Revised Plans for 1319 South Capitol Site

A presentation was made during Monday’s ANC 6D virtual meeting by Jefferson Apartment Group and Fortis, the new team which will be developing a site adjacent to Camden South Capitol apartments and across the street from Nationals Park at 1319 South Capitol Street. The majority of the site is currently used as a parking lot. Plans include an 11-story multifamily rental building although the number of units was not revealed during the presentation – a story in Bisnow from when the site was sold indicates there will be up to 320 units. Previous plans for 1319 South Capitol project under a different developer included less apartment units. Current plans for the project also incorporate some of the historic townhomes on South Capitol and N streets. Four of the townhomes on N Street will be converted into two Affordable Dwelling Units while two on South Capitol Street could become either commercial or residential units. The end units on both streets will be demolished to widen the alley access from N Street and provide a dog run for the apartment building adjacent to the alley entrance on South Capitol Street. The main entrance to the building will be on South Capitol Street adjacent to the alley entrance. 

View from N Street.

View from Syphax Village.

The corner site where Capitol Liquors is located is owned by a separate entity, as well as two rowhomes on N Street and one on South Capitol Street. These parcels will be developed separately as an 11-story apartment building with two levels of retail. There are two other rowhomes on South Capitol Street not included in the JAG/Fortis development and will remain, including a private home and South Capitol Smile Center dentist practice. 

Rowhouses on N Street

Rowhouses on South Capitol Street. 

Alley entrance on South Capitol Street and access to lobby.

The development team will go back before the ANC later this fall to seek their approval as they go through the Zoning Commission process.  Construction of 1319 South Capitol is expected to start in the first half of 2021. 

Renderings courtesy of Beyer Blinder Belle

Greenleaf Redevelopment RFQ Released

After years of planning and delays, DCHA released a Request for Qualifications back in December for a co-developer to redevelop Greenleaf, the 15-acre public housing project that straddles M Street. Greenleaf was built in 1959 and currently contains 493 public housing units spread over 23 buildings.  

According to the RFQ, the development objectives include the following: 

• The redevelopment will replace all 493 existing units at the same level of affordability. 
• The redevelopment will minimize the movement of residents – to the greatest extent possible, residents will move directly from their old unit to their new unit. 
• There will be zero displacement of current Greenleaf residents. 
• There will be a mix of market-rate, affordable, and possibly workforce housing. 
• Public safely will be improved with increased activity on streets and public spaces. 
• The redevelopment will integrate into the surrounding community. 
• The redevelopment will support the development of human capital, assisting with such things as job opportunities and supportive services programs. 

The phased redevelopment concept for Greenleaf by HR&A Advisors has been designed with a mix of high-rise and townhomes. The high-rise buildings would be concentrated along M Street and Delaware Avenue with the townhomes further away from those two streets. Some retail is anticipated as well along M Street. A unique feature of the redevelopment will the the use of the "build first" model, which would allow the project to proceed without displacing Greenleaf residents. The first phase of development would use a site near the Greenleaf footprint to build a mixed-income building. Once residents move into that first building, it will free up land within Greenleaf to start demolition and development. DC-owned sites that were identified as having the best potential to do build first include the MPD First District parking lot along Delaware Avenue and the DC FEMS Repair Shop at the NW corner of M and Half streets. While the HR&A report suggested a build first site be selected prior to releasing the RFQ, a site has not been chosen yet. 

It will take several years to redevelop the site and will probably be done in at least six phases. The deadline to submit proposals for the RFQ is February 1. Then in early March, a RFP will be released to a short list of developers who responded to the RFQ. The winning co-developer partner is expected to be selected by June and a contract will be negotiated with DCHA.

Renderings courtesy of HR&A Advisors  

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

Greenleaf Redevelopment Meeting Summary

A public meeting was held last month by DCHA, master planner Perkins Eastman, and consultant HR&A Advisors to discuss the redevelopment of Greenleaf. Unfortunately I was out of town, but slides from the October 24 meeting have become available. From what I’ve heard, over 100 people attended the meeting at Westminster Presbyterian Church, including Greenleaf residents, the greater Southwest community, and public officials. 

Greenleaf stretches 15 acres across several city blocks on either side of M Street and includes 493 public housing units in 23 buildings. The majority of the units are 2BR apartments, but the mix ranges from 1BR up to 5BR units. 

The purpose of the Greenleaf Redevelopment Plan is to develop a vision for the redevelopment of the Greenleaf community. It will also inform the criteria DCHA uses to evaluate redevelopment proposals from private developers. In addition the plan will establish the feasibility of different approaches based on community goals, market studies, financial feasibility, design guidelines, and the construction plan. At the meeting, there were five design principles discussed which will be used in the redevelopment of Greenleaf: 

1. Utilize a mix of tall and low buildings. 
2. Create a well-defined public green space. 
3. Use trees to beautify, help make place, and create a healthier living environment. 
4. Connect the new Greenleaf to other areas of the city. 
5. All new construction must first and foremost be exemplary urban architecture. 

The October meeting was the first chance for the greater Southwest community to get involved in the redevelopment process, but Greenleaf residents have been engaged over the past year or so. The redevelopment plan will be created over the next 6-9 months with two additional community meetings planned in the interim. The final plan is expected to be completed sometime in mid-2016. After that, an RFP will be released, which will take another 6-9 months to receive responses, get community input, and select a winning developer. Then, developer negotiations will take a year to 18 months to complete, but design and permitting can be done concurrently. After that construction can begin on the first phases, which can take 2-3 years to complete. Other phases will be completed depending on market conditions.

No HUD Planning Grant for Greenleaf

It was reported today in Housing Complex that DCHA did not receive a HUD Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant for Greenleaf, which was built in 1959 and includes a cluster of townhomes, mid-rise, and walk-up units from I to M streets, between 3rd Street and Delaware Avenue. In addition, Greenleaf Seniors is a high-rise at the SE corner of Delaware Avenue and M Street, as well as a mid-rise building located at 203 N Street. There are a total of 497 units in all three sections. The housing authority applied for the grant back in May and would have used the $500,000 grant money to help plan for the eventual redevelopment of Greenleaf.

The townhomes at Greenleaf Extension were recently painted.

Despite not receiving the grant, DCHA still intends to move forward with plans for redevelopment since the buildings are near the end of their useful lifespan. As a part of the application, DCHA had to demonstrate to HUD how it would redevelop Greenleaf with or without a grant. A private partner will be brought in to help redevelop the complex. Redevelopment was expected to get underway in about five years, but it appears from the Housing Complex article that the setback may delay the project.

View of Greenleaf buildings from the roof of Sky House.

DCHA Applies for HUD Grant for Greenleaf

 

Representatives from DCHA announced at a resident meeting in late April that they have applied for a $500,000 HUD Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant for Greenleaf, a trio of public housing communities in Southwest. Greenleaf was built in 1959 and includes a cluster of townhomes, midrise, and walk-up units from I to M streets, between 3rd Street and Delaware Avenue. In addition, Greenleaf Seniors is a high-rise at the SE corner of Delaware Avenue and M Street, as well as a mid-rise building (203 N Street). There are a total of 497 units in all three sections. According to the HUD website, the Choice Neighborhoods program supports locally driven strategies to address struggling neighborhoods with distressed public or HUD-assisted housing through a comprehensive approach to neighborhood transformation. Three main goals of the program are as follows:

1. Housing: Replace distressed public and assisted housing with high-quality mixed-income housing that is well-managed and responsive to the needs of the surrounding neighborhood;

2. People: Improve educational outcomes and intergenerational mobility for youth with services and supports delivered directly to youth and their families; and

3. Neighborhood: Create the conditions necessary for public and private reinvestment in distressed neighborhoods to offer the kinds of amenities and assets, including safety, good schools, and commercial activity, that are important to families’ choices about their community.

Greenleaf Seniors.

A Transformation Plan must be developed for the communities that receive a Planning Grant, which helps guide the revitalization of the public housing units and transformation of the surrounding neighborhood and positive outcomes for families. DCHA's grant application comes right at the same time that the Office of Planning is about to undertake a Small Area Plan for the broader area, which includes Greenleaf Gardens, Seniors and Mid-rise.  Eventually, DCHA can apply for an Implementation Grant from HUD (that is if Greenleaf is selected for a Planning Grant and a Transformation Plan is developed). Also, a public-private partnership could be sought to eventually redevelop Greenleaf. In the meantime, cosmetic work on the exterior of Greenleaf Gardens has begun and assessments of distressed property have already started.

Recently painted homes at Greenleaf Gardens.

The Near SE/SW CBCC will be hosting an informational meeting on May 23 where Tarek Bolden from the Office of Planning will go over the SW Small Area Plan process.  There will also be discussion on the HUD grant process for Greenleaf.  The meeting will be held at Westminster Church (400 I Street) from 6-7:30pm. Free childcare will be provided for children ages 5-12.

By the way this post is not an April Fools' Day joke.

CBCC Summit Debrief

This morning, I attended the Near SE-SW Community Summit: Taking Charge of our Future, which was hosted by the Community Benefits Coordinating Council (CBCC) and facilitated by America Speaks. The summit was well attended and contained a diverse audience of community members, local pols, and some developers (I spotted Elinor Bacon from the PN Hoffman-Madison Marquette Waterfront team). A few ANC 6D commissioners were present, including Andy Litsky, Ron McBee, and Roger Moffatt, as well as former commissioners Jane Jorgensen, David Sobelsohn, and Mary Williams. There may have been others, but those were the ones I noticed. Ward 6 Council member Tommy Wells also came in the afternoon. My guesstimate based on the number of tables and the fact that the room was pretty full is there were between 100 and 125 attendees.

The five main issues for discussion at the summit were as follows:

1. Workforce Development/Jobs/Community Centers
2. Neighborhood Oriented Retail and Services
3. Housing Diversity and Affordability
4. Youth-Education and Services
5. Environmental Concerns

Each person got to choose which issue they wanted to focus on for the day and then the room was divided into groups of people who wanted to discuss the same issue. I sat at one of the tables discussing Neighborhood Oriented Retail and Services. Most people chose Youth Education and Services, while the other four issues were pretty evenly distributed. Each group discussed assets and challenges that their issue presented to the community, then brainstormed ideas that could be implemented over the next 1-3 years to help resolve their particular issue. Out of the large lists of ideas for each issue, everyone in the room voted on which top two ideas were most important.

Issue #1

• Incorporate Ward 6 in the SW Waterfront development's workforce program (currently only Wards 5, 7 & 8 are targeted)
• Identify and create a workforce clearing house

Issue #2

• Increase of locally-owned businesses
• Use vacant land at Waterfront Station until new development is completed

Issue #3

• Stronger coalitions to represent all types of residents' interests to developers and policymakers
• Make sure residential developers commit to specific housing preferences for current residences/residents

Issue #4

• Bolster pre-K program
• Utilize Jefferson Middle School for adult vocational education and workforce development

Issue #5

• Develop community gardens using public land and church offered space and transitional dog parks
• Avoid over development: keep height and density restrictions

Once the top two ideas for each issue were voted on, the groups met again to discuss how to implement those ideas. The CBCC will make the results of the brainstorming session available in about a week or so and will use these ideas to come up with suggestions for community benefits agreements between developers and the ANC.

Did any of you attend the summit? What did you think?

Southwest Waterfront PUD Submitted

According to the Washington Business Journal, the developers of the new Southwest Waterfront have submitted the stage one Planned Unit Development (PUD) application. It appears that the number of residential units has increased in the PUD submission from when the PN Hoffman-Madison Marquette Waterfront team met with the community in September to present their plans. From the article:

The application, filed Feb. 10 with the Zoning Commission, proposes roughly 3.2 million square feet of gross floor area, including 1,200 mixed-income residential units, 400,000 square feet of office space, 200,000 square feet of retail, 625 hotel rooms, 100,000 square feet devoted to cultural activities, 25,000 square feet for maritime activities and 12 acres of parks and open space. Those numbers, from the notice of the filing issued Friday by the commission, suggests the project's scope has changed in recent months to go heavier on residential and lighter on office. As recently as September, the development plan featured 560 dwelling units and 840,000 square feet of office.

Back in December, the DC Council passed a bill to change the way affordable units will be divided at the Southwest Waterfront development. Under the new law, 30% of the first 500 units of housing will be set aside as affordable housing (half for those making 60% of Area Median Income, or AMI, which is about $109,000 for a family of four, and the other half for those making 30% of AMI). For the remaining 700 units, at least 20% will be set aside as workforce housing (for households making 80% to 100% of AMI). Construction is supposed to get underway on phase one, from 7th Street to 9th Street, by the end of 2012.

Update: The WBJ got outscooped by our local monthly paper...The Southwester!

Council Passes SW Waterfront Affordable Housing Bill

I forgot to mention this before the holidays, but the DC Council unanimously passed a bill last month that changes the rules regarding affordable housing requirements at the Southwest Waterfront development. The new law requires that 30% of the first 500 units built are to be affordable, with half of the units reserved for households earning up to 60% of Area Median Income (AMI) and the other half for households earning up to 30% of AMI. Washington's AMI is $103,500, so 75 units will be for households earning about $62,100 and another 75 units for households earning about $31,050. For any housing units built beyond the 500-unit amount, at least 20% of those units will be reserved as "workforce housing," which are for people in occupations such as teachers, nurses, police officers, and fire fighters. Currently, there are plans to build a total of 560 residential units, so 12 of those units will be reserved as workforce housing. If more units are built, then at least 20% of those units will be workforce housing.

SW to See More Investment in Affordable Housing

In this week's Washington Business Journal (paid subscribers only) there's an article that states the Local Initiatives Support Coalition (LISC) will focus their efforts on three neighborhoods in the city, including the South Capitol neighborhood in Southwest and Near Southeast. From the article: "Since its founding, LISC has been putting money into housing, supportive services, retail and community amenities in areas where other private investors feared to tread...LISC has only invested in one Southwest project, housing for the former William Syphax School." I wonder where in the neighborhood they will invest? I guess we'll find out soon enough.