DC Comprehensive Plan Meeting Tonight!

The Office of Planning will be hosting a community meeting this evening to review changes to the District’s Comprehensive Plan, “a 20-year framework that guides future growth and development in the city and shapes the places we live, work, shop, and play.” The meeting will be held at Jefferson Academy Middle School (801 7th Street) from 6 – 8:30pm.

New Standalone SW Branch Library; PN Hoffman Wins Waterfront Station Project

At this morning’s “March Madness” economic development event, DMPED and other District agencies offered several parcels across the city for development. One such parcel is located in Southwest – the Southwest Branch Library at 900 Wesley Place. The current Southwest Branch Library is a 21,600 SF building with three levels and was built in 1965. A mini-makeover was done in 2011, but funding for an extensive renovation was removed from the budget a few years ago. The library will be replaced with a standalone facility designed to achieve LEED-Silver certification.

The library’s future was hotly debated in 2014 when DMPED, OP and DCPL proposed to move the library to the city-owned NE parcel at Waterfront Station, which would have been part of a mixed use building with residential, retail, and the library. That proposal was shot down by the community in favor of keeping the library at its current location and build a new, standalone library, which the city intends to do. 

Earlier concept for a SW Branch Library on 4th Street.

As a result, DMPED released a RFP after last year’s “March Madness” event for the Waterfront Station site at 1000 4th Street without the library requirement. Several redevelopment teams responded to the RFP with three of them making the final cut last summer. While a decision was expected back in November, DMPED finally announced today that PN Hoffman’s bid was selected. 

PN Hoffman’s presentation was unique in that the amount of proposed retail space was more than double the amount proposed by the other teams and prospective retail tenants were announced. The development plan includes 443 rental apartment units, 22,500 SF of community-oriented retail, and a 10,000 SF, 200-seat black box theater, all in a LEED-Gold building designed by Torti Gallas. The 133 units of affordable housing includes 34 units at up to 30% of AMI and 99 units at up to 50% of AMI. Retail would be located on 4th Street, wrapping around to a new private drive on the north end of the site. A letter of intent has been signed by Constantine Stavropoulous, the owner of Tryst, Open City, The Diner, and The Coupe to open a diner at the corner of 4th Street and the private drive. Other retail uses such as a daycare center and artist space could be located on the north side of the development along the private drive, which serves as a connector between the Southwest Library branch and the SW Duck Pond. The private drive could be closed off at times for arts-focused events. The proposal was the preferred choice of ANC 6D, which will get to weigh in again once PN Hoffman goes through the second stage PUD process. 

The RFP for a design-build contract for the new library will be released this fall. A flyer about the project says the following: 

The new Southwest Neighborhood Library will reflect the program and goals of the library and the needs of the District of Columbia residents who use it. The building will incorporate forward-thinking approaches to urban design, architecture, engineering, and environmental technologies in the public realm. The new Southwest Library will be a destination that will attract and support hundreds of users per day, and promote a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood and active street environment. 

According to SWBID Director Steve Moore, DCPL will receive $1 million in next year’s budget for planning the new library. There will more than likely be community involvement in that planning process. 

Renderings courtesy of DCPL and PN Hoffman

More Buzzard Point Residential Development Planned

DC-based MRP has long-term plans for a mixed-use development across from the planned DC United stadium on Buzzard Point. The site in question is a group of warehouses on the 1800 block of Half Street, including Ziegfield’s/Secrets. The site has been for sale for some time now. There were clues that MRP had plans to develop on Buzzard Point – the first being one of the firm’s principles stated it during a speech at the Capitol Riverfront BID's annual meeting I attended last month, although the site was not identified during his remarks. The second clue was a little more obvious...the Office of Planning’s Buzzard Point Design Framework Plan states MRP was one of the owners of the Half Street site. The Washington Business Journal reports that the proposed development will be a 300,000 SF residential over retail building, but construction will not begin until after the stadium is built, so it's still too early to know exactly what will be constructed. 

Another developer in the area also has plans for Buzzard Point. The Office of Planning identified 1900 Half Street as one of six major projects planned on Buzzard Point during their Buzzard Point Design Framework Plan presentation to the community on February 3. Douglas Development owns 1900 Half Street, an office building catty-corner to MRP’s site and has plans to redevelop it into approximately 400 multifamily units. 

In other Buzzard Point news, Stadium District Lofts received unanimous ANC support during Monday’s ANC 6D meeting. This eight-unit apartment development at 1542 1st Street is planned as a 4-5-story building without parking. The project will be before the Zoning Commission on March 17.

Buzzard Point Vision Framework Plan

Over the past several months, the District Office of Planning has been working on a vision framework plan for Buzzard Point, a peninsula which has been isolated from the rest of Southwest for several decades and up until now has been dominated by industrial uses. However, that is all about to change. There are several major projects happening in the area over the next few years, from a soccer stadium to a new Frederick Douglass bridge, to a Pepco substation, and with these improvements, there will likely be more interest in the Buzzard Point area. A Draft Urban Design Framework Plan was released back in 2014. 

From the current Plan: 

The vision for Buzzard Point is to create a lively compact neighborhood, establish a strong public realm, enhance the environment, improve transportation connections, and leverage public investment in the soccer stadium and the South Capitol Street corridor project to serve as catalysts and anchors for additional development. 

If the principles from the framework plan are fully implemented over the next 10-15 years, Buzzard Point could yield approximately 11.3 million SF of development, of which 6.6 million SF would be dedicated to residential, or 6,040 housing units. Through inclusionary zoning, 480 of those residential units would be created as affordable housing. Under existing zoning, approximately 16.6 million SF of development is possible, with 9.0 million SF of it dedicated to housing, or 8,170 housing units – 570 of those units would be affordable housing. 

Waterfront Park concept at South Capitol & S streets

According to the framework plan, the new Buzzard Point will make the Anacostia River the focus of the neighborhood with a series of open spaces and plazas along the water, which would extend the Anacostia Riverfront Trail through the area and portions of it could extend into the river. One of these plazas would be located at South Capitol and S streets and could contain a proposed Maritime Museum on its southern edge. Another plaza would be located at the terminus of 2nd Street, adjacent to James Creek Marina and the Transpoint Building, as well as at the terminus of other north-south streets. Aquatic vegetation can be planted along the river’s edge to help soften the shoreline and clean the river. The planned park within the traffic oval should be programmed with activities and a portion of it could be set aside as a future memorial site. Any commercial buildings planned around the oval should help define the space with entrances facing the oval. 

Oval Park concept

Potomac Avenue would serve as the grand entrance point to the neighborhood and will be where the majority of soccer fans access the new DC United stadium. Half Street would serve as a tree-lined pedestrian thoroughfare without curb cuts while 1st Street would be a service street. The majority of storm water collection would happen along 2nd Street due to its lower elevation compared to surrounding streets. This street would also serve as a bikeway. Meanwhile, east-west streets would serve as local service streets. 

DC United stadium plaza

Commercial development would be concentrated near the planned traffic oval (Pepco Park?) on South Capitol Street, while residential development would be located primarily on the northern and southern ends of the peninsula. Meanwhile, retail nodes would be created in different areas, including along Potomac Avenue and at South Capitol and S streets. A buffer zone with less-intensive development is planned to help shield the residential neighborhood to the north of Buzzard Point and orient development to the east toward the rest of the Capitol Riverfront BID area. In addition, building heights would be lower along the riverfront and gradually increase in height further away from the water. 

Transportation is key in order to accommodate the thousands of soccer fans and new residents. The framework plan identifies bike routes, pedestrian priority corridors, a Circulator line, and potential streetcar routes through Buzzard Point, but also encourages the flow of cars on several smaller streets instead of relying on a few arterials. No parking lots are planned for the new DC United stadium, but several lots within Buzzard Point and to the north (many already used by Nationals Park patrons) have been identified for use during game days. 

For more information about the framework plan, the full document is available here. SWNA is hosting a community meeting tomorrow evening at 1101 4th Street, Second Floor at 7pm where the Office of Planning and other District agencies will be available to answer questions about the plan.

Renderings courtesy of DC Office of Planning and DC United

Reminder: SW Neighborhood Plan Mayoral Hearing Tomorrow!

Here is a reminder that a Mayoral Hearing for the Southwest Neighborhood Plan will be held tomorrow evening at 1100 4th Street, Second Floor (the same room where most ANC 6D meetings are held) from 6:30 – 8:30pm. The hearing will give residents the chance to share their comments on the plan. A summary of the plan can be found here and the full plan here. Written comments may also be submitted for the public record until January 30. Comments should be sent to: 

Melissa Bird 

Neighborhood Planning Coordinator for Ward 6

DC Office of Planning 

1100 4th Street, SW, Suite E650

Washington, DC 20024 

melissa.bird@dc.gov

202.478.1323 

The ANC has also asked that residents who submit comments via email should also CC the ANC office (office@anc6d.org).

Image courtesy of DC Office of Planning

SW Neighborhood Plan Released

After more than a year in the making, the Office of Planning released the draft Southwest Neighborhood Plan last month. The plan creates an urban design, land use, and neighborhood preservation framework to enhance Southwest assets for the next 5 to 10 years. A summary of recommendations was released back in June, but three major changes have been made since then: 

• The Plan makes no land use change recommendations for the townhomes adjacent to Waterside Towers along Maine Avenue.
• The SW branch library should remain in its current site, but in a new facility. There was a proposal by DMPED and DCPL over the summer to move the library to a site owned by the District at Waterfront Station as a mixed-use development. That proposal will not be moving forward. 
• A zoning change is not recommended for the Southeastern University campus site at 6th and I streets. However, Shakespeare Theatre Company will need a zoning change in order to move forward with its plans for the site. It can pursue a land use change through the Comprehensive Plan Amendment process that will be underway in 2015. 

The full plan can be found here. Seven key concepts from the SW Neighborhood Plan and goals for each are listed below: 

Model Community 

• Support the responsible redevelopment of the Greenleaf complex to benefit existing residents and realize a well-designed development and mixed-income community.
• Maintain a mix of affordable and market-rate residential units that better serve community needs. 
• Update public realm and transit infrastructure to enhance accessibility for all. 
• Promote healthy living and food access for the entire community. 

Modernist Gem 

• Celebrate the distinctive character of Southwest and promote preservation of its outstanding Modernist architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design. 
• Retain and enhance the character of the L’Enfant Plan in Southwest including associated vistas and reservations. 
• Ensure that future development is compatible with the existing design of the community. 

Some Movement on Buzzard Point Hostel?

A raze permit was filed on September 26 for 129 Q Street, which is a taxi repair garage one block north of the proposed DC United soccer stadium site in Buzzard Point. It’s also across the street from the soon-to-be-built Pepco Waterfront Substation. Back in 2010, the Zoning Commission approved an application for the C Hostel & Hotel, a 109-key property with 489 beds that would have both hotel-style and hostel-style rooms in the same facility. According to the zoning application, half of the hostel/hotel will be comprised of rooms with single and double beds and in-room bathrooms. The other half of the hostel/hotel will be comprised of dormitory styled rooms and shared female and male showers on each floor. Shared guest amenities will include: a hip lifestyle lounge, game areas for children and adults, a bean bag movie theatre, self-service kitchen, guest laundry, lounge lockers, a cyber lounge, complimentary breakfast and a shuttle bus service to the Waterfront Metro station. At the time, Tiber Creek LLC (Carr Hospitality) was planning this project, but the company’s owner passed away shortly after approval and the development was tied up in probate until recently. The economy was also not favorable for development, so the project was delayed. 

In the Office of Planning’s letter of support for the project back in 2010, it stated, “the current uses on the property are projected to remain until all approvals and financing for the proposed use have been secured.” Since a raze permit has been filed, does that mean financing has been secured and development is imminent? We should know soon enough because in 2012, the Zoning Commission gave a two-year extension to the approval of the project and that expiration occurs on November 12, 2014. By next month, the developer will need to file for a building permit or reapply for approval. As of today, there is no indication that the developer will go before the ANC to seek an extension, so it’s likely this project will finally be moving forward. I’ve reached out to the owner for more details and will share what I find out. 

 Rendering courtesy of JP2 Architects

Playground Construction Date Near at Randall

If you’re a kid in Southwest, play options in the neighborhood have improved recently and will soon get even better. After more than a year of delays, the Randall Recreation Center playground at South Capitol and I streets will become the latest District playground to be revamped under DPR’s Play DC initiative when construction begins later this month. In addition to the Randall playground, the King-Greenleaf Recreation Center playground will also be renovated this fall. Last month, the 3rd & I Street Park adjacent to the Southwest branch library was renovated and a playground was added. In the last two years, a playground was added at Syphax Gardens and the play equipment at Amidon-Bowen Elementary was replaced. 

 

The renovations at Randall will cost over $1 million to complete and will begin on September 15 with completion before the end of the year. Improvements include: new playground equipment for all ages, renovation of the existing basketball/tennis courts, removal of asphalt and brick walls and installation of a new splash park and seating areas in the plaza area fronting I Street, a skate park, walking path, adult exercise equipment, drinking fountains, picnic & game tables, security lighting, fencing, landscaping and gates. The park funding had been in limbo since 2013 when KIPP unsuccessfully lobbied to build a charter school on the site. Subsequently, the Office of Planning conducted the Southwest Neighborhood Plan, whose final recommendations should be released this fall. 

Rendering courtesy of DPR

Potential Library Move to 4th Street Proves to be Controversial

 

Last month, a meeting was held at the Southwest library, hosted by DCPL, the Office of Planning, and DMPED to discuss the branch’s future. At the meeting, Richard Reyes-Gavilan, Executive Director of DCPL gave some statistics about the current library and its usage: 

• Built in 1965 
• The building is 21,600 SF on three levels (including a basement) 
• 47,000 volumes 
• There is 1 meeting room, 10 adult computers, 4 teen computers, and 8 computers for children 
• There were 24,000 visitors from April to June of this year; SW library ranked 20 out of 26 libraries in the city (the counters were only recently installed, so there is no historic data available to see if usage has changed over the years) 

Aerial view of proposed site of new SW branch library, looking north.

DMPED owns the northeast parcel of land at Waterfront Station next to CVS, about a block from the current library and has floated the idea of moving the SW branch library to this location. The library would be incorporated into a mixed-use building with residential units above, built by a private developer in a similar way to what is proposed for the West End branch library. Some of the reasons stated for moving the library to 4th Street’s retail corridor include (although most of these reasons are not exclusive to moving the library): 

• Increased foot traffic to library and retailers 
• Better accessibility for Amidon-Bowen students 
• More transit accessible (closer to Metro, new Circulator stop) 
• Can balance community’s desire for prominent library but still have space for retail 
• Current library site is controlled by DC government, so any redevelopment there will include input from ANC6D and the community. 
• A new library will be built sooner and without interruption in service to the neighborhood 
• More environmentally responsible if located in a mixed-use building 

Preliminary sketch of new SW library on 4th Street.

A conceptual plan by CORE Architects for a semi-detached library on 4th Street would be a 21,400 SF space on two levels with 8,500 SF on the ground level and 12,900 SF on the second level. The main entrance would be on 4th Street, but most of the library frontage would be facing the tree-lined pathway on the north side of the property. The conceptual plan flips the massing of the NE parcel building as it was approved in the stage one PUD so the building opens up to the north instead of opening to the south like the planned residential building across 4th Street at the Waterfront Associates-owned NW parcel. 

Preliminary sketch of redeveloped library site at 900 Wesley Pl.

The number of meeting rooms in a new library would increase to 5 or 6 of varying size and the number of hardwired computers would double. In addition to the library, there would be 17,000 SF of retail – 10,000 SF of which would be located on 4th Street. The remaining commercial space would be located on Wesley Place. Above the retail and library would be an 11-story, 346-unit apartment building with a portion of the units set aside as affordable dwelling units. There would be 29 garage spaces reserved for the library, 87 spaces for the residential units, 14 spaces for retail, and four spaces for professional office space. On the parcel currently occupied by the library, there is a conceptual plan for a six-story residential building with 80 units and about 7,700 SF of ground floor space that could have a daycare center. 

Most of the attendees at the meeting were against moving the library from its current location, although disapproval of the conceptual plan was not shared by everyone. Most of the people who had concerns with the proposal did not want the library to lose its symbol as a public place that is welcoming to all by it being incorporated into a private development. Others bemoaned the densification of the neighborhood and wanted a new, architecturally significant standalone library like most of the other new ones recently built in the city. Supporters pointed out the success of integrating libraries into mixed-use developments, such as the library in Shirlington village in Arlington and other places around the country. A decision on whether to move forward with moving the library to 4th Street will likely happen over the next couple of months, but based on the feedback from the two meetings that have been held so far (notwithstanding the results from a SWTLQTC unscientific poll earlier this year), my bet is that the library will remain on Wesley Place for the time being. We’ll see… 

Renderings courtesy of DCPL

Buzzard Point Draft Urban Design Framework Released

Due to the proposed DC United soccer stadium and a new Frederick Douglass Bridge, an Urban Design Framework has been developed by the Office of Planning for Buzzard Point over the past few months and the draft summary has been released this week. The framework plan will inform and guide public and private development decisions for the next 10 years. It is broken into several sections, including: public realm, environment, housing and community development, and transportation. Below are summaries of each: 

• Public Realm: The urban design concept, as envisioned, would transform Buzzard Point into a vibrant, walkable neighborhood. The neighborhood would be centered around a series of open spaces along the Anacostia River, as well as the traffic oval planned at the foot of the new Douglass Bridge and near the proposed soccer stadium. These open spaces would connect with Yards Park and other destinations on the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail. 
• Environment: The urban design concept calls for improved environmental conditions, both through the public realm and private development. Over 1,000 new trees could be planted in Buzzard Point along with drought tolerant plantings, rain gardens, green roofs, and other green elements. Environmental remediation would also be done to clean up any potentially contaminated soil in the area. 
• Housing and Community Development: The urban design concept seeks to protect the existing public housing within the study area (which includes 80 out of 239 units at James Creek that are located south of P Street) and create additional residential opportunities. The current capacity for development in the Buzzard Point area under current zoning would allow up to 11.9 million SF of development with 5,480 residential units (370 affordable units). If the urban design plan is adopted and a stadium is built, the total potential development would decrease to 10.2 million SF, but it would be more concentrated, so up to 6,200 residential units could be built with 400 of those set aside as affordable units under inclusionary zoning. 
• Transportation: In the near term, the South Capitol Street bridge and soccer stadium improvements will improve access to major regional connections and enhance pedestrian and bicycle connectivity. An esplanade along the Anacostia River will be created that will facilitate the movement of pedestrians across the new Douglass Bridge. Patrons of the proposed soccer stadium who arrive by car would be encouraged to use the parking lots used by Nationals attendees. Streetcar lines are planned to potentially terminate in Buzzard Point, but those lines won’t be built for several years. 

Open space concept on Half Street

The draft urban design framework mentions that there may be a Maritime Museum planned for Buzzard Point and that was also mentioned by City Administrator Allen Lew during the first DC United stadium hearing back on June 26. It appears from the design framework document that this proposed Maritime Museum would be located along the Anacostia River roughly at Water and T streets, just to the east of where Ziegfeld’s/Secrets is located (the building is for sale). 

A copy of the Buzzard Point Urban Design Framework is available here. 

Images courtesy of the Office of Planning

Library Relocation Meeting Tomorrow

Apologies for the short notice, but there will be a community meeting tomorrow evening hosted by the DC Public Library, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, and the Office of Planning to discuss plans to relocate the Southwest branch library to a mixed use building planned on a District-owned parcel on 4th Street at Waterfront Station. The meeting will be held at the Southwest branch library, located at 900 Wesley Place at 6:30pm. It is a follow-up meeting to the one held on June 4 to gather input, interests, and any concerns regarding the potential move of the library to 1000 4th Street. Preliminary conceptual drawings from CORE Architects will also be presented. 

SW Neighborhood Plan Summary of Recommendations

The draft recommendations from the SW Neighborhood Plan have been released ahead of the final public meeting on June 25 to be held from 6-9pm at the Capitol Skyline Hotel. Open House sessions will occur from 6-7pm and 8-9pm with a presentation from 7-8pm. A series of meetings in a variety of formats have been held since the summer of 2013 to garner community input on crafting the recommendations. Below is a summary of the recommendations by category – the full description of the recommendations can be found here, including any requested zoning changes for specific parcels (see site map for the location of each parcel): 

Arts and Culture

• Build on Southwest’s growing arts movement as a means to celebrate the neighborhood’s legacy. 

Historic Preservation and Neighborhood Character

• Celebrate the distinctive character of Southwest and promote preservation of its outstanding modernist architecture, landscape architecture, public housing and urban design. 
• Retain and enhance the character of the L’Enfant Plan in Southwest, including associated vistas and reservation. 

Parks and Open Space 

• Enhance pedestrian and bike access between parks and open space as greenways along I Street. 
• Redesign Lansburgh Park as the Central Park of Southwest so it becomes a thriving neighborhood amenity, better connects to the community and serves as an anchor for future development around the park. 
• Transform Randall Recreation Center into a thriving park and community center that blends recreation and community/arts oriented programming. 
• Improve outdoor space at King-Greenleaf Recreation Center. 
• Improve facilities, programming and maintenance of the Duck Pond in an effort to make it more inviting. 
• Maintain acreage and location of Library Park at Third and I Street and improve the park by designating areas and equipment for young children. 
• Improve outdoor recreation space at Jefferson Middle School Academy. 

Where Will a New SW Library be Built?

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) and the Office of Planning are pushing for a plan to include a new Southwest Branch Library as a component of a mixed-use building on a 4th Street parcel the city owns at Waterfront Station. As a part of the agreement made with Waterfront Associates when the former Waterside Mall at 4th and M streets was demolished and redeveloped, the city (formerly the National Capital Revitalization Corporation) would retain the NE parcel for future development as a mixed-use building with ground floor retail and residential units above, a percentage set aside as affordable housing. Marc Bleyer from DMPED is now the point man for disposition of the District-owned NE parcel and is looking to release a Request for Proposals (RFP) soon; however, he needs to determine first whether space for a new library should be included in the planned mixed-use building. 

DMPED has engaged CORE Architects to come up with some concepts for what is possible for a library that is contained within a mixed-use building, as well as how a standalone library at Wesley Place would look. These concepts will be developed over the next six weeks and presented to the community to gauge support for either option. The city has been building several new or substantially renovated libraries recently – mostly as standalone buildings; however, a library in a mixed-use building is planned in the West End and there are plans to put a non-library addition in the flagship Martin Luther King, Jr. library downtown. Some of the new, standalone library branches built in the city recent years include those in Bellevue, Anacostia, and Deanwood, while other branches that are architecturally significant have been substantially renovated, such as those in Petworth, Georgetown, and Northeast. 

At a recent meeting with community leaders, most of the attendees expressed their preference for a standalone library for several reasons. A concern shared by many was that a library on 4th Street would take away street-level retail space from potential retailers. Melissa Bird from the Office of Planning pointed out that the 4th Street retail corridor has struggled to sign tenants and a library would enliven the street, potentially attracting more tenants. Also, the library could be placed on the second floor, reducing the space it would take away on the ground level. Some were concerned that children would not feel welcome if the library was on 4th Street because of how some businesses along the street have become inhospitable to minors in their efforts to curb shoplifting. It was felt that children need a place to let off some steam after an altercation in the library and the library park serves that purpose – no such space would exist on 4th Street. Related to the library park, another concern was there would be lost synergy between the planned playground at the park and the library if it moved to 4th Street. 

Others were concerned that a standalone library at the current site would be overwhelmed by high-rise buildings surrounding it on three sides – the NE parcel at Waterfront Station to the west, a new building planned at Town Center East to the south, and the redevelopment of Greenleaf to the east. Along that line of reasoning, officials from the District Public Library system prefer to move to 4th Street in order to increase visibility and usage of the library. Meanwhile, a majority of respondents to a recent SWTLQTC unscientific poll preferred a mixed-use library on 4th Street. Fifty-two percent of respondents preferred a library on 4th Street, SW, compared to 35% of those who preferred a standalone library. The remaining 12% were unsure. 

Currently, funding for a new Southwest branch library is tied to the sale of city-owned land. That does not necessarily mean that the land to be sold must be the current library site, but it is implied. There are other city-owned sites around the community that could be sold to fund a new Southwest branch library, including the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) inspection station, DMV office, and the fire truck repair facility at Half and M streets. Ward 6 Council Member Tommy Wells has stated that the DC Council could find a way to fund the new library in future budgets without the need to sell District land. 

If the current library site is sold, under current zoning, a building up to six stories tall could be built in its place if the owner goes through the Planned Unit Development (PUD) process. Proposed changes to the zoning code would allow for a similar amount of density on the site by-right. The library park to the north would remain whether the library is retained at its current site or moved to 4th Street, so the planned playground is not in danger of being scrapped. In fact, a design-build contract was recently awarded by the Department of General Services for phase one of the park, which includes infrastructure improvements and play equipment in the center berm area. 

A community meeting will be planned sometime this summer to discuss the concepts that CORE Architects has developed, then a RFP could be released sometime in the fall, with or without the library component. In the meantime, the vacant NE parcel will receive some upgrades in the coming months. The diagonal gravel pathway will be replaced with concrete or interlocking concrete pavers and semi-circular pathways will also be constructed using compressed stone. These improvements will accommodate a temporary art installation for 5 x 5, A Project of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. 5 x 5 is the largest, temporary public art project in the District. Designed by Lance Fung, the Waterfront Station installation will feature the work of five artists in a piece called Nonuments, described as “a temporary sculpture park featuring ‘monuments’ devoted not to the great but to ordinary people, to the ideals of democracy, and to the common struggles of humanity.” Nonuments will be on display from September 1 to December 6.

SW Branch Library Site Up in the Air

The future of the Southwest branch library site is one of the issues that have come up during the Southwest Neighborhood Plan process, which has been underway since last summer. Over $8 million in funding was in the 2012 budget to make substantial renovations to the existing building through 2018, which was built in the 1960s.  A mini-makeover was done to the space in 2011.

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and the Office of Planning are pushing for a plan to include a new Southwest library as a component of a mixed use building on a 4th Street parcel the city owns at Waterfront Station. The city has been building several new or substantially renovated libraries recently – mostly as standalone buildings; however, a library in a mixed-use building is planned in the West End and there are plans to potentially put a non-library addition in the flagship MLK library downtown. Theoretically, the current library site would be sold to a developer and a high-rise residential building placed on the site. Moving the library to 4th Street would give it a more prominent location in the neighborhood, but if located on the first floor, it could replace precious retail space planned along 4th. 

Locations of existing and proposed library sites.

Meanwhile, community leaders are calling for a standalone library at its current site, located at Wesley Place and K Street. For instance, in an open letter to the mayor in January, the CBCC called for a standalone library. During the Mayoral and Ward 6 Council forums, most of the candidates stated their preference for a standalone library when asked by the moderator. Some of the new, standalone libraries built in recent years include those in Bellevue, Anacostia, and Deanwood, while others that are architecturally significant have been substantially renovated, such as those in Petworth, Georgetown, and Northeast. A playground is planned (and mostly funded) at the park next door to the current library and would create synergy between the two spaces. 

Do you prefer a standalone SW branch library in its current location or one in a mixed use building on 4th Street? Vote in the poll on the left sidebar of the blog and/or leave a comment.

Second Southwest Neighborhood Plan Meeting Summary

 

While more than 250 people attended the Southwest Neighborhood Plan kickoff public meeting in September, turnout for the second meeting on December 11 was much lower. During the meeting, the audience was presented with the results of the Existing Conditions Analysis and detailed demographic data from the market study that is underway for the study area. There were ten themes that emerged from the September meeting from comments made by those who attended:

1. Southwest Culture: Foster an environment that encourages and embraces cultural and economic diversity 
2. Neighborhood Character: Preserve the varied scale and green character of the neighborhood
3. Pedestrian/Safety: Designed buildings, connections and sidewalks to improve safety, security and pedestrian circulation 
4. Retail: Support, enhance and expand neighborhood retail amenities 
5. Parks: Enhance, connect and better utilize parks, both active and passive, as open space 
6. Community Amenities: Invest in community and arts uses that serve resident needs 
7. Housing: Preserve and develop a range of housing for a mix of income, age and family size and encourage quality design and architecture 
8. Transportation: Strengthen multi-modal transportation; improve street connections, parking and safety 
9. Historic Preservation: Remember the history and legacy of the Southwest community while looking ahead 
10. New Development: Develop a strategy for height, density and open space that enhances, acknowledges and complements the character of the neighborhood 

Existing Conditions Analysis 

Even though Southwest is not currently in a historic district, several buildings have been registered with the Historic Preservation Review Board, including Potomac Place, Arena Stage, Waterfront Tower, and others, while Randall Recreation Center and Capitol Park Tower are pending designation. Southwest is unique in the city for its block structure, which is much longer than the typical block length in the city, a result of urban renewal. 

Several of the streets in Southwest have dead-ends due to the reconfiguration of the neighborhood during urban renewal. Only a few streets connect through the neighborhood to other areas, such as Maine Avenue/M Street (which carries between 17,800 and 26,400 cars per day), I Street (a section of I Street, SE in Near SE is currently under construction), South Capitol Street, and 4th Street. Vehicular access may not be ideal, but the entire planning area is within a 10-minute walk from a Metro station and 20 bus lines serve the area. Capital Bikeshare access is spotty, though - only one station is located in the planning area. 

Most of the publicly owned land is on the east side of Southwest and that is where there is the highest potential for change. These sites include Greenleaf, MPD first district headquarters at M Street and Delaware Avenue, the DMV just to the east, the FEMS Maintenance facility, as well as the inspection station and the privately owned lots along South Capitol Street. The Southwest Neighborhood Plan will not make recommendations for changes to existing, established residential areas, but will make suggestions to improve amenities such as parks and open space.

Greenleaf Extension was built in 1959.

NCPC Recommendations for 10th Street Corridor Improvements

The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) held a public meeting on December 4th to discuss its preliminary long-term and interim recommendations for the 10th Street corridor as a part of the SW Ecodistrict. There are several initiatives simultaneously underway in the general vicinity of the project area. Within the larger SW Ecodistrict area is Federal Triangle South, where GSA will soon issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) to redevelop five parcels it owns from 12th Street to the west, to 6th Street to the east, to Independence Avenue to the north, to Maryland Avenue and a portion of D Street to the south. The northern portion of 10th Street is included within Federal Triangle South. The Office of Planning recently conducted a Small Area Plan for Maryland Avenue, which will intersect with 10th Street when the historic L’Enfant roadway is reconstructed. DDOT is currently undertaking a year-long transportation study of Maryland Avenue. A new SW Business Improvement District, which includes the SW Ecodistrict boundaries, is in the process of being formed and if approved, will begin services next spring. Just to the north of the SW Ecodistrict, the Smithsonian is working on a master plan to improve the southern section of the National Mall in the vicinity of the Smithsonian Castle. Slides from the December 4 NCPC presentation are available here.

Current view up 10th Street from Banneker Park.

10th Street is envisioned as an urban garden promenade that extends the civic character of the National Mall to Banneker Park. The Forrestal complex would be demolished which would allow new streets to be introduced to the area, including Virginia Avenue and Maryland Avenue. This will reduce the blockiness of the building design that’s currently in place. The width of the right-of-way along 10th Street is recommended to be the same as it is today (150 feet), but the sidewalks are narrowed from 29 feet to 24 feet; a five-foot bike lane is added on either side of the street; the roadway on each side is reduced from 26.5 feet to 20 feet; and the median is expanded from 39 feet to 52 feet. 

On the northern section of the street where it is at-grade, a large tree canopy is recommended with trees growing as high as 50 feet in a linear garden. A “Magnet” Plaza to draw people to 10th Street from the Smithsonian Castle is recommended with a water feature near its northern terminus with Independence Avenue. 

Where the street meets L’Enfant Plaza, an Urban Plaza is recommended. The design of the urban plaza can take shape in a variety of forms, including a framed water feature in the median, an architectural feature in the median, a design that encompasses the right-of-way, and stretching out the plaza from the edge of a building to the east to the building on the west. 

Further south, garden rooms are envisioned with shorter trees cascading down to Banneker Park. Pedestrian access through the tree canopy in the northern section and in the southern section would be limited, but the greatest amount of pedestrian crossings would be at the Urban Plaza near L’Enfant Plaza. Programming space could be accommodated at the “Magnet” Plaza, at the intersection with reconstructed Maryland Avenue, and at the Urban Plaza. 

Vision for a new Banneker Park connection to The Wharf.

Short-term improvements include changes to the street where it meets Independence Avenue, programming, wayfinding signage, and connections. 

• Entry – Where the street intersects with Independence Avenue, it is recommended to improve the area with defined crosswalks and Tactical Urbanism, defined by Atlantic Cities’ Nate Berg as “quick, often temporary, cheap projects that aim to make a small part of the city more lively or enjoyable.” Examples of Tactical Urbanism include guerrilla gardening, pavement-to-parks, and open streets.
• Programming – On certain stretches of 10th Street, festival programming can occur, from Independence Avenue to Maryland Avenue, as well as from L’Enfant Plaza to Banneker Park. 
• Wayfinding – Improvements are recommended for the entire length of 10th Street. 
• Connections – Bike lanes, enhanced crosswalks, and lane modifications are recommended. In addition, a stair connection to the Maine Avenue Fish Market is proposed and a path connection to 9th Street. At Banneker Park, a terraced stairway is proposed on the west side with enhanced landscaping that leads down to Maine Avenue where a new signalized intersection is planned along with green walls to help soften the appearance of the existing structure. 

Public comments will be accepted until December 31.

Renderings courtesy of NCPC

A Few Quick Items: Upcoming Meetings and Events

The second Southwest Neighborhood Plan meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 11 from 6:30 to 9pm at Westminster Church, located at 400 I Street. The previous meeting was back in September at Arena Stage and was well attended. The Southwest Neighborhood Plan study area extends from South Capitol Street to Maine Avenue and from P Street to Interstate 395. The plan will focus on four key elements – people, parks, connections, and building. A project website and a second website called “Engage Southwest” have been created where community members can interact.

Image courtesy of Graphic Recorder Jim Nuttle

DDOT will be hosting an Anacostia Waterfront Initiative (AWI) transportation master plan update initiative meeting for the South Capitol Street corridor will be held on Thursday, December 12 from 6:30 to 8:30pm at the Capitol Skyline Hotel, located at 10 I Street. The AWI is a 30-year, $10 billion series of transportation, environmental, economic, community and recreation projects that are transforming the shores of the Anacostia River into a world-class waterfront. The AWI Program area stretches from the Tidal Basin to the city’s northeast border with Maryland.

Rendering courtesy of DDOT

The Southwest Neighborhood Assembly will have its annual holiday party on Monday, December 16 from 6 to 9:30pm at the Pier 7 Restaurant at the Channel Inn. All those attending will be able to order from the menu (menu items range from $14.95 and up). All entrees come with side salad and fresh baked loaves of bread. One check will be issued per table due to the unique seating arrangement in the dining room.

Image courtesy of SWNA

A second Randall Neighbor Day will be held on Saturday, December 21. The first one was held on November 30. All residents of Southwest and Near SE (Zip codes 20024 and 20003) get free admission to the Corcoran - normal admission is $10. This community benefit was negotiated with the ANC back when the Corcoran was planning to move its College of Art + Design to the Randall School site. Those plans fell through and now the Telesis/Rubell team is seeking PUD approval for a new modern art museum, a restaurant, commercial space, and 550 residential units; however, Randall Neighbor Day remains. Current exhibitions at the Corcoran include Alex Prager: Face in the Crowd and Mia Feuer: An Unkindness. The Corcoran is located at 500 17th Street, NW and will be open from 10am to 5pm.

Southwest Neighborhood Planning Process Kicks Off

Over the next six months, the DC Office of Planning will be engaging Southwest residents and stakeholders to create a community led plan to guide the changes in the Southwest neighborhood for the next five to ten years. The Southwest Neighborhood Plan will focus on four key elements – people, parks, connections, and building. A Public Kickoff meeting related to the Southwest Neighborhood Plan was held on September 11th at Arena Stage. The meeting was well attended with people who live and/or work in Southwest. For the first hour or so, there was an Open House with different stations that allowed residents to comment about the benefits and challenges that exist in each of the four key elements of the neighborhood plan. Afterwards, Planning Director Harriet Tregoning and Ward 6 Planning Coordinator Melissa Bird gave a presentation about the planning process and entertained questions from the audience. During Tregoning’s presentation, she mentioned that some of the values Southwest residents expressed to her during the Open House portion of the meeting include diversity, green space/tree canopy, and the library. Following the presentation, the Open House resumed for another hour. 

Some of the participants at the Open House.

During the planning process, the Office of Planning and their consultants will work with the community to analyze several components to help inform their recommendations for the Southwest neighborhood. First, they will assess the development potential for multiple underutilized District-owned sites. A number of underutilized District-owned properties are included in the study area, including Randall Recreation Center, the northeast parcel of Waterfront Station, First District headquarters, Lansburgh Park, the DMV inspection station, and the DCFD Repair Shop/Engine Co. # 7, among others. The team will create an urban design framework that promotes greater pedestrian access, improved neighborhood connectivity and increased multimodal transportation choices. A coordinated approach to public parks and public space improvements will be developed. Meanwhile, neighborhood conservation potential will be assessed to reinforce character in established residential areas. Finally, opportunities will be identified to enhance sustainability at a neighborhood-level. 

The Southwest Neighborhood Plan study area extends from South Capitol Street to Maine Avenue and from P Street to Interstate 395. Within the study area, the portion from I Street to M Street is considered to be the primary focus area – where most of the development opportunities are located, as well as urban design issues. A portion of Greenleaf is also included in the primary study area, but a separate study will be conducted for that site as a part of the HUD Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant recently submitted by the DC Housing Authority. The remaining area is considered to be the secondary study area, where neighborhood conservation, neighborhood connectivity, and sustainability are the principal focus. 

The Office of Planning has created a project website and a second website called “Engage Southwest” where community members can interact. Other ways to participate in the process include using social media (use the hashtag #SWDCPlan on Twitter, “like” posts on Facebook, etc.), submitting hand-written comments or questions at the public meetings, calling the Office of Planning at 202-442-7600, or sending an email to Melissa Bird. All of the comments from the Open House will be posted soon on the website. Not all Small Area Plans focus exclusively on real estate development – questions and comments from the audience at the kickoff meeting suggest that the Southwest Neighborhood Plan may include other components, such as teaching computer skills to seniors, helping break down barriers between longtime residents and newcomers, as well as other social improvements. 

Image courtesy of Graphic Recorder Jim Nuttle

Public Kickoff Meeting for Southwest Neighborhood Plan (Small Area Plan)

A Public Kickoff meeting related to the Southwest Neighborhood Plan will be held on September 11th from 6:30pm to 9:30pm at Arena Stage. Over the next 6 months, the DC Office of Planning will be engaging Southwest residents and stakeholders to create a community led plan to guide the changes in the Southwest neighborhood for the next 5 to 10 years. The Southwest Plan will focus on four key elements – people, parks, connections, and building.  

The project area contains a number of underutilized District-owned properties, including Randall Recreation Center, NE parcel of Waterfront Station, First District headquarters, Lansburgh Park, the DMV inspection station, and DCFD Repair Shop/Engine Co. # 7, among others. One of the main reasons for the Southwest Neighborhood Plan is to provide guidance for the future of these parcels. It was reported in Housing Complex earlier this month that a couple of the parcels that may be in play to trade for land in Buzzard Point for a new DC United soccer stadium are 1001 and 1101 Half Street, home to the DMV inspection station and DCFD Repair Shop/Engine Co. #7, respectively. 

OP has created a project website and will soon create a second website called “Engage Southwest” where community members can interact. Other ways to participate in the process include using social media (use the hashtag #SWDCPlan on Twitter, “like” posts on Facebook, etc.), submitting hand-written comments or questions at the public meetings, calling the Office of Planning at 202-442-7600, or sending an email to Melissa Bird, Ward 6 Planning Coordinator.

Southwest Neighborhood Plan coverage map courtesy of Office of Planning