ADAMS MORGAN PLAZA
1800 Columbia Rd NW DC 20009
- Property Owner | Crestar BNA (Suntrust/Truist Bank)
- Developer | PN Hoffman as '1800 Columbia LLC'
- Architect | Eric Colbert and Associates, PC
- Price Point | Undetermined
- Construction Stage | Permitting & Pre-Construction
- Delivery | Undetermined
- Location | 1800 Columbia is a wedge-shaped parcel situated at the intersection of Columbia Road and 18th Street NW, bordered by Calvert Street to the north and Kalorama Rd to the south, adjacent to the Kalorama Recreation Center, approximately 6 blocks SE of the Woodley Park Metro Station.
SUMMARY
The 1800 Columbia project is a planned 6 story mixed-use redevelopment of Suntrust Plaza, offering 52 – 60 condominium units and ground floor retail in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington DC. Strong neighborhood opposition led to litigation, which has still not resolved.
2021 APPEAL
In June 2021, Kalorama Citizens Association, et al., lost their appeal against Suntrust (Truist) and Potomac Investment Properties, Inc. / PN Hoffman & Assoc. in the DC Superior Court of Appeals, Case No. CAB4182-17.
See log at bottom of page for 2021-22 legal actions.
2022 COURT OF APPEALS DECISION
But in late 2022, the D.C. Court of Appeals revived the legal battle. A trial in a lower court will hear arguments from the two community groups asserting that a promise was made decades ago to keep the plaza as public space in perpetuity.
In its December ruling, the Court of Appeals three-judge panel found that the contention of the Kalorama Citizens Ass'n and Adams Morgan For Reasonable Development that an easement exists on the land has sufficient merit to justify a full jury trial.
PROJECT DETAILS
Residential & Amenities: New condos above roughly 8400 SF of ground-floor retail with roof deck, bicycle storage and 32 underground parking spaces. Penthouse residences planned as duplexes, with living space on the 6th and 7th floors, along with 7th floor private roof decks. Condominium amenities designed include a compact common roof deck(s) on the 5th and possibly 6th floor(s) and bicycle storage. The retail development intends to offer space for 1 to 2 tenants, possibly with outdoor cafe seating.
PERMITS
Once the court ruled for the bank, 1800 Columbia was expected to be sold to PN Hoffman & Associates and for construction permitting to begin. As of mid-December 2022, the property's tax records still show it is held by CESTAR BNA, but DC tax records can be slow to update and Dept. of Building permitting records show the owner as 1800 Columbia Rd LLC.
Several 2022 construction permits for 1800 Columbia have been filed, by the bank for protective fencing and removal of ATMs, and notably by DFM Development Services, a development consulting firm which worked with Hoffman/Madison on The Wharf.
Submitted in mid-2020, PERMIT 8936 shows new activity from June 2022 through December 2022, and calls for construction of a 6 story building, with a 12/05/22 status for items to be corrected of "Under Review."
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The most recent designs for Adam's Morgan Plaza illustrate the largest private balconies on the second to fourth floors facing the alleyway, curved balconies facing Columbia Rd and small balconies facing 18th Street. A compact common roof deck is shown on the 5th floor. The Penthouse plan offers 11 units of varying sizes with private roof decks abutting a vegetation border. The largest roof decks are positioned along the corners of the triangular-shaped building.
| Event Date | Status | Description | Result | |
| 03/19/2021 | Filed | Notice Of Appeal | ||
| 03/24/2021 | Filed | Record Index | ||
| 03/24/2021 | Filed | No Transcript Needed | ||
| 03/24/2021 | Filed | Record Completed | ||
| 03/29/2021 | Filed | Motion To Consolidate w/ 21-cv-84 (Appellant Adams Morgan for Reasonable Development, Appellant Kalorama Citizens Association) | Granted | |
| 04/05/2021 | Filed | Opposition to motion to consolidate appeals and re-set briefing schedule (Appellee Sun Trust Bank) | ||
| 04/21/2021 | Filed | Order Granting Appellant Motion To Consolidate 21-CV-183 & 21-CV-84; F/O that appellant's motion to reset briefing schedule is granted and appellants' consolidated brief and appendix shall be filed on or before 5/17/21, and appellees' briefs shall be field on or before 6/18/21 | ||
| 05/17/2021 | Filed | Motion For Leave To File Excess-Paged Brief (Appellant Adams Morgan for Reasonable Development, Appellant Kalorama Citizens Association) | Granted | |
| 05/17/2021 | Filed | Joint Appendix (Appellant Adams Morgan for Reasonable Development, Appellant Kalorama Citizens Association) | ||
| 05/18/2021 | Filed | TMC | ||
| 05/20/2021 | Filed | ORDER GRANTING appellant's motion to file the lodged brief that exceeds the page limits... | ||
| 05/20/2021 | Filed | Brief (Appellant Adams Morgan for Reasonable Development, Appellant Kalorama Citizens Association) | ||
| 06/02/2021 | Filed | Motion To Dismiss Appeal (Appellee 1800 Columbia Potomac Investment Properties, LLC, Appellee 1800 Columbia Road, LLC, Appellee P.N. Hoffman Associates, Inc., Appellee Potomac Investment Properties, Inc.) | Granted in Part/Denied in Part | |
| 06/09/2021 | Filed | TMC | ||
| 06/21/2021 | Filed | Brief (Appellee Suntrust Bank Company) | ||
| 06/21/2021 | Filed | Motion For Extension Of Time to File the brief 14 days after the court rules on the motion to dismiss if necessary. (Appellee 1800 Columbia Potomac Investment Properties, LLC, Appellee 1800 Columbia Road, LLC, Appellee P.N. Hoffman Associates, Inc., Appellee Potomac Investment Properties, Inc.) | Denied as Moot | |
| 06/28/2021 | Filed | ORDER GRANTING the motion to dismiss to the extent that any challenge to the March 5, 2018, order is dismissed with prejudice and appeal no. 21-CV-84 will proceed only as to the January 12, 2021, order AND the Clerk shall withdraw 1800 Columbia Road, LLC, 1800 Columbia Potomac Investment Properties, LLC, Potomac Investment Properties, Inc., and P.N. Hoffman & Associates, Inc. as appellees in these appeals... F/O DENYING AS MOOT appellees' motion for extension of time... | ||
| 06/28/2021 | Filed | Briefing Completed | ||
| 06/28/2021 | Filed | ACTION - Ready for Calendaring - Regular | ||
| 07/12/2021 | Filed | Reply Brief (Appellant Adams Morgan for Reasonable Development, Appellant Kalorama Citizens Association) | ||
| 07/14/2021 | Filed | Motion For Leave to File corrected reply brief (Appellant Adams Morgan for Reasonable Development, Appellant Kalorama Citizens Association) | Granted | |
| 07/23/2021 | Filed | Order Granting Motion For Leave to file lodged corrected reply brief (Appellant Adams Morgan for Reasonable Development, Appellant Kalorama Citizens Association) | ||
| 07/23/2021 | Filed | Reply Brief (Appellant Adams Morgan for Reasonable Development, Appellant Kalorama Citizens Association) | ||
| 01/25/2022 | Filed | ACTION - Calendar notice sent | ||
| 03/17/2022 | Filed | Argued Before Associate Judge Easterly, Associate Judge McLeese, Associate Judge Crowell, DC Superior Court | ||
| 07/13/2022 | Filed | Counsel's Motion to Withdraw (Appellee Suntrust Bank Company) | Granted | |
| 07/14/2022 | Filed | Order Granting appellee's counsel motion to withdraw |
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