“an approximately 25,000 square-foot ALDI store at Art Place at Fort Totten”

Rendering Courtesy of The Cafritz Foundation

First Meow Wolf and now this!! Thanks to all who sent the big news from the Washington Business Journal: “Aldi signs lease for largest D.C. store, in Fort Totten”

From the full press release issued Monday:

“The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation (Cafritz Foundation), developers of the Fort Totten mixed-use development project Art Place, today announced that the lease has been executed for an approximately 25,000 square-foot ALDI store at Art Place at Fort Totten. Located on the corner of South Dakota Avenue and Kennedy Street, this will be the largest ALDI DC location and the second ALDI in the city, the first being in the H Street Corridor.

ALDI is a leader in the grocery retailing industry and operates more than 1,800 stores in 35 states. More than 40 million customers each month benefit from the simple, streamlined approach ALDI brings to retailing. ALDI sells frequently purchased grocery and household items, primarily under its exclusive brands, which meet or exceed national name brands on taste and quality.

“We are excited to announce this new addition to the Fort Totten area as part of Art Place,” said Jane Cafritz of the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. “ALDI is known for providing customers with quality and value while ensuring a shopping experience that works with people’s busy lives. We welcome this transformative retailer to the area as we continue to enhance Fort Totten with innovative and art-focused partners.”

The new ALDI store is part of the second phase of the Art Place at Fort Totten development. The first phase opened in the fall of 2017 and includes, The Modern at Art Place, a 520-unit apartment building, Ramdass Pharmacy, Shiningstars Pediatric Dentistry and DMV Urgent Care.

The announcement of ALDI joining the development comes on the heels of the Cafritz Foundation’s announcement that Meow Wolf, the nationally renowned, immersive art experience will also be opening a 75,000-square-foot exhibition in the second phase of the development in 2022.

“In partnership with The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, the Fort Totten ALDI store is one of our most innovative and cutting-edge real estate ventures to date,” said Jake DiPiazza, ALDI Frederick Director of Real Estate. “We’re eager to expand our presence in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, and the Fort Totten store will be our second mixed-use development in the area, conveniently located for urban shoppers. The future is bright for our ALDI Washington, D.C. expansion.”

At full build out, the multi-phase development is anticipated to include nearly 2 million square feet across a mix of uses. These uses include multi-family residential, retail, cultural, art, public and entertainment spaces.”