1442 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, the future home of McCormick Paint and NY Pizza
Tenants Signed for Douglas Development Building at 15th and Pennsylvania Avenue, SE
by Larry Janezich
According to the Douglas Development website for the mixed use retail/office building at 1442 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, two tenants – McCormick Paints and New York Pizza – have been signed to occupy the first floor retail space. The site was acquired by Douglas in 2007 and the redevelopment was completed in December, 2013. The website says the two story project has 13,139 square feet with abundant space for outdoor seating and the potential for a rooftop terrace. Offices are planned for the projects second floor. To see the project’s website, go here: http://bit.ly/1K7X8pT
The majority of the first floor retail space will be occupied by McCormick Paints. This will be the third paint store in SE Capitol Hill which already has Frager’s Paint Store at 12th and Pennsylvania Avenue, and Duron Paints on Barracks Row. It appears that McCormick’s will be the largest of the three. NY Pizza is looking for a new home since the current site at 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue is scheduled to be redeveloped by CAS Riegler who plans to put a six story 150 – 180 residential building on the site. For a previous post on this development, go here: http://bit.ly/1F6lYGl
Douglas Development has been steadily increasing its presence in SE Capitol Hill. It is currently redeveloping a commercial project at 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. DC Restaurateur Ari Gejdenson of Acqua al II has expressed interest in opening a ground floor specialty market at that location. In addition, Douglas owns the building housing Pret a Manger at 3rd and Pennsylvania Avenue, SE and the building housing District Doughnuts on Barracks Row. For previous posts on Douglas Development Capitol Hill projects, go here: http://bit.ly/1PiJJgo
CAPITOL HILL CORNER 
So the god awful pizza place is relocating and we get our third paint store in the neighborhood.
If that’s the best Douglas can do then we appear to need more density in Hill East to attract better tenants. Hopefully when 1500 and 1600 PA Ave SE open that will bring enough street life to open a coffee shop or restaurant in Hill East.
if you zoom in on this map, you will find that Capitol Hill is among the highest density residential neighborhoods in the city, exceeded by Logan Circle/14th street, but not by another patch, especially when considered as 4 census tracts adjacent to one another.
the chamber of commerce, development-is-always-the-answer drumbeat of the new urbanists gets so tedious.
Of the 178 census tracts in DC with population, the three closest to this development are:
Census Tract 69: 77th most dense in the city (5,820 persons/sq. km, 2,388 person)
Census Tract 68.02: 57th (8,018 persons/sq. km)
Census Tract 71: 80th (5,532)
If we combine the three, the total population density is 6,169 persons per square kilometer (total population: 7,914). The area covered by these tracts go from 11th streets south and east to the Anacostia, while staying south of South Carolina Ave and Mass Ave as well as the triangle formed by 9th, 11th, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina.
There are 70 census tracts more dense than this, with a total population of 267,178 people. The remaining 105 census tracts have 344,279 people. So 40% of census tracts are more dense. And those tracts hold 43.7% of the population.
So, sure, let’s call the area around this development more a little more dense than average for the city. But to call it one of the highest density residential neighborhoods in the city is disingenuous at best.
Data Source: 2009-2013 5-years ACS estimates.
@Corey H.
so you include the undeveloped Reservation 13 and RFK parking lots in your calculations? That’s really disingenuous
Sorry, I misstated the boundaries. Those lands are in 68.04 (whose only population are inmates).
The boundaries go to 17th/19th around the cemetery.
Kathleen – please explain to me why, if Hill East is the 3rd densest neighborhood, it can’t even support one full time coffee shop? The Nimbyism is much more tiring.
Agreed. Very uninspiring. But obviously there weren’t tons of businesses clamoring to get in there.
Hill East—the paint store capital of Washington DC. At least it’s not a 7-11.
My hope is that given the pretty aesthetics of the second floor space and the balconies, that New York Pizza is consciously trying to rebrand itself into something better than what it is at the current location, maybe make it into a sports bar of sorts? Wouldn’t make much sense otherwise for them to move into a place that must be charging much higher rents than what they are currently paying.
NY Pizza has been in our neighborhood for many years. I’m happy for them.
It’s extremely difficult for retail to exist on Capitol Hill. Check out Barracks Row on nearly any weekday afternoon, and you’ll find plenty of parking, closed restaurants, and bored retail workers. There just isn’t enough foot traffic to support more retail business on the hill.
The retail options are also terrible on Barracks Row. Homebody is ok but its really nitch, that “sports” store is outdated and doesn’t match what the neighborhood needs. I’m not a cyclist so I don’t know if those stores are any good. Radio Shack is a dump. I like Hill’s Kitchen.
In actuality, 8th Street retail is bordering on extinction. The Homebody space will become a restaurant. In all likelihood, Radio Shack will be shuttered. And why I still can’t fathom how two low margin bike shops with sparse inventory can continue to exist on the same block, i presume their days are numbered as well with a new REI flagship store be planned north of Union Station and a good option on H Street. You can only keep your doors open so long selling kids bikes and $500 mountain bikes. A concentration of panhandlers and loiterers don’t dovetail with rents as new retail space comes online in the nearby Riverfront neighborhood. Labyrinth is nonetheless a treasure.
Radio Shack is NOT a dump! I’m amazed at how often I go there for chargers and other odds and ends. I’m really glad that they’re there and like the people that work there.
Can only speak for City Bikes, but they do solid business on bike maintenance and their in store inventory is only a sample of what they carry and assemble. Staff are friendly and helpful. I’d much rather see bike stores than tapas or whatever lame food and drink concept is vying for space there (Daily Rider on H is also good but their bike selection is a little more esoteric). REI is a good resource for outdoor gear but not so much on bikes, where the selection is limited and prices as high as specialized shops.
Well, that is a bummer. A Paint store??
Those will be some nice offices upstairs. Any word on who is moving in?