Happy to report that they have also managed to keep the sidewalk open and accessible during the construction phase, looks like projects are finally starting the follow the rules! [Photo: afagen]

NoMa - After a half decade of being nothing more than an empty facade, the Gale School (pictured) finally breaks ground. [PoP]

Mt Vernon Triangle - Kettler breaks ground on 440 K Street, the next phase of residential development Mount Vernon Place. [The Triangle]

[Photo: Ronnie R]

It’s all yours for $2.85 M! As always click on the floor plans for a closer look!

At the completion of construction, the renovation will reduce the building’s carbon-based energy consumption by at least 60%. This aggressive energy reduction requires the use of passive strategies such as natural ventilation and day-lighting. Both will be accomplished through three vertical light and air shafts through the building.

The energy reduction will also require the manipulation of the building envelope to make it more efficient, including operable, heat reflective glass and solar. Rainwater will be collected from the roof and used to flush toilets and for landscape irrigation. Best part is that all this is being accomplished while maintaining the character of the original design!

[Renderings: STUDIOS]

Eventually demolished in 1960, the building was replaced with the commercial property that stands on the site to this day. [Photo: NCinDC]

The plan for Constitution Gardens includes lots of new outdoor furniture and engaging features as well as a restaurant pavilion (shown above) and possible pond/skating rink to draw more people into the core of the Nation Mall.  The redesigned Sylvan Theater by OLIN & Weiss features a new amphitheater with green terraced landscaping (shown below). The theater would increase the capacity of the current facilities while preserving the area around the Washington Monument by blending in the landscaping and a complete flowing green roof.

The projects are just one part of the massive $700 million plan to transform the National Mall from a series of monument and memorials connected by patches of dead grass, into a world class cohesive park. So far, so good, what do you think?

[Renderings: Rogers Marvel Architects + Peter Walker top | OLIN Weiss bottom]

With such a prime location, the developers built out the infrastructure for up to four restaurants and the corner space alone weighs in at almost a fourth of the total 33,500 sq-ft and was built to accommodate a smaller grocery store or a large format restaurant with its own loading deck (apparently they have reached out to Giant, MoMs Organic, and others). Leasing is already underway and so far they are about 15% leased up, with the first building ready for occupancy this July.

Lots more construction photos after the jump, including the start of the landscaped amenities roof, which will eventually include an outdoor movie theater and a fire pit…

Some of the retail bays being built out.

Ceiling details for the first floor residential lobby.

The landscaped courtyard which will have an outdoor movie screen and a fire pit.

Some of the units are still getting drywalled.

But some are almost ready for occupancy.

[Photos: DCMetrocentric]

[Photo: Otavio_DC]

This type of segmentation makes sense, but hopefully they will take into consideration a larger master plan to allow for the eventual redevelopment of the entire area without many constraints from the incremental first phase. In fact there is still an opportunity to do this since all the proposed developments included a phased approach. Plans are to get the new solicitation out by the end of the Summer, so at least things are starting to roll again!

[Renderings: Vornado/Charles E. Smith]

However despite all these delays since the announcement back in 2008, they are still expecting a groundbreaking in 2013… we will be watching closely to see how things progress, but the next review phase will definitely be telling about what we can expect this project to actually end up looking like.

[Rendering: Shalom Baranes]

There is also going to be over 10,000 sq-ft of new retail space and the plan is to be ready for retail and residential occupancy this coming Fall.

[Photo: Otavio_DC] & [Rendering: Hellmuth, Obata, Kassabaum]

Included is a new transit center, plazas, parks, and even a farm center!

[Renderings: DC Gov ]

The current historic buildings on the site have already been restored as part of the ever expanding Living Social real estate empire, and even though the new development is being pitched as speculative, you can see from the massive Living Social logo above the new entrance in the rendering that Douglas Development has a pretty good idea of who they want to be their tenant.

[Rendering: Shalom Baranes]

Georgetown - The Dumbarton Oaks Park Conservancy celebrates its first year (pictured, the home not the conservancy). [GT Metropolitan]

Pentagon City - Navy Annex set to be torn down this summer. [ARLNow]

[Photo: Sherrinemae]

Of course it has since been renovated many times, and for an old house it has some pretty decent specs and layout including a library, formal dinning room, and a big open farm chic kitchen (pictured below).

All this can be yours for $5,300,000.