it's now official: Giant coming to 3rd & H Street NE

Not quite Bloomingdale news, but worth reporting.

D.C. economic development
Guy Steuart finally nets his Giant
Washington Business Journal - by Michael Neibauer
Date: Wednesday, November 10, 2010, 10:09am EST.
http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/blog/2010/11/guy-steuart-finally-nets-his-giant.html

Giant Food LLC and Steuart Investment Co. have finally sealed the deal to bring a supermarket to Steuart's mixed-use project at 3rd and H streets NE.

The Chevy Chase-based Steuart, led by director Guy Steuart, danced with Giant for months before closing the deal with a long-term anchor lease. The developer had long sought a grocery store to anchor his 286,500-square-foot project on the west end of the busy H Street corridor, what he's now calling 360˚ H Street, but previous talks with Harris Teeter Inc., Yes! Organic Market and Trader Joe's had all fallen through.

The Giant, at 41,200 square feet, will consume most of the space set aside for retail on the site. There will also be a 1,500 retail bay on the east end. Silver Spring-based Torti Gallas and Partners Inc. is the architect.

"We could not be more pleased that Giant has committed to anchor this development," Steuart said in a statement. "Our vision for 360˚ H Street is one of convenient urban living, and with Giant we've partnered with a grocer embracing smart development and top-quality customer service too."

We first reported the potential deal with Giant in April, but both sides declined to publicly acknowledge the discussions. Then, in August, Giant President Robin Michel told a tent full of people that Giant was locked in at 3rd and H, but her communications team quickly backtracked and said the deal was not done.

The Steuart parcels, currently vacant save the occasional pop-up art, is expected to feature the supermarket, 215 rental units and 270 underground parking spaces -- 125 reserved for retail customers, and 145 for residents. The project will be steps from a future streetcar stop, a block from Union Station and across the street from Abdo Development's 480-unit condominium complex.

"This is a great next step in the revitalization of the H Street Corridor," said D.C. Councilman Tommy Wells, D-Ward 6. "I'm excited that Giant has been exploring more urban and transit-oriented store designs and I'm eager to see Steuart and Giant deliver on a vision that embraces the new streetcar and the proximity to Union Station."

Construction is expected to start in the spring. Giant will be open in the first quarter of 2013.