Design of New Southwest Branch Library Comes Into Focus

In early January, DCPL submitted an application to the BZA in order to build a new, standalone Southwest Branch library at 900 Wesley Place. The existing library was built in 1961 and no longer serves the needs of a growing community, where thousands of new multifamily units are coming online within the next five years. After a series of public meetings, DCPL developed a plan for the library which provides separate spaces for children and adults.

On the first floor, patrons will enter the new library using an entrance on the northwest corner of the building. Upon entering the library, the north side of the building will be the Market Place. The west side of the building will contain two multipurpose rooms and the book drop. Space dedicated to Children’s Services will occupy the remaining area on the first level, as well as restrooms. Staff will enter the building from an entrance off K Street. A terrace on the northeast corner and a reading porch on the north side of the building will open towards the playground at the adjacent 3rd and I Street SW Park. The second floor will contain a series of study/meeting rooms, space for Teen/Adult Services, an adult patio, staff areas, and space for the Friends of the Southwest Library. A portion of the floor on the second level will be open to the first floor below.

Designed by Perkins + Will, the new Southwest Library takes cues from the modernist design of the neighborhood with the use of wood, metal panels, glass, and a distinctive crinkle roof. The new library will be similar in size to the existing one at 20,792 SF, but there will not be a basement due to concerns over flooding since it is below the floodplain. Parking will be provided for seven vehicles, a reduction in the number of spaces currently available at the library by two. A landscape buffer will screen the parking area from the sidewalk along 3rd Street. Green features will include, among other things, a green roof, photovoltaic panels, and bioretention areas, sufficient to secure LEED-Gold status for the building.

DCPL is seeking approval for the project and has requested three special exemptions from zoning regulations. One special exemption has to do with parking – zoning requires a government building of this size to have nine spaces, but DCPL wants to build seven surface spaces. Since the library is close to the Waterfront Metro station, two Metrobus routes, and within walking distance of most of Southwest, DCPL contends there will be sufficient parking. The second special exemption is for long-term bicycle parking – DCPL will provide one less space than required. Finally, the third special exemption is lot occupancy – it is required that up to 40% of the lot be occupied by the new building, but the design calls for 47% lot occupancy. All three special exemptions have been requested in order to maintain the current design of the new library. At its December 2017 meeting, ANC 6D voted 3-0-2 in support of the BZA application.

If approved by the BZA, demolition of the existing library will likely take place this fall, after an interim library location is found. Construction will take a little more than a year and the new library will be complete in early 2020.

Renderings courtesy of DCPL

Capitol View's Cafe Phillips Changes Name

Over the weekend, storefront signage was changed at the corner of 3rd and E streets for Café Phillips deli, which is now known as Sandwiches by Phillip. Three of the five former Café Phillips locations across the city have made the switch to Sandwiches by Phillip. The 3rd and E Street location opened in June 2011 on the ground floor of the Capitol View office building. The other retailer in the building is Pizza Autentica, which also opened in 2011.

Old Cafe Phillips sign.

Playground Ribbon-Cutting Tomorrow

The next meet and greet park clean-up at the new 3rd & I Street Park will be tomorrow, starting at 11am. Following the clean-up at noon, a ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at the playground, where volunteers and donors will be honored. The new playground at 3rd & I Street Park, adjacent to the Southwest branch library is more than four years in the making and the first phase was completed in August.  The Southwest Playground Project, a project of the CBCC, overcame financial and bureaucratic obstacles to get the playground built. The second phase will include storm water retention; more retaining walls; and repaving and scoring of the sidewalks.

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

3rd & I Street Park Reopens as a Playground

After more than four years of dealing with DC government bureaucracy and fundraising, the library park at 3rd and I streets, SW opened yesterday, which marks the completion of phase one of the Southwest Playground Project (SWPP). The SWPP is a project of the CBCC and was championed by Southwest resident Felicia Couts. In an email to supporters announcing the playground’s opening, Couts stated the following: 

“I’m so thrilled to report that the construction fencing is down and the 3rd & I Street Park is open for use! Children and neighbors of all ages have already stopped by to check out the new play equipment, sit on the new benches and enjoy the park!” 

Construction took a little more than seven weeks to complete; however, the playground was a long time coming. Back in 2010, a group of parents came up with the idea to build a centrally-located playground in the neighborhood since there was a dearth of play space for young children at the time in Southwest. With other members of the community joining the parents’ group, the SWPP was born. The group eventually settled on building the playground at the park located at 3rd and I streets, adjacent to the Southwest branch library. This location was chosen because of the synergy that could be created between the library and the playground. In addition, the park is located between public housing and middle class housing, and could serve as a bridge between the two areas where neighbors can interact. 

The SWPP first tried working with Kaboom!, a non-profit organization that builds playgrounds across the country. Due to technical issues with working with the Department of Parks and Recreation, the SWPP did not move forward with Kaboom! and instead tried to work with Make Kids Smile, Inc., a local non-profit. The playground equipment used by Make Kids Smile, Inc. was not compatible with the Gametime equipment preferred by SWPP, so the group ended up working directly with DPR and the Department of General Services to hire a contractor to install the play equipment. The selected play equipment is suited primarily for kids ages 2-5 and has a nature theme, including swings, a slide, spinning leafs, mushroom-shaped stepping stones, and climbing bars in the shape of a butterfly. 

The park prior to construction.

In 2011, the SWPP hosted a “Draw Your Playground” design competition with students at Amidon-Bowen Elementary, which is about one block away from the 3rd & I Street Park. The students were able to show through their drawings that they wanted features such as swings, slides, a bike rack, and a water fountain at the playground. First place went to Edugwu Agada, second place to Jostin Garcia and third to Vanquisha Smith. In addition, a series of charrettes were held in the community to gather further input on the design of the playground. The original intent was to have a Community Build Day, but the city decided to have a contractor build the playground instead for liability reasons. 

An initial budget of $50,000 for playground equipment ballooned to $720,000 once it was discovered that significant infrastructure improvements were needed at the 3rd and I Street Park, including grading, utilities, and drainage. Not to mention the need to hire an architect. The SWPP raised over $100,000 on its own through donations from individuals and local businesses, but the infrastructure improvements necessitated city assistance. After some lobbying, $350,000 was secured in the District’s budget to close the funding gap and allow phase one to be built. 

Phase one included pruning and removing dead or dying trees in the park, as well as grading the site; retaining walls along the center berm area; fencing along I Street, SW and portions of 3rd Street and Wesley Place; playground equipment and soft surfacing were installed in the center berm area; and utilities work. A second phase will cost $270,000 and is still unfunded. The second phase will include storm water retention; more retaining walls; and repaving and scoring of the sidewalks. Two other playgrounds in the neighborhood are supposed to be upgraded later this year as a part of the Play DC Playground Improvement Initiative, including ones at King-Greenleaf Recreation Center and Randall Community Center. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be announced soon for the 3rd & I Street Park.

SW Playground Project Finally Gets Underway

After more than four years of dealing with DC government agencies and fundraising, construction fencing arrived today at the library park at 3rd and I streets, which marks the start of phase one of construction of the SW Playground Project (SWPP).  The contractors have begun pruning and removing dead or dying trees in the park. Phase one is expected to take eight weeks to complete and includes the following: pruning and removal of trees; grading of the site; installation of retaining walls along the center berm area; fencing along I Street and portions of 3rd Street and Wesley Place; playground equipment with a nature theme and soft surfacing in the center berm area; and utilities work. The budget for phase one is $450,000 and came from a combination of city funding and SWPP's fundraising efforts.

A second phase will cost $270,000 and is still unfunded. The second phase will include storm water retention; more retaining walls; and repaving and scoring of the sidewalks.  Two other playgrounds in the neighborhood are supposed to be upgraded later this year as a part of the Play DC Playground Improvement Initiative, including ones at King-Greenleaf Recreation Center and Randall Community Center.

The SWPP is a project of the Near SE/SW Community Benefits Coordinating Council (CBCC).

King-Greenleaf Playground to be Upgraded; New Randall Programming to Begin

Last month, Mayor Gray announced that eight additional playgrounds have been added to the original list of 32 playgrounds that will be upgraded under DPR’s Play DC Playground Improvement Initiative. King-Greenleaf is one of the eight new playgrounds added to the upgrade list for improvements in 2014. Randall is one of the original playgrounds on the upgrade list, but that project has been delayed due to the uncertainty earlier this year revolving around KIPP DC’s unsolicited proposal to redevelop the Randall Recreation Center, pool, and ball fields to a new charter high school campus. At least 20 of the original 32 playground upgrades have been completed so far. Once I get an update from DPR about timing for King-Greenleaf and Randall, I’ll pass that along.

Concept plan for Randall Rec. center playground. Courtesy of DPR.

Separate from the Play DC initiative, planning for the Southwest Playground Project at 3rd and I streets is moving along. A builder RFP was issued by the Department of General Services (DGS) in October, although additional funding is still needed in order to complete the project since labor costs are higher than originally estimated. Build Day is tentatively scheduled for spring 2014, but the exact timing will not be known until a builder is selected by DGS.

Randall Recreation Center.

Meanwhile, Randall Recreation Center is gearing up for new programming that will begin the week of January 6th. Sasha Bruce Youthwork, Inc. has put together a programming guide for classes at the rec. center during the winter months.  Classes for people of all ages are available, including art, fitness and exercise, as well as youth-oriented activities. The Tot Lot program for toddlers ages 18 months to three years old is already underway. Programming has been very limited at Randall for several years and the effort to bring more activity to the rec. center has been a collaborative effort between the CBCC, SWNA, DPR, Sasha Bruce Youthwork, Inc., and others.

All classes are free, but registration is required. Register in person on Mondays between 4 and 7pm, or send an email to Clynthia Graham to request an electronic registration form. More information is available by calling 202-554-6973.

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.

ANC 6D Offers Conditional Support to Town Center East PUD

At tonight's ANC 6D meeting, the commissioners voted 4-0-1 to give conditional support to the Town Center East PUD. Several changes have been made to the project by The Bernstein Companies as a result of the ANC's last vote back in May to not support the PUD.  Also since the last vote, the original I.M. Pei buildings and open space on the site have been designated historic by the Historic Preservation Review Board.  As a result, the project now needs approval from the HPRB in addition to the Zoning Commission.

The proposed center building has been removed from the project.

One big change to the project is the removal of the center building, which is a result of the historic designation of the open space between the Pei buildings. That, along with design changes to the new north & south buildings (all four corners of each building have been pushed in), have resulted in the reduction of 45 units from the project.  Other changes include:

• The metal fence on top of the wall along 3rd Street has been removed. 
• One foot of sidewalk along 3rd Street will be removed to add green space.
• Usable balconies have been removed from the new buildings and replaced with juliet balconies. 
• The balconies will have frosted glass panels three feet, six inches tall to provide some privacy.
• The motor courts on the west side of the new buildings have been reduced a bit in size.
• More fenestration will occur on the 3rd Street edge of the new buildings, which uses more glass and more closely matches the window style of the Pei buildings.
• A more simple brick will be used since the increased fenestration results in less brick on the buildings on 3rd Street.
• The courtyard will have more green space.
• Some ideas have been presented for improved accessibility for Waterfront Tower residents with mobility issues.
• Discussions are underway for signage for Waterfront Tower, including pylons and numbers on the building.
• A lighting plan has been developed with a variety of options, including overhead lights, lower bollard lights, uplighting of trees, etc. 

 

Older rendering from M Street.

Revised rendering from M Street.

The Waterfront Tower Home Owners Association is still not satisfied with the changes made and the lack of meetings between the developer and the HOA. Several homeowners were present at the meeting to express their concerns. Representatives from SWNA were also at the meeting and stated that the revised design is not worthy of being next to the historic I.M. Pei buildings. The ANC's conditional approval of the PUD is contingent on the developers addressing a variety of concerns to the satisfaction of the ANC before the October 7 Zoning Commission meeting.

Renderings courtesy of Maurice Walters Architects  

Town Center East Designated Historic

Last month, the DC Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) designated both multifamily buildings at Town Center East and the grounds as historic.  It has also requested that the nomination for historic preservation be forwarded to the National Register of Historic Places. The buildings, located on 3rd Street between K Street and M Street, were designed by I.M. Pei and built in 1960-61.   Originally built as apartment buildings, Waterfront Tower was converted to condos in 2009. Meanwhile, 1001 at Waterfront was last renovated prior to its sister building’s conversion, but has remained as apartments. The two buildings at Town Center are the mirror image of the two apartment buildings to the west of Waterfront Station at The View at Waterfront (or Town Center West). Those two buildings are not included in the historic designation. In its ruling, the HPRB determined that Town Center was eligible for historic designation in three categories, including “Architecture and Urbanism”, “Creative Masters”, and “History.”  According to the ruling, “Town Center East is important as one of Washington’s best examples of mid-century Modernism, and certainly among the best in Southwest.” 

The owners at Waterfront Tower, along with the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly, applied for historic designation in response to a PUD submitted by The Bernstein Companies to build two large multifamily buildings on the parking lots of the existing Pei buildings and a smaller building on the courtyard separating the two existing buildings. It was reported in the Washington City Paper about the tension between Bernstein and the Waterfront Tower owners. With the historic designation in place, Bernstein will need to alter its PUD and have it approved by the HPRB in addition to the Zoning Commission.

Original design of Town Center PUD.

In recent years, other residential complexes in Southwest have been designated as historic, including Potomac Place Tower, Tiber Island, and more recently, Harbour Square. Other residential complexes built during urban renewal may apply for historic designation as they turn 50 years old. Thus far, individual buildings have been applying for historic designation, but eventually a historic district may be coming to Southwest, which would preserve the mid-century modern architecture of the neighborhood.

Rendering courtesy of Maurice Walters Architect, PC

Town Center East Seeking Historic Designation

ANC 6D gave its unanimous support last night to designate Town Center East as a historic landmark. The Waterfront Tower Homeowners' Association, along with the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly, have applied for historic status with the DC Register for the pair of buildings on 3rd Street, designed in the modernist style by I.M. Pei in the 1960s. The move to grant landmark status to the buildings, grounds, and parking lots comes at the same time that The Bernstein Companies is trying to get approval for their consolidated PUD application which would replace the surface parking lots with two new high-rise residential buildings with some ground floor retail and a third smaller building in the open space between the existing Pei buildings. At last month's ANC meeting, the commissioners voted not to support the Town Center PUD as-is and asked the developers to rework their plans & meet with the Waterfront Tower residents to hear their concerns. 

Current plan for new and existing buildings at Town Center East.

Historic designation would complicate things, but as Cecille Chen, the head of SWNA's historic preservation task force said at Monday's meeting, the designation of a property as historic wouldn't stop future development, it helps to bring development that is appropriate since the Historic Preservation Board would have a say in any plans to build on the site. If Town Center East is designated historic, it would join other modernist residential complexes that have recently been designated historic, including Tiber Island and Harbour Square. Potomac Place Tower was designated historic almost a decade ago..  

Friends of SW Library Spring Book Sale

The Friends of the Southwest DC Public Library is holding its Spring Book Sale at the Southwest DC Public Library, 900 Wesley Place (at 3rd & K streets) on three dates: Wednesday, June 5th (Members Pre-Sale), Saturday, June 8th&nbsp, Saturday, June 15th. All proceeds for the sale go directly to supporting programming and equipment needs of the SW library branch. 

Hundreds of Books and Great Prices – Most Books Under $2! 

Friends Member Sale:  

Wednesday, June 5 from 6-8pm  

Become a member at the door for $10 and have first pick of the sale! 

General Book Sale FREE and OPEN TO ALL: 

Saturday, June 8 from 10am-2pm 

Saturday, June 15 from 11am - 2pm 

For more info, email friendsofswlibrary@gmail.com

Town Center Controversy

In addition to the NW parcel PUD, there was lengthy and fiery discussion at Monday’s ANC 6D meeting about a PUD application for Town Center, a three-building residential plan for the area just to the east of Waterfront Station by The Bernstein Companies.  More details on the original PUD application can be found here, but in summary, the developers plan to build two 11-story residential buildings with a small amount of ground floor retail on the parking lots in front of Waterfront Tower and 1101 @ Waterfront and a four-story building along 3rd Street between the two existing I.M. Pei buildings for a total of 401 new units. In addition, the 128-unit 1101 @ Waterfront will be renovated. Some changes have been made to the design of the buildings in response to concerns from the commissioners, such as an increase in the setback of the buildings on the 10th and 11th floors (which are rise above the I.M. Pei buildings) and more glass at the base of the building. The above rendering is from the original submission to the Zoning Commission.

An unusually full house at the ANC meeting.

The room was packed with residents of Waterfront Tower condos, who according to a couple of stories last week in Housing Complex, were threatened by the developer’s lawyer with a lawsuit if they spoke out against the proposal at the ANC meeting since their purchase agreements included a statement that they would not impede further development on the site. Waterfront Tower and SWNA recently submitted an application for historic status for Waterfront Tower and the grounds, which could halt development if approved. ANC Chairman Andy Litsky chided the Bernstein representatives present at the meeting about the tactic before opening the floor to residents who wanted to express their concerns about the PUD. Concerns ranged from the design & height of the buildings to lack of visibility to accessibility challenges for disabled residents. After more than an hour of discussion, the commissioners passed a resolution seeking to postpone the May 30th Zoning Commission meeting (the developers agreed to the delay after hearing the concerns from residents at the meeting) and a second resolution to not support the PUD in its current form until a long list of concerns are addressed. Bernstein will meet with Waterfront Tower residents and the ANC over the next few weeks to help address their concerns (one of the ANC’s stipulations was that the residents were able to discuss the PUD without the threat of a lawsuit over their heads). This PUD will most likely be on the agenda again in the June ANC meeting.

Rendering courtesy of Maurice Walters Architect, PC

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.

Greenleaf Gardens Recipient of Hope VI Grant (APRIL FOOLS POST)

At a press conference this morning, the Mayor announced that Greenleaf Gardens will be the latest recipient of a Hope VI Revitalization Grant from HUD to redevelop the public housing complex into a mixed-use community. There are currently 278 units at the DCHA-run Greenleaf Gardens, covering 15 acres of land. The site is bounded by I Street to the north, 3rd Street to the west, M Street to the south, and Delaware Avenue to the east as outlined in the above image in red.

“As our city continues to grow, we need to look at ways that we can better leverage the assets we have in our public housing communities, “said the Mayor during the press conference. “With this grant from HUD, we will be able to maintain modern, clean, affordable housing for our residents, while at the same time provide additional residential density one block away from Metro.”

There is a lot of development activity in the vicinity of Greenleaf Gardens. To the west, The Bernstein Companies is planning three new residential buildings at Town Center. The Southwest Library will be completely renovated over the next four years. In addition, the SW Library park will soon become a new playground. Lansburgh Park is located just to the east, which will get a dog park and community garden this summer. To the south, a new St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church and 200-unit apartment building are supposed to break ground before the end of the year.  

As proposed, the Hope VI project will have approximately 1,600 units in a mix of building types. The 278 units of affordable housing will be replaced one for one and will be scattered throughout the project while the remaining units will be market-rate. There will be 150 townhomes in the northernmost block between I Street and K Street, 650 units in four mid-rise buildings in the middle block between K Street and L Street, and 800 units in two high-rise towers in the southernmost block from L Street to M Street. There will be ground-floor retail space available on the M Street buildings. The buildings will primarily be rental apartments, but there will be a for-sale component, depending on market conditions. It will take several years for this project to be built, maybe never, since this post is just an April Fools’ Day joke.

Southwest Library Playground Gets Closer to Reality

The Southwest Playground Project (SWPP) received support from ANC 6D at this month’s meeting for the Urban Forestry Administration to work on pruning and removing unhealthy/dead trees from the site of the new playground proposed for the park next door to the Southwest library at 3rd and I streets. The ANC also commented favorably on LAB Architects’ design of the playground, which has changed and will now take up less space on the site. Play equipment will be placed on the central berm with a rubber play surface installed beneath for safety purposes. GameTime play equipment will have a nature theme, which will include a butterfly net for climbing; a log crawl thru; stepping stones in the shape of mushrooms; and spinning leaf seats. There will also be a swing set with an ADA-compliant swing included in the design. Most of the equipment is suitable for children ages 2-12, except for the butterfly net, which is recommended for children aged 5-12.

Some of the proposed play equipment.

Ornamental fencing will be installed along I Street and at the corners where 3rd Street and Wesley Place both meet I Street to keep children from running onto the street. The fencing will be the same that DPR uses at its other playgrounds and will be 18" tall. Seat walls will be placed on the south side of the play area to further enclose the space and provide seating for parents and children alike. Benches will also be placed in the play area. Trench drains will allow water to naturally drain below and should reduce the risk of mosquitoes. A less impervious surface will be used at the base of the park adjacent to the library which should also help with drainage.

Site of SW Library park.

Once the final designs are complete, the project will undergo the bid and contract award process, followed by permitting. At this pace, the project should be complete before the end of the year, if not sooner. The SWPP is affiliated with the Near SE/SW Community Benefits Coordinating Council, a local non-profit.

Schematic courtesy of LAB

Improving Play Areas for SW Youth

Several new or renovated playgrounds will soon be available in the neighborhood. The playground at Randall Recreation Center is one of several playgrounds across the city that will be renovated during the 2013 fiscal year which began on October 1, according to the Washington Examiner.   The city will spend a total of $30 million to renovate 32 playgrounds in all 8 wards of the city.  Related to Randall, fill out this survey to gather input on programming ideas at Randall Recreation Center, which will be reopened in 2013 for programs.  Meanwhile, the city set aside an additional $250,000 to help create a playground at the SW Library park at 3rd & I Streets.  In addition, a new playground was built last month at Syphax Gardens (Half and P Streets) with the assistance of Make Kids Smile and over at Amidon-Bowen, construction is supposed to begin soon on two new playgrounds.

Southwest Playground Project on its Way to Become a Park Partner

The following post was written by Felicia Couts, Project Director of the Southwest Playground Project

The D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) has agreed to designate the Near SE/SW Community BenefitsCoordinating Council’s Southwest Playground Project as a Park Partner for the 3rd and I Street SW Park, located adjacent to the SW Library. 

The official name of the new Park Partner will be the “Friends of 3rd and I, SW Park”.  From there, a collaboration of meetings will occur between DPR and the Friends of the 3rd and I SW Park to map and begin the planned park improvements which will include repairing the cracked walkways, installing retaining walls, pruning and removing dead trees, and installing playground equipment for children ages 2-12.

The new Friends of 3rd and I, SW Park wishes to extend its sincere thanks to Tommy Wells, ANC6D, the Mandarin Hotel, Safeway Foundation, Mr. Lawrence Impett, Make Kids Smile, CSX Corporation, Bravery Corporation, Station 4, and our SW community of neighborhood supporters.  

The next meeting of the Southwest Playground Project will be on Saturday from 3-4:30pm at the SW Library. 

Park rendering courtesy of LAB

Residential Infill Planned at Town Center

A new 3-building infill residential development just to the east of Sky House I at Town Center was revealed in this week's Washington Business Journal (subscribers only). The Bernstein Companies is moving forward with plans to build on their parking lots that currently serve Waterfront Tower condos and 1001 @ Waterfront apartments. According to the Zoning application that was submitted last month, there will be two new 11-story buildings flanking M Street and K Street and a 4-story building between the two existing towers on 3rd Street. In addition, 1001 @ Waterfront will be renovated.  Maurice Walters Architect, PC has designed the new buildings. The article states that 1001 @ Waterfront will remain as apartments after the renovation. Once completed, the proposed development at Town Center will yield 401 new multifamily units with a mix of studio, 1BR, and 2BR units, 128 renovated apartment units, 289 below-grade parking spaces, and 2,940 SF of retail on M Street and K Street. In addition, 20% of the housing will be set aside as affordable (5% to households making 50% or less than AMI, 5% to households earning 60% or less than AMI, 5% to households making 70% or less than AMI, and 5% to households earning 80% or less than AMI). Below is a breakdown of what will be built/renovated (note that the buildings shaded in green are what will be built/renovated):

Here is part of the description of the new buildings from the PUD application:

The new North and South Towers will include a two-story high base that will be enclosed but will feature large expanses of glazing that relate to the open ground floor of the Pei Towers. The main massing of the new towers will rise to a height of 90 feet (9 stories), which is approximately the same height as the Pei Towers. The remaining two stories of  the building will taper with setbacks and terraces to a height of 110 feet (11 stories).

The new North and South Towers will replace existing surface parking lots, creating a more pedestrian friendly experience on both M and K Streets. The new four-story Center Building will replace an existing brick wall along 3rd Street, adding new stoops and entry doors to 3rd Street. These doors and entries from 3rd Street, along with large expanses of fenestration above on the building, will help to activate 3rd Street.

New Middle Building on 3rd Street

All of the parking and loading will be accessed from an alley to the west of the site off of K Street and a circular drive on M Street that's being created in conjunction with Waterfront Station, with only one curb cut on K Street.  The other curb cuts that currently exist on the site (including M Street) will be removed. Town Center will aim for LEED-Silver and will have environmental enhancements such as green roofs, underground cisterns for collecting storm water runoff, and energy efficient lighting.  Some of the public benefits included in the PUD application include:

• a capital contribution to the SW Library
• restoration of the north Pei building
• tree planting on both sides of 3rd Street
• creation of angled parking on 3rd Street

New North Tower motor court

The WBJ article states that there is no construction timetable yet for the Town Center project and each building will be done separately, not concurrently.  If the consolidated PUD application is approved, it will be valid for two years, but the developers can apply for an extension if building permits have not been secured within the two-year window. 

Renderings courtesy of Maurice Walters Architect, PC