The Next Decade of Development In and Around Howard University

• February 7th 2023

by UrbanTurf Staff

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For this week's rundown, UrbanTurf catches up on the latest news regarding developments in the pipeline on and just off Howard University's campus.

Several projects are in the works on campus, involving repair, renovation, and redevelopment of almost 40 buildings and sites that, in some instances, could facilitate development opportunities at some prominent locations in Shaw and Pleasant Plains. 

See our rundown below, and if we missed a sizable project, just shoot us an email at editor(at)urbanturf.com. 

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The Oliver

The Oliver is a 93-unit apartment development in the works from Rock Creek Property Group that will result in the redevelopment of the former Effingham Apartments at Georgia Avenue and Fairmont Street NW (map). The by-right project would sit above 40,000 square feet of commercial space.

The apartments are designed with a “work-from-home” mindset, featuring built-in desks, a work-from-home center with a conference room, huddle rooms, and work nooks, and high-speed gig-E internet throughout. GTM Architects is the designer.

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Howard East Development

Lowe, FLGA and Howard University have plans in the works for a 10-story mixed-use building at the site of the parking lot for the Howard East Towers (map) between 8th and 9th Street NW. The building will have ground floor commercial space below residential units, with parking for 235 vehicles. HKS Architects designed the project. 

While the design and full scope of the development are in the early stages, one of the more interesting aspects of the project would be a two-block, 25-foot wide public plaza along W Street connecting Georgia Avenue to 9th Street. 

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Apartment-Style Residences

While this development is only for upperclass students at Howard, it will still be transformative. A pair of buildings are planned for the surface parking lots in the 2400 block of Sherman Avenue NW (map), delivering a total of 650 units and up to 17,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. Howard Place will also be extended through the development to connect directly with the campus.

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Residential, Office + Lab For Howard Parking Lots

There are big development plans in the works for a number of Howard University-owned lots along Georgia Avenue. The university and Quadrangle Development are working on a three-phase development that will include a new residential building, as well as an office and science-focused building with research and testing laboratories. The project would take the place of the surface parking lots along the 2200 block of Georgia Avenue (map) and, eventually, the McDonalds location at 2328 Georgia Avenue NW. The first phase will include the residential building, although a Quadrangle representative told UrbanTurf that the scope and programming for that project is still being finalized. The second and third phases will include office and experimental research and testing laboratory use. The phases will be bisected by Bryant Street Commons, a shared, multi-modal street. 

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The 9th

Construction is underway at the surface parking lots at 9th and V Streets NW (map), which MRP Realty, the Gideon Companies and Equity Residential are developing under a ground lease. The by-right project will deliver a 10-story building with 312 apartments above 5,178 square feet of retail. The development will include two levels of below-grade parking and will also extend W Street through the site. SK&I Architecture is the designer. 

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Bond Bread Redevelopment 

The Bond Partnership, consisting of the Menkiti Group, Fivesquares Development, and EDENS, will transform the Bond Bread Factory and Washington Railway & Electric Company (WRECO) buildings (map) into a 600,000 square-foot mixed-use destination. The development will include 472 residential units, 180 hotel rooms, 50,000 square feet of largely street-facing retail and a nearly 20,000 square-foot public plaza. 

The new development, designed by STUDIOS Architecture, plans to incorporate several aspects of the existing buildings into the new project, including the trusses from the WRECO building that will sit thirty feet above the public plaza and the original columns from the Bond Bread building. 

The team envisions several outdoor uses throughout the project, including dining space and seasonal markets along V Street, as well as film screening and performance space along W Street. The central public space will have a number of access points, including a "secret" passageway off Georgia Avenue, according to the development team. 

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Howard University Hospital Site Redevelopment

A lot of pieces will need to fall into place before development can take place on perhaps the most prominent University-owned property: Howard University Hospital.

Funding has already been put in place to begin a two-phase redevelopment of the site of the Freedmen's Annex straddling the 2200 block of Sixth Street NW (map). A new, seven-story Howard University Hospital and Medical Office Building will be constructed on the site, potentially delivering as soon as 2026.

After the move is complete, the hospital's current site just north of Georgia and Florida Avenues NW (map) will be up for a mixed-use redevelopment of up to three million square feet. While the Campus Plan hints at a new street grid for the site, additional details remain scarce and more concrete plans could be a decade away. 

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1840 7th Street NW

Quadrangle Development and Capstone Development are planning to redevelop the site of the three-story office building across the street from Shaw/Howard University Metro station (map). An eight-story, 204-unit development with 21,000 square feet of ground-floor retail is in the works and will also include penthouse-level amenities, Inclusionary Zoning units and a level of below-grade parking. Raze and building permits are under review.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/the_next_decade_of_development_in_and_around_howard_university/20590.