National Harbor - News, Events, Updates, Questions and Developments Etc. (Fort Washington: rentals, groceries)

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by Dmvwhatup

No inside info..but I wouldn't be surprised if you see a more upscale grocery chain introduced in that lot in the next year or so. Looking at the economics of the area I could see a harris teeter type chain.

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

As more residences are built, there would have to be a grocer there. I'm thinking of something a little more upscale than Harris Teeter. I'm thinking Whole Foods. Even a Dean & Deluca or Balduccis wouldn't be out of the question depending on the target market of the apartments, etc.

What area are we talking about?

[UrbanScholar]

Originally Posted by pgtvatitans

UrbanScholar

Got another question for you. What is happening with that Walmart project? Are they still pushing for it? It's been very quiet on that front in the news.

Not sure but the last I heard they were still battling it out with the adjacent school's PTA. I don't foresee them abandoning the project since K-Mart is having a lot of financial difficulties. If they go out of business, a Wal-Mart would have a monopoly on that area. I see it coming back into the picture in 2014.

[UrbanScholar]

Originally Posted by Dmvwhatup

No inside info..but I wouldn't be surprised if you see a more upscale grocery chain introduced in that lot in the next year or so. Looking at the economics of the area I could see a harris teeter type chain.

If you are referring to the proposed Wal-Mart location, I doubt that would happen any time soon. That location is about 1.5 to 2 miles away from the Harbor and the immediate residents off Oxon Hill Road are mostly low to moderate income renters and immigrants. They are currently being served by Safeway and Aldi's having a third more upscale store there wouldn't make sense in the short-term (next 5 to 10 years). What would make more sense would be to revamp the strip mall(forget the name) in Fort Washington with the Giant in it. That would be in closer proximity to the area's wealth and could sustain a higher end grocer in the short-term. As for the National Harbor, they do have a small grocer there but I am not that familiar with what they offer. I know the Buzzuto Apartments are targeting a higher income bracket. I believe they will be starting at about 1900 to 2200 a month and increasing significantly from that starting point. Not inconceivable given their are apartments in Waldorf that go for more than that. I wouldn't dismiss a more upscale grocer coming to the area but I doubt that it would be onsite at NH.

[Dmvwhatup]

While I understand your logic Urban...I think that if you look at the next 2-3 years with the townhouse development building and selling at a rapid pace, prob another condo building breaking ground in 2014 and the apartments there will be need for a more upscale grocery store to appease the residents. I doubt peterson will want to see all that money heading over to Alexandria when a HT could suit the build. The townhomes in NH are going for well over 600k now...doesn't seem like the type of people who would shop at wal mart regularly. Its getting to a point now where you have to look at NH as more of an extension of VA.

[UrbanScholar]

Originally Posted by Dmvwhatup

While I understand your logic Urban...I think that if you look at the next 2-3 years with the townhouse development building and selling at a rapid pace, prob another condo building breaking ground in 2014 and the apartments there will be need for a more upscale grocery store to appease the residents. I doubt peterson will want to see all that money heading over to Alexandria when a HT could suit the build. The townhomes in NH are going for well over 600k now...doesn't seem like the type of people who would shop at wal mart regularly. Its getting to a point now where you have to look at NH as more of an extension of VA.

I'm not saying that a more upscale grocer won't eventually come to the area. I just don't believe it will place within the confines of the Harbor or at the proposed Wal-Mart site. If you look at the master plan for the harbor there is no place that would accommodate an upscale grocer at the National Harbor. The other issue is that, although there will eventually be 2500 residential units on site, the number of NH residents would not be enough to sustain a grocer like HT or Whole Food (maybe a MOM). They would want to be centrally located between the National Harbor and other communities that have residents with their income targets. I agree that the demand will be there, I just think that it will be more strategically located. With Tantallon and other similar neighborhoods, I would see that being more in the direction of Fort Washington in the short-term. Peterson may decide to revamp Rivertowne to accommodate a Harris Teeter or more upscale Safeway but that isn't in any of the plans that haven't been made public.

From my understanding peterson owns a lot of property in the oxon hill/fort washington area so I could see him trying to facilitate those types of amenities nearby. It would be great if he could create a nearby town center property/area that would be similar to Bethesda Row and entail mid-scale shopping options (Rivertowne would be a great base for that).

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by Dmvwhatup

While I understand your logic Urban...I think that if you look at the next 2-3 years with the townhouse development building and selling at a rapid pace, prob another condo building breaking ground in 2014 and the apartments there will be need for a more upscale grocery store to appease the residents. I doubt peterson will want to see all that money heading over to Alexandria when a HT could suit the build. The townhomes in NH are going for well over 600k now...doesn't seem like the type of people who would shop at wal mart regularly. Its getting to a point now where you have to look at NH as more of an extension of VA.

They already have a grocery store at NH that is upscale(Potomac Gourmet Market). I agree with UrbanScholar, NH would not benefit from that. It is already very isolated. The Oxon Hill Road corridor would need to get redone before they consider that. That are just isn't going to work for that as is. It's not realistic.

UrbanScholar, you are talking about Livingston Square. It need remodeling badly. The Giant looks the same way it did before I was in kindergarten. It is way too small for the area. It's definitely time to redo that place.

[UrbanScholar]

Originally Posted by pgtvatitans

They already have a grocery store at NH that is upscale(Potomac Gourmet Market). I agree with UrbanScholar, NH would not benefit from that. It is already very isolated. The Oxon Hill Road corridor would need to get redone before they consider that. That are just isn't going to work for that as is. It's not realistic.

UrbanScholar, you are talking about Livingston Square. It need remodeling badly. The Giant looks the same way it did before I was in kindergarten. It is way too small for the area. It's definitely time to redo that place.

Yes that's the name.....it would be great if a developer bought that space and the retail across the road and down cady drive to create a mixed use project that piggyback's in its theme on the historic district next to it. It has a lot of potential and could serve as a quasi-downtown for Fort Washington if planned correctly. I wish I had the money lol

[RonJenkins1234]

I have it on pretty good knowledge that the Wal-Mart project is coming back to the NH location with a slightly smaller (80K-85K version) model, but still w a full grocery component. There are no plans currently to redevelop Livingston Sq or Rivertowne.

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by RonJenkins1234

I have it on pretty good knowledge that the Wal-Mart project is coming back to the NH location with a slightly smaller (80K-85K version) model, but still w a full grocery component. There are no plans currently to redevelop Livingston Sq or Rivertowne.

Something along the lines of what they built in Hybla Valley on Route 1 in Alexandria, I would assume?

[Fast GTO]

Originally Posted by UrbanScholar

If you are referring to the proposed Wal-Mart location, I doubt that would happen any time soon. That location is about 1.5 to 2 miles away from the Harbor and the immediate residents off Oxon Hill Road are mostly low to moderate income renters and immigrants. They are currently being served by Safeway and Aldi's having a third more upscale store there wouldn't make sense in the short-term (next 5 to 10 years). What would make more sense would be to revamp the strip mall(forget the name) in Fort Washington with the Giant in it. That would be in closer proximity to the area's wealth and could sustain a higher end grocer in the short-term. As for the National Harbor, they do have a small grocer there but I am not that familiar with what they offer. I know the Buzzuto Apartments are targeting a higher income bracket. I believe they will be starting at about 1900 to 2200 a month and increasing significantly from that starting point. Not inconceivable given their are apartments in Waldorf that go for more than that. I wouldn't dismiss a more upscale grocer coming to the area but I doubt that it would be onsite at NH.

That is true of the area right off the road but not true of the community in and around fort foote. Fort Foote is having a small resurgence with older homes being remodeled and new residents moving in.