new 1.2 million square-foot Securities and Exchange Commission headquarters campus will be constructed on the same site.

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Seven years after the first phase delivered, the remaining two phases of MRP Realty's Washington Gateway development are in-progress. 

• The Burton

Later this year, the 15-story second phase, at the intersection of the Metropolitan Branch Trail meets Florida Avenue NE (map), is expected to deliver 341 market-rate units and 31 affordable units for households earning up to 60% of area median income. The public also has reason to look forward to the building's completion, as it will include a bicyclist's dream: a publicly-accessible lobby with bike ramps, maps, bike elevators, water fountains, an emergency call box, and a bike repair area. Barings is a co-developer and SK&I Architecture is the designer.

• The 202

The "South Tower" at Florida Avenue and the railroad tracks (map) is expected to deliver a 15-story building with 254 apartments and 2,984 square feet of retail. Twenty-three of the units would be affordable for residents making up to 60% of AMI, and there would also be 41 below-grade residential parking spaces.

Earlier this spring, the development team got zoning approval to extend the required construction commencement date to May 2023 to enable them to secure construction financing; in the meantime, they plan on temporarily activating the site with uses like a farmer's market or beer garden.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/the-2300-units-planned-around-dave-thomas-circle/18755.