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Well, for all the chatter—-some of it generated right here—-about whether the District will be able to keep up the pace of its development, here comes another announcement:
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty on Monday announced the District has selected Donatelli Development and Blue Skye Development as its development partner for a $108 million mixed-used project at a District-owned site near the Minnesota Avenue Metrorail Station. The project is the first major smart growth, transit-oriented development project East of the Anacostia River.
“This team has a great track record for success in terms of delivering neighborhood-transforming development projects at Metro station sites across the city,” said Mayor Fenty. “This project is going to be at the center of an incredible revitalization of Downtown Ward 7 and the Minnesota Avenue and Benning Road corridors.”
Donatelli Development had developed several hundred million dollars worth of projects at three Metro sites along the Green Line: Columbia Heights, U Street/Cardozo, Georgia Ave/Petworth. Blue Skye Development has invested more than $20 million in Ward 7 through development and construction projects
The proposed project will include 40,000 square feet of retail space for local and national retailers; 375 units aimed at working families; 60 market-rate homeownership units; a 5,000 square foot retail incubator to grow Ward 7 businesses and 2,500 square feet of community space.
The selected team has established an apprenticeship and first source hiring program that will provide 50 construction apprenticeships and 175 new permanent jobs.
The District issued a competitive solicitation for the site in the spring. Donatelli’s proposal called for no subsidy from the District government and requires not zoning changes, which will allow the team to move rapidly through the pre-development process.