The Thompson- Lots of Progress

The Thompson at 2108 10th St NW is really starting to take shape.  Over the last two weeks, we finished the foundation work, basement plumbing, and about 1/3 of the floor framing.  We're working now to get in the next level of floor framing and finish the new water service to the street.  We anticipate finishing this building in early April- just in time for the spring.

Last week, we filled in the basement with gravel and ran the new plumbing.

We ordered a pump truck to pump the concrete from the street down into the basement.

The concrete is wet and heavy when it is first poured.  After several hours of leveling it and smoothing it over, it forms a solid floor.

After the basement slab was poured, we framed the first floor.

This weekend, the masons returned to build the block walls up to the second level.

1449 Harvard St NW- Renderings

We got some great renderings back from our designer for the Harvard Row units. These images do a pretty amazing job of showing how the space will look once complete. We're offering buyers who get in early the option to pick some of the flooring and cabinet colors, but otherwise we are planning on dark maple cabinets with a dark brown oak floor.

This is the lower-level unit in the front of the building.  It really gets so much light from the southern exposure.

This is the rear first-floor unit.  These units have huge patio doors with a walk-out balcony, which is a great bonus.

This is the view from the mezzanine level looking down into the kitchen area in the front penthouse.

This is the kitchen in the same unit.  We haven't decided between a half-wall or a full glass wall above the kitchen.  Our plan is to leave the option available for either and let a buyer decide which they prefer.

2108 10th St NW- Progress

Although we're working hard at 1449 Harvard St NW, 1120 Rhode Island Ave and 2108 10th St NW, the project on 10th St. is at the stage where things show the most progress every day.  We have the site fully excavated and the foundation work is underway.  Here is the progression of the site over the last week:

Here's the site on Friday before they poured any concrete.  The footers were all formed with rebar and ready to go.  We're been so fortunate to have two straight weeks of no rain.

Yesterday, our masons set the corners of the building for the surveyor to come and perform a wall check.  This is done to make sure the building falls within both lot lines.

This morning, our masonry contractor came to start laying the block on the South wall.  They made a ton of progress- this wall was several feet high by the end of the day.

1120 Rhode Island Ave- Before Pics

We have everything set up to begin some minor demolition at our new project at 1120 Rhode Island Ave. on Monday morning.  I had a chance to go by today to take pictures of the project before we start.  Our pine flooring expert came in yesterday and said the floors here are some of the best he's seen in DC, period.  They are heart pine and all horizontal grain.  In addition, the planks run wall-to-wall, so there are hardly any seams at all.  We can't wait to see how they look once we sand them down and clean them up.

The fireplaces will also be reused, as well as most of the trims and casings.  We donated the radiators to a company that repairs, repaints and then re-uses them.

The fireplace will be re-used, but the tile will probably not survive the move.  I took a lot of pictures of the tile so we can match with something similar when the project is further along.

All of this trim will remain, and this will become the living room for unit 8.

These doors are so cool that we'll fine somewhere to use them again.

The layout of the steps will change, but we're going to try to use the posts again.

This parlor is one of the most historically preserved rooms I've seen in DC.

The front doors will stay, or be replaced with something identical if the damage cannot be repaired.

These are the radiators- pretty awesome.  They'll be salvaged and used in another house.

This picture really shows the grain of the flooring.  Can't wait to see the finished ones.  The floor here in the foyer will probably be moved into one of the units and this will be tile or carpet.

This fireplace has a stone that looks a lot like emperador dark.

This stain glass and all of the original trim will remain.