RSS FeedWhat Is Abdo Up To In Chinatown?
GP Living first covered the empty fenced lot in the 700 block of 3rd Street next to the boarded up Harrison apartment building a few days ago from the air. Now we take a closer look at ground level and attach some numbers to the project.
According to the most recent Downtown DC development activity report, Abdo Development plans a 46 condo project with a total investment of $28 million (approximately $609K per condo). The building is planned to be 130 feet tall, incorporating 13 stories, 4 units per floor (with elevator access to each unit) and a total 
floor area between 85,000 and 120,000 square feet. The building would back up to Mass Court, a rental apartment building at 300 Massachusetts Ave, and be constructed on a 9,000 square foot lot comparable to the lot size of a large suburban home. Abdo’s current projects include The Wooster Lofts and The Mercer Lofts in Arlington and The Landmark Lofts in Senate Square in the emerging H Street corridor in Northeast DC.
Top: 730 3rd Street rendering
Center Right: Boarded up Harrison apartment building
Bottom: Fenced in site
Special Thanks:
Abdo Development…Urban Core – Washington Spaces magazine
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Comments
I live in Mass Court and everyone there would consider that Chinatown. I have noticed how a lot of folks are calling it the “East End” which is fine by me. Though I don’t think anyone not living there would have a clue where that is. I guess they consider it the “East End” of downtown. Makes sense I suppose. I typically say I’m in Chinatown or between Chinatown and Union Station. If for no other reason than it isn’t in any other particular neighborhood. But if someone can come up with something better, feel free to let me know. I don’t feel special saying I live in Chinatown.
Also, is there a timeline on this new building? I like parking over near the Harrison building because there’s always open spots. I’d imagine when that building goes up and they do something with the Harrison building, parking there is going to get difficult, both with construction and then with new residents.
I live in 400 Mass and have basically the same problem, although I am one block closer I guess. I tell everyone I live in Chinatown (or what’s left of it, anyway). I’ve never heard the term “East End” before.
I think Chinatown is a strecth, and the name will probaly lose cache in the coming years as the “Penn Quarter” concept snowballs further. I think East End is actually a great name, given the West End has slowly become more fashionable. It is also a good descriptor of the area. If it had its own Metro stop, this would not even be a question, I guess.
I live at 400 Mass and just say that I live near Chinatown. Once the Mount Vernon area develops, perhaps we will be known as living in Mount Vernon triangle.
It does. It’s called Judiciary Square. It’s about a block from Mass Court. But I don’t think Judiciary Square makes a good name for that ‘hood either.
I like East End. I’m going to start using that on a regular basis and see if it catches on. 
The Washington Business Journal refers to our neighborhood as the East End…if that counts for anything.
I believe the “East End” name pre-dates most of the downtown redevelopment, and was used before they came up with “Penn Quarter”. The way I understood it was that Penn Quarter, Chinatown, Gallery Place, and Judiciary Square were all parts of the East End. As for the new Abdo building, the Federal building a mere half block south is labeled “Judiciary Square”…
great comments. I tend to think of most of the Downtown BID as the East End including Chinatown, the Penn Quarter and Gallery Place. Wah-Luck House represents a core Chinese community that anchors Chinatown and it is the closest residential sub-East End name to 3rd Street. for me, Judiciary Square is most aptly used to describe an office district.
Anon: The Wah Luck House is Section 8 (gov’t subsidized) housing that was constructed in 22 days for Chinese residents displaced by the old convention center. Here is a good article.
Wow – 22 days! Not even PN Hoffman is that quick.
I’ve heard Wah Luck’s “lease” (or whatever they have) is running out in the next few years, and developers are salivating over the property. It would probably take a big public outcry to stop any takeover, but I think that’s doubtful given the Chinese community’s dwindling presence in the East End.
Well that building and Judiciary House both need to be leveled and something not so damned ugly put in their place.
But what is it the “east end” of? East end of Northwest?
Seems like a silly monniker to me that ignores there are indeed 4 quadrants to the city.
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Is this space really considered part of Chinatown? Seems like this property is not really part of any established neighborhoods? What do others think?