E Flats Apartments

626 E Street SE
Washington, DC
Multi-Family Development

Project Architect: Bonstra Haresign Architects
Project Design: MMg
Completion: Q2 2017

Highlights

The building was designed to attract young professional urban dwellers looking for an amenity-rich neighborhood with a multitude of public transportation options. The façade will be refurbished and designed by Bonstra Haresign Architects. The site’s location is unique in that if offers an incomparable array of entertainment and transportation options.E Flats has a Walkscore of 97, Walker’s Paradise so daily errands do not require a car.

The unit sizes range from 355 to 725 SF and the mixed-use project is designed to promote an active lifestyle and the use public transportation by providing onsite and nearby features.

Neighborhood

The neighborhood that is now called Capitol Hill started to develop when the government began work at two locations, the Capitol and the Washington Navy Yard. It became a distinct community between 1799 and 1810 as the federal government became a major employer. The first stage in its early history was that of a boarding house community developed for members of Congress. In the early years of the Republic, few Congressmen wished to establish permanent residence in the city. Instead, most preferred to live in boarding houses within walking distance of the Capitol.

In 1799, the Washington Navy Yard was established on the banks of the Anacostia River, and provided jobs to craftsmen who built and repaired ships. Many of the craftsmen who were employed both at the Navy Yard and in the construction of the Capitol chose to live within walking distance, to the east of the Capitol and the north of the Navy Yard. They became the original residential population of the neighborhood.

In 1801, President Thomas Jefferson selected the location of the Marine Barracks, which had to be within marching distance of both the Capitol and the White House, near the Washington Navy Yard. By 1810, shops, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, and churches were flourishing in the area.

The Civil War resulted in more construction in the Capitol Hill area, including the building of hospitals. Construction of new houses continued in the 1870s and 1880s. The neighborhood began to divide along racial and economic class lines. Electricity, piped water, and plumbing were introduced in the 1890s, and were first available in the downtown areas of the District of Columbia, including Capitol Hill. There was a real estate development boom between 1890 and 1910 as the Capitol Hill area became one of the first neighborhoods having these modern conveniences.

Features