The Nearly 1,500 Units Still In The Works For Frienship Heights

• March 17th

by UrbanTurf Staff

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Today, UrbanTurf takes a look at the residential projects in the works on the Maryland and DC sides of the Friendship Heights neighborhood. The last year has seen the delivery of the transformation of the former Mazza Gallerie mall into a residential development as well as the arrival of Trader Joe's, but there are a number of other developments in the works, including the huge residential plans for the former GEICO campus. 

In case you missed them, here are the other rundowns we have published this year:

• The 6 Big Residential Projects In The Works Around National Landing
• Hotels, Heating Plants & Conversions: The 10 Big Projects In The Works In Georgetown
• The Nearly 3,000 Units Still In The Works For Navy Yard
• The 4 Developments On The Boards Around Howard University
• The Roller Coaster Development Scene In Tenleytown and AU Park
• The Nearly 2,000 Units Still In The Works At Buzzard Point

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Friendship Commons

EYA has plans to turn the former 26-acre GEICO campus (map) into a development that will include townhomes, condos and apartments as well as a number of open green spaces. 

The redevelopment plan calls for approximately 520 new residences, split up as follows:

• 175-185 townhomes with two-car garages that will dot the interior of the site. 
• A pair of 48-unit condo buildings that will sit along Willard Avenue.
• A 240-250 apartment building that will be located near the corner of Willard Avenue and Friendship Boulevard. 

The plans also call for a 40-foot wide promenade that will run along Willard Avenue, and include a walking path, bike lane and green space.

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5500 Wisconsin Avenue

Carr Companies and Donohoe still have plans for a mixed-use development that will replace the 44,700 square-foot retail structure that was previously home to Brooks Brothers and Saks Jandel at 5500 Wisconsin Avenue (map). The proposed development would have two seven-story "shoulders" flanking an 18-story tower, delivering up to 300 rental apartments above up to 11,000 square feet of retail.

The Courtyard by Marriott hotel will remain and a 47 foot-wide woonerf, or a curbless pedestrian-friendly right-of-way, will run between the hotel and the new building. SK+I Architecture is the designer, and SpringHarbor Financial Group and Kruger Real Estate are also investors on the project. 

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Friendship Center Redevelopment

Federal Realty filed an application with DC's Zoning Commission in December seeking a two-year extension of the approval for Friendship Center, a 310-unit development at 5333 Wisconsin Avenue NW (map), formerly home to Maggiano's, Marshalls and Nordstrom Rack. 

"The Applicant requires additional time to continue moving the Project forward and obtain construction financing due to the ongoing economic and market conditions impacting commercial real estate development in the District — specifically, the current interest rate environment and sustained elevated construction costs," the application stated. "The Applicant remains dedicated to delivering the Project and related public benefits, but additional time is necessary to allow market conditions to improve so that the Project can be realized."

Plans approved by the Zoning Commission in 2023 call for a 310-unit residential development above 12,000 square feet of retail. Designed by Shalom Baranes and landscape architect Gustafson Guthrie Nichol, the building is expected to employ biophilic design principles like greening on balconies. Fifteen percent of the residential space will be affordable to households earning up to 60% of median family income.

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Fox 5 Headquarters Redevelopment

Donohoe has building permits in hand to construct a six-story, 210-unit project at 5151 Wisconsin Avenue NW (map), the former WTTG-Fox 5 headquarters. The development will include a 1,700 square-foot retail or restaurant space at Wisconsin Avenue and Harrison Street, along with 86-167 vehicular parking spaces and at least 71 long-term bicycle spaces. Torti Gallas Urban is the architect. 

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4201 Garrision

Last year, Donohoe received approval of a planned unit development (PUD) application for a 127-unit residential project at 4201 Garrison Street NW (map) just off Wisconsin Avenue. 

The five-story story building will have a mix of one- and two-bedroom units and a penthouse level with approximately 500 square feet of amenity space and an outdoor terrace. The development, designed by Torti Gallas Urban, will have an underground parking garage with 82 parking spaces, as well as six short-term and 38 long-term bicycle parking spaces.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/the_nearly_1500_units_still_in_works_for%20frienship_heights/24423.