Long-Planned Shakespeare Theatre Co. Project Scrapped In Southwest
"To be or not to be" is no longer the question for Shakespeare Theatre Co.'s long-delayed Southwest D.C. project, where the development team has officially scrapped its plans.
The owner of the property at 501 I St. SW filed a notice with the Zoning Commission Nov. 25 that says the planned mixed-use project is no longer feasible and it is instead under contract to sell the site to a homebuilder.
Erkiletian Development and Shakespeare Theatre Co. acquired the site in 2014 and planned to construct a campus with rehearsal studios, administrative offices, a costume shop and multifamily housing.
The project, branded The Bard, faced community pushback before being approved in 2019. It was put on hold the following year due to the pandemic. In 2022, the development team submitted a revised plan that reduced the size of the project and requested a two-year extension of its approval. That extension expired last month, and the team is now requesting another two-year extension.
But in its statement of justification, the development team said that it only needs the second extension to "maintain the protections" of the approval, as its sale to a homebuilder has yet to close. It said the homebuilder plans to develop rowhouses that fit within the site's existing zoning.
"The second extension is necessary due to the continued disruption caused by economic conditions," according to the filing, signed by attorney David Avitabile of Goulston & Storrs. "Since the approval of the Extension Order, the Applicant has diligently pursued financing for the revised Project but has concluded the Project is not likely to be feasible. Accordingly, the Applicant has made the difficult decision to sell the Property."
The development team paid $6.5M for the property in September 2014 and obtained a roughly $4M loan from EagleBank in May 2015, according to deed records. The team also received a $750K grant from the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, it said in a 2022 filing. It worked with Shalom Baranes Associates to design the project.
The property at the corner of Sixth and I streets southwest was previously occupied by a brutalist-style building that housed Southeastern University, which closed in 2009. The development team demolished the building after acquiring the site, and it has remained a fenced-in lot for the last several years, according to Google Street View images. It sits just two blocks from the $3B waterfront megaproject The Wharf.
The Shakespeare Theatre Co. hosts performances at two venues in Chinatown: Harman Hall at 610 F St. NW and Klein Theatre at 450 Seventh St. NW. The company didn't respond to Bisnow's request for comment on the Southwest project being scrapped.
Erkiletian Development, in a statement to Bisnow Monday, reiterated that putting the site up for sale was a "difficult decision" and said it is working to ensure the best outcome for the community.
"We have always believed and continue to believe in the unique charm and vitality of Southwest DC," the developer said. "The Shakespeare Theater Company plays an invaluable role in our community’s cultural fabric, and we are dedicated to supporting them and the Southwest community as we move forward."
Emily Wishingrad contributed reporting for this story.
