New condos and perhaps a restaurant are headed to Trinidad with the issuing last week of a building permit for a four-story condo at 1112 Montello Ave NE.
The building will have either eight or nine units, says developer Justin Thornton, of Thornton Development. (A board of zoning adjustment hearing is scheduled for this fall, which will determine whether Thornton can add the ninth unit.)
"We're requesting that D.C. allow us to do five parking spots," he says, though they'd be smaller than the regulation-size spots. "Using what the regulations show, you can park a Hummer in those spots," he says.
This is all for Phase 1, which is already under construction. Phase 2 involves building for-rent units just south of the condos, in what is currently a liquor store and carryout. The ground floor will be prepped for restaurant use, with "hopefully…a nice restaurant in the bottom with a little sidewalk café."
He also plans to install a sign or paint a mural on Phase 2 reading simply "Trinidad"—"to make it look more like the gateway to Trinidad," he says, and to "take ownership of Trinidad. It's had so many negative connotations for so long."
Thornton, who lives in the neighborhood, says he plans to retain ownership of and manage the for-rent portion of the project, rather than sell to an investor.
Barbara Pash contributed reporting to this story.
Rachel is the managing editor of Elevation D.C. She also covers tech, business and science for publications nationwide. She lives in Brookland.