Chevy Chase-based developer The JBG Cos. seems to have thrown in the towel when it comes to redeveloping Woodley Park’s Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.
Washington Business Journal reported that the developer withdrew plans to replace the hotel with nearly 1,650 residential units and instead plans to have the hotel up for sale. The plans for the 1.5 million-square-foot project were to construct five residential buildings with over 1,000 underground parking spaces. The developer has owned the site since 2005, according to UrbanTurf.
Opponents of the project included a group of residents, called "The Woodley Regulars," who argued that the development would have doubled the neighborhood’s population, resulting in a strain on nearby schools, fire departments, and "every other facet of our neighborhood."
In an email to Washington Business Journal, Jeff Myers wrote on behalf of the Woodley Park Community Association, saying, "Woodley Park residents are not against increasing the supply of housing in the neighborhood. We simply want it to be done pursuant to a comprehensive plan that considers all the needs of the community, including the need for truly affordable housing."
Despite the withdrawn plans, the developer still hopes to construct a 110- to 120-unit multi-family building on a site fronting Woodley Road NW, reported Washington Business Journal. The 230,000-square-foot building is planned to achieve a minimum LEED Silver certification. The height and overall mass of this project is expected to be amended in order to be consistent with the surrounding buildings.