The old Washington Star/Post Plant at 225 Virginia Ave. is
located just south of the Southeast Freeway, between
2nd and 3rd.
225 Virginia Avenue

Long a printing plant for the Washington Star and then Washington Post, the building on the block bounded by 3rd, 2nd, Virginia, and I was sold by the Post in 1999, with original hopes that it could be converted to a "tech hotel", an idea scotched by Sept. 11 and the building's proximity to the US Capitol. In late 2006, plans were announced that the Metropolitan Police Department's 1st District Station would move to the site; in spring 2007, it was revealed that the MPD's top officials, evidence warehouse, and other divisions wanted to move to the site as well. Costs to add an additional floor, a parking garage, and other conversions were estimated at $100 million, and in August 2007, the city announced it was cancelling the plans, calling them "not cost-effective" and "inconsistent with the adjacent neighborhood." After being unable to find a developer to assume the sublease, the city decided in 2009 to spend $85 million to purchase the building outright, with plans to make it home to the D.C. Child and Family Services Agency, the Office of the Chief Technology Officer and the Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

Links:
Fenty Gets OK to Buy Warehouse for $85 Million (Examiner, 9/23/09)
District Seeks Offers to 225 Virginia Avenue, SE | OPM Page on 225 Virginia
OPM Announces Cancellation of MPD Move (8/8/07) | ANC 6D Opposes 1D Move (6/11/07)
Police HQ And 1,100 Workers Going to SE (WP, 4/26/07) | Fenty Press Release (12/12/06)
JD's 225 Virginia Avenue News Items


            Overview/JD's Photos            225 Virginia News Items            

The northern facade of 225 Virginia Avenue, as seen from 3rd Street. This side of the building faces the Southeast Freeway. (01/07)



The northwest corner of 225 Virginia, somewhat overgrown given that the building had been unoccupied since it was sold by the Washington Post in 1999.(07/05)


The southeast corner of 225 Virginia, at 3rd and I streets, showing the current surface lot (which is where I guess they would build a new parking garage). This corner faces the Capper/Carrollsburg area. (01/07)



225 Virginia's southwest corner; the two garage doors left of center are where trains used to enter the building directly to deliver newsprint and other goods. The south side of the building at right faces Canal Park. (02/07)


Looking through what is currently the overgrown footprint of Canal Park at K Street, you get another view of how 225 Virginia towers over the northern end of the new park. (02/07)



These are renderings released in 2004 showing possible plans of how to renovate 225 Virginia; the top image is of the south side of the building; the bottom image is of the east side of the building. I'm not sure at this point whether these drawings are still operative.


A bit of neighborhood and family history: This photo of my brother was taken in Garfield Park (at 1st and F) in 1964, and you can clearly see not only the top of what was then the Star Plant, but the construction of the Southeast Freeway. If we could turn back time.... (1964)



            Overview/JD's Photos            225 Virginia News Items            




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