CityCenterDC , colloquially called CityCenter , is a mixed-use development consisting of two condominium buildings, two rental apartment buildings, two office buildings, a luxury hotel, and public park in downtown Washington, D.C. It encompasses 2,000,000 square feet (190,000 m) and covers more than five city blocks. The $ 950 million development began construction on April 4, 2011, on the site of the former Washington Convention Center —a 10.2-acre (4.1 ha) site bounded by New York Avenue NW , 9th Street NW, H Street NW , and 11th Street NW. Most of the development was completed and open for business by summer 2015. The luxury hotel Conrad Washington, DC, opened in February 2019.
107-603: The development is one of the largest 21st-century downtown projects in the United States, and the largest urban development on the East Coast of the United States until the December 2012 groundbreaking of Manhattan's Hudson Yards . It has been described as "a modern-day Rockefeller Center " by Hector Falconer at The New York Times . The Washington Post architectural critic Steven Pearlstein, writing in 2003, said
214-572: A humid continental climate ( Dfa/Dfb/Dc ), with warm-to-hot summers, cold and snowy winters with at least one month averaging below freezing, and four to seven months with mean temperatures warmer than 50 °F. The area from Martha's Vineyard and extreme SW Rhode Island to southern Delaware and western North Carolina has a warm temperate climate ( Cfa Köppen/ Do Trewartha) with long and hot summers with at least one month over 22°C (71.6°F), cool winters with all months over freezing, and six to seven months above 50°F. Although winter precipitation
321-501: A "splashy new civic building, designed by one of the world's best-known architects." A month later, D.C. officials were predicting that the project would break ground in 2008. But the final design of the development was still uncertain, as the Federal City Council renewed its push for a national music museum at the site. There was also an increase in political maneuvering regarding the project. As of October 2003, backers of
428-736: A $ 187 million library. A briefing for architectural and engineering firms seeking subcontract work from the developers was held in September 2006. City officials approved the final master plan on November 20, 2006. The project included 686 housing units (down from 772 in June 2006), 280,000 square feet (26,000 m) of retail space (up from 275,000 square feet (25,500 m) in June 2006), 415,000 square feet (38,600 m) of office space (up from 300,000 square feet (28,000 m) in June 2006), 1,700 underground parking spaces (down from 1,900 in June 2006), and 110,000 square feet (10,000 m) of land for
535-419: A 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) lot on the southeast corner of 9th Street NW and Massachusetts Avenue NW for a similar-sized lot at the site of the old convention center. This land swap was essential to constructing the new convention center "headquarters hotel." The site preferred by Mayor Williams and recommended by his task force was not large enough for the planned hotel, and not contiguous. Gould's lot would create
642-424: A 200 to 300 room boutique hotel ; and a 155,000-square-foot (14,400 m) "cultural facility" (whose use was not yet determined) that included a 3,000-seat theater. (At least one report gave the size of the cultural facility as just 70,000 square feet (6,500 m).) Each of the buildings in the project was 11 stories high, and construction was anticipated to begin in late 2005. Hines executives said construction of
749-432: A 50,000-square-foot (4,600 m) public library. With the Federal City Council still pushing for a music museum, the developers said 1.75 acres (0.71 ha) of land would remain unbuilt until the city decided what would occupy that space. By this time, construction was scheduled to begin in 2008 and end in 2010. In early March 2005, in an attempt to resolve the disagreement, Mayor Williams offered to pay for construction of
856-478: A center for resort and travel destinations in the United States. New York City is the most populous city in the country and a major world financial center. Seventy-one of the world's Fortune 500 companies have their corporate headquarters in New York City, while Midtown Manhattan , with 400 million square feet of office space in 2018, is the largest central business district in the world. Washington, D.C.
963-531: A final vote approving the original agreement between the city and the Hines-led group in May. However, the additional delay now meant that construction would not begin until 2009 and not end until 2011. But Cropp convinced a majority of the council to put off the scheduled May 4 vote. She argued that the agreement gave the mayor complete authority over whether to build a hotel on the old convention center site, authority
1070-501: A history of working with minority-owned businesses. The group's financial package was also superior. The city had been willing to use up to $ 20 million annually in tax revenues generated by the project to help finance construction. But the Hines-led group was able to secure financing without city assistance, a much more favorable financial deal for the District of Columbia. (In a separate report, however, The Bond Buyer reported that it
1177-1027: A lack of foot traffic. The law firm of Covington & Burling occupies a majority of the office space at CityCenter, with more than 500 lawyers spread between two buildings. The American Hospital Association also has an office in CityCenter, as does the Qatar Foundation. Many high-end retail stores are found in CityCenter, including Louis Vuitton , Dior , Hermès , Burberry , Gucci , Salvatore Ferragamo , Hugo Boss , David Yurman , Loro Piana , Morgenthal Frederics, Kate Spade New York , Akris , Carolina Herrera , Allen Edmonds , Longchamp , Arc'teryx , TUMI , Giorgio Armani , Brioni , Paul Stuart , Brunello Cucinelli , Jo Malone London , VINCE. , Christian Louboutin , Bulgari , Brietling , Chanel , and Moncler . A Tesla dealership opened in 2017. A Tiffany & Co. store opened in March 2019 in
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#17327866133991284-465: A local developer and former president of the D.C. Building Industry Association, stepped in at the end of October to assist the two sides in coming to an agreement. The WCSA board delayed a November 4 vote until December. However, it did release its consultant's report, which did not specify a site for construction of the headquarters hotel but did identify six sites to be occupied by hotels of various size as well as financing options for them. On December 3,
1391-473: A music museum. The agreement permitted the construction of private offices or a boutique hotel atop the library building. It also allowed the Hines-led development group to lease the site for 99 years in return for a fixed multimillion-dollar annual rent payment as well as 25 percent of the project's profits. However, some City Council members, the Washington Convention and Sports Authority , and
1498-509: A new main public library, a hotel, a music museum, an office building, and/or a theatre complex. Three theatres seating 200, 750, and 2,500 people were envisioned. The task force report constituted a major change in the city's thinking. City planners had originally thought that the site was big enough to contain only a single public attraction, but the task force recommended that the library and museum share exhibit space and be built largely underground so that both could be accommodated. Williams said
1605-457: A public library. Twenty percent of the condominiums would be priced for low-income people. The public park had not disappeared (as previously reported), but just 21,780 square feet (2,023 m) were set aside for what was now called "Central Plaza". Tenth Street NW was reopened, a narrowed I Street NW was reopened between 9th and 10th Streets NW, and 30 percent of the retail space was set aside for non-chain stores. Two condominium buildings occupied
1712-599: A restaurant called Estuary in the Conrad hotel. The Hilton Conrad hotel opened in 2019 with 360 guest rooms and 32,000 square feet of meeting and event space. Notable residents at CityCenter include former Washington Wizards coach Scott Brooks , former attorney general Eric Holder , and Senator Claire McCaskill . White House aides Hope Hicks and Stephen Miller also lived in CityCenter. The Washington Convention Center , Washington, D.C.'s second convention center, opened on December 10, 1982. But just eight years later,
1819-775: A severe downtown parking problem), reopening I Street NW and 10th Street NW (both of which had been blocked by the old convention center), and constructing 1,000 apartments or condominiums at the site. The following month, Williams announced that the Office of the Deputy Mayor would oversee the redevelopment design effort. By May 2001, city officials were suggesting a development similar to Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco , California , or Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston, Massachusetts . The city hoped to open bids regarding
1926-560: A time, the entire development effort was threatened by the baseball stadium issue. In September 2002, just a month after the RFP was issued, backers seeking to bring a Major League Baseball team to D.C. as well as some city officials proposed the Washington Convention Center site as one of five possible locations for the construction of a new baseball stadium. It was not until January 30, 2003, that Mayor Williams rejected
2033-450: A total of at least 3,000 seats), 45,000 square feet (4,200 m) open space, and a 50,000-square-foot (4,600 m) public library. The RFP permitted construction of an office building and/or hotel only if it made the project economically viable. Since more than a dozen developers had already expressed interest in the project, city officials believed that it would take only nine months to interview applicants, name finalists, and re-interview
2140-633: A unified site large enough for the headquarters hotel. The deal began taking shape in August 2005, after the D.C. City Council had approved the awarding of the RFP. The WSCA put a $ 900,000 down payment on the lot (which included the historic former headquarters of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry and an adjacent small piece of land). The city and Gould engaged in lengthy negotiations over
2247-429: A video art installation. The northwest corner of CityCenter is a park that regularly hosts events and art installations, including an annual 75-foot Christmas tree, a summer farmers market, and other interactive exhibits. CityCenter is home to many stores and restaurants, as well as offices, apartments, condominiums, and a hotel, fulfilling the planners' goals for tenancy, although the development has been criticized for
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#17327866133992354-507: A week for two to three hours each day with council staff to convince them that the Mariani proposal was inappropriate. Mayoral staff said they could agree to a hotel and some meeting space underground, so long as the council approved the development deal by late June. But Council Chair Linda W. Cropp and Council Member Jack Evans (in whose ward the site was located) both favored the Mariani plan. Cropp said she voted to approve construction of
2461-403: A winning proposal in late June. They hoped that construction would begin 18 to 24 months later. The city had still not yet decided what to do with the existing convention center. Various individuals and groups had suggested keeping the facility and renovating it. But Mayor Williams demanded that it be torn down and parking lots be built on the site until the RFP process was finished and construction
2568-454: Is Palmer Alley, a three-block long pedestrian mall running east–west through the middle of the development. Palmer Alley is one of Washington, D.C. 's only pedestrianized streets, on which motor vehicles are not allowed. It is frequently lined with public art Between 9th and 10th streets, Palmer Alley runs through a plaza that extends north–south between H and I streets. The plaza features patio seating for several restaurants, fountains, and
2675-528: Is more likely to fall as rain than as snow, occasional heavy snow is possible. The East Coast, with the exception of eastern Maine, is a low-relief, passive margin coast. It has been shaped by the Pleistocene glaciation in the far northern areas in New England, with offshore islands such as Nantucket , Martha's Vineyard , Block Island , and Fishers Island . From northern New Jersey southward,
2782-524: Is more likely to fall as rain than as snow, occasional heavy snow is possible. The area from the southern Delmarva Peninsula , southeast Virginia, and central North Carolina south to central Florida is humid subtropical ( Cfa/Cf ), with hot and rainy summers, mild and drier winters, and eight to twelve months above 50°F. Urban heat island exclaves of this zone are found north of this area in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. The region of Florida from
2889-429: Is the federal capital and political nerve center of the United States. Many organizations such as defense contractors, civilian contractors, nonprofit organizations, lobbying firms, trade unions, industry trade groups and professional associations have their headquarters in or near Washington, D.C., in order to be close to the federal government . Miami is one of the top domestic and international travel destinations in
2996-781: The Delaware River and the Potomac River , respectively, both of which are tidal arms of the Atlantic Ocean. The original Thirteen Colonies of Great Britain in North America all lay along the East Coast. Two additional U.S. states on the East Coast were not among the original Thirteen Colonies: Maine became part of the English Colony of Massachusetts in 1677 and Florida was held by
3103-716: The Easter season. Delaware Colony and the provinces of New Jersey , New York , and Pennsylvania had been colonized by the Dutch as New Netherland until they were ceded to the British in the mid- to late-17th century. Until 1791, Vermont was an independent nation as the Vermont Republic . Three basic climate regions occur on the East Coast according to the Köppen climate classification and four occur according to
3210-476: The Trewartha climate classification from north to south based on the monthly mean temperature of the coldest month (January) and the number of months averaging above 50 °F (10 °C), respectively. The region from northern Maine and Upstate New York south to almost all of Connecticut, most of northern New Jersey (except for areas close enough to New York City ), most of Pennsylvania, and western Maryland has
3317-489: The $ 600 million Walter E. Washington Convention Center was officially opened. By April 2003, The Georgetown Co. had withdrawn its proposal and partnered with Hines Interest Limited Partnership/Charles E. Smith Residential. Two groups, East End Redevelopment Associates and Human Vision Partners, had been eliminated from contention by the city. District officials said they would meet with the remaining development teams in May, meet with an external advisory panel in June, and pick
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3424-506: The British from the end of the French and Indian War until 1781 and was part of New Spain until 1821. In present-day Florida, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León made the first textual records of the state during his 1513 voyage. The state was initially named for Ponce de Ponce de León, who called the peninsula La Pascua Florida in recognition of the verdant landscape and because it was
3531-456: The Conrad hotel. Restaurants at CityCenter include Momofuku CCDC and Milk Bar . There is also a DBGB Kitchen & Bar and a Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House , Mediterranean restaurant Fig & Olive, and Italian restaurant and market Centrolina. Smaller cafes include the Fruitive juice bar and Dolcezza Gelato & Coffee. In 2019, Bryan Voltaggio and Michael Voltaggio opened
3638-485: The D.C. City Council proposing to raze the Washington Convention Center and construct city-owned parking lots on the site temporarily. Willams said the facility cost $ 600,000 a year to maintain and was a potential legal liability. The cost of demolition and parking lot construction was set at $ 16 million, but the cost could be offset by parking fees. Three months later, in March 2004, the city and
3745-779: The East Coast is connected from the Annisquam River in Gloucester, Massachusetts to Miami, Florida , by the Intracoastal Waterway , also known as the East Coast Canal, which was completed in 1912. Amtrak's Downeaster and Northeast Regional offer the main passenger rail service on the Seaboard. The Acela Express offers the only high-speed rail passenger service in the Americas, by
3852-554: The Federal City Council opposed to the agreement. Going a step further, the Washington Convention and Sports Authority (WCSA) commissioned a study of the old convention center site, which it said would be ready in August 2004. The disagreement dragged on into late 2004. The WCSA consultant's report was complete in October 2004. The authority was due to vote on accepting its consultant's report on October 13, but delayed
3959-688: The Forest City bid included several prominent supporters of Mayor Williams, while advocates of the Hines-Smith Residential bid included wealthy, politically active friends of local D.C. developer Charles E. Smith. On November 6, 2003, Mayor Williams announced that the project had been awarded to the Hines Interests/Archstone/The Georgetown Co. group. The Hines group was chosen because of its track record, its proposal, and because it also had
4066-516: The Hines group began negotiating the terms of the redevelopment agreement. Negotiations were expected to conclude in April, with construction now estimated to begin in late in 2007 or early in 2008. In April 2004, however, the D.C. City Council proposed scrapping the redevelopment deal. Local architect Ted Mariani had proposed building a 1,500-room hotel and convention exhibit halls (linked underground to
4173-617: The Hines group. William B. Alsup III, head of Washington operations for Hines Interests, said the company could put aside 70,000 square feet (6,500 m) of the site to build a hotel, even though this would mean sacrificing 428 housing units. Although no formal resolution to the dispute had occurred, Hines Interests released new details in February 2005 about what it envisioned building: Just 772 units of condos and apartments, 275,000 square feet (25,500 m) of ground-level retail space, now 300,000 square feet (28,000 m) of office space, and
4280-599: The Jarvis Group); The Georgetown Co.; Hines Interests Limited Partnership and Charles E. Smith Residential ; Human Vision Partners (consisting of New Vision Properties LLC and Mesirow Stein Development Services Inc.); The Related Cos., Boston Properties , and MacFarlane Urban Realty Co.; and Dickie S. Carter. The city said it hoped to have its review of the proposals and the public planning process completed by June 2003. Finalists would be selected on
4387-443: The RFP, and some D.C. officials expressed concern about the partnership because it involved an agency of the District government. But no action was taken against either The Related Cos. or UDC. On July 3, 2003, District officials narrowed the field of candidates to Hines Interests/Charles E. Smith Residential/The Georgetown Co. and Forest City/Jarvis Co. The two developer groups were chosen as finalists because they were able to finance
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4494-819: The United States The East Coast of the United States , also known as the Eastern Seaboard , the Atlantic Coast , and the Atlantic Seaboard , is the region encompassing the coastline where the Eastern United States meets the Atlantic Ocean . The Thirteen Colonies , which formed the United States in 1776 were located on this coast, and it has played an important role in the development of
4601-567: The United States. The region is generally understood to include the U.S. states that border the Atlantic Ocean: Connecticut , Delaware , Florida , Georgia , Maine , Maryland , Massachusetts , New Hampshire , New Jersey , New York , North Carolina , Rhode Island , South Carolina , and Virginia , as well as the federal capital of Washington, D.C. , and non-coastline states: Pennsylvania , Vermont , and West Virginia . The place name East Coast derives from
4708-415: The United States. Miami is the warmest major city in the continental United States in winter, which contributes to it being a major tourism hub for international visitors. Miami has one of the largest concentrations of international banks in the United States, and the third-largest skyline in the U.S. with over 439 high-rises, 68 of which exceed 490 ft (149 m). Port of Miami is the busiest cruise port in
4815-513: The WCSA board voted in favor of the Williams site, but said it would continue to study placing a hotel on a triangular plot of land at 901 New York Avenue NW. WCSA said its third option would be to build the hotel on the northeast corner of the old Washington Convention Center site. Although Cropp was unhappy with the WCSA board's action, Williams said the city would move forward on negotiations with
4922-442: The apartment buildings. All the buildings were "streamlined in glass and metal". The office buildings were clad in a double layer of glass and metal designed to move to reflect sunlight. The condo buildings had glass curtain walls , and balconies extended uninterrupted across the facade (although metal grilles separated each unit's balcony from the next to create some privacy). Vertical slabs of precast concrete extended vertically up
5029-511: The awarding of the project, most of the details had yet to be decided. City officials said in June 2005 that it would take six to nine months to finalize the master plan. In November 2005, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and the Hines-led group held its first meeting to receive public input. The planning process took longer than anticipated because it was complicated by additional real estate deals. On January 26, 2005, Kingdon Gould III (a local developer) swapped
5136-579: The basis of which group had successfully completed large, complex projects in the past and which had good working relationships with local officials in previous projects. Some new limitations on the site became publicly known as this time as well. First, the National Park Service , which controlled a 100,000-square-foot (9,300 m) parcel of land near the intersections of New York Avenue NW, I Street NW, and 10th Street NW, required that its land be used to reconnect 10th and I Streets. Second,
5243-427: The buildings had retail on three stories, while the other two had retail on just two. Gould's plans for the northeast corner of the site were still unsettled, but Hines and Archstone executives said it was well-suited for office space and a boutique hotel. The look of the new buildings also was made public at this time. Foster and Partners designed both office and both condominium buildings, while Shalom Baranes designed
5350-550: The buildings on both blocks. Foster and Partners oversaw the design of the development, while the local firm of Shalom Baranes Associates was the lead architect. The Washington Business Journal and The Washington Times reported the project's total cost as $ 650 million, but The Washington Post pegged it at $ 630 million. City officials estimated that the development would create more than 7,500 temporary construction jobs and 5,200 permanent jobs, and bring in $ 30 million annually in income, sales, and property tax revenues. Construction
5457-546: The chief architect for the project. The price of the land had yet to be negotiated, and D.C. Council approval of the overall agreement was still needed. However, Mayor Williams proposed spending $ 13 million to demolish the Washington Convention Center and construct temporary parking lots on the site until construction began. Government officials also estimated that a year's worth of planning still had to be done, and that zoning approvals could take one or more years after that. On December 20, 2003, Williams submitted legislation to
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#17327866133995564-404: The city start the process over with clearer criteria and new staff to oversee it. The Washington Post , citing unnamed sources close to city officials, said The Related Cos. had been rejected due to their sometimes poor working relationship with local officials in other cities. When the city did not meet its demands, The Related Cos. filed suit in D.C. Superior Court on September 7. A second lawsuit
5671-530: The city's busiest Metro stations, are within three blocks of the development. CityCenter occupies a 10-acre lot in downtown Washington, D.C., bounded by 11th Street NW on the west, New York Avenue NW on the north, 9th Street NW on the east, and H Street NW on the south. 10th Street NW runs north–south through CityCenter, and I Street NW runs between 9th and 10th streets. CityCenter is within a few blocks walking distance from both Metro Center and Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro stations. The main spine through CityCenter
5778-460: The coastal plain broadens southwards, separated from the Piedmont region by the Atlantic Seaboard fall line of the East Coast rivers, often marking the head of navigation and prominent sites of cities. The coastal areas from Long Island south to Florida are often made up of barrier islands that front the coastal areas, with the long stretches of sandy beaches. Many of the larger capes along
5885-474: The condominiums as "disappointing", oppressive, out of place, and recalling "1960s-era apartment blocks". She thought the apartment building designs were "fresher". Dietsch also worried that public spaces, designed by the landscape architecture firm of Gustafson Guthrie Nichol, would be too flat, too hard, and "more severe than serene." But The Washington Post architectural critic Philip Kennicott praised "9 1/2 Street," calling it "the most distinctive feature" of
5992-399: The construction of a high-rise apartment or condominium building with 600 to 900 units (20 percent of which would be for low-income people or families); 300,000 square feet (28,000 m) of retail space (which would include retail shops as well as restaurants); a 1 acre (0.40 ha) public park or plaza; at least 1,100 underground parking spaces; and additional facilities which might include
6099-542: The convention center as a potential stadium site. In December 2002, seven development proposals were received in response to the RFP. Proposals for the $ 1 billion project were received by District of Columbia Civic Development (consisting of Millennium Partners, Jonathan Rose Cos., Gould Property Co. , and EastBanc Inc.); East End Redevelopment Associates (consisting of Federal Development LLC, Rockefeller Group Development Corp., Centex , and Summit Properties); Forest City-Jarvis Group (consisting of Forest City Washington and
6206-424: The corner of 9th and H Streets NW, while two larger apartment buildings occupied the corner of 10th and H Streets NW. A north–south running open-air plaza occupied the space between them. Two office buildings occupied the south end of the block between 10th and 11th Streets NW, while an open-air public park with fountain was on the north end. A 24-foot (7.3 m) wide, covered "pedestrian street" ran east–west between
6313-453: The council should not grant. Williams submitted a revised agreement on May 24. Another vote was scheduled for June 2005. Finally, on June 6, 2005, the D.C. City Council unanimously voted to approve the deal between the city and the Hines-led developers' group. The agreement said that 120,000 square feet (11,000 m) of land on the northeast corner of the old convention center site would be set aside, pending council resolution of what to do with
6420-732: The development as the master planning process continued. By late May 2006, The Washington Post architecture critic Benjamin Forgey said, the large public plaza had largely disappeared from the plans. A month later, The Washington Post described the unnamed project (now scheduled for completion in 2011) as having 772 condo units, 275,000 square feet (25,500 m) of retail space (unchanged from January 2006), 300,000 square feet (28,000 m) of office space (down from 100,000 square feet (9,300 m) since January 2006), 1,900 parking spaces (up from 1,200 in January 2006), an outdoor ice skating rink, and
6527-431: The downtown area) opposed using the existing convention center for any other use than as a convention center. A month later, city officials and developers said that rising land prices within the city limits made using the convention center site for a baseball stadium prohibitively expensive. Finally, on May 19, 2002, Mayor Williams revealed the results of his two-year task force study. The task force and Williams recommended
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#17327866133996634-450: The facade to help break up the monotonous glass wall. The apartment buildings (by lead architect Robert M. Sponseller) also featured glass curtain walls, but the balconies (which did not extend across the facade) were clad in terra cotta and the corners of the buildings were covered in glazed tile in a rhythmic patterns reminiscent of 22 West (a luxury condominium located at 22nd and M Streets NW and completed in 2008). Setbacks were used on
6741-458: The facility's small size and a nationwide boom in the construction of convention centers had caused the 285,000-square-foot (26,500 m) convention center to see a dramatic drop in business. In May 1990, the city unveiled plans for a new $ 685 million, 2,300,000-square-foot (210,000 m) convention center. Ground was broken for the new Walter E. Washington Convention Center on October 2, 1998. Differing plans were suggested for redevelopment of
6848-446: The finalists. The RFP also specified that, since the city was unwilling to sell the site outright, the successful bidder would be required to enter into an agreement with the city giving the developer exclusive long-term rights to the site. City officials said it would take yet another year to further define the project, engage in a public planning process, and finalize the project. They did not expect construction to begin until 2005. For
6955-410: The finance industry publication The Bond Buyer said there would be only 772 housing units, and office and retail space alone would total more than 575,000 square feet (53,400 m) (275,000 square feet (25,500 m) of retail space and 300,000 square feet (28,000 m) of office space). The publication also said that 2,000 parking spaces were included in the project, and that at least 30 percent of
7062-522: The first spot in the United States that immigrants arrived and the close proximity of Europe , the Caribbean , and Latin America , the East Coast is home to a diverse population and home to multi-cultures when compared to the rest of the U.S. From the strong Latin culture in southern Florida , to the 200-year-old Gullah culture of the low country coastal islands of Georgia and South Carolina , to
7169-730: The idea that the contiguous 48 states are defined by two major coastlines, one at the western edge and one on the eastern edge. Other terms for referring to this area include the Eastern Seaboard , which is another term for coastline, Atlantic Coast, and Atlantic Seaboard because the coastline lies along the Atlantic Ocean . The 14 states that have a shoreline on the Atlantic Ocean are (from north to south): Maine , New Hampshire , Massachusetts , Rhode Island , Connecticut , New York , New Jersey , Delaware , Maryland , Virginia , North Carolina , South Carolina , Georgia , and Florida . Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. border
7276-407: The impression that the RFP process was flawed even though the city had admitted no wrongdoing in the settlement. In late September 2003, Mayor Williams said he would make a decision about the RFP within a few weeks. At this time, The Washington Post reported that the land alone was worth $ 300 million, the public plaza had become "the focal point" of the development, and that the city was pushing for
7383-431: The intent of both parties to seek the following kind and number of retailers for the project: five restaurants, 10 food markets (general and/or speciality), and 14 cafés. In April 2007, the Hines-led development group submitted its preliminary design schematics to the city for approval. The submission focused on the redevelopment of the park on the northwestern corner of the site, the reopening of 10th and I Streets NW, and
7490-417: The largest city and the largest metropolitan area on the East Coast. The East Coast is the most populated coastal area in the United States. Hartford The primary Interstate Highway along the East Coast is Interstate 95 , completed in 2018, which replaced the historic U.S. Route 1 ( Atlantic Highway ), the original federal highway that traversed all East Coast states, except Delaware . By water,
7597-1389: The lenient US definition of high speed rail. Between New York and Boston the Acela Express has up to a 54% share of the combined train and air passenger market. Some of the largest airports in the United States are located along the East Coast of the United States, such as John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens , New York City , Logan International Airport in Boston , Newark Liberty Airport in Newark, New Jersey , Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia , Baltimore–Washington International Airport near Baltimore , Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C. , Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport in Atlanta , Miami International Airport in Miami , Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina , Tampa International Airport in Tampa , and Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Florida . As
7704-463: The lower East Coast are in fact barrier islands, like the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Cape Canaveral , Florida. The Florida Keys are made up of limestone coral and provide the only coral reefs on the U.S. mainland. In 2010, the population of the states that have shoreline on the East Coast was estimated at 112,642,503 (about 36% of the country's total population). New York City is both
7811-538: The many historic cities in the Mid-Atlantic , where a strong English, German, Italian, Irish, and French culture are present, the East Coast is significantly more diverse than the rest of the United States. Numerous Chinatowns in New York City , and Little Havana in Miami , are examples of such cultural centers in the bigger cities. The East Coast is home to much of the political and financial power and
7918-415: The master plan for the site would not occur until late 2004, city planners said, and zoning and other approvals might take another year or more. Nonetheless, they expressed hope that construction might start in late 2005 or early 2006. The city's decision was not without controversy. On August 10, 2003, The Related Cos., arguing that the RFP process had been "arbitrary, capricious and improper", demanded that
8025-465: The more significant storms to have affected the region. The least common climate on the East Coast is the oceanic ( Cfb/Do ), which is only found on Block Island , Nantucket , and the Outer Cape and Chatham on Cape Cod , and in areas of the southern Appalachian Mountains . This zone has all monthly averages between 0 and 22 °C and six to seven months above 50 °F. Although winter precipitation
8132-474: The new city main library out of the city's revenues from the project, and use the remaining revenue to reinvigorate the city library system as a whole. Williams asked that the Council resolve the dispute over the headquarters hotel quickly, and warned that further delay imperiled the 7,500 temporary construction jobs and more than 5,000 permanent jobs the project could create. The old Washington Convention Center
8239-404: The new convention center only because she had been led to believe that the old convention center would continue to exist and provide exhibit space for the city. On July 15, 2004, the two sides reached an agreement to proceed with the existing Williams-backed plan, so long as it included at least 1,200 housing units and a new city main public library—but not convention exhibit halls, a major hotel, or
8346-628: The new convention center) on the site of the old convention center, and convinced several members of the City Council that this would be a better use of the land. The Williams administration strongly opposed this plan. Over the next month, members of the Williams administration and City Council staff began meeting to Mariani's proposal. Joe Sternlieb, head of the Downtown D.C. Business Improvement District; James A. Jemison, mayoral planning aide; and city development consultant Ron Kaplan met three times
8453-404: The north–south across the lot, connected the two ends of 10th Street NW; and on either side of the carpet were 12 pairs of abstract art by local artists mounted on 10-foot (3.0 m) high poles. Resolution to the dispute came in June 2005, after almost a year's delay. The D.C. City Council Economic Development Committee held a hearing on the issue on April 18, 2005. The council expected to hold
8560-425: The press, "It's got nothing to it. It's a lost opportunity. It's a shock to see them come up with a bunch of glass boxes instead of an impressive architectural statement." Padro was strongly critical of the open plazas, pointing out that similar spaces in the city did not function as intended but were "skateboard havens and homeless encampments." Deborah Dietsch, architectural critic for The Washington Times , described
8667-505: The price of Gould's land, and whether a payment or land swap would be needed. A land swap was agreed to, and the city was able to move ahead with plans to build the Washington Marriott Marquis (the 1,430-room "headquarters hotel" long-desired by the city). The Gould land swap deal removed from northeasternmost lot on the old convention center site from the control of the Hines-led group, although it remained subject to
8774-437: The project in 2002. Two months later, Mayor Williams said that his vision for the site included housing, a museum (although not necessarily a music museum), a public park, and a theatre . Other city officials said at that time that instead of the city specifying the structures to be built on the site, the city might issue a request for proposals (RFP) which would give private developers the opportunity to make recommendations for
8881-405: The project themselves without assistance from the city. D.C. planning officials said they hoped to select one of the two as the project developer by late August. The finalists were asked to participate in a charrette over the next six weeks, to allow outside designers, members of the public, and other interested parties to view, comment on, and make improvements to the submitted designs. Approval of
8988-544: The project will "reshape" downtown D.C. The D.C. deputy mayor for economic development characterized the project in 2004 as "the capstone of an effort to move the center of energy from the Mall to downtown". D.C. Mayor Anthony A. Williams said in 2005 it was "the crowning achievement in the rebirth of our downtown". In 2007, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty called the development a "live, work and play environment unlike anywhere else in D.C." Metro Center and Gallery Place , two of
9095-621: The project would indirectly contribute $ 350 million to the local economy, and when complete the development would generate $ 15 to $ 20 million a year in property tax revenues for the city. Two other firms, the Bundy Development Corp. and the Neighborhood Development Co., had also joined the Hines-Archstone group as co-developers. Hines said it had chosen Foster and Partners , a British firm, as
9202-460: The property. Although the plan still included a public park or other space (to be managed by the property manager, not the city), a music museum had been explicitly ruled out by the council in favor of revenue-generating activities. Details of the plan remained unclear. The Associated Press reported that there would now be 1,372 housing units on the site, and that office, retail, and parking space would total 550,000 square feet (51,000 m). But
9309-546: The redevelopment plan. On November 1, 2007, the land swap deal with developer Gould (first signed in January 2005) was finally approved. Although the City Council had signed off on the deal in June 2005, the city took another 25 months to change local zoning regulations so that Gould was exempted from building housing on his new site (as required by the agreement). Gould said he still had not decided what should be built there. The approval meant Gould could not begin considering what project to place on his land. East Coast of
9416-608: The restrictions of the master plan. The land swap still required city council approval. The land swap negotiations had held up resolution of the master plan details, but now Hines Interests officials said they would submit the draft final master plan to the city in the spring of 2005. That $ 1 billion plan now called for 275,000 square feet (25,500 m) of retail space, 400,000 square feet (37,000 m) of office space (up from 300,000 square feet (28,000 m) in June 2004), 772 apartments and condominiums, and 1,200 parking spaces (down from 2,000 in June 2004). Further changes were made to
9523-472: The retail space must be leased to stand-alone rather than chain stores. Construction would begin in 2008, the Associated Press said. The city would get a 99-year lease, the Associated Press and The Bond Buyer reported, but this would generate only about $ 2 million a year in profit. Another $ 10 million a year would be generated in income and property taxes. Although the city had finally approved
9630-589: The site of the existing convention center. In 1998, leaders of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts , Library of Congress , Smithsonian Institution, and the Federal City Council proposed construction of a $ 1 billion development that would include a hotel, music museum, and retail space. In 1999, a D.C. government study proposed constructing a new Major League Baseball stadium at
9737-529: The site's use. In March 2002, the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom signed a letter of intent to take office space in any development that was built. The development hit its first obstacle in April 2002 when members of the board of directors of the National Capital Revitalization Corporation (a quasi-public corporation established by the city and charged with helping businesses open and expand in
9844-525: The site. Anthony A. Williams, Mayor of the District of Columbia, established a task force in July 2000 to advise the city on how to redevelop the Washington Convention Center site. Although the mayor's task force had not issued its report, on November 14, 2000, Williams unveiled a city-wide development plan that proposed constructing a major new public attraction (such as a museum) on the land. The plan also suggested building city-owned parking garages (to alleviate
9951-407: The six parcels of land for the office buildings and residential housing. All buildings were designed to meet existing zoning regulations. Approval of the schematics and signing of the lease for the land were anticipated to occur in May 2007, so that construction could begin that fall. The schematics showed that 464 residential units would be apartments, and 222 units would be condominiums. Each building
10058-485: The size of the site was not the 10.5 acres (4.2 ha) originally reported. Instead, the site was just 9.5 acres (3.8 ha) in size. City officials admitted that the National Park Service controlled a 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m) parcel along 11th Street NW north of H Street NW. However, D.C. officials said they hoped to convince the agency to allow the site to be developed. On March 29, 2003,
10165-845: The south-central region of the state south to the Florida Keys has a tropical climate ( Af/Aw/Ar ) that is usually frost-free and warm to hot all year, and all of the 12 months of the year average above 18 °C (64.4 °F). This region of Florida is the only tropical climate in the continental U.S. Although landfalls are rare, the Eastern Seaboard is susceptible to hurricanes in the Atlantic hurricane season, officially running from June 1 to November 30, although hurricanes can occur before or after these dates. Hurricanes Hazel , Hugo , Bob , Isabel , Irene , and Sandy , and most recently Florence , Isaias , Henri , and Ida are some of
10272-455: The storefronts visually. The narrowness of the pedestrian area was intended to create a more human-scale urban experience similar to that of New York City. The interior plaza between the condominiums and apartment buildings was shown with a fountain in the center. The Washington Post reported that public reaction to Shalom Baranes' design of the structures tended to be negative. Local Advisory Neighborhood Commission member Alexander Padro told
10379-754: The task force's vision was to "remake" downtown, so that the project would become as central to Washington, D.C., as the Inner Harbor is to Baltimore, Maryland . Williams submitted a draft RFP to the Council of the District of Columbia in June 2002, and said his goal was to get the RFP approved and project proposals received by the fall of 2002. The RFP was approved, and the city issued it in August. The RFP contained guidelines which any proposal had to meet. These included 1,000 units of housing, 300,000 square feet (28,000 m) of retail space, more than one theatre (with 70,000 square feet (6,500 m) of space and
10486-435: The upper floors along the pedestrian interior spaces. The "pedestrian street" (nicknamed "9 1/2 Street" by the architects) was to be paved in granite, with each retail front jutting into the street at different depths and adorned with varying signage. The goal was to mimic a street which had been built at different times and in different architectural styles, without completely losing a uniform architectural style that would unify
10593-404: The vote after Mayor Williams asked for more time to negotiate a solution. The next day, Cropp, supported by the city's hospitality industry, suggested that the old convention center site be used for a $ 450 million, 1,500-room "convention headquarters hotel" instead of the site (bounded by L Street NW, 9th Street NW, and Massachusetts Avenue NW) favored by the Williams administration. Greg Fazakerley,
10700-499: The world in both passenger traffic and cruise lines, with over 5.5 million cruise passengers passing through the port each year. The center for tropical plant culture and research in the United States is based in Miami at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden . The state of Florida is the second-largest producer of oranges in the world behind Brazil . Del Frisco%27s Double Eagle Steak House Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House
10807-810: Was 11 or 12 stories tall, and sheathed in glass and steel. Further details about the preliminary design emerged two weeks later. The Washington Post reported that the northwestern park was now slightly larger at 29,000 square feet (2,700 m), office space had soared to 465,000 square feet (43,200 m) (up from 415,000 square feet (38,600 m) in November 2006), and only 1,640 underground parking spaces were planned (down from 1,700 in November 2006). The number of housing units had fallen to 665 from 686 in November 2006, which included 211 condos ranging in price from $ 700,000 to $ 1.4 million. Retail space had also shrunk, to 250,000 square feet (23,000 m) (from 280,000 square feet (26,000 m) in November 2006). Four of
10914-561: Was filed by the company on November 9. On November 20, the District of Columbia Office of the Corporation Counsel filed a motion to dismiss , arguing that The Related Cos. had offered no legal or factual basis for claiming that the selection process was flawed. On December 18, D.C. Superior Court Judge A. Franklin Burress, Jr., rejected the city's motion and scheduled a preliminary court hearing for January 12, 2004. This hearing
11021-452: Was imploded on December 18, 2004. Concrete from the site was recycled and used as a stabilizing layer in the new temporary parking lots later built on the site. The city built a beautified parking lot on the space. Colored glass was embedded in sidewalks criss-crossing the lot; trees and shrubs were planted around the lots; purple-colored street lamps provided nighttime lighting; a 60-foot (18 m) wide path of synthetic green carpet, stretched
11128-505: Was ready to begin. In May 2003, a minor scandal erupted over a partnership which The Related Cos. made with the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). The Related Cos. agreed to allow UDC to establish apprenticeships and educational classes in a number of disciplines (such as construction, cooking, and property management) for UDC students, but only if The Related Cos. won the RFP. Real estate experts, other companies competing for
11235-414: Was rescheduled for March 14. The March 14 hearing was postponed when the city and the developer entered into negotiations to try to resolve their differences without a trial. On March 26, the city and Hines Interest each agreed to pay $ 1 million to The Related Cos. immediately, with another $ 3 million to come from revenue generated by the project. City council members criticized the settlement, arguing it left
11342-417: Was set to begin in late 2008 and conclude by mid-2011. The city had yet to decide what to do with its remaining 110,000 square feet (10,000 m) parcel, which occupied the west end of the triangular block bordering New York Avenue NW between 9th and 10th Streets NW, but city officials were still pushing for a public library on the spot. The 99-year lease the city signed with Hines-Archstone in 2006 expressed
11449-602: Was yet unclear whether the project would require city financial backing, and that individual projects within the development might use city-issued tax-exempt bonds for funding.) The development group also said it would make a cash payment to the city immediately upon approval of the deal and give the city a portion of the profits from the project, a combined income which city officials said was worth $ 250 million. The winning proposal included 350,000 square feet (33,000 m) of ground level retail space; 600 apartments and 275 condominiums; 50,000 square feet (4,600 m) of office space;
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