New Retailers Sign Up at Projects Across from Nationals Park
Three new leases at West Half signed recently total 7,487 square feet and include Union Kitchen Grocery, which will open its fourth location in DC totaling 3,931 square feet.
WASHINGTON, DC—Developer JBG Smith reports it has signed on a total of four new retailers at its mixed-use West Half and 1221 Van developments across from Nationals Park here.
Three new leases at West Half signed recently total 7,487 square feet and include Union Kitchen Grocery, which will open its fourth location in DC totaling 3,931 square feet. Compass Coffee, another DC-based, will launch its 15th location in 2,458 square feet. In addition, Cold Stone Creamery, which operates approximately 1,500 locations in more than 28 countries, will occupy 1,098 square feet at the building.
These tenants will join Gatsby, a new concept from acclaimed DC restaurant group Knead Hospitality + Design, which will occupy 8,861 square feet over two floors at West Half. The 300-seat contemporary American bistro will offer weekday lunch, weekend brunch and dinner, and operate an all-day gourmet bakery in partnership with New York bakery Mah-Ze-Dahr, whose founder, Umber Ahmad, has been recently nominated for the 2019 Outstanding Baker Award by the James Beard Foundation.
In February, Atlas Brew Works signed a lease to open its second local craft brewery and taproom in 4,535 square feet at West Half. When it opens in 2020, Atlas will become the first manufacturing brewery to have multiple locations in the district, JBG Smith reports.
Meanwhile, at the adjacent 1221 Van property, a nail salon recently signed a 1,565-square-foot lease to occupy the last remaining retail space at the building. Other retail tenants at the property include Mexican eatery Mission, as well as District Dogs, the city’s leading dog walking and daycare service. In addition, Walters Sports Bar and BOOMBOX, a boutique studio offering music-driven, boxing-inspired group fitness classes, are both set to open this spring at the property.
When completed, West Half will consist of two levels of retail with 465 rental apartments. Leasing for the apartments at West Half is set to begin in August of 2019. Nearby, 1221 Van contains retail on the first two levels and 291 residential units above. The 13-story building features a rooftop equipped with 360-degree views that stretch from the Capitol to the Washington Monument, to Nationals Park. Other amenities at the building include an infinity pool with spacious lounging deck, grilling areas, state-of-the-art fitness center and full-service concierge.
“The dynamic mix of retailers we have signed at West Half and 1221 Van is designed to provide the district’s residents, workers and visitors with an exciting blend of entertainment, food and beverage, and amenity options, further creating a true entertainment district,” says Amy Rice, SVP of retail leasing of JBG Smith. “We set out to create projects that are every bit as bold and vibrant as the Ballpark neighborhood, and the leasing momentum we’ve experienced is a validation of our efforts.”
Earlier this month, JBG Smith made news when it announced that all government incentives and investment packages negotiated in conjunction with Amazon’s decision to locate its second headquarters within the firm’s National Landing assets in Northern Virginia were approved.
On March 16, the Arlington County Board unanimously approved a performance agreement pertaining to Amazon’s National Landing HQ2 headquarters. The incentive agreement provides Amazon with up to $23 million over 15 years if it creates at least 25,000 jobs with an average salary of $150,000 annually and occupies 6 million square feet of office space in the county by 2035. The agreement contemplates that the performance-based incentives will be paid by allocating a portion of the increase in hotel tax revenues anticipated as a result of Amazon’s National Landing headquarters.
In late January, the Virginia General Assembly overwhelmingly approved legislation to provide Amazon with up to $750 million in performance-related incentives and committed $250 million toward Virginia Tech’s planned $1-billion Innovation campus to be located in National Landing.
JBG Smith also reported earlier this month that Pebblebrook Hotel Trust will relocate its headquarters to 4747 Bethesda Ave. in Downtown Bethesda, MD and will occupy approximately 16,000 square feet bringing the building to 83% pre-leased.