The DC Zoning Commission has unanimously approved a two-year extension of the existing Movie Theater planned unit development at The Yards.

Forest City Washington, the master developer of the massive Yards development, requested an extension on the PUD, which involves the development of a 16-screen, 1,500-seat premium Showplace ICON theater complex.

The theater is slated for a parcel of land on the western edge of The Yards near Nationals Park. Chicago-based Kerasotes Showplace Theaters signed on last year to open a theater at the site, with DC-based Menkiti Group on board as a JV partner for the project.

Construction is scheduled to begin on the movie theater project later this year, with delivery scheduled for 2018. The site is currently home to DC Water, which will be relocating a portion of its operations to Prince George’s County before construction begins. DC Water's operations move has been the sticking point, and the reason why Forest City needed a PUD extension.

The Showplace ICON will join a growing roster of high-end theaters in the DC area, with chains such as iPic and Landmark already having a presence in the region. Just last week, word emerged that MRP Realty is in talks to bring a high-end theater to Phase 2 of the massive redevelopment of Rhode Island Center.