Two SK&A Projects Honored at 2026 ULI Washington Awards for Excellence
Annex on 12th received the Excellence in Adaptive Reuse Award, and The Wendy received the Excellence in Housing Award.
Hosted on April 28, 2026, at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, the 2026 ULI Washington Awards for Excellence brought together nearly 450 attendees to honor the people and projects helping move the region forward. This year’s Project Awards were among the most competitive to date, with a record number of submissions and 15 standout finalists recognized across six categories.
Annex on 12th – Excellence in Adaptive Reuse
Located at 300 12th Street SW in Washington, DC, Annex on 12th transforms the long-vacant U.S. Department of Agriculture Cotton Annex into a 562-unit residential community that blends historic preservation with contemporary urban living. Originally constructed in 1936 for the USDA’s Bureau of Agricultural Economics, the National Register-listed building had been vacant since 2007 before being reimagined for residential use.
The redevelopment preserves defining features of the historic building, including the limestone façade and signature copper-clad skylight, while introducing a new 13-story multifamily addition organized around a landscaped courtyard. The project also required coordination and approvals from the Commission of Fine Arts, Historic Preservation Office, and Zoning Commission, along with structural repairs, envelope modernization, and integration of new systems to meet current performance standards.
The buildings are connected at the south and east with pedestrian bridges and corridors at multiple levels. From a structural perspective, the adaptive reuse required careful coordination between the existing seven-story historic office and warehouse building and the new residential tower, which is directly adjacent to the existing structure.
The completed community includes more than 18,000 square feet of amenities, including a rooftop infinity pool, fitness center, coworking spaces, landscaped courtyards, and “The Vault,” a speakeasy beneath the restored skylight.
Project Team: Carmel Partners; BKV, Champalimaud Design, Design Collective; and Carmel Construction
The Wendy – Excellence in Housing Award
The Wendy, located at 2025 Clarendon Boulevard in Arlington, Virginia, sits on a challenging half-acre triangular site in the Courthouse neighborhood, just one block from Metro. Long known as Arlington’s “Wendy’s Site,” the property required rezoning and presented significant design constraints, including a tighter angle than New York’s Flatiron Building.
To meet Arlington County requirements for wider sidewalks and a public plaza while preserving project viability, the building’s upper floors were cantilevered to maximize the triangular footprint, with the massing extending over the plaza. The result is a distinctive residential development that makes creative use of a highly constrained urban site.
The 16-story, approximately 300,000-square-foot multifamily tower includes 231 residential units, below-grade parking, and ground-floor retail, and is targeting LEED Gold. Its dramatic triangular form creates a “flatiron” architectural gateway at the intersection of Wilson Boulevard and Clarendon Boulevard, with a chamfered curtainwall façade that reflects light differently throughout the day.
The Wendy includes larger two- and three-bedroom units designed for families, 13 premium “prow” units with floor-to-ceiling glass and sweeping views, and innovative 330-square-foot micro units with movable walls, integrated furniture, and flexible layouts.
Project Team: Greystar; Cooper Carry; Streetsense; and John Moriarty & Associates
Recognizing Regional Impact
ULI Washington’s Awards for Excellence recognize projects that contribute to the region through innovation, development quality, and community impact. Recognition for both Annex on 12th and The Wendy reflects the creativity, technical coordination, and collaboration required to deliver projects that respond to complex sites, evolving housing needs, and the long-term vitality of the built environment.
SK&A congratulates the full project teams whose vision and collaboration brought these award-winning developments to life.
