May 5, 2006

D.C. Sets New $1B Plan for Old Convention Center

By Sean Madigan
Washington Business Journal Senior Staff Reporter

Washington Business Journal, May 5-11, 2006; Page 18 

Downtown D.C.'s $1 billion shopping and entertainment complex is taking shape. 

After more than five years of planning, plodding and planning again, city officials and members of the Hines-led team of developers were expected to present on May 4 their master plan for the 10.2-acre redevelopment of the old convention center site.

Their mixed-use concept lays out nine buildings, housing 300,000 to 400,000 square feet of office space, about 770 apartments and condominiums, at least 275,000 square feet of retail and potentially a $180 million library.

Planners at Sir Norman Foster's Foster and Partners envision reopening 10th and Eye streets and creating a public plaza at the corner of New York Avenue and 11th Street.

They also want a seperate plaza on the site's southeast portion - about one-third of an acre - lined with restaurants and functioning as a pavilion for concerts and events.

Nearly the entire site is expected to include street-level retail.

Earlier this year, developer Kingdon Gould III agreed to a land swap with D.C., giving up his property near the new convention center and getting the northeast corner of the old convention center site.  While Gould is obligated to put retail on the ground level, he has not determined the uses for the rest.

City officials and the developers say they are on track to break ground by 2008, and the complex is expected to open 2011.