Standard Real Estate Investments, LP, announced recently that it has begun the first phase of the construction at its recently purchased property adjacent to the Congress Heights Metro Station site in Ward 8 in Southeast.
Demolition of existing buildings on site will commence on June 19.
“We are incredibly honored to usher in a new era for this well-located site and the demolition of the existing buildings is just the first step in importing economic activity, amenities, and jobs to the Congress Heights neighborhood,” said Jerome Nichols, president of Standard. “It’s been a complex process, and our partnership with Trammell Crow Company promises to create a new benchmark for development in the District as we unlock the potential of this site.”
The Trammell Crow Company (TCC) is a global real estate development firm that Standard has partnered with to execute on the leasing and development of up to 240,000 square feet of commercial office and retail space. The one-acre site at 1331 Alabama Avenue SE neighbors the MedStar Health Performance Center, which is home to the Washington Mystics and Capital City Go-Go training facility and is proximate to the southern pedestrian entrance to the Congress Heights Metro Station.
“We are thrilled to start the development of this transformative project, which is already generating interest from a variety of commercial users that will drive job creation and nurture a sense of community,” said Tom Finan, principal at TCC. “Our successful development of the new Department of General Services headquarters a few miles north in Ward 7 has sparked a wave of interest from office and retail users, which will undoubtedly attract additional economic support throughout the community. The tireless efforts of our partners at Standard will bring a robust new economic engine to Ward 8, while furthering our multi-year, multi-million-dollar commitment to partnering with diverse sponsors and investing in diverse communities as part of our firm’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative.”
The Standard-TCC partnership is designed to be a strong economic driver in the ward. Plus, the project represents another key milestone in the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA also known as Metro) ongoing efforts to bring forth transit-oriented developments. Standard purchased a portion of the seven-property site assemblage from Metro in 2021.
“In addition to enhancing the fabric of this community this project will enhance accessibility to transit in and around Congress Heights,” said Liz Price, vice president of real estate and development for Metro.
Construction completion is targeted for 2026 as the team begins demolition and finalizes the design and leasing campaign for the office and retail components.