Recognized Smart Growth Project Proposals

View Project Proposals Recognized by Washington Sustainable Growth Alliance in a larger map

Hine School Redevelopment                                                                                          

District of Columbia

Applicant:  Stanton – Eastbanc

Recognition:  Final, Affordable Housing Distinction, Joint Recognition by ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing

The Washington Sustainable Growth Alliance granted the Hine School Redevelopment proposal Final Recognition, as well as Affordable Housing Distinction for providing affordable housing for low and very low income households.  In addition, the project won Joint Recognition by the Alliance and the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing for making more than ten percent of the proposed residential units affordable to households earning between 60 and 120 percent of the Area Median Income.   

The proposal is for the redevelopment of the 3.16-acre site now occupied by the vacant Hine Junior High School located on Pennsylvania Avenue between 7^th and 8^th Streets Southeast. 

The proposed development will fill the entire block with mix of uses including residential, a potential hotel, office and retail.  Ground-floor retail will be developed along most of the surrounding street frontages.  By replacing a vacant and obsolete school building with a fine-grained mix of residential, office and retail uses at higher densities across the street from the Eastern Market Metrorail  Station, the development will support walking, biking and transit use and contribute greatly to the revitalization of the Capitol Hill Historic District.  

With ground-floor retail, ample pedestrian amenities, enclosed loading facilities and underground parking, the development will extend the active streetscape along 7th Street SE and also provide a visual link to the Barracks Row commercial area. The development provides added connectivity to the surrounding area, particularly the Eastern Market, by re-opening C Street to the public.  In addition, the development will provide a plaza along the new street with public space for outdoor flea market vendors that now use the vacant school parking lot.  The development will support continuation of the market by allowing weekend use of the parking garage and loading dock area by vendors.  The development will also utilize green roofs and other techniques to treat storm water onsite.   

Just as important is the provision of much needed affordable and workforce housing in the heart of the city.  From 26 to 36 percent of the residential units will be affordable, depending on whether a hotel is included in the development.  At least 16 of these will be devoted to seniors 55 and older.  The Alliance commends both the District government and the developer for the innovative public-private partnership that makes this public benefit possible. 

Woodmont/7200

Bethesda, Maryland
Applicant:  JBG Associates

Recognition:  Preliminary

The Washington Sustainable Growth Alliance granted the Woodmont/7200 proposal by JBG Associates Preliminary Recognition for a high-density, mixed-use development on the north side of Bethesda Avenue between Woodmont Avenue and Wisconsin Avenue, in the heart of Bethesda’s downtown core.  The proposal is to develop a mix of uses including office, hotel, and retail, totaling over 1.2 million square feet of gross floor area located in close proximity to Bethesda Metro and other transit options.  The site is currently occupied by a one story cinder block structure and an eight story office building, both of which will be demolished and replaced, and other buildings (7255 Woodmont Avenue, 7200 Wisconsin Avenue, and 7220 Wisconsin Avenue) that will remain, but 7200 Wisconsin will undergo some renovation to update its architecture and interaction with the street. 

The project will contain a new building with 311,000 square feet of trophy office space and 9,000 square feet of retail, a 224-room luxury hotel with 7,500 square feet of meeting space, and 5,000 square feet of ground floor retail fronting on Bethesda Avenue near the intersection with Wisconsin Avenue.  The existing 7200 Wisconsin Avenue office building will receive a new lobby and courtyard, over 35,000 square feet of retail, and a new top office floor. 

In an effort to bring street activating retail to the pedestrian areas, the underutilized open space patio located at the corner of Wisconsin Ave and Bethesda Ave will be relocated to provide better quality open space, and replaced with a one‐story retail component as part of a renovation of the 7200 Wisconsin Ave building.  The development will also utilize such green building design practices as green roofs.  By increasing density and ground-floor retail along the street frontages, the proposal will help extend the pedestrian experience of Bethesda Row to Wisconsin Avenue, as well as support transit use. 

The development fronts the portion of Bethesda Avenue that serves as the route of the Capital Crescent Trail. The trail development, along with well-placed and attractive public space, will support trail users as well as pedestrian activity and transit use by residents, employees, and visitors to the area. 

North Bethesda Market, Phase II

North Bethesda, Maryland

Applicant:  JBG Companies

Recognition: Preliminary, Joint Recognition by ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing

The North Bethesda Market, Phase II, is a redevelopment proposal for a suburban site currently occupied by four office buildings, one of which was built by JBG in 2004 and will remain, with some changes, as part of the redevelopment.  The other three office structures are aging and will be demolished, to make way for the redevelopment. The site is located along the west side of Rockville Pike, south of the intersection with Nicholson Lane and north of Executive Boulevard.  This phase is across Executive Boulevard from Phase I of North Bethesda Market, a development previously recognized by the Washington Sustainable Growth Alliance that has delivered on its promise (see www.northbethesdamarket.com for more information). 

Key among the smart and sustainable qualities of this phase of the development are a fine-grained mix of retail, office and residential uses and substantial increase in density close to transit.  The project is within one-quarter mile of the White Flint Metro Station.  Proposed uses include over 400 residential units, restaurants and other retail including a theater, for a total of about 673,000 square feet.  Many features of the proposal will help promote pedestrian activities in this auto-dependent area, including a through-block connection between Woodglen Drive and Rockville Pike, wide sidewalks, multiple points of access, reduced street parking, and a central urban plaza with outdoor seating and space for organized events.  It is also significant that the project will add residential units in a commercial area, which will help improve the jobs-housing balance and increase the supply of Moderately Priced Dwelling Units.  This project is one of several redevelopment projects along Rockville Pike that will contribute to the urbanization and revitalization of a suburban area.  

Southwest Waterfront

District of Columbia

Applicant: Hoffman-Madison Marquette

Recognition:  Final, Affordable Housing Distinction

The Southwest Waterfront is a large-scale urban redevelopment and infill project that will transform the waterfront along the Washington Channel into a unique destination and pedestrian-friendly neighborhood that will be reconnected to the rest of the city.  The project represents a unique public-private partnership between the District of Columbia and the development team, PN Hoffman and Associates and Madison Marquette.

Key features of the proposal include an appropriate mix of office, retail, residential, cultural, maritime, and recreational uses, and increased densities with convenient access to nearby transit stations and other transportation options, including proposed streetcar lines along Maine Avenue and along the Wharf. 

The project features a variety of public spaces and parks, along with street-level retail, which will enliven the pedestrian experience along public streets as well as mews or alleys.  A new land use pattern on a grid of small blocks of about 200 to 250 linear feet on a side, along with below-grade parking structures, will also encourage pedestrian activity.  Creation of an innovative shared-use wharf including areas for outdoor seating and cafés, a pedestrian promenade and a limited-use travel lane, along with a series of public and private piers with distinctive uses, will help to create a unique waterfront destination. 

Perhaps most notably, the proposal will integrate this new neighborhood within its surroundings and reconnect the waterfront with the rest of the city through improved pedestrian connections to the Federal core to the north and to the National Mall.  The proposed stair connection from Banneker Overlook to the new surface intersection at the Fish Market will allow pedestrians to access the waterfront safely.  The project will complete one of the last remaining segments of the Anacostia Riverwalk trail through the installation of a grade-separated multi-use pathway along Maine Avenue.  This ten-foot wide, grade-separated, multi-use trail that will connect with the rest of the District’s bicycle network and provide a seamless transition to the future “Complete Street” redesign of M Street, S.W. 

Twinbrook West
Rockville, Maryland
Applicant:  The JBG Companies

Recognition:  Preliminary, Joint Recognition by ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing

Twinbrook West is a redevelopment proposal for an existing 72,000 square foot strip retail center on Rockville Pike between Bouic Avenue and Thompson Avenue.  The proposed uses include 345 apartments, a full service grocery, and 25,000 feet of additional retail at ground floor level.  

Key among the smart and sustainable qualities of this development proposal are its fine-grained mix of retail and residential uses and substantial increase in density near transit.  The project is within 500 feet of the Chapman Avenue entrance to the Twinbrook Metro Station.

Together, these features will help encourage the use of alternative transportation modes, such as walking, biking, and transit in an area that is now dependent upon the automobile. 

It is significant that the project will add residential units in a commercial area, which will help improve the jobs-housing balance and increase the supply of Moderately Priced Dwelling Units.  The development will utilize a number of environmentally sensitive site and building design practices such as green roofs, landscape infiltration, and porous pavement to manage storm water. This project is one among several redevelopment projects along the Rockville Pike that will contribute to the urbanization and revitalization of a suburban area.  

D Parcel, The Yards

District of Columbia

Applicant:  Forest City Washington

This project site is located at 4th and M Streets Southeast within The Yards, a large-scale urban infill project along the Anacostia River.  A designated brownfield, the site must undergo soil remediation prior to construction.  The land is to be developed with 225 units of mixed-income rental housing, a full-service grocery store and additional neighborhood retail.  The project represents a unique public-private partnership between the General Services Administration and the developer, Forest City Washington, with participation by the District of Columbia.  Key among the many noteworthy qualities of the proposal is the provision of a high percentage of rental units (20 percent) that will be affordable to families with very low incomes (50 percent of the Area Median Income and below).  This qualifies the project for a special Affordable Housing Distinction.  The market rate units provided in the development will also help meet the need for housing in this job-rich environment.  In addition, the project will address another urgent need by providing a full-service grocery store in an underserved neighborhood. 

2010

Mid-Pike Plaza Redevelopment

Montgomery County, Maryland

Applicant:  Federal Realty Investment Trust

This project site is a 24-acre parcel on Rockville Pike between Montrose Parkway and Old Georgetown Road that is currently occupied by an existing 308,555 square foot retail center and a large surface parking lot. The proposal is for development of up to 3.4 million square feet of mixed uses, including retail, office, residential and hotel, to be executed in phases.  Phase I will include 92,800 square feet of retail development and 322 dwelling units.  The smart growth attributes of the project will encourage the use of alternative transportation modes, improve the jobs-housing balance and contribute to the urbanization and revitalization of an auto-dependent suburban area. The development will also utilize a number of environmentally sensitive site and building design.  The project will provide 215 moderately provided dwelling units (MPDUs), equal to 12.5% of the total proposed residential build-out. 

The Chelsea School Redevelopment

Silver Spring, Maryland

Applicant:  EYA

This project site is the home of the Chelsea School, located at 711 Pershing Drive, at the edge of the Silver Spring CBD. The 4.88-acre parcel is occupied by academic buildings, a gym, a large surface parking lot and the historic Riggs-Thompson House.  The proposal is to preserve the historic house and replace the other uses with 76 townhomes, along with three substantial public parks comprising approximately 15-20 percent of the site’s total land area.  The project will incorporate 11 moderately priced dwelling units (“MPDU’s”), which at 14.5% of the units, exceeds the Montgomery County 12.5% MPDU threshold.  These townhomes will be indistinguishable from market rate units and set aside to provide housing for persons employed in the surrounding community.

The Residences at Government Center

Fairfax County, Virginia

Applicant: Jefferson Apartment Group

This proposal was awarded joint recognition by the Washington Smart Growth Alliance and the ULI Terwilliger Center for Workforce Housing for its innovative approach to provision of affordable and workforce housing. The project site is a nine-acre parcel formerly owned by Fairfax County and located on the campus of the Fairfax County Government Center. The result of a unique public/private partnership between the county government and the developer, the project will consist entirely of affordable and workforce housing - 270 rental units that will be affordable to households earning from 50 percent to 100 percent of the Area Median Income.

Of these, 141 will be affordable to households earning from 60 to 100 percent of the Area Median Income. Download a color fact sheet on this proposal here.

Spring Hill Station/Tysons West

Fairfax County, Virginia

Applicant:  The Georgelas Group LLC

This proposal was awarded joint recognition by the Washington Smart Growth Alliance and the ULI Terwilliger Center for Workforce Housing for its innovative approach to provision ofaffordable and workforce housing. The project will redevelop land currently occupied by a mix of car dealerships, industrial uses and office buildings that is located within none-quarter to one-third mile of the proposed Tyson West Metrorail station.  Consisting of three neighborhoods, the development will include about six million square feet of mixed use development, including residential, office, retail and hotel uses. Twenty percent of the residential units will be designated as affordable and workforce housing, with 344 to 414 units targeting household incomes of 50 to 120 percent of the Area Median Income. The focal point of the project is a public plaza located at the corner of Spring Hill Road and Route 7, immediately adjacent to the northern entrance of Tysons West Station. Shops and cafes line the plaza and there is an overhead pavilion structure, a water feature and extensive landscaping and hardscaping.  Download a color fact sheet on this proposal here.

Applicant:  McCaffery Interests, Developer

Antunovich Associates, Architects

This proposal was awarded Preliminary Recognition. The project will redevelop the Potomac Yard shopping center on Route 1 in north Alexandria with over 7.5 million square feet of fine-grained mixed uses including office, retail, hotel and about 4,500 residential units. The development will incorporate a high-performance transit-way corridor and a new Metrorail Station to serve three new high-density urban neighborhoods connected by an urban grid of streets. Ground floor retail, parks, gathering places, broad sidewalks and trails will encourage pedestrian and bicycle use. In addition to ten acres of open space, the proposal includes a number of passive storm water management features such as green roofs, bio-retention facilities, and permeable pavement. Community benefits include a possible school site and a commitment by the developer to provide affordable housing onsite or through monetary contributions.

2008

St. Paul's College

Washington, D.C.
EYA Associates

This infill project will develop ten acres of under-utilized land on the St. Paul's College campus on Fourth Street NE, within a half mile of the Brookland-CUA metro station. The development will include 250 single-family townhouses architecturally designed to be compatible with both the college and existing townhouses in the area. By providing additional housing at an increased density in close proximity to the Metro station, the development will help support transit as well as enhance the mix of uses in the area, which is expecting substantial new retail development. The development will also improve pedestrian connectivity and access to transit for existing residents of the area, by extending the surrounding public streets into the development. The green will be enhanced by a 9,000 square-foot park. A paved plaza in the southeast corner will serve as a community gathering place. Installation of new storm water management facilities, including innovative use of a bioswale and rain gardens, will improve water quality protection. The development will provide at least 10 percent affordable units targeting income levels of 50-80 percent of the area median.

Falkland North Apartments
Silver Spring, Maryland
Home Properties

Located just a block from the Silver Spring Metro station, Home Properties is proposing a mixed-use development of residences and neighborhood-serving retail, including a much-needed grocery store. This project is consistent with the Silver Spring Sector Plan that strives to create a more vibrant and walkable downtown Silver Spring. In addition to the new buildings, a large public plaza is included along East-West Highway that will be open to residents and non-residents alike. This is important as accessible and open public space will be critical to the livability of redeveloping Silver Spring, and the developers should be commended for providing such an amenity. In keeping with Montgomery County's emphasis on green building techniques, a green roof will be created above the underground parking garage. The development will also provide all of their required affordable housing units (12.5%) onsite and scattered throughout the development ensuring that housing opportunities will be available to a diverse mix of the public.

KB Home and Centex Homes are proposing the redevelopment of approximately 180 acres, strategically located along Interstate-270 and along the proposed Corridor City Transitway (CCT) alignment. The developers deserve credit for incorporating the right mix of housing types - single-family, townhouses, and larger multi-family buildings, office buildings, shopping opportunities, and significant set asides for parks and open space. These are all scattered throughout six distinct neighborhoods. Until the future Transitway is built, a shuttle bus is planned to provide public transportation to the Shady Grove Metro station, which is within 4 miles of the site. Green building techniques are also anticipated in several of the buildings further limiting the site's environmental footprint. Proving their commitment to the community, the project details were born from a public involvement process, referred to as a "charrette," that was sponsored by the development team.

Redeveloping older suburban roads like Rockville Pike into walkable business districts and neighborhood centers will be critical as our region continues to grow. In the same vein, the Holladay Corporation is proposing a redevelopment of an auto-oriented strip development into a mixed-use center across the Pike from the White Flint Metro station. To encourage a more pedestrian-friendly environment, the buildings will be brought up to the sidewalk edge as opposed to the typical pattern of Rockville Pike, which sets buildings back far away from the street for surface parking. All of the parking for Metro Pike will be provided underground. New sidewalks will be built, and some of the existing sidewalks will be improved to 25 feet. This is all in keeping with the County's plan for the White Flint station area, and the good news is that there are several nearby development proposals in the pipeline that share this vision. Finally, Holladay will incorporate green roof technology into Metro Pike, and create a new public park at the intersection of Woodglen Avenue and Nicholson Lane.

Immediately adjacent to the Rosslyn Metro, 1812 North Moore Street will seek to make major contributions to the quality and vitality of the Central Place redevelopment district in Rosslyn , Virginia . The building will include a first-class ground level restaurant, internalized parking, and 593,000 square feet of office space. The scope of development extends to the north with the adaptive reuse of an operating Dominion Power substation. To the south, the design team is working with the WMATA to make significant improvements to the Metro station. The 1812 team proposes to transform Moore Street into a destination street that can facilitate the coexistence of pedestrians, buses, and cars creating a new attractive urban space. Working with architects from Davis, Carter Scott Ltd., they will seek LEED gold certification for green building design, incorporate on-site renewable energy generation, and promote these concepts through a Knowledge Center for Sustainability.

The Washington Gateway will bring revitalization and a human scale to this NoMa neighborhood by replacing an abandoned lot and an out-of-business gas station on the southeast corner of New York and Florida Avenues NE, and by creating a new interconnected environment of urban amenities. The project will involve construction of two office buildings and a T-shaped structure with residential units and a hotel, all with retail on the ground floor and a public plaza. For bicyclists on the Metropolitan Branch Trail, it will feature an atrium with benches, bicycle racks, a pump station and information about the trail and historic DC neighborhoods. Pedestrians going to and from the New York Avenue Metro station nearby will be pleased with the improved streetscape, the direct link between Florida and New York Avenues through the plaza, and walking to the metro stop without crossing Florida Avenue.

Halstead Mixed Use
Fairfax County, VA

This redevelopment project is located within a quarter-mile of the Dunn Loring Metro station in the Merrifield area of Fairfax County, Virginia, between Merrilee Drive and Gallows Road and south of Prosperity Avenue. Existing single-story industrial buildings will be replaced with a mix of transit supportive uses: one thousand dwelling units; 100,000 square feet of retail, service, restaurant uses; and a potential 150 room hotel. Four proposed buildings will line a new pedestrian-oriented street connecting Merrilee Drive and Gallows Road. A large pedestrian plaza will serve as a gathering place for residents and visitors, surrounded by ground-level community-serving uses such as a small grocery store and a variety of casual restaurants that will encourage evening activity. In addition to a satellite County library, other community benefits include mixed-income housing units that will exceed Fairfax County's affordable housing requirements. A pedestrian-friendly urban development, the project provides all parking in structures or on-street spaces.

Glenmont Metrocenter
Silver Spring, MD

This mixed-use, transit-oriented development in will redevelop an existing garden apartment community located across Glenallen Avenue from the Glenmont Metro Station in Silver Spring, Maryland. The development of approximately 1550 residential units will include apartments, condominiums, live-work units and townhomes. It will add a new retail center on Glenallen with uses such as restaurants, coffee shops, gyms and service uses that will encourage more evening activity and help to establish a sense of place for the Glenmont Metro station. A new landscaped central park, leading back to a restored stream valley buffer and linear park will provide attractive public space for both active and passive recreation. The development will improve pedestrian links between the Metro Station, surrounding neighborhoods and nearby community attractions such as Wheaton Regional Park by creating a new street between Layhill Road and Georgia Avenue and an internal grid of narrow urban streets. These improvements, along with on-street and structured parking, pedestrian-scaled architectural and streetscape elements, will help increase pedestrian activity and transit ridership and reduce vehicle trips in the area.

2006

5220 Wisconsin Avenue
Washington, DC
Akridge Real Estate Services

On what is now a used car lot, D.C.-based Akridge proposes a tapered 3 to 7 story condominium building with neighborhood-serving ground floor retail along Wisconsin Avenue only 300 feet from the Friendship Heights Metro station. The property is adjacent to a PEPCO substation with bricked over windows and cracked sidewalks. Akridge has agreed to replace the windows for use as community display space, repair and enhance the sidewalks by eliminating curb cuts, and provide trees and flower beds. Perhaps most impressively, Akridge has committed to achieving LEED certification, a distinction not yet achieved by any residential building in Washington D.C. LEED is a certification from the U.S. Green Building Council which encourages techniques and strategies that lessen a development's environmental impacts. Among many other features, compared with traditional structures, the proposed building will use less energy and water, control storm water runoff, produce less construction waste and encourage alternative means of transportation through car sharing and bicycle use.

Located three-quarters of a mile from the Dunn Loring Metro station, Clark Realty and Edens & Avant are joint-venturing to redevelop 27 acres that is currently occupied by an old multiplex cinema and 12.5 acres of surface parking. This proposal would effectively implement the Merrifield Town Center Plan, which was put together by a coalition of business and civic leaders in 2001. The mulitplex would be rebuilt, and the surface parking replaced with a well-designed mix of residential, office and retail uses. Three new urban parks programmed for year-round activity would be scattered throughout the site offering sorely-needed public space to new and existing residents. This project would add vitality and life to what is currently a moribund auto-oriented use. Free shuttle service and an emphasis on pedestrian and bicycle accessibility will encourage people to use Metro.

The City of Rockville has worked for over a decade on their Town Center plan. KSI is proposing a mixed-use building located within the Town Center. The building will have residential units and ground-floor, neighborhood-service retail, enhanced by large pedestrian walkways and seating areas. 15% of the units will be moderately priced dwelling units and they will be provided on-site. In addition, $200,000 worth of public art will be placed around the site - twice as much as the city requirement. In order to address citizen concern about increased traffic, the developer is working with the city and the citizens to provide transportation improvements to the adjacent West End community.

Birthed by a vision for an urban renaissance at the heart of one of Maryland's great historic towns, the Galleria at Carroll Creek is just a short 5-minute walk to downtown and across the street from the MARC station. The project borders and will help enliven the Carroll Creek Walk Project (now under construction). This gateway site was designed around a dramatic fountain plaza and will feature approximately 130 condominiums, 33,000 square feet of retail, and a 372-space public parking garage. The Galleria at Carroll Creek is at the cutting edge of smart growth projects around the country, and is a flagship project for The City of Frederick.

Wheaton, located along Georgia Avenue in eastern Montgomery County, has not benefited as much from the economic growth of other successful Montgomery County central business districts such as Bethesda and Silver Spring. This has begun to change, and Avalon at Wheaton, a project of AvalonBay Communities, should be a catalyst for this change. Their proposal will bring sorely needed residential and retail development to the revitalizing Wheaton business district. The planned grocery store within the development will add value for the new and existing residents. A new park, which will be available to the public, on the east side of the property and the inclusion of the moderately priced dwelling units on site makes this the right project at the right time for Wheaton.

The JBG Companies is proposing a residential building and an office building directly above the Rosslyn Metro station. The company has worked closely with the city and the surrounding business owners to design iconic buildings in an area often criticized for its uninspiring architecture. The company has taken care to provide amenities on the ground as well, allowing for ground floor retail, and more importantly, funding the construction and design of a new public park between the two new buildings. Vibrant public spaces will be critical in Arlington's attempt to turn Rosslyn into a livable neighborhood from the strictly commercial district that exists now. Of note as well, the top floor of the office building will be a free, public observation deck that will allow for outstanding views of the Washington skyline.

Located 1/4 mile from the Takoma Metro station, the SGA Companies "Ecco Park" will redevelop what is now an old gas station and truck rental lot into a residential and retail project that promises to bring new life to what is now a moribund corridor between the Takoma Metro station and Takoma Park's commercial district. Besides the building itself, investments will be made to ensure that the sidewalks are widened, street trees are planted, and benches are provided. Building a new project within a designated historic neighborhood can present challenges, and the SGA Companies deserves credit for working with city planners, local business associations, neighborhood groups and historic preservation offices to come up with a design that would fit in historically and functionally with the community. Going above what is legally required, the SGA Companies promises to provide 10% of the units as affordable and apply several green building techniques including a green roof.

Located near the Arlington County line along one of the city's main corridors (Lee Highway), Akridge's Falls Church Gateway will provide a mix of residential, retail, and commercial uses in an area currently comprised of older office buildings and surface parking lots. In an effort to help the project fit into the context of the neighborhood, the design of the mixed-use project will step down to respect the adjacent residential neighborhoods. The mix of uses, including neighborhood-serving retail, with a pedestrian-friendly mews street and "village green" open to the public will create an active setting throughout the day. The project's open space will connect to Isaac Crossman Park and Four Mile Run, one of the region's most heavily used bike trails.

Redeveloping older suburban office parks into walkable business districts and neighborhood centers will be critical as our region continues to grow. Redevelopment efforts in Springfield have been stymied in the past, but KSI's proposal could provide the much-needed catalyst for the revitalization of the entire area. The proposal will add a mix of office, housing, retail, and hotel uses all connected with wide sidewalks, street trees, and a public park. Various techniques will assist with traffic generation, such as a shuttle to the nearby Metro station. A green roof, which will help handle storm water runoff, will be placed on top of the main parking garage.

Monument Realty's "Randolph Square" will be an impressive capstone project to the Village at Shirlington, which is one of the most successful suburban, mixed-use districts in the region. The addition of office tenants, ground floor retail space, and a "wrapped" parking garage will add much-needed uses to the neighborhood. Importantly, the garage will share uses between the office tenants and the existing retail and restaurant businesses. Additional transportation demand management techniques will also help with traffic, such as contributions for the new bus shelter, traffic calming, and Smart Trip cards for on-site employees. They are also incorporating several green building techniques into the project.

The redevelopment of Square 54 represents an important opportunity for The George Washington University, the Foggy Bottom and West End neighborhoods, and the entire city to bring quality development to a prime location across the street from the Foggy Bottom - GWU Metro station. The joint project between Boston Properties, Inc., KSI Services, Inc., and the University, will bring a vibrant, mixed-use development to the 2.6 acre vacant parcel - the former site of the GWU hospital. In addition to the Class A office space and market and affordable apartment housing options, the proposed project will provide much-needed neighborhood-serving retail, including a proposed grocery store. The project also incorporates an interior courtyard that will provide a better and more direct pedestrian connection across the site and an inviting, open public space.

2004

Arlington Main Post Office
Arlington, Virginia
Keating Development Company and U.S. Postal Service

The redevelopment of the Arlington Main Post Office is a public/private partnership between the United States Postal Service and Keating Development Company. Dorsky Hodgson + Partners is the architectural firm. The proposed redevelopment calls for a mixed-use development consisting of a restored post office and distribution facility along with a mix of office, residential, flexible commercial work space as well as street front retail. The site is located one block from the Clarendon Metrorail station.

Bromptons at Cherrydale
Arlington, Virginia
The Bromptons at Cherrydale LLP c/o Ed Peete Company

The proposal recognized by the SGA is called Bromptons at Cherrydale. The proposal would provide a mixed-use infill development with 43 one- and two-bedroom condominium units, three of which would be priced below market, and ground-floor retail space. mixed-use development consisting of 50 residential units, including condominiums, townhomes and single-family detached houses, as well as 5,600 square feet of retail on the ground floor of the 4-story condominium building. The Cherrydale neighborhood of Arlington has a residential history spanning 150 years. The proposed craftsman style homes respect the architecture of this neighborhood.

Rosslyn Ridge will redevelop 22 existing rental units with 255 housing units. 102 of the new units will be affordable, with the balance rental at market rate. The non-profit Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH), is the current owner, and will continue to own and direct management of the property in the future. Existing residents are guaranteed placement in APAH properties, or in other non-profit owned Arlington units during reconstruction. As part of a unique partnership, adjacent Arlington County land is also part of the Rosslyn Ridge site plan. This parcel was acquired by the County in the early 1970's and up-zoned in anticipation of some form of high-rise development. The Arlington County land is currently zoned medium-high residential and, through this project, will remain as open parkland in perpetuity and managed by Arlington County Parks. This arrangement will allow APAH to add additional units to the project.

Silver Spring Gateway
Silver Spring, Maryland
The JBG Compaines

Developed by the JBG Companies, the "Silver Spring Gateway" proposal will be within easy walking distance of Metro Rail, MARC, several bus lines, and newly-redeveloped downtown Silver Spring. The site is currently an abandoned auto body shop. The proposal will be a mix of apartments, retail and a unique "incubator" office building for start-up businesses. As part of the proposal, East-West highway will receive some badly needed streetscape improvements, such as street trees, improved sidewalks, and more attractive lighting. As opposed to paying into Montgomery County's affordable housing trust fund, JBG will include all of its affordable housing on site. In addition to residential and retail development, the project will also build a 20,000 square foot "incubator" office building for Montgomery County.

The proposal on Richmond Highway, developed by Madison Development Company "The Heights @ Groveton," would create a mixed-use (residential, commercial and retail) redevelopment on a vacant lot across the street from the Beacon Hill Shopping Plaza. It is located 1.5 miles away from the Huntington Metrorail station with frequent bus service to the Huntington Metro station. Parking would be completely surrounded by residential and retail uses, and combined with the proposed sidewalk improvements, would create an inviting experience for the new residents and the surrounding neighborhood.

The first SGA project proposal recognized in Prince William County, "Rippon Commuter Village" developed by Hazel Land Companies, is located at the Rippon VRE commuter rail station in Woodbrige, Virginia. The site is currently a surface parking lot leased to VRE. In addition to housing, the site would also provide space for neighborhood-serving retail. The proposal would provide extremely convenient pedestrian access to the VRE station. In a report released earlier this year by the SGA, "Barriers and Incentives to Transit-Oriented Development," a panel of transportation and land use experts recommended just such commuter rail development for Prince William County.

The SGA also recognized the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) a second time for a proposal to develop mixed-income housing one-half block from the Clarendon Metrorail station. The First Baptist Church of Clarendon currently occupies the site. The church and administrative offices will be on the bottom two floors with the housing built above. The historic church steeple will be preserved in front. "We are very pleased to receive recognition from the Smart Growth Alliance for a second time," said Douglass Peterson, executive director of the APAH. He continued, "As housing prices continue to spike higher in the Washington region, affordable housing development becomes ever more challenging. This mixed-income project will provide sorely needed affordable housing in Arlington within a half block of Metro."

The JBG Companies was recognized for its "Upper Rock" proposal at the intersection of I-270 and Choke Cherry Road in Rockville, Maryland. Modeled partly on the successful traditional neighborhood developments of King Farm and Kentlands in Montgomery County, Upper Rock will redevelop an underused auto-oriented office park and build a mixed-use residential community that will eventually connect to the existing King Farm development and the future Corridor Cities Transitway. The Upper Rock proposal was designed by the award-winning design firm Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company.

A vacant lot and perennial eyesore along the town's central main street, Laurel Avenue, will be reclaimed for a sit-down restaurant and community theater. Additionally, through a public-private partnership a public parking garage will be built behind the development. The builder, Uricolo Properties, LLC is the landowner, who also owns neighboring Takoma Metro Shopping Center. The redevelopment will respect the historic character of the surrounding buildings, and it has received the approval of the Montgomery County Historic Preservation Commission.

In downtown Bethesda, Maryland, Triumph Development, LLC is proposing to build a condominium project along Woodmont Avenue to the Northwest corner of Hampden Lane. The project will be within two blocks of the Bethesda Metro station and very close to a library, school, park and a host of retail stores. To the project's credit, the requisite amount of moderately priced dwelling units (MPDUs) will be placed on site. (While developers in Montgomery County may pay into an affordable housing fund in lieu of providing units on site, the Smart Growth Alliance looks favorably on proposals that place MPDUs units on site.) With property values and rents rising rapidly in the Washington region, it is crucial to provide affordable housing opportunities near transit stations.

In Alexandria, Virginia Capital Associates is proposing to build a mixed-use (retail, office and residential) development in the neighborhood surrounding the Braddock Metro station. Of the project's many amenities, most impressive is the Harris Teeter Grocery store that would be built on site. The neighborhood is currently under-served by retail, especially a full-service, quality grocery store. The proposal would go a long way toward bringing more residential uses to the neighborhood and putting more activity in the streetscape.

Maryland Development Company, LLC (MDC) is proposing a traditional neighborhood development around an existing Virginia Railway Express (VRE) station in south Stafford County. MDC sponsored a week-long "charrette" process, performed by the award-winning design firm Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company, that resulted in a plan that would support more compact and diverse development within walking distance of the VRE station while preserving more than three times the amount of contiguous open space (33%) than the fragmented open space of the by-right plan (10.8%). The proposed plan also increases the amount of commercial than the by-right plan, but significantly promotes an active pedestrian oriented streetscape with the presence of mixed-use buildings and traffic-calmed streets.

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