DC Office of Planning Formalizes Creation of New Zone to Include Akridge's Burnham Place Project

WASHINGTON, June 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A DC Zoning Commission Order published last week has created the Union Station North (USN) Zone District, encompassing local real estate developer Akridge's proposed mixed-use development, Burnham Place at Union Station. Akridge owns 14 acres of air rights above the railroad tracks immediately north of Union Station, and plans to develop up to three million square feet of office, retail, residential, and hotel space there. Named Burnham Place after Union Station's renowned architect, Daniel Burnham, the project is expected to catalyze development and better link the city's neighborhoods to each other and to the broader region. The USN Zone replaces the site's previous industrial zoning, and will allow building heights that range from 90 feet to 130 feet, as measured from the H Street bridge, which bisects the property. The Order also establishes a Zoning Commission design review process and requires the project to incorporate a mix of uses including housing units and ground floor retail space.

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"The City has shown great foresight in pursuing a dedicated zoning district for Burnham Place," said Matthew J. Klein, President of Akridge. "Knowing that we can effectively utilize the site frees us to create a transit-oriented development that's exceptionally designed, dynamic, and inviting - something that's truly worthy of this incredible location."

The Commission approved establishment of the USN Zone by a unanimous vote in April, cementing 18 months of effort by the City's Planning Office to set appropriate guidelines for Akridge's planned development. Prior to this vote, the City Council considered and adopted changes to DC's Comprehensive Plan which established Burnham Place as a unique project requiring customized zoning regulations. Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6C also voted in favor of both the Comprehensive Plan changes and the establishment of the USN Zone. The Comprehensive Plan anticipates that Burnham Place will leverage underutilized space around the region's premier transit hub and knit together the NoMa and H Street NE neighborhoods.

In addition to monitoring actions by DC's Office of Planning, City Council, and Zoning Commission on behalf of Burnham Place, Akridge has been actively involved in the comprehensive planning efforts undertaken by Amtrak and the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation. Amtrak's Master Plan, now under development, seeks to at least double the commuter and intercity passenger rail capacity of Union Station within the next two decades. Through close collaboration with Amtrak, Akridge is planning the Burnham Place project to integrate with newly expanded and enhanced station facilities, as well as the neighborhoods adjacent to the station.  

"Amtrak has created an impressive framework and is building a bold plan for not only improving rail transit through Union Station, but for enhancing connectivity, creating jobs, and generating environmental benefits that will improve the entire region," said David Tuchmann, Akridge Vice President of Development. "Our hope and intent is that Burnham Place will build upon and complement that vision for a more vital, sustainable city."

Architect Shalom Baranes Associates is leading the design of the development and the oversight of its complex engineering and construction planning. Following the conclusion of Amtrak's Master Plan development early next year, Akridge expects to propose the early phases of Burnham Place, with the goal of beginning infrastructure construction in 2014. Burnham Place at Union Station has already been recognized by the Smart Growth Alliance and was also honored as the "Best Smart Growth Master Plan" by the DC/Maryland chapter of NAIOP.

About Akridge

Akridge is a comprehensive real estate services company that provides acquisition, development, property management, leasing, construction management, and consulting services. The industry's foremost benchmarking firm, CEL & Associates, has ranked Akridge the number one real estate firm in the country for Client satisfaction, among firms of similar size, 11 times since 1999. Akridge has been honored with the National Capital Business Ethics Award, awarded by the Society of Financial Service Professionals, and was recognized by the Washington Business Journal in 2011 as the #1 'Best Place to Work' in Greater Washington among large, locally-based companies. For more information, please visit www.akridge.com.

About Burnham Place at Union Station

Burnham Place at Union Station is a three-million square foot mixed-use development concept that will be served by numerous modes of transit, helping to connect the capital city's workers, residents, and visitors with each other and with the region. The development is to be built atop a 14-acre concrete platform over a fully operational railyard adjacent to the north side of DC's Union Station. Ideally located at the convergence of the City's central business district, Capitol Hill, and the up-and-coming NoMa and H Street NE neighborhoods, the site is expected to include first-class office, residential, hotel, and retail uses, and includes expansions and enhancements to Union Station. For more information, please visit www.burnhamplace.com.

SOURCE Akridge