Smart and Sustainable Growth Projects Recognized by the Alliance

In 2012, the Alliance has granted Smart and Sustainable Growth Recognition to two projects:  the Woodmont/7200 redevelopment in Bethesda, Maryland for its mixed use site plan for the revitalization of the Bethesda downtown core, and to the Hine School Redevelopment in the District of Columbia, which will contribute to the revitalization of the Capitol Hill Historic District. The table below provides additional information about these projects. 

Click here to read the press-ready release (5.7MB Word format) or here for the smaller PDF format version. 

For information on projects recognized in previous years, click on the links below: 

Recognized Projects 2011

Recognized Projects 2010

Recognized Projects 2008-2009

Recognized Projects 2007

Recognized Projects 2006

Recognized Projects 2005

Recognized Projects 2004

Recognized Projects 2003

Recognized Projects 2002

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.