Jemal Takes Over Atlantic Building New plan for troubled development to be aired March 28 by John Devault, Staff Writer
Both city officials and their critics, who say that
the officials permitted developers to demolish one of
the downtown area’s most historic buildings and
then walk away from the site without re-building, expressed
at least cautious optimism last week as a new developer
stepped in to take over the project.
Douglas Jemal paid $10.5 million for a four-building
lot on which now stand the brick facades of the Atlantic
Building and three other historically protected 19th
century structures at 920-930 F St. NW.
Jemal bought the properties, located two blocks from
MCI Center, from the Clover and Bernstein companies
– local developers who in November 2000 demolished
all but the buildings’ facades under a special
redevelopment deal reached with the city. But Clover
and Bernstein soon lost their financing and stopped
work on the project for 15 months, causing neighborhood
residents, merchants and other critics to loudly rebuke
city officials for not only tearing down a beautiful,
historic building, but also creating a lingering neighborhood
eyesore.
Jemal, who already owns all of the buildings on the
block between the Atlantic parcel and, to the west,
the corner of F and 10th Streets, NW, said he plans
to combine the four newly acquired properties with
his previous holdings into a single 300,000-square-foot
retail, office and entertainment complex, incorporating
all of the original buildings’ facades.
The new project would be almost three times the size
of the project planned by Clover and Bernstein.
Councilman Jack Evans, D-Ward 2, applauded Jemal’s
purchase of the property.
"Doug Jemal is a good developer," Evans said.
"He does good historic preservation."
"The other people seemed to be botching the job,"
he added. "Doug at least gets things built."
Charles Docter, president of the Downtown Housing Now
Committee and a prominent critic of the city’s
handling of the project, also praised the new owner.
"Jemal has a good record with historic properties,"
Docter said. "I think now we’ll be seeing
some progress at that site."
But not everybody agrees that the sale to Jemal resolved
the recent controversies.
"(The city) seems to think that the sale is a cure-all,"
said Terry Lynch, head of the Downtown Cluster of Congregations,
a downtown advocacy group. "But I don’t see
how the sale of the property changes the situation one
iota," he said.
"I have full confidence in Mr. Jemal to do a good
restoration – to clear up what little is left
of the Atlantic Building," Lynch said.
But, he said, "I’ve been astounded by how
little interest the city and its historic preservation
officials have shown in the historic infrastructure
of the city. Their attitude with developers seems to
be, ‘Let ‘em do what they want to do.’"
Lynch noted that before the sale of the properties to
Jemal, the city had responded to its critics –
and intensifying media coverage of its fumbling of the
project – by scheduling a hearing on April 4 to
consider revoking Clover and Bernstein’s building
permits. City officials said last week that the hearing
will go on but now will examine Jemal’s proposals
for redeveloping the site.
"I believe we can raise questions [at the hearing]
which I would hope we’d get answers to. I would
hope that the city would explain to the community how
they’re protecting our historic buildings,"
Lynch said.
Jemal said last week that he will appear at the April
4 hearing, before the official who struck the original
deal with Clover and Bernstein, an official known as
the mayor’s agent.
"Yes, we’re going to be at the meeting,"
Jemal said last week. He said he also would present
his plans for the site at a meeting of the city’s
Historic Preservation Review Board on March 28.
But he declined to give details of the plans he is developing.
"Candidly, it’s too early to talk about that,"
he said.
Jemal said that in broad outline the new building complex
would contain retail stores at the street-level and
substantial space for commercial office-leasing above.
Many developers believe that office space is the most
lucrative use for downtown buildings.
Jemal seemed to rule out a suggestion from both Evans
and Docter that he devote a chunk of the expanded project
to housing.
Asked about the possibility, he replied simply, "No"
– and cut off an attempt to elaborate with another
curt "No."
But, he said, "We’re bound by the mayor’s
agent agreement."
That deal specifies that the project contain at least
125,000 square feet of retail space, as well as a nightclub
or other similar entertainment venue. Those parts of
the agreement seek to preserve the 900 block of F Street’s
character as a part of the city’s original retail
and entertainment hub.
The agreement also requires the developer to re-create
much of the original Atlantic Building’s distinctive
floor plan, as well as to preserve interior design details.
The Atlantic, built in 1887, was in its day the tallest
building in the city – called by one architectural
historian a "proto-skyscraper." The graceful,
architecturally detailed eight-story building contained
one of the city’s first elevators.
Ellen McCarthy, deputy director for development review
in the D.C. Office of Planning, said she is optimistic
that the sale to Jemal will expedite the project. "He’s
indicated that he wants to move quickly on this,"
she said.
She said she foresees no problems with Jemal’s
plans.
"As long as he’s complying with the letter
of the law, we’ll support him on the project,"
she said.
But she also acknowledged that the city made a bad deal
with Clover and Bernstein.
"We’d assumed nobody would have the temerity
to take down a building without being able to complete
the project," she said. And when that happened,
she said, "We saw what few tools we had to work
with."
McCarthy said the Office of Historic Preservation, which
she oversees, has asked the city’s corporation
counsel to add enforcement provisions – such as
performance bonds or a drop-dead time limit –
to future development deals that the city strikes.
"We’re definitely using (the Atlantic Building)
experience to enlighten our revisions of the mayor’s
agent agreement," she said.
