Preliminary Concept, South Building of Proposed Donatelli/Blue Skye Project on Reservation 13, Viewed from Stadium Armory Metro
Preliminary Concept, North Building. Metro Stop Far Left.
Preliminary Concept of Project Showing Village Square Community Gathering Place Adjacent to South Building
Reservation 13 Developer Sees Ground-Breaking in mid-2016 for Residential Retail Project
Two Year Construction Period Anticipated
by Larry Janezich
Wednesday evening, Larry Clark, Vice President of Donatelli Development, told Hill East residents and stakeholders that Donatelli/Blue Skye hopes to break ground in mid-2016 on the mixed use buildings proposed for two Reservation 13 parcels adjacent to the Stadium Armory Metro at 19th and Massachusetts SE.
In September of 2013, DMPED awarded the proposal to develop the two city-owned parcels to the Donatelli Development/Blue Sky Construction team. The proposal is for a mixed use project, built as a matter of right (no Public Unit Development (PUD) process required), with the following features:
Total Apartment Units: 354
248 Market Rate Units
106 Affordable Housing Units (30% of total)
53 Units at 30% of AMI
53 Units at 60% of AMI
Approx. 20,000 – 40,000 SF of ground floor retail
Approx. 222 parking spaces
Village square – a green community gathering place
Last night, Clark revealed that access and unloading difficulties have thus far precluded the attempt to place a large grocery in the project but that a boutique grocery outlet is a possibility.
The next step in the process is declaring the property surplus – i.e., no longer of use to the public – which requires City Council approval. Wednesday night’s meeting to receive public input on surplusing the properties is required by the process prior to a City Council vote.
Fewer than a dozen residents attended the meeting. The only concerns raised had to do with seeking assurances the land could not be re-purposed should DC win the Olympics bid, as well as assurances that the city receives value for turning over the properties to the developer in exchange for forfeiting land value and use of the property. DMPED is in the process of having the properties appraised, and the results will be made public upon completion.
The period of public comment on declaring the pieces surplus will end November 10. Comments may be emailed to DMPED project manager Ketan Gada here: ketan.gada@dc.gov
Legislation in the form of a “surplus package” will be forwarded to the City Council along with a “disposition package” both requiring Council approval in December. There could be an additional public meeting if the Council sees fit and there will be a public meeting prior to the disposition of the properties.
Remarking on potential retail for the project, Clark said “Donatelli/Blue Skye is committed to finding as exciting retail as possible.”
Asked about how the project will be financed, Clark replied that funding is being sought in the capital markets.
Ketan Gada of DMPED suggested to Clark that it would be a good idea for Donatelli/Blue Skye to appear before the ANC6B and ANC7F in a month or two to provide an update, and Clark agreed to do so.
The DMPED website for the project is here:
CAPITOL HILL CORNER 
Overall, this sounds like a reasonable redevelopment plan for the area.
Nice. Looks just like Clarendon. Or every other place in America. That’s thinking inside the box building architecture.
So nice to see there is planned green space. Northeast has only 17% compared to other quadrants.