The District issued a request for proposals back in February of this year. PN Hoffman was not the only developer to bid for the property, but the firm's Steve Earle told GlobeSt.com that it deliberately went beyond the city's minimum requirements.

The city had asked for a minimum bid of $1 million on the 78,400-sf property, which has been vacant since 1990. Given the time frame the building sat abandoned in the heart of downtown at 916-918 G Street NW, and given the substantial rehabilitation the building will need, it would not be surprising if the city offered Hoffman tax breaks and other inducements.

But Earle said no such thing is happening. "We're a market driven developer," said Earle, vice president for acquisitions and development. "There were no subsidies of any kind, [and] we are prepared to acquire the property within 90 days and get started."