Aria Development Plans Mixed-Use Project On Site Of NoMa Exxon Station
One of the busiest corners in the fast-growing NoMa neighborhood could soon be developed into a mixed-use project.
Aria Development Group bought the Exxon property at the corner of Florida Avenue and North Capitol Street for $25.5M from Ronald D. Paul Cos. in a deal posted Tuesday to the D.C. Recorder of Deeds.
The acquisition comes after Aria in 2016 bought several adjacent properties on the block along Florida Avenue and P Street in an $11M deal, property records show. The developer said it is planning a "prominent mixed-use building" for the site, but could not provide further details.
The site is zoned D-5, the same as most of the NoMa neighborhood, allowing for high-density mixed-use developments up to 130 feet tall. It sits just under a half-mile from the NoMa-Gallaudet Metro station. Aria would have to overcome D.C.'s restrictions on the redevelopment of gas stations, though D.C. is currently re-evaluating that process.
“It’s a tremendous location,” Aria founding partner Joshua Benaim said in a statement. “It sits between the beloved neighborhoods of Bloomingdale and Shaw, Union Market with its new Trader Joe’s, and the office and transportation hub of NoMa. We are excited to help weave back together the fabric of this neighborhood.”
NoMa has been one of the main hubs for new apartment construction in D.C. in recent years. The neighborhood had 4,803 existing residential units as of January, according to the NoMa BID, with 1,595 under construction and 6,715 more in planning. NoMa BID's development map lists the two properties Aria has assembled as separate developments that could total 380 units and 7,500 SF of retail.
Aria is also developing a 156-unit multifamily building at 1315 Clifton St. NW in Columbia Heights. It will begin leasing those apartments early next year.
