Denihan Hospitality, real estate developer Trammell Crow Company and real estate private equity firm KochSmith Capital entered into a strategic partnership to bring The James Hotel brand to Washington, D.C., the fourth location to carry the brand. The James Washington D.C. is being designed and built from the ground up to serve as the hotel component of Armature Works, a mixed-use development that will begin development in the NoMa neighborhood later this year.
Per terms of the partnership, Trammell Crow Company and KochSmith will develop The James Washington D.C. and Denihan will manage the hotel under a long-term contract. The luxury boutique hotel, which reflects Denihan’s contribution towards creating a unique neighborhood destination, will consist of 204 rooms, 10,000 square feet of meeting space, a signature restaurant on the ground floor and a rooftop bar. The James Washington D.C. is scheduled to open during the winter of 2020, along with the rest of the 780,000-square-foot Armature Works development, which includes a 465-unit apartment building, a 170-unit condominium building, outdoor public spaces and 42,000 square feet of street-level retail.
“Entering the D.C. market represents an important milestone for our company and The James brand,” Vera Manoukian, president and COO of Denihan Hospitality, said in a statement. “Our strategic partnership with Trammell Crow Company and KochSmith Capital, two highly respected and well-capitalized sponsors, is a perfect example of how we intend to leverage the power of our unique brands and operating platform to drive sustained growth. We look forward to ensuring The James Washington D.C. is the market’s preferred luxury boutique hotel.”
”We are thrilled to be partnering with Denihan to bring The James brand to Washington, D. C.,” Campbell Smith, managing director at Trammell Crow Company, said in a statement. “Denihan is a wonderful company with a proven track-record of owning and operating successful boutique hotels with unique food and beverage offerings. The James—a lifestyle boutique hotel with respect for local culture—fits in perfectly with the community we are creating at Armature Works.”
“We are proud that the Armature Works’ hotel component is going to be The James Washington D.C.; not only because it is an authentic, luxuriously-modern brand, but also because its people are authentic. From the first person you see at the front desk, all the way up to the senior management team, each employee exudes hospitality and warmth,” Douglas Koch, partner at KochSmith Capital, said in a statement. “It’s all about the people. We care about the people we partner with, but we also care greatly about the people who are impacted by the partnership. We are confident that The James Washington D.C. guests will feel relaxed, and yet recharged, as they immerse into the NoMa culture. And we are also confident that the local community will enjoy the unparalleled service, atmosphere and food at the hotel restaurant and rooftop bar.”
The James Washington D.C. is expected to benefit from its close proximity to the NoMa-Galludet U. Metro stop, at the nexus of two of the city's most popular retail and entertainment districts, the H Street corridor and Union Market. The hotel has been designed to attract business and leisure travelers in pursuit of local immersion, inspiration and urban adventure.
Once completed, the 2.43-acre Armature Works development will serve as the hub of residential and retail life in the NoMa, Union Market and H Street neighborhoods. The components of the project will be woven together by a series of urban open spaces and pocket parks, including a public plaza that will connect to a future entrance to the NoMa-Galludet University Metro stop.