Love Live DC: Development Around Fort Totten

This weekly column is written and sponsored by D.C. real estate agent and Edgewood resident Jessica Evans. Email her questions at  [email protected].

It can seem like every day there is a new announcement about a development or project update, and it can be hard to keep track of it all. In this series I will be highlighting larger development projects (or clusters of projects) taking place in neighborhoods around the city and the impacts of these projects on the neighborhood housing market.

This week, the focus is on Fort Totten. While some of the development projects have been in the works for the better part of the last decade, 2017 is going to be a big year there with many of the buildings delivering and new businesses and retail opening. From army fort, to Metro station to urban walkable neighborhood, the landscape of Fort Totten has transformed over the last century and will continue to change as it becomes a major economic hub in NE DC.

Major Projects

• Fort Totten Square: Phase 1 construction was completed in 2015, and includes 345 residential units and 130,000 square feet of retail including the anchor tenant Walmart. Other recent retail announcements include Counter Culture Coffee, Petco Unleashed, and Five Guys, who are all expected to open in the next several months.
• Arts Place: Mixed use, 502 apartments (The Modern at Art Place) and 105,000 square feet of retail. Developed by the Cafritz Foundation. The project will also include a children’s museum which is scheduled to open in 2019.
• Fort Totten Metro: Mixed use, 345 unit building with 10,000 square feet of retail by Donatelli Development

Other News

• Metropolitan Branch Trail Expansion – DDOT announced an RFP to continue the trail which will connect Brookland to the Fort Totten Metro Station

Housing Market

In addition to the numerous new apartment offerings at the metro station, two of the residential neighborhoods in the surrounding area include:

Lamond-Riggs (tax record subdivision Riggs Park)

• Primarily semi-detached duplex homes with 3 levels.
• 102 sales in the last year ranging from a 2 bedroom estate sale that sold for $275,000 to a detached new construction home that sold for $705,000.
• Active Listings in Riggs Park

Michigan Park

• Primarily single family, detached homes and row homes
• 36 sales in the last year ranging from a bank owned colonial in need of renovation that sold for $264,000 to a newly renovated 5 bedroom colonial that sold for $725,000
• Active Listings in Michigan Park

Neighborhood Resources

• Washington DC Economic Partnership Neighborhood Profile: Fort Totten
• Lamond – Riggs Citizens Association
• Next Stop…Riggs Park: local neighborhood blog

Is there a neighborhood or development that you would like to see featured? Let us know!