Clark Builders Group’s 77H Community Welcomes First D.C. Walmart

WASHINGTON—The District's first Walmart opened yesterday at 77 H Street Northwest along with its Georgia Avenue counterpart amid fanfare and a ribbon-cutting led by Mayor Vincent C. Gray. Constructed by Clark Builders Group (CBG) within a 303-unit luxury apartment building, the 77H Walmart will offer a wide array of merchandise including groceries, clothing, and electronics.

"We fought for a long time to make sure that this store would really represent what we want in our ward," said D.C. Councilwoman Muriel Bowser. "A high quality building, fantastic products, and wonderful services."

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. targeted the 77 H Street location specifically since retail options, especially those for fresh groceries, had proven scarce in the neighborhood. Although the 73,000-square-foot store is a small one for the company-Walmart stores average at least 90,000 square feet-77H's urban format dedicates more than one third of its space to food items. The response to this new employment opportunity was overwhelming in both neighborhoods, as the two stores received roughly 38 applications per job opening. To put that number in perspective, it is nearly twice what Harvard collects for its freshman class.

"Any time you get a chance to work on something that is truly a first of its kind, there is a lot of excitement," said Keith Anderson, president of Clark Builders Group. "This is both a first class apartment project and a first class retail project, which we have been thrilled to play a part in. The construction, design, and ownership teams really pulled together to deliver a unique and high quality product that speaks for itself."

Located along two major bus lines, 77H's location at First and H Streets is ideal for many D.C. shoppers. In addition to Walmart, the multifamily community also features a below-grade parking lot and hosts additional inline retail shops on the first floor, bringing the available retail space to more than 90,000 square feet.

Above its ground floor retail, 77H's four levels of residential space boast three amenity areas, a luxurious rooftop pool and lounge area, two internal courtyards, and a fitness center. Coupled with its heart-of-the-city location adjacent to Union Station and a few blocks from Capitol Hill, the community is the ideal mixed-used development to host the one of the first ever urban format Walmarts.

Scheduled for completion in February 2014, Clark Builders Group finished 77H three months ahead of schedule by structuring the project build from groundbreaking to allow for continual activity and multiple ongoing tasks. CBG's dedication to quality construction and building green is evidenced by the use of recycled building materials, low-VOC caulking and paints, and EnergyStar appliances. 77H was also designed to achieve certification through the Enterprise Green Communities initiative.

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