See the DC North article below that says the developer of the former Kelsey Gardens apartment complex (and the prospective Addision Square) may begin work by February, with expected finish date in 2012. See the photos below of the developer’s vision and/or visit the developer’s website: http://www.met-dev.com/upcomingprojects.html .
Kelsey Gardens Redevelopment Delayed, But Still Moving Forward
by Amanda Abrams
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Kelsey Gardens, a sprawling public housing complex on 7th Street NW in Shaw, is still going to be redeveloped as planned. But thanks to the economic downturn, the shiny new building that’s slated to rise in its place is several years off.
“We’re thinking we’ll start in February,” said Jim Wurzel, construction manager at Metropolitan Development, the Vienna, VA, company that owns the site. “We’d like to start sooner, but that’s realistic. We’ll hopefully be done by January 2012.”
There’s still a very long road ahead for the company, which already spent several years fighting to acquire the property at 7th and P Street. Now that rezoning has been approved, the company will invest in construction drawings, while simultaneously applying for building permits and trying to raise money to finance the project.
Two tenants are still living in the complex, though they should be gone in a few weeks. One of them is Debbie Williams, a Shaw native who’s lived in Kelsey Gardens since 1980. She’s hoping to move to an apartment in Maryland, but is waiting on final approvals.
Williams said it’s “nice and quiet” in Kelsey Gardens now. “I’ll miss it,” she acknowledged. “It used to be my mother’s apartment; when she died, I took it over. It’s like a home.”
Once Williams and the other tenant are gone, Metropolitan will cut off services to the complex and put up a temporary security fence. That will remain until the company is ready to raze the current buildings—probably near the end of the year. Finally, around February, building will commence.
Despite all of the delays, Wurzel is excited about the development. “I think it’ll work out well,” he said. “It’ll be a place people will want to move into.” He added that, as per the agreement the company made with former tenants, Williams and others would be welcome to move back in when the construction is done.
But Williams’ plans are still up in the air. Will she move back in later? “It depends,” she said.
Bates Area Civic Association 