Drexel University and its real estate partner last month broke ground on the first major development that is part of a $3.5 billion innovation neighborhood in University City.

The universitys enrollment for fall looks strong, with hundreds more submitting deposits and fewer withdrawing this summer compared with last year, university officials said.

And, while Drexel had been projecting a $90 million shortfall for the fiscal year that just ended June 30, it appears poised to end with $50 million more than expected, thanks in part to federal stimulus dollars. The university said it had restored contributions to employee retirement funds and added a 2% lump-sum salary payment for most employees to make up for sacrifices during the pandemic. Merit raises will return this year, too.

READ MORE: Drexel president John Fry on managing his school through the coronavirus

Going into [the pandemic], we had high anxiety, said university president John A. Fry. Coming out of it, we have sort of really high hopes.

Now, Fry, who became Drexels president in 2010, is publicly acknowledging for the first time that, although he hasnt decided the exact timing, this could be his last full year at Drexel. He has two more years left on his contract.

The art of this game is you dont overstay your welcome, he said. Im starting my 12th year. Ill finish that out and who knows beyond that, but not a whole lot more. Its time for the natural cycle of change.

His not-too-distant departure means four of the citys top colleges Temple, the University of Pennsylvania, La Salle, and Drexel will have seen turnover in the presidency within a couple of years.

At Temple, Jason Wingard, a former Ivy League school dean and Chestnut Hill resident, began his tenure this month. University of Pennsylvania president Amy Gutmann has been nominated to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Germany and likely will leave before her contract ends next summer. And Colleen Hanycz left La Salle for another presidency last month. They are among a flurry of college leadership changes happening or expected to happen in the region.

Fry, 61, said hes far from done and hopes to land another opportunity at a college or another nonprofit. Asked if he would vie for the presidency of Penn, where he once worked, he declined comment.

READ MORE: College president as urban planner

He said that over the last year, a number of friends and colleagues have encouraged him to run for mayor.

While I am completely devoted to improving the quality of life and economic competitiveness of Philadelphia, he said, I feel that the best way for me to make a difference to the city is by continuing to build Drexels capacity to be a highly effective and impactful civic anchor institution.

Fry is as much an urban planner as he is a college president. When he was an executive vice president under former Penn president Judith Rodin, he helped bring in a movie theater and Fresh Grocer, created the public Penn Alexander School, and started the University City District, fostering relations among colleges, businesses, and residents. At Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, where he became president, he helped to move a landfill and railroad yard, knock down a huge factory, and launch a major redevelopment project.

At Drexel, he partnered with Brandywine Realty Trust to launch the multibillion-dollar project to turn parking lots and industrial buildings between Drexels campus and 30th Street Station into a neighborhood of businesses, retailers, parks, and residential towers, called Schuylkill Yards. Construction has begun on the West Tower, which will include residential, office, and retail space.

He also upgraded Drexels campus, once named the nations ugliest, and in partnership with the Philadelphia School District, opened a new building near campus that will house two public schools this fall. The district will lease the building from Drexel, and Drexel will provide teacher training and expertise in areas, including technology, instruction, performing arts, and health.

He has had an extraordinary portfolio of accomplishments by any university leadership measurement and I would predict much more left in his reservoir, said Tom Kline, a Drexel trustee and namesake of Drexels law school.

READ MORE: Five years in, a look at Drexel's high-flying Fry

Early in his tenure, Fry negotiated Drexels affiliation with the Academy of Natural Sciences; together, the two have a combined endowment of about $960 million.

A native of New York who has a bachelors from Lafayette College and an MBA from New York Universitys Stern School of Business, Fry also led Gov. Tom Wolfs transition team and serves on the Federal Reserve Bank board.

Fry said he intends to remain at Drexel until he finds other partners to help run St. Christophers Hospital, which hosts rotations for third- and fourth-year students from Drexels medical school. Drexel and Tower Health bought St. Christophers out of bankruptcy in 2019 and have been overseeing the hospital as partners, but Tower, which is selling hospitals as it struggles financially, has indicated it wants to step back, Fry said.

Im not moving until that situation is resolved, he said.

Hes also focused on readying the campus for fall. The university currently is looking into employees returning to the office and recognizes the need for flexibility. In addition to weighing needs of employees and the university, Drexel also will consider the city, he said. If office buildings stand empty, that will hurt the city both in wage tax and restaurant business, and in turn the colleges within it.

We have to think about the whole sweep, because a big part of our pitch is Philadelphia, he said. We get to say, Come live and study and work in one of the best cities in the world.

He said University City faces less strain because it is not as dependent on the hospitality economy as Center City.

One piece of Frys vision building over 30th Street Stations rail yard to allow for more development wont happen before he leaves. Fry said a study Drexel was part of showed the development could be done without disrupting Amtrak traffic. He thinks it will happen some day.

It will be a decade or so out, he said.

Staff writer Harold Brubaker contributed to this article.

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Drexel came through the pandemic better than expected. Now president John Fry is contemplating his next step. - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Colleen Michele Jones|St. Augustine Record

With the recentexplosion of residential and commercial development in south St. Augustine especially along the corridors of Wildwood Driveand State Road 207 growth in this area of St. Johns Countyis beginning to rival that of communitiesnorth and west of the city.

Of course, with growth comes traffic.

St. JohnsCounty officials will host a public meeting to discuss anupcoming project to improve traffic flow atthe WildwoodDrive/US 1 South intersection. The meeting will take place from 5 to 6 p.m. Thursday at 49 Shores Blvd. (the headquarters of Deltona Realty).

Video: Wildwood Drive in St. Augustine

Wildwood Drive in St. Augustine connects U.S. 1 to State Road 207.

Peter Willott, St. Augustine Record

According to the county, the $1.1 million state Department of Transportation project will include a dual left turn lane and new traffic signal. Construction is expected to begin next month and continue through October.

Wildwood Driveis only about 4 miles long, but it connects U.S. 1 South and S.R. 207 and allows residents of the St. Augustine Shores and even St. Augustine South easy access to Interstate 95.

With more and more developments under constructionor in the works for the roadway, as well as nearby S.R. 207 and U.S. 1, congestion has increased exponentially over the last several years.

Some recent projects include Treaty Acres, with for more than 400 single-family homes, and another smaller development on the western edge of Wildwood Drive,called the Wildwood Forty PUD, thatcalls for 64 homes on 22 acres.

KB Homes Orchard Park, currently under construction off Wildwood Drive,encompasses 300 townhomes. Newer, smaller subdivisions along Wildwoodalso include Windsong Acres and Treaty Oaks.

On the commercial side, the Moultrie Bluff shopping center has been approved for U.S. 1 South just north of Wildwood Drive, although no shovels are in the ground yet.The center will beconstructed across from the complex on U.S. 1 that includes Dicks Wings and Romanos.

Property owner, the Peter Sleiman Development Group, is also proposing 15 residential lots that would abut the shopping center to the south. The parcels boundaries also border the Moultrie Trails residential community to the southeast and West Genung Street to the north.

More action is taking place at the end of Wildwood Drive around the S.R. 207 intersection.

Earlier this year, the St. Johns County Commission approved Entrada, a development of about 1,000 homes that will connect directly to Wildwood Drive at the traffic signal at S.R.207. Developers are seeking a supermarket to anchor the complex, which in its first phase of construction would offer 100,000 square feet of retail space, as well as a restaurant and other retail uses.

In addition, there are plans for amixed-use development called the Benchip PUDwhich would includeabout 500,000 square feet of commercial space and up to 280 multi-family homes. This project would connect with Entrada.

Further west of the intersection butclose enough to have an impact on overall traffic in the region Chris Shee, CEO of the Mastercraft Builder Group, wants to develop land near I-95 and S.R. 207.

As proposed, his Parrish Farms would encompass 3,700 homes and include elements of commercial, office and recreational space.

Shee is also proposing an I-95 interchange that would be at the southern end of the development and extend Watson Road to connect with the highway and add another option for folks who take Wildwood as a cut-through to get to I-95.

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St. Augustine plans traffic upgrade for busy intersection of Wildwood Drive and US 1 South - St. Augustine Record

OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lowe, a national real estate developer, investor and manager, announced today its completion of Assembly, a 127-unit apartment community that incorporates an historic Auto Row storefront transformed into 8,000 square feet of ground floor retail space. Located at 260 30th Street, Assembly is walking distance to the shops, restaurants and art galleries in Oaklands Uptown district and Piedmont Ave., both known as hubs for shopping, dining, arts and entertainment.

Assembly is an example of the type of community-focused project that is a hallmark of Lowe. In Oakland, and in markets across the country, our team assesses the area to ensure that our new apartment communities are conceived to fill a need, offer the features and amenities most desired in the market and are designed to complement the existing neighborhood, said Alan Chamorro, senior vice president, Lowe. Development of Assembly continues Lowes long history of developing and managing commercial real estate of all types throughout the Bay Area.

Lowe created Assembly, a boutique residential community designed to evoke the historic character of Auto Row, by assembling four contiguous parcels bounded by 30th Street, Broadway and Brook Street, and incorporating an existing Auto Row storefront as a key element of the design. The bright and spacious apartments, with floor-to-ceiling windows, make up the five stories above the historic building, wrapping around the Courtyard, a central spot for residents to relax in a landscaped plaza with custom murals by local artist Charly Malpass and with space for lounging around the fire pit or exercising in the outdoor fitness deck. Upon entering the building, residents are welcomed by a public art sculpture that wraps around the lobby, created by Oakland artist Shawn HibmaCronan, entitled Through Line, depicting the entire length of Broadway using laser cut and mirror polished stainless steel.

Homes at Assembly are configured as studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom floorplans all offering quality finishes, wide plank flooring, in-unit washer and dryer and keyless entry. Bedrooms are fitted with blackout shades and custom walk-in closets.

Assembly offers multiple options for indoor and outdoor gathering. A roof deck offers multiple options for gathering and enjoying the East Bay Hills, downtown Oakland and San Francisco views with lounge seating, cabanas and gas grilling spaces. Residents can enjoy communal indoor and outdoor spaces at the Club Room with wide French doors connecting to the Courtyard. The Club Room offers an array of games, TV viewing areas, comfortable seating for relaxing, and a mezzanine level conference space and co-working room, enhancing work from home options.

A two-level fitness center with 18-foot ceiling and infused with natural light from the two-story windows offers a spacious center with top equipment and regular fitness classes, overlooking and connecting the Courtyard.

Assemblys location provides residents with easy regional access with two nearby Bart stops. It also is walking distance to the downtown business center as well as the tranquil park setting of Lake Merritt. Assembly derives its name from the history of the area dating back to 1917 when General Motors opened the Oakland Assembly, the Chevrolet and GMC factory, which anchored the area that became known as Auto Row.

Lowe began construction of Assembly in 2018. The propertys design was prepared by BDE Architecture and Vida Design. For additional information visit http://www.rentassembly.com.

About Lowe

Los Angeles-based Lowe, formerly known as Lowe Enterprises, is a leading national real estate investment, development and management firm. Over the past 48 years, it has developed, acquired or managed more than $32 billion of real estate assets nationwide as it pursued its mission to build value in real estate by creating innovative, lasting environments and meaningful experiences that connect people and place. Lowe currently has more than $2 billion in commercial real estate projects in the pipeline or under development. In addition to its Los Angeles headquarters, Lowe maintains regional offices in Southern California, Northern California, Charleston, Denver, Seattle, and Washington, DC. Lowes hospitality affiliate, CoralTree Hospitality, operates numerous hotel and resort properties across the US and in Mexico. Lowes commercial property operations affiliate, Hospitality at Work, brings hospitality inspired-property management service to office buildings nationwide. For more information visit http://www.Lowe-RE.com http://www.hospitality-work.com http://www.coraltreehospitality.com.

Continued here:
Lowe Debuts Assembly 127-unit Apartment Building in Oakland's Uptown District - Business Wire

Construction hasnt slowed for downtown Wilmington. To share updates on activity thats happening and where projects stand, we talk this week with two of the players in the central business district, including Wilmington Downtown Inc.s new leader.

"We're changing gears a little bit here at WDI," said Holly Childs, who started at the beginning of the year as the group's president and CEO. "I think WDI is going to focus more on expanding our role to be very project-based and partnership-based. And we're going to look at how we support development throughout downtown whether it be residential or jobs focused."

Joining Childs in the discussion was Lucien Ellison, senior managing partner for East West Partners. He gave an update on the new 13-story, mixed-used River Place development.

"We're pretty much finished with the construction. We have a few punch list items that we're working through right now, but sales of the condominiums have been really good," he said. "We have 82 of the 92 condos either under contract or closed at this point."

Apartment units are about 40% occupied so far, said Ellison, who added that 94% of the building's retail space is leased up.

"Axis Fitness, Mellow Mushroom, DGX and Bank of America are already operating. Ruth's Chris [Steak House], Citrus Salon and The Nutrition Spot are coming online this summer," he said about businesses opening in the development, which is the result of a public-private partnership with the city of Wilmington.

"I'd say we've done what we started out to do, which was bring residences and businesses to downtown Wilmington and specifically to activate Water Street and make it a better place to live and work," Ellison said.

View the full conversation below. Also listen to this and future weekly WilmingtonBiz Talk discussions on the Business Journal's new podcast, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher.

BizTalk is livestreamed on the Business Journal's Facebook page each week at noon Thursday. For notifications on upcoming topics, sign up for newsletters at wilmingtonbiz.com/register and to submit topic or speaker ideas, email [emailprotected].

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WilmingtonBiz Talk: Downtown update - Greater Wilmington Business Journal

Outdoor dining at The Wharf.

Washington, D.C.s waterfront areas are no strangers to change. The first phase of The Wharf, a $2.5B mixed-use development along the Potomac in Southwest D.C. opened in 2017, bringing scores of new shops, restaurants and housing to the area. Its developers have been moving ahead with Phase 2, even during the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, the rest of Southwest D.C.s waterfront has been moving forward with exciting new projects, from the redevelopment of a more than 50-year-old housing project to a new contemporary museum.

While this area has experienced a hit to its restaurant, office and retail markets during the pandemic, local developers and shop and restaurant owners are committed to facing these challenges head-on, once again embracing change, forging ahead and finding creative ways to move forward.

New Residential, Retail And Cultural Destinations

In the Southwest area, developers are investing in a growing list of destinations designed to entice more visitors and residents to the area. These destinations include the continueddevelopment of Waterfront Station II, from developer Hoffman & Associates, a 400K SF mixed-use community consisting of 456 units 319 market-rate and 137 affordable 20K SF of retail space and 9K SF of theater space that is expected to be delivered in 2022.

The redevelopment of the Greenleaf public housing complex, between the Wharf and theCapitol Riverfront,will bring more than 1,800 units of mixed-income and affordable multifamily housing to the area.

The area is also making a push to add new cultural institutions, including theRandall School Contemporary Art Museum, which will house the Miami-based Rubell Family Collection, an internationally acclaimed contemporary art collection, and the redevelopment of Westminster Church, which is the home of long-running jazz and blues nights.

"We benefit greatly in Southwest from having a collection of business innovators capable of taking this corner of the District through its most creative reinvention in decades, Southwest D.C. Business Improvement District Executive Director Stephen Moore said. Our work at the SWBID is to align this talent, the attractions, hotels and venues and to design our re-emergence as a powerful destination for locals and visitors alike.

Construction Continues At The Wharf

At The Wharf, one of the fastest-growing areas of D.C.s waterfront, construction is coming along smoothly even in the midst of unprecedented times.

Hoffman & Associates President Shawn Seaman, who is leading the charge of new developments at The Wharf, said that Phase 2 is coming along as planned. Some project highlights include a 90K SF office building at 610 Water St. designed by Morris Adjmi Architects. This building will be home to media company The Atlantic and feature 10K SF of outdoor terrace space. Other highlights include 670 and 680 Maine, trophy office space designed by SHoP Architects with WDG Architectsthat isalready 60% leased but is still offering 200K SF for potential tenants.

Seaman said he hopes the office towers provide future tenants with a connected environment along the Washington Channel it'saccessible from the National Mall, Reagan National Airport and Capitol Hill, combining both culture and convenience.

Along with these new office spaces, The Wharf will begin sales in the spring at The Amaris, a 96-unit, 12-story, luxury waterfront residential condominium building designed by Rafael Violy Architects, with interiors by Thomas Juul-Hansen. The apartments range from 700 SF one-bedrooms to over 5.7K SF four-bedrooms, including split-level penthouses.

Additionally, construction of Pendry Washington D.C is moving quickly and is expected to be finished by 2022. This 140K SF hotel will feature 131 guest rooms, three food and beverage concepts, Spa Pendry and fitness center, and more than 5K SF of meeting space, including a rooftop event space.

Dining And Entertainment Find Ways To Pivot

Bob Rubenkonig, executive director of the Wharf Community Association, added that The Wharf is also moving forward with new restaurants and retail destinations.

During the Districts health emergency, The Wharf provided a safe customer experience, as the neighborhood was designed and built as a healthy outdoor waterfront environment, Rubenkonig said. In fact, eight new businesses opened in Phase 1 of The Wharf during 2020. That has helped prospective retailers have confidence in what The Wharf experience can bring to their brand.

Throughout 2020, Wharf Street was closed to create more outdoor dining locations for local restaurants, and the area has kept the program going throughout the winter by organizing group purchasing for propane and outdoor heaters to keep diners warm. Local restaurants and stores have also been offering virtual experiences, from live-streamed cooking classes led by Kaliwa chef Cathal Armstrong to online craft tutorials from Shop Made. The popular live music venue Union Stage has even pivoted to become a live-streaming venue to continue to give people access to local talent, such as thepopular '90s cover band White Ford Bronco.

Rubenkonig remains positive about the future of the area and the resilience of local events and businesses.

We are optimistic about Phase 2 leasing efforts as both iconic D.C. businesses and emerging entrepreneurs want to be located at The Wharf, Rubenkonig said. We are looking forward to Bloomaroo, which will celebrate the cherry blossom season at The Wharf, as well as some more outdoor movies and activations throughout the summer that have yet to be announced.

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In The Pipeline: Top Projects Coming To D.C.'s Southwest Waterfront - Bisnow

The walls are going up at yet another new Kent apartment complex.

The 285-unit Alexan Gateway Apartments mark the sixth major project in the last few years that will bring nearly 1,800 units to a 3.5-mile stretch between Military Road South on the West Hill to 623 W. Meeker St., near downtown.

Construction continues this month at Alexan Gateway, 23000 Military Road S., with sweeping views of the Kent Valley and Mount Rainier.

Crews are building three separate four-story, 45-foot-tall buildings with associated parking, amenities, landscaping and utilities on the 6.64-acre site. The development will be accessed via driveways from both Military Road and Veterans Drive. Three single-family homes were demolished to make room for the project.

Alexan Gateway, developed by Dallas-based Trammell Crow Residential, sits just west of the Grandview Apartments, which opened a few years ago on an 11-acre site and feature 261 units along Veterans Drive.

Here are the other major apartment projects along the 3.5-mile stretch between the West Hill and downtown:

Ethos

The developer has started phase II of constructing approximately 492 apartment units and 12,000 square feet of commercial retail and restaurant space in 23 separate buildings with associated parking areas and amenities.

Location: 2200 W. Meeker St.

Midtown 64

Apartments built on the southwest corner of West Meeker Street and 64th Avenue South in Kent that feature 308 units. Seattle-based Goodman Real Estate is the developer, the same company that built The Platform Apartments in downtown Kent across from Kent Station.

Madison Plaza

Madison Plaza is a seven-story, 157-unit urban style apartment building under construction that will include five stories of residential units built atop a two-story parking garage and a ground floor retail space. The project is on a 0.79 acre site located west of the Uplands Playfield Park and the Interurban Trail.

Location: 102 Madison Ave. N.

Ovation at Meeker

A five-story, 218-unit, senior apartment building planned with associated parking and landscaping on a vacant lot behind KeyBank. The project was formerly known as the Reserve at Kent.

Location: 623 W. Meeker St.

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To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (Well only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

The first walls of the Alexan Gateway Apartments go up Feb. 9 on Kents West Hill along Military Road South near Veterans Drive. STEVE HUNTER, Kent Reporter

A rendering of the Alexan Gateway Apartments under construction on Military Road South on Kents West Hill. COURTESY GRAPHIC, City of Kent

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Apartments rise on Kents West... - Kent Reporter

There are three hurdles that have historically made affordable housing difficult to develop in Chicago: rising costs of construction, the building code and the competing priorities of the parties involved in these types of deals.

Those arent necessarily issues exclusive to affordable housing, but they are issues that challenge the development community in general and their ability to finance a deal because of uncertainty, said Dave Bartolai, vice president, McHugh Construction. As such, each deal seems to need to be evaluated neighborhood by neighborhood, location by location, and requires the entire team to work collaboratively to address these issues from the earliest stages.

One of those three hurdles was recently lowered with the adoption of a new Chicago building code that hews closer to the International Building Code. Basing the code on the IBC has improved the cost metrics for some affordable projects in Chicago as it expanded the spectrum of building products and parameters that can be used.

For example, restrictions have been loosened on the use of wood framing, allowing for stick-built affordable structures higher than what had previously been allowed. Alternative construction methods such as panelized load bearing walls and floor systems also allow these projects to go up faster and cheaper.

The subcontractors have gotten really innovative and figured out ways to panelize these structures, Bartolai said. Theyre bringing out pre-fabricated components that have been coordinated in advance and really theyre just stacking elements into place which allows for construction to advance pretty quickly.

There has been a growing trend to locate affordable housing within transit-oriented parts of the city. Meshing affordable housing with TOD not only puts residents in close proximity to public transportation, but it also allows the developer to forego the expense of putting in surface or structured parking, meaning more development dollars can go toward actual housing.

Another way to underwrite affordable housing is to co-locate it with market rate units. Affordable-only housing projects tend to scale smaller, which inherently makes them more expensive to develop. Sharing those costs within a market rate development can offset the capital outlay.

The quality expectations of affordable housing have been increasing over the last several years, said Steve Wiley, senior vice president preconstruction and estimating at McHugh Construction. Affordable housing, on a quality level, is really now almost indistinguishable from market rate products.

One project that McHugh is working on is the $200 millionOgden Commons which, upon completion, will deliver 120,000 square feet of commercial and retail space, as well as more than 350 mixed-income housing units to Chicagos North Lawndale neighborhood. McHugh is building the development on behalf of a public-private partnership between The Habitat Company, Sinai Health System, Cinespace Chicago Film Studios, the Chicago Housing Authority and the city of Chicago.

Construction just wrapped on the first phase of the project, a commercial medical office building, and McHugh is working with the development team to plan the first phase of residential construction which will hopefully begin later this year.

The contractor is also working on 43 Green, a $100 million TOD project in the Bronzeville neighborhood. The first phase will add 99 rental units and 6,000 square feet of retail space to formerly vacant land at the corner of 43rd Street and Calumet Avenue. The Habitat Company and P3 Markets are joint venturing this development.

McHugh is partnering with Bowa Construction for the contracting work on both the Ogden Commons and 43 Green developments.

Thats absolutely critical to the success of these projects, Wiley said. All of these projects that were working on are joint venture partnerships, which is so important to addressing the concerns of community inclusion.

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Bridging the affordability gap in Chicago REJournals - REjournals.com

Progress Capital partner Brad Domenico and the development at 136 Summit Avenue (Photos via Progress Capital)

A luxury apartment complex in Jersey City will advance after snagging a $30 million construction loan.

The 99-unit residential building at 136 Summit Avenue, developed by Monticello Equities, has been in the works for several years. Progress Capital arranged the latest round of financing from Bank Leumi, which will be used to help finish construction on the project, which broke ground in 2018.

When its finished, the 159,861-square-foot project will have 2,240 square feet of ground floor retail space and a 75-space parking garage.

The development is located on the site of the former Fairmount Hospital. When it was first proposed in 2016, some area residents pushed back, claiming it would negatively impact the neighborhood, according to Jersey Digs.

Now, its set to become one of the largest residential projects in this particular corner of Jersey City.

Contact Sasha Jones

View original post here:
Jersey City development advances with $30M construction loan - The Real Deal

Once completed, it will make The Yards the largest waterfront development in the Washington, D.C., region

Rendering courtesy Brookfield Properties

Rendering courtesy Brookfield Properties

Rendering courtesy Brookfield Properties

Developer Brookfield Properties has released more details about its planned Phase II expansion of The Yards, the mixed-use community along the Capitol Riverfront.

Phase II will include a total of 3.4 million square feet of new development in 10 additional buildings with more office, residential, restaurant and retail space as well as more public park space.

Once completed, it will make The Yards the largest waterfront development in the Washington, D.C., region, with a total of 48 acres, including: six waterfront acres; 2 million square feet of office space; 400,000 square feet of retail and restaurants; 3,400 residential units, including apartments and condos; and 7.5 acres of public parks.

The Phase II additions include 1,260 residences and 1.8 million square feet of office space, some of it waterfront. All Phase II buildings will be within a three-minute walk to the river.

One of the key additions to The Yards development will be Yards Place, a cobblestone, curbless, pedestrian-friendly street that will connect the Navy Yard Metro to the Anacostia River, the only direct walkable connection from a Metro stop to a D.C.-area waterfront, according to Brookfield Properties.

It is going to be very unique to D.C. I compare it, in terms of how it will look and feel, to New York Citys High Line in the sense that it will be a very highly landscaped, highly curated, very comfortable-feeling space that people will flock to, said Toby Millman, senior vice president of development for Brookfield Properties.

Not only for the shopping and activities along the street, but also because of the look and feel of the experience as you walk down the street, he said.

Phase II development will be in an area that is currently a large swath of vacant land and parking lots bounded by New Jersey Avenue SE and First Street SE. Phase II, though, will not happen overnight: Depending on market conditions, Brookfield Properties expects to complete the final build out of The Yards in 10 years.

Brookfield Properties has set a goal of all new buildings achieving LEED Gold certification. Architects for the various additions include Selldorf, SHoP, Leong Leong, Concrete, Studios and Scape.

Phase II of The Yards has been in planning for awhile. It officially got its jump-start with the groundbreaking of a 300,000-square-foot office building at 1250 New Jersey Ave. SE a year ago. Chemonics International, a company that manages projects in developing countries, has signed a lease for the building and will move 1,200 employees to its new headquarters when completed later this year.

Chemonics is currently the only signed tenant for Phase II construction.

Phase I of The Yards was completed in 2010. Brookfield Properties acquired The Yards in late-2018.

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Phase II of The Yards will feature a cobblestone street - WTOP

The two-acre property at 450 Colwell Lane (corner of West 5th Avenue and Colwell Lane) in the Borough of Conshohocken was last developed in 1975 into the existing 27,000 square feet warehouse. Most recently, the tenants were American Olean Tile and CSG Global Consulting (a telecom provider). The site previously maintained approximately 25 employees, meaning traffic and parking were minimal. The property is currently vacant, which results in the property generating minimal revenue for the Borough.

The property falls within the Limited Industrial/Research zoning district and is just outside the floodplain that encompasses lower Colwell Lane. You can view the uses allowed within this district here.

A few ideas already explored by the developer and deemed to not be feasible were:

Uses Under Consideration by the Developer

Expanded WarehouseThe existing 27,000 square feet of conditioned warehouse space can be increased to nearly 35,000 square feet. Existing plans include expanded rebuild as a refrigerated warehouse.

PROs: Local and convenient space for grocery or convenience deliveries.Ample space allows for a refrigerated warehouse. Will create more jobs than any other proposed option.Does not require approval from Borough Council as this is a current approved use of the space.

CONs: Refrigerated tractor-trailers would be making frequent trips to and from the warehouse.In addition, these refrigerated vehicles must idle while loading and unloading which creates lots of noise and may disturb neighbors. This option would result in higher peak-time traffic as well as more overall traffic than generated by what is currently there.

Doggie Daycare/Boarding FacilityIncludes 18,000 square feet of conditioned indoor play space and 8,000 square feet of outdoor play space.

PROs: Local and convenient space for doggie daycare.Ample play space allows separation of dogs by size and temperament.Boarding facilities combined with play space would allow for the dogs to only be caged for sleeping. This use would result in lower overall traffic than what is currently there.

CONs: Barking dogs can be noisy and disruptive to immediate neighbors. This use would result in higher peak-time traffic than the current warehouse use. Requires approval from Borough Council.

Gun RangeIncludes 15,000 square feet of gun range space with 200 feet of shooting distance.Includes on-site retail space for ammunition and assorted sporting equipment but not gun sales. Gun sales have grown during the pandemic and there is a demand for practice and training.

PROs: Local and convenient space for all kinds of target practice, gun training, and gun safety with ample parking.This would result in lower-traffic than the current warehouse use.

CONs: Local neighbors may dislike a gun range near their homes.Requires approval from Borough Council.

Condos/TownhousesThe plan includes 48 homes that are two-bedroom, with two bathrooms, a garage, and two parking spaces per unit. Each home will be 1,500 to 1,800 square feet with balconies. An additional 35 parking spaces are planned on the site for overflow parking.

PROs: New construction attracts affluent homeowners and raises the property value of the housing stock within Conshohocken.Will create local jobs from the construction of units.This use will generate lower peak time traffic than other options.This use will generate a higher net revenue for the Borough than any other option.This will not create parking problems for neighbors.

CONs: Additional housing units in the Borough add to the existing housing stock.Requires approval from Borough Council.

Condos/Townhouses with Commercial SpaceThis plan includes 30 units that are two-bedroom with two bathrooms, a garage, and two parking spaces per unit. Each home will be 1,100 square feet with balconies. Commercial space could include a small grocer that focuses on prepared foods or another retail use or office.

PROs: New construction attracts affluent homeowners and raises the property value of the housing stock within Conshohocken.Will create local jobs from the construction.Will generate lower peak time traffic than other options.

CONs: Additional housing units in the Borough add to the existing housing stock.Depending on retail uses, parking could result in overflow street parking. Requires approval from Borough Council.

Indoor Sports ComplexThe plan includes suitable spaces for basketball and baseball training, as well as dance floors.

PROs: Convenient location for sports enthusiasts and complementary to the nearby Proving Grounds. This will generate lower peak time traffic than other options.

CONs: Peak time parking may exceed current on-site parking and may result in competition between customers and residents for parking.Requires approval from Borough Council.

Take the Survey

The developer would like your input. Please consider taking the below anonymous survey to voice your opinion.

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Developer seeks public's input on potential redevelopment of property at corner of West 5th Avenue and Colwell Lane in Conshohocken -...