DC Firms Compete to Transform Historic Franklin School
Five DC developers are now vying for the chance to redevelop the 51k SF historic Franklin School. Thoron Capital, Friedman Capital Advisors, Dantes Partners, Aria Development and CoStar Group have each submitted unique bids to renovate the downtown building. A spokesman for the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development says they plan to pick a project that will benefit residents, create well-paying jobs, and have long-term economic promise, the Washington Business Journal reports. There are few details on most of the bids; however, CoStar CEO Andy Florance seems to go by the theory "if it ain't broke don't fix it," and has resubmitted an award-winning proposal from a year ago. The $35M self-financed pitch, which won an Unbuilt Award from the DC chapter of the AIA, proposes a conversion into a technology research and development center. This center will employ 150 software engineers and data scientists, and train qualified DC residents for high-tech jobs. [WBJ]
