The Esplanade
National Harbor is a nationally known community that was developed on the banks of the Potomac River in Maryland just south of DC. The block that our building sits upon was one of the last to be built on American Way, the main street of the whole community. All of the buildings that had been built along American Way were mid rises with a size, scale and detailing that were not possible to emulate given our construction type. Therefore, our challenge was to make a long, low, four-story building on top of a retail podium while maintaining a presence on a street filled with much taller structures.
We started with an exciting cantilevered element that stood over the largest retail bay at one of the main corners, and then to the midpoint of the block we created a curved entry element that interlocked a five-story tall double-cantilevered structure that served as the front door to the whole project, which is visible all along American Way. The exterior was designed in a smooth masonry mass punctuated with elegant balconies. Behind the main façades is a large two-level courtyard containing a pool and many other amenities. Parking is tucked away in a precast garage structure hidden by the street-facing sides of the building. Units ranging in size from studios to 3 bedrooms are efficiently designed and filled with light.
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Project Facts:
Oxon Hill, MD
Market Rate Apartments
Bozzuto/Peterson Venture
September 2015
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375 dwelling units
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302,000 total GSF
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5 stories
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Type III-A construction
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13,000 SF of amenities
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19,600 SF of retail at grade level
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404 below-grade parking spaces
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LEED