Only a few significant developments remain underway along 14th Street, a key corridor that was central to DC’s development boom a decade ago. While new projects are limited, nearly 1,000 residential units are still planned or under construction in the area.
The Faircliff and NOVEL 14th Street
Two notable residential projects—one affordable and one market-rate—are nearing completion in Columbia Heights. The Faircliff, a 125-unit affordable housing development, and NOVEL 14th Street, a 197-unit market-rate project at 2601 14th Street NW, are set to deliver in the coming months. These two developments are replacing the former 80-unit Faircliff Plaza East apartment complex, effectively quadrupling the number of housing units on the site.
The Faircliff project, developed by Somerset Development Company, Jonathan Rose Companies, and Housing Up, will offer 80 replacement units for former Faircliff Plaza East residents, plus 45 new affordable units targeted at households with incomes at or below 50% of the Area Median Income. Designed by Eric Colbert & Associates, the development focuses on providing affordable housing solutions for the community.
NOVEL 14th Street, developed by Crescent Communities, will offer a range of studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments, along with amenities such as a rooftop pool, clubhouse, courtyard, gym with a treadwall, yoga room, co-working spaces, and a library.
Temperance Mews at U Street Metro
Eastbanc and Jamestown are spearheading a major residential project above the Metro station at 13th and U Streets NW. The development will consist of a 10-story building with 117-143 residential units, retail spaces, and 55-67 hotel rooms. Additionally, 36 stacked duplex units will be built along a “mews” greenspace in the public alley off U Street.
This development aims to enhance the Metro station’s entrance with a retail-lined plaza, and the mews will be open to the public during limited hours. The project will also preserve the façades of two historic rowhouses on 13th Street. The design is by Shalom Baranes Architects.
Apartments, A Plaza + Dave Chappelle
Plans to redevelop the Reeves Center at 14th and U Streets NW are moving forward, though at a slower pace. The development team—MRP Realty, Capri Investment Group, and CSG Urban Partners—plans to transform the building into 108,000 square feet of Class A office space for the NAACP and DC agencies. The project will also include a 24,000 square foot plaza, 322 mixed-income apartments, and a 116-key hotel. Retail offerings will include a restaurant by Top Chef participant Carla Hall and a comedy club from Dave Chappelle.
The project will feature a 17,000-square-foot public plaza named for Frederick Douglass, along with dedicated space for The Alvin Ailey School, the Viva School of Dance, and the Washington Jazz Arts Institute. PGN Architects and Michael Marshall Design are the architects behind the redevelopment.
1445 Church Street
Another ongoing development includes a six-story, 65-unit condominium project at 1455 and 1457 Church Street NW. The Holladay Corporation is leading the development, which will integrate the façades of two existing buildings. The project will include bi-level loft units, some of which will be Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) units, as well as amenities like a roof deck, a bike room, and 19 below-grade parking spaces accessed from the alley. Eric Colbert & Associates is the architect for this project.
