Award of Merit
Best Multi-Family Project - Washington, DC

Project Team

Red Ace, CBT, LLC - (Developer)
Bonstra | Haresign ARCHITECTS - (Architect)
McCullough Construction - (General Contractor)
Anice Hoachlander - (Photographer)

Project Description

Rising 11 stories atop three levels of underground parking, the 74-unit Kennedy on L takes its place within a vibrant new neighborhood of the city, becoming part of the transformative development that has turned what was once sparsely populated warehouses and industrial sites into one of the city’s premier mixed-use, mixed-income, multi-generational destinations. With ready access to Nationals Park Audi Stadium, Canal Park and Yards Park along the revitalized Anacostia waterfront, as well as a wide variety of trending restaurants, entertainment, shopping, gyms and grocery stores, this new condominium community has the best of the city at its doorstep. Achieving Walk Scores as both a “Walker’s Paradise“ and “Biker’s Paradise,” the development is convenient to Metro’s Green/Blue/Orange/Silver lines and the extensive Anacostia River Trail, in addition to being a short walk to the established amenities of Capitol Hill just to the north.

The design places a premium on elements of personal privacy within a larger community, promoting the emotional well-being and physical comfort of residents. Unlike many new residential developments in the neighborhood, the condominium community at the Kennedy on L has geared its amenities to a more established demographic, devoting more square footage to residential units and secure resident parking as opposed to the communal living amenities common in the more transient neighboring apartment buildings. In doing so, the mix of homeowners at the Kennedy on L brings further diversity to a burgeoning and dynamic urban neighborhood.

The evolving trends for demographic-specific features, particularly as became clear during the pandemic when the building was under construction, allowed the team to fine-tune the design, adding features such as more intensive green roofs integrated with in-house fitness equipment as well as a more controlled resident dining room, a full-service concierge, expanded package storage and delivery services, and a pet spa. This in turn has formed a basis for re-imagined amenity designs in other current condominium projects.

Situated in a narrow 60’-wide mid-block location, the sliver building creates a streetfront composition emphasizing its verticality, including a signature vertical tower framing the glazed corner volume sheathed in iridescent aluminum panels, whose color subtly modulates with the ever-changing light over the course of the day. A carefully composed materials palette of brick, metal panels and stucco creates an intricate interplay with expansive glazing, projecting balconies and inset terraces to add dynamism to an otherwise mundane alley location.

The building takes advantage of three exposures on street and alley to provide an abundance of natural light, with over half of the units enjoying private outdoor balconies or terraces, despite the building’s narrow profile and mid-block location. This not only allows light-filled residences with floor-to-ceiling windows in most units, but also provides stunning views from the stepped terraces of both the Anacostia River as well as downtown DC and the Washington Monument.

The project embraces the provisions of the DC Green Building agenda, including high-efficiency and health-conscious VRF heating & cooling and individual instant-heat water heaters. An abundance of secure bicycle parking takes advantage of the building’s location in one of the most walkable and bikeable neighborhoods in the city. At the same time, the garage also provides electric vehicle charging stations in anticipation of a greater number battery-powered cars dominating the market in future years. These simultaneously accommodate the higher car ownership among the target residential demographic while also positively addressing sustainable carbon-free practices.