Washington Harbour - Construction of Washington Harbour

Construction of Washington Harbour

Construction on Washington Harbour began in November 1981 with demolition of an abandoned cement plant. On October 1, 1982, the D.C. Court of Appeals upheld its ruling of November 14, 1981, which essentially ended GCA's attempt to enjoin the DCHPO order.

Some design changes occurred during construction. The United States Army Corps of Engineers had authority to approve any construction in the Potomac River. In March 1983, WHA asked permission to dredge a channel in the Potomac that would lead to the elliptical boat basin in the center of the project, and for approval of a floating dock to provide additional boating facilities. WHA also asked the Corps to consent to construction of a seawall on the river's edge, and to use the material dredged from the Potomac to fill in the area behind the seawall. On this reclaimed land, the company intended to build a 700-foot (210 m) long boardwalk. The GCA and local rowing clubs opposed these requests, arguing that the boat basin and dock would attrack too many powerboats — which would threaten the many kayakers and scullers who used the area. Most of these proposals were withdrawn by November, when WHA abandoned the elliptical boat basin in favor of a fountain.

The George Hyman Construction Company of Bethesda, Maryland, was the general contractor on the Washington Harbour construction project. Structural engineer Zivan Cohen of the firm Tadjer-Cohen-Edelson and landscape architect James Urban also worked on the complex. By November 1983, the cement plant was gone, excavation of the foundations was complete, pilings for the buildings were being driven, and steel sheeting was being driven into the ground by the riverbank to help protect the site from water.

The cost of the project rose to $200 million by late 1983. Washington Harbour Associates received financing for the project from KanAm Realty, a division of KanAm International (a German real estate development firm). Due to economic pressures, residential space in the complex had been turned into office space (for which higher rents could be charged). The amount of office space had jumped to 480,000 square feet (45,000 m2) from 306,000 square feet (28,400 m2), while the retail space shrank to 85,000 square feet (7,900 m2) from 150,000 square feet (14,000 m2) and residential space to 97,000 square feet (9,000 m2) from 236,000 square feet (21,900 m2). The number of condominiums in the project dropped by 90 percent, although the remaining 38 units were built to be some of the most luxurious in the city. WHA intended to lease most of the retail space to restaurants, and had already leased space for a 1,000-seat facility to be designed by Warner LeRoy (then-owner of the famous Tavern on the Green). The remaining retail (a gourmet food shop, an office supply store, a pharmacy, etc.) would be leased to businesses catering to the needs of the condominium owners. The eastern tower was designed to accommodate retail and restaurants on the ground floor with office space above. The western tower was similar in design, except that the top floors contained condominiums.

By May 1985, Washington Harbour was nearing completion. Contractors rushed to complete the floodgates at the base of the Washington Harbour towers in early November 1985 after the Potomac River, swollen by heavy rains, reached 7 feet (2.1 m) above flood stage.

One of the requirements of the complex's building permit was that it pay for an archeological assessment of undeveloped waterfront land. On the west side of the development (which was scheduled to become parkland), archeologists unearthed in summer 1985 the brick foundations and flooring of three buildings from the early 1800s. The ruins, as well as remains of a cobblestone street, were found 6 feet (1.8 m) down.