Story

The Hartley and Common Clover are centerpieces of the revitalized Parks at Walter Reed, a 66-acre, mixed-use destination featuring 100,000 SF of dining, shopping, and entertainment–all oriented around an active plaza. The communities offer 383 affordable and market-rate housing units, 81,000 SF of retail including a 42,000-SF Whole Foods Market, roads, and an expansive plaza built atop a rehabilitated parking garage. Housing options range from fully furnished co-living units to multi-level townhomes, and amenities include interior courtyards, a pool, zen garden, fitness center, pet spa, and an observation deck. The communities’ extensive scope of work demanded meticulous planning with several parties. CBG exhibited outstanding project management skills balancing the needs of The Hartley’s three owners. During the two-year-long preconstruction process, CBG assessed the site’s significant grade changes and repurposed the existing parking garage that now serves as the two buildings’ foundation. During demolition and foundation work, we ran pumps to divert incoming groundwater, utilized longer-reach equipment, and worked outside the garage whenever possible. We set up devices to monitor carbon monoxide that would alert us visually and audibly when levels reached a certain threshold. We ultimately reshaped the garage by building and reusing walls, adding and removing stairwells, and building bridges to support a new public access road. Three neighboring projects under construction further complicated the site. Each project had a different team with unique goals, objectives, and timelines. CBG dealt with this ambiguity through enhanced communication. Our team scheduled quality assurance visits, attended onsite meetings with teams and subcontractors, and tracked and closed out non-compliance items. As an adaptive reuse project, The Hartley’s design met certain Historic Preservation Review Board requirements related to the appropriateness and compatibility with the historic fabric of the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The Hartley was designed as a modern take on the neighborhood’s historic nature, aligning with brick and limestone buildings and utilizing contemporary materials for sustainability and efficiency. CBG worked with Torti Gallas to bring the design to fruition, meeting challenges including groundwater, shallow rock, unexpected as-built conditions, and pandemic-related supply chain and availability issues. Awarded LEED® Gold, The Hartley and Common Clover reduce their environmental footprint via bioretention planters, stormwater management vaults, and EnergyStar® appliances. The transit-oriented communities offer a bike-share station and are a 13-minute walk from the Takoma Metro station. The communities opened access to public green space and bridged Northwest DC’s city grid. The project team demonstrated adaptability in addressing several Ownership change orders while delivering both communities near their originally scheduled completion dates. CBG overcame obstacles and impacts outside our control, closely tracked the projects’ schedules, and updated Ownership monthly. Through rigorous budgeting and procurement processes, CBG obtained savings that benefited both projects.