It's been an eyesore for four years, a boarded-up store front on a large parcel of land at a choice location. But major change is in the works. Demolition work began last week at the former Red Apple supermarket site, on East Pine Street between 14th and 15th avenues. What will rise from the rubble will be substantial mixed-use development.
A group of investors, many of whom live on Capitol Hill, will develop Braeburn, a 159-unit condominium complex with underground parking and street-level retail. Construction work is expected to continue through August 2005.
Dana Behar, one of the group's partners, is himself a 12-year Capitol Hill resident. The Hill's density and diversity are among the elements that drew him to the area. Having worked in real estate development for the last 11 years, he said he's received an unusually positive response to the project, perhaps because it will replace a long-standing eyesore. He thinks Braeburn will be a worthy addition to the Pike-Pine neighborhood.
"People have seemed unusually passionate about this project," he said. "I think it's because people here are especially concerned about their neighborhood. That includes those of us working on this development. The lead architect lives on the Hill and tried to design the project accordingly."
The development group established for the project, Capitol Hill Development, LLC, also owns the smaller parcel of undeveloped property on the south side of East Pine Street. An earlier version of the project, dubbed Capitol North and South, had an early design review meeting nearly two-and-a-half years ago.
In that plan, the smaller property was slated for a 55-unit mixed-use complex. As the project evolved, the group chose to develop the larger parcel on the north side of the street first. Behar said that his group is remaining open to the possibility of building on the south site, depending on how the market and economy fare once Braeburn is completed. In the short term, the lot will be used as a construction staging area.
The final project will consist of 153 condominiums, with a mix of studios and one- and two-bedroom units, plus six townhouses. Studio units will be priced from $130,000; the average unit price is expected to be $239,000, with 85 percent of the units anticipated to be priced under $300,000. It's market rate housing, to be sure, but the group is not targeting a high-end demographic.
Behar said that the project design specifically attempts to foster community. Included in the complex are a large number of amenities intended to encourage social interaction. Such amenities include a small theater, an art studio, a P-patch and a dog run, among others. While amenities are often included in high-density residential projects, Behar said that the intent is to create an environment where people will interact and get to know each other. The approach is dubbed "hiving," as opposed to "cocooning," the kind of isolation from community often associated with suburbs and sprawl.
"We want to design a project for people who want more urban interaction," Behar said. "That's why many people want to live on Capitol Hill. I know when I decided to move here years ago I wanted to live where I could walk to most things, where there was energy and a sense of life on the street. I'm hoping this project contributes to that atmosphere."
The physical design is intended to reflect the street's character as well. The façade along 15th Avenue will involve more brick work consistent with other residential buildings nearby. The façade facing East Pine Street will have a more industrial, metallic feel more commonly associated with nearby commercial properties.
Braeburn will also have nearly 9,000 square feet of street-level commercial space. While Behar said it's too early to say what sort of businesses might occupy the space, he said his group has been contacted by prospective businesses. He did say the group is looking for businesses that are in keeping with the neighborhood.
"We're not looking at a McDonald's or something like that," he said.
As for the neighborhood safety issues that have received so much attention in the last six months, Behar said that while aware of such problems, he wasn't especially concerned. While some urban problems come with living in a high-density, urban environment, he thinks the Braeburn project will put more eyes and ears on the street, which could improve the safety climate.
Plus, adding 159 residences will almost assuredly be more conducive to safety than an abandoned building in an empty lot.
"I have two small children and I feel extremely safe on Capitol Hill. There is safety in numbers. I feel more unsafe in an isolated, suburban environment," he said.
Behar also thinks the overall climate on the Hill has improved in recent years. He cites more astute and active community organizations, more attention given to crime and safety and an improved business climate.
"I think the Hill is undergoing a bit of a renaissance," he said. "There are several other large developments going on right now. It takes a long time for a neighborhood to recover and I think it's happening here, but it happens slowly, house by house. I think the Hill feels more interesting to me than it did five years ago."
As for the project's name, Behar said his group wanted to avoid the faux-Italian names that seem to designate so many residential developments these days. Taking a cue from the old Red Apple Market, the name Braeburn appealed because it made a connection to the property's former occupant. But you'd have to know the name of the old supermarket to make the connection.
Doug Schwartz is the editor of the Capitol Hill Times. He be reached at editor@capitolhilltimes.com or 461-1308.
