Rendering of the planned 360° H Street development, which will include a Giant Food. (Image: Courtesy Steuart Investment Co.)

By no means a surprise, but at least we can all finally stop hedging on this one: Giant Food LLC and Steuart Investment Co. have at long last announced a lease agreement is in place to bring a grocery store to 3rd and H streets NE.

The Giant will serve as the retail anchor for Steuart's 290,000-square-foot mixed-use project, which the company has dubbed 360° H Street, that will also include 215 rental units and 270 underground parking spaces. Construction on the project is slated to begin next spring.

The Washington Business Journal first reported word of the deal back in April, and then in August, Giant Food LLC president Robin Michel told a large crowd at another groundbreaking that the store was definitely coming. But company spokespeople quickly pulled the message back, indicating that not everyone had yet signed on the dotted lines. Press releases from both Steuart and Ward 6 D.C. Councilmember Tommy Wells Wednesday confirmed that the deal is at last done.

"Our vision for 360° H Street is one of 'convenient urban living,' and with Giant we’ve partnered with a grocer embracing smart development and top-quality customer service, too. The future on-site residents, as well as those in the surrounding neighborhood, will benefit greatly from the accessibility of this grocery store," said Guy Steuart, president of Steuart Investment Company, in a statement.

Steuart had reportedly reached out to Harris Teeter and Trader Joe's before coming to an agreement with Giant.

The grocery store and apartments, expected to be completed in 2013, will be located right next to a planned streetcar stop, which should be operational in 2012.

"I’m excited that Giant has been exploring more urban and transit-oriented store designs and I’m eager to see Steuart and Giant deliver on a vision that embraces the new streetcar and the proximity to Union Station," said Wells.