Project Brief

Located in the burgeoning Buzzard Point community, the renovation at 1900 Half Street turned a formerly unoccupied office building into a a dynamic 400,000-SF multifamily residential building on the banks of the Anacostia River. The new building, now known as the Watermark apartment building, maximizes the incredible views on the waterfront and is within walking distance of DC United’s Audi Field, as well as Nationals Park—and last year, it was awarded the prestigious LEED Gold certification, a defining moment in sustainable construction!

1900 Half Street pool
1900 Half Street courtyard
1900 Half Street riverwalk path

Building green—it’s the only way to go.

This renovation was no small task—to redevelop this space, we removed over 200,000-SF of concrete slabs to transform the structure into one conducive to apartment layouts! Additionally, since the former building was for government use when it was occupied, so our conversion included over 6,000 core drills to facilitate each apartment’s mechanical and plumbing requirements. The building, built in the 1970’s, got a complete restoration, and the end result is striking—the Watermark’s apartment units are incredible, and residents have access to a host of amenities, including a state-of-the-art fitness center and an infinity pool. Throughout these renovations, however, we never lost sight of our sustainability goals. Landscaping on the project is water-efficient, and building materials are low-emitting and reusable. 

Exceeding expectations under the toughest of conditions.

In the middle of this massive redevelopment, we were introduced to the COVID-19 pandemic. Workers around the world were contracting the virus, and supply chain for building materials were disrupted. Through diligent efforts, however, we were still able to build safely and efficiently. We created individual zones at the site with separate entrances to limit interpersonal contact—this allowed for easier contact tracing and a comfortable environment for all teams. The Watermark opened ahead of schedule despite all obstacles, and none of the workers on site had severe COVID-19 cases. We’re thankful for every one of our employees and trade partners who helped us succeed at 1900 Half Street, and we’re extremely proud of the final product. This project was truly built the DAVIS way.

Photos Courtesy of Douglas Development