Washington Harbour facts for kids
Looking north along the Potomac River waterfront in Georgetown, with Washington Harbour to the right.
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| Location | Washington, D.C. |
|---|---|
| Address | 3000 and 3050 K Street NW |
| Coordinates | 38°54′06″N 77°03′36″W / 38.901796°N 77.060086°W |
| Status | Complete |
| Groundbreaking | November 1981 |
| Constructed | June 1986 |
| Use | Office space, retail space, condominia |
| Website | TheWashingtonHarbour.com |
| Companies | |
| Architect | Arthur Cotton Moore |
| Developer | Washington Harbour Associates |
| Owner | MRP Realty and Rockpoint Group (as of March 2013) |
| Manager | MRP Realty |
| Technical details | |
| Cost | US$200 |
| Buildings | 5 |
| Size | 6 acres (24,000 m2) |
| Leasable area | 536,000 square feet (49,800 m2) |
| Parking | 489 |
Washington Harbour is a large group of buildings in Washington, D.C.. It's located right by the Potomac River in the Georgetown area. This complex has fancy apartments, offices, shops, restaurants, and underground parking. It was designed by an architect named Arthur Cotton Moore.
Before it was built, there was a long, seven-year fight about what to do with the Georgetown waterfront. This led to a new national park being created nearby. There were also disagreements about the design of Washington Harbour itself. Construction started in November 1981 and finished in June 1986. People liked the complex, even though some critics had mixed feelings.
Washington Harbour had some early problems with how it was managed. It has also changed owners many times since it was built. A special system of floodgates was built to protect it from the Potomac River. However, a big flood in 2011 happened because the floodgates were not used correctly. This led to a major renovation project.
Contents
How Washington Harbour Started
Early Ideas for the Waterfront
In the 1800s, the Georgetown waterfront was a busy harbor with many warehouses. But by the 1900s, river traffic slowed down. The warehouses were torn down, and factories were built instead. By 1960, many of these factories closed, and the area became unused. There was even a city waste plant and a construction depot there.
From 1960 to 1970, five different studies looked at developing the waterfront. But nothing happened because many people in D.C. didn't want superhighways built along the river. Each study suggested highways, which made them unpopular.
A sixth study in 1970 suggested tearing down the Whitehurst Freeway. This freeway blocked views and made it hard to develop the waterfront. The study said the city should bury the freeway and use the space above for parks or new buildings.
President Richard Nixon liked the 1970 study. In 1971, he asked Congress to create a plan for the Georgetown waterfront. This led to a new study in 1972, funded by the government. Its goal was to change zoning rules to allow big development. Many government groups were part of this study.
Legal Challenges to Building Plans
Some builders tried to start projects before the federal study was done. This caused legal problems that affected Washington Harbour. In 1972, a company called Georgetown Inland hired architect Arthur Cotton Moore to design an office building. But the United States Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), which had to approve designs, said it was too tall.
The D.C. Zoning Commission then stopped all construction on the waterfront for 120 days. Georgetown Inland wanted to build a large complex with restaurants, hotels, and offices. They argued that stopping construction would scare away developers. A local group, the Georgetown Citizens' Association (GCA), sued to stop the building. But a court allowed construction to continue. The Zoning Commission then lifted its ban.
The GCA appealed this decision to a higher court. This court temporarily stopped construction until more issues could be resolved.
A first version of the federal study came out in November 1972. It suggested that only mixed-use buildings (like shops and homes together) should be allowed. It also said buildings should be limited to 40 feet (12 m) tall, with some exceptions up to 60 feet (18 m). This led to another lawsuit from the GCA. The court again allowed Georgetown Inland to build, but the higher court quickly stopped it again.
In February 1973, the higher court extended its ban. It said the Zoning Commission had not properly explained why it lifted the construction ban. The court ordered the commission to provide a written reason. When the commission did, the court lifted the ban in May. This ruling made city zoning decisions much better.
Changes to Zoning Rules
New Zoning Ideas
The federal study suggested big changes for the Georgetown waterfront's zoning. The D.C. Zoning Commission quickly started working on these. In June, they proposed new rules that allowed more buildings and created three special zones. Buildings near the Potomac River were limited to six stories. Other areas could have buildings up to nine stories if they were mixed-use.
The plan was slightly changed in August. Public hearings began, but the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) didn't like the proposed rules. They thought buildings were too tall and didn't protect historic structures enough. A local group, the Georgetown Planning Group, also felt the development was too big and would cause too much traffic. In November, the zoning board delayed its decision.
Zoning Approval and Challenges
Zoning for the waterfront changed when D.C. got home rule. This meant the city would have more control over its own government. The old zoning commission was about to be replaced by a new one under home rule.
In a surprise move, the old zoning commission approved the new zoning rules in November 1974. The Washington Post thought this was done because the old commission wouldn't face political problems. They felt development needed to happen soon. The GCA immediately sued to stop these new rules, and a court blocked all development.
In February 1975, the final federal study was released. It suggested only low- and medium-rise buildings (40 feet (12 m) to 60 feet (18 m) high), not the taller ones (90 feet (27 m)) the D.C. Zoning Commission approved. The NCPC agreed with this report.
In 1978, the CFA suggested a solution: build two parks by the water and a large underground parking garage. The city said it would try to do this.
While the GCA's lawsuit was still going on, two companies bought land on the waterfront for new developments. Papermill Associates planned a $20 million apartment complex. Weissberg Development Corp. planned an $18 million mixed-use building. Both projects were approved by the CFA, but couldn't start because of the lawsuit.
Final Legal Battles and Park Creation
In November 1977, a D.C. court ruled that the 1974 zoning rules were properly adopted, even if they didn't fit the NCPC's overall plan. The GCA asked for a temporary stop to construction while they appealed. Then, in a different case, another D.C. court ruled that the Zoning Commission couldn't make decisions that went against the NCPC's main plan. The GCA used this to try and overturn the 1974 zoning rules again.
At the same time, Western Development Corp. bought a large area nearby. They planned to build the Georgetown Park shopping complex there.
Finally, in October 1978, the D.C. Court of Appeals ruled that the November 1974 zoning rules were indeed properly adopted. This decision mostly ended the GCA's efforts to stop the new zoning.
Creating Georgetown Waterfront Park
The court's decision pushed forward a new idea: keeping part of the waterfront as a park. In 1979, a group called the Georgetown Waterfront Task Force suggested a new park between 31st Street NW and Key Bridge along the Potomac River. A railway company that owned the land agreed to donate a 160-foot (49 m) wide strip for the park. Buildings next to the park would be limited to 30 feet (9.1 m) high.
Senator Charles Mathias tried to make the whole area a national park, but his idea didn't pass. Then, Senator Mark Hatfield suggested the National Park Service (NPS) buy only certain lands for a national park. This made everyone want to settle the park issue quickly.
On July 13, 1979, several important officials and developers signed an agreement. The railway company gave its land for the park, and the NPS agreed to build it. A joint venture (a partnership) of the railway and Western Development would buy other land to build a $50 million complex of apartments, offices, and shops. This complex would be three to six stories high. This agreement set the boundaries for what would become Washington Harbour.
Designing Washington Harbour
The first design for Washington Harbour was a large, six-story building. The CFA thought it was too big and rejected it in December 1979. A month later, Western Development hired Arthur Cotton Moore to redesign the project. Moore said he would use different colors and possibly smaller buildings.
On March 5, 1980, Moore showed a new design. This $60 million project had two curved buildings facing the Potomac River. Five other buildings were planned around them. Most of the project would be apartments (350 to 400 units). There would also be shops and restaurants. An oval boat basin was planned, along with a riverfront park. The GCA strongly opposed this design.
A week later, the CFA partly approved Moore's new design. But they said the project, at 86 feet (26 m) high, was too tall. They wouldn't approve anything taller than 60 feet (18 m).
Moore quickly made changes. He lowered the height to 68.5 feet (20.9 m), which was only five feet taller than the tallest building in Georgetown. The CFA approved this basic plan in April 1980.
The GCA still opposed the project. In November 1980, they asked for a two-year delay for a flood study. They worried the project would flood often. Nine D.C. City Council members tried to pass a law to stop construction until a flood study was done. But the mayor opposed it. The project was delayed for another nine months while permits were secured. By July 1981, the cost had risen to $154 million.
Building Washington Harbour
Construction on Washington Harbour began in November 1981. They started by tearing down an old cement plant. A court ruling in October 1982 helped clear the way for the project to continue.
Some design changes happened during construction. The United States Army Corps of Engineers had to approve anything built in the Potomac River. In 1983, the developers asked to dig a channel for a boat basin and build a floating dock. They also wanted to build a seawall and use the dredged material to create a 700-foot (210 m) long boardwalk. Local groups and rowing clubs didn't like these ideas, fearing too many powerboats. Most of these plans were dropped, and the boat basin was replaced with a fountain.
The George Hyman Construction Company built Washington Harbour. By November 1983, the old plant was gone, foundations were dug, and steel was being put in by the river to protect the site from water.
The project's cost grew to $200 million by late 1983. Due to money reasons, more of the complex became office space (which brought higher rents). The number of apartments dropped a lot, but the remaining 38 units were very luxurious. The developers planned to rent most of the retail space to restaurants.
By May 1985, Washington Harbour was almost finished. Workers rushed to complete the special floodgates in November 1985 when the Potomac River rose high due to heavy rains.
During construction, archaeologists found brick foundations and flooring from early 1800s buildings on the west side of the development. These ruins were about 6 feet (1.8 m) deep.
Opening Day
On June 13, 1986, the first part of Washington Harbour opened. Most of the office space was rented, and almost all the apartments were sold. The complex had a $2 million "water dance" fountain. The second part of the project, a hotel/office building, was planned but never built. That land was later sold, and the House of Sweden was built there in 2006.
How Washington Harbour Works
Washington Harbour quickly became popular. By 1987, several restaurants and shops had opened. In the evenings, many people came to enjoy the fresh air, water, and fountain. Rowers, who had worried about too much boat traffic, found new popularity as people watched them from the boardwalk. However, some office space was empty because there weren't enough tenants.
In late 1986, Western Development reduced its investment in Washington Harbour. They needed money for another big project. This meant other partners, like CSX Corporation, owned more of Washington Harbour.
Early Management Issues
Problems with Washington Harbour's management became public in October 1987 when a main restaurant, Potomac, suddenly closed. The restaurant owner blamed Western Development, saying fees were too high and services like trash collection were poor. Other tenants also complained about unexpected costs and problems not being fixed. Some said they were misled about how much it would cost to operate their businesses.
The closure of Potomac hurt other shops and restaurants. In December, the owners asked a court to let Potomac out of its lease so they could rent the space to someone else.
Six months after these problems became public, CSX Corporation fired Western Development as the property manager and hired a new company.
Sale to Conrad Cafritz
Washington Harbour was having trouble. Many shops and offices were empty. A big lawsuit from the former restaurant owner was pending. People in real estate said the complex cost too much to build for the rents it could charge.
In August 1988, Conrad Cafritz, a local real estate leader, took control of Washington Harbour. The previous owners had been trying to sell it. The deal was complex, but Cafritz gained control of the property. He avoided paying some taxes by using a special type of lease agreement. This angered city officials who needed the tax money. The city council later changed laws to prevent this from happening again.
Cafritz's deal helped stabilize Washington Harbour. He changed some retail space into office space (which paid more). He settled the lawsuit and lowered rents for new office tenants. New restaurants opened, like Leonardo da Vinci Ristorante and Sequoia. By mid-1990, Cafritz had rented out much of the empty office space.
Later Owners
Cafritz only owned Washington Harbour for two years. In 1990, his Japanese investors bought him out.
The complex continued to improve. All the apartments eventually sold, and most office space was rented. New restaurants opened, and the complex started hosting free cultural events like jazz festivals and outdoor entertainment. Sculptures were also added to the boardwalk. By 1994, office rentals were high, and operating costs were reduced.
In 1998, Washington Harbour was sold to Crescent Real Estate Equities for $161 million. This was a very high price for an office building in D.C. Crescent owned it for three and a half years, then sold it to Shorenstein Properties in 2001 for $154.25 million.
Shorenstein Properties owned it for two and a half years, selling it to Broadway Real Estate Partners in 2003 for $185 million. The price increased because more of the building was rented out (99 percent occupied). New law firms became major tenants.
After two years, Broadway Real Estate Partners sold Washington Harbour to Prudential Real Estate Investors in 2005 for $220 million.
Even though Washington Harbour was very popular, Prudential sold it in March 2010 to MRP Realty and the Rockpoint Group for about $244.5 million. The new owners took over managing the complex themselves.
2011 Flood and Updates
Washington Harbour had a serious flood on April 17, 2011. Heavy rains and a high tide caused the Potomac River to overflow. The floodgates were either not up or only partly up. Water poured into the parking garage, basement, and first floor. All first-floor businesses and apartment residents had to leave. The floodgates were finally raised later that day.
A legal dispute was filed against MRP Realty by businesses and employees who lost money due to the flood. They said MRP Realty failed to raise the floodgates even though they had warnings. This dispute was later dismissed by a judge.
In July 2011, MRP Realty announced a $30 million renovation for Washington Harbour. They planned new restaurant space and outdoor dining. The oval fountain would be replaced with a new one that could also become a large ice rink in the winter. MRP Realty said these plans were made before the flood. The new fountain/ice rink opened in November 2012 and became very popular.
In November 2012, MRP Realty also looked into building a new six-story apartment building or a hotel on a corner of the property. Apartment owners at Washington Harbour didn't like this idea, fearing it would lower their property values.
In March 2013, a famous chef announced he would open a new restaurant, Fiola Mare, at Washington Harbour.
2013 Sale
MRP Realty and Rockpoint Group put Washington Harbour up for sale in February 2013 for $250 million. They sold it in June 2013 for $370 million to a group of investors from South Korea.
How the Floodgates Work
Floodgate Design
In Georgetown, the Potomac River is considered to be at flood stage when it's 7 feet (2.1 m) above its normal level. At 10 feet (3.0 m), major damage can happen. The highest water level ever recorded was 19.5 feet (5.9 m) in 1889.
Washington Harbour was built very close to the water. The architect, Arthur Cotton Moore, wanted people to have easy access to the river. To prevent flooding, he designed a special floodgate system.
The engineering firm Sverdrup & Parcel designed 57 floodgates around the complex. These gates are like barriers used to protect nuclear power plants. The gates closest to the river are about 12 feet (3.7 m) tall and weigh 8,000 to 10,000 pounds (3,600 to 4,500 kg). Smaller gates are on other sides of the complex. They were designed to protect against a flood 17 feet (5.2 m) high.
Each gate is stored underground. When needed, a hoist or small crane lifts them into place between special posts. A buried gas compressor then inflates seals on the sides of the gate to make it watertight. The lowest level of the parking garage is designed to flood on purpose. This water pressure helps keep the gates standing upright.
These gates were the first of their kind in the world. It takes three to five hours to put them all in place. The management company decides when to raise the gates by checking with the National Weather Service. Water from Harper's Ferry usually takes about 36 hours to reach Washington Harbour. In 1996, it cost about $18,000 each time the floodgates were used.
Times When Flooding Happened
The floodgates at Washington Harbour have been used at least 11 times between 1986 and 2012. Here are some examples:
- April 17–19, 1987 — Heavy rains caused the Potomac River to rise. The floodgates were raised as a safety step. The water was 8 feet (2.4 m) above normal, the worst flooding since the gates were first used. The boardwalk was covered.
- March 30, 1994 — The Potomac River rose to 10.3 feet (3.1 m) due to melting snow and rain. Water came 30 feet (9.1 m) inland, but the floodgates held it back.
- January 20, 1996 — Melting snow and heavy rains made the Potomac rise 13.8 feet (4.2 m) above normal, the highest in 25 years. Washington Harbour was surrounded by water, but the floodgates prevented any damage.
- September 10, 1996 — Hurricane Fran caused the Potomac River to rise 12.1 feet (3.7 m) above normal. Again, the floodgates protected the complex.
- September 5, 1999 — The remains of Hurricane Dennis caused Washington Harbour to raise its floodgates. However, the flooding wasn't as bad as predicted.
- September 17, 2003 — Heavy rains from Hurricane Isabel caused the Potomac River to rise 13.75 feet (4.19 m) above normal. The floodgates were raised, and the complex was protected.
- June 27–28, 2008 — Very heavy rain caused flash flooding, and the floodgates were raised. But the water barely covered the boardwalk.
- January 27, 2010 — Early snowmelt and ice on the Potomac caused flooding. The floodgates were raised, but water only covered the boardwalk and a small part of the plaza.
- April 17, 2011 — Washington Harbour did not raise its floodgates after heavy rains, which led to major flooding inside the complex.
- May 2011 — A week of heavy rain led to flood warnings. Washington Harbour, still recovering from the April flood, raised its floodgates. No flooding past the boardwalk occurred.
- October 29–30, 2012 — Hurricane Sandy caused Washington Harbour to raise its floodgates early. The Potomac River rose to 9 feet (2.7 m) above normal, but the water did not reach the floodgates.
