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

New SW Library Design to Honor Mid-Century Modern Heritage

A community meeting was held last month to discuss the design of the new SW Branch library on Wesley Place. The sketch design of the new library by Perkins + Will gives a nod to mid-century modern architecture. Glass is used on the façade to give the library an open feeling and the roofline is angular, somewhat mimicking nearby United Methodist Church. On the north side of the library facing the playground, a “front porch” will be created with rocking chairs. The entrance to the library will shift from its current location on the west side to the northwest corner and will be double-height. 

As currently proposed, the new library will be about the same size as the current one (18,000 – 19,000 SF), but more of the space will be dedicated to public uses (81% in the new library vs. 66% in the current library). The first floor will contain the entrance and circulation desk, as well as children’s services, a multipurpose room, staff space and restrooms. On the second floor, space will be reserved for adult/teen services, meeting rooms, staff space and more restrooms. Unlike the current library, the new library will not have a basement level primarily due to flooding concerns and construction costs. There will be space inside the library set aside to highlight Southwest heritage as well as the creation of a “wow” factor, perhaps by the staircase. Other design elements include sanctuary spaces, the creation of curiosity and stimulation, as well as making the library’s flow intuitive for visitors. 

A total of $18 million has been set aside to build the new library and create an interim space during construction. By next summer, the interim library will be open and construction on the new library will commence, which is expected to last about 18 months. That timing places completion of the new library in early 2020. 

Renderings courtesy of Perkins + Will

Library Community Meeting Tomorrow

A community meeting will be held tomorrow evening at the Southwest Branch Library to begin discussions regarding the new, $18 million stand-alone library that will replace the current building. DCPL recently selected Perkins + Will and Turner Construction as the design-build team for the library. At the meeting, you will get to meet the design team, learn about the project schedule, and share ideas. The meeting will start at 7pm tomorrow at the Southwest Branch library, located at 900 Wesley Place in the lower level meeting room.

Library Planning Meeting

A community meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 30 at 7pm at the SW Branch library (900 Wesley Place) to discuss the modernization of the MLK Library downtown. In addition, there will be discussion on plans for a new SW Branch library on the existing site, for which DCPL recently released a RFP for design-build services. DCPL will select the winning Design-Build team by March 2017 and will begin the design process in the spring. An interim library will be built, which will occupy approximately 3,000 SF in existing retail or commercial space within a reasonable distance from the current library. The budget for the new library and interim facility is $11.7 million. Construction of the interim library will begin in the middle of 2018 and the old library will be demolished once the interim facility is complete, around August 2018. The new library will then be built with an anticipated completion date of December 2019. The new library will be at least LEED-Gold certified.

Tangentially related: The Friends of the SW Library will have a Holiday Book Sale on Saturday, December 10 from 10am to 3pm. Sale proceeds support events and supplies for the SW Branch library.

SW Library Planning Meeting Next Thursday

The first of what will likely be many meetings on the development and design of a new SW Branch Library will be held next Thursday in the basement meeting room of the library (900 Wesley Place). This meeting will be hosted by the SWNA New Library Task Force and the guest presenter will be DCPL Executive Director Richard Reyes-Gavilan. The last time Reyes-Gavilan was at a community meeting to discuss the SW Branch Library, he presented plans to include a new library in the District-owned Waterfront Station parcel on 4th Street as part of a mixed-use development. That plan was met with community opposition, so it was abandoned by the city. Back in March, DMPED announced during its “March Madness” event that a new, standalone library would be built on the same site as the existing facility, which is what many in the community preferred due to the synergy created with the adjacent 3rd and I streets playground and the opportunity to create an architecturally-significant civic building. 

The library meeting on May 12 will be held from 7-9pm.

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

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

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. 

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.

A Couple Quick Items: Waterfront Academy Info Sessions, SW Duck Pond Ice Cream Social

Waterfront Academy, the new Montessori dual immersion private school opening this fall on South Capitol Street, will have more parent information sessions over the next week.  Below are the times for the information sessions:

• Thursday, July 25 at 9:30am
• Saturday, July 27 at 2pm
• Monday, July 29 at 9:30am
• Wednesday, July 31 at 9:30am

All of the information sessions will be held at Lot 38, located at 1001 2nd Street, SE.

A community open house and ice cream social will be held this evening at the Southwest Duck Pond at 6th and I streets from 6pm to 7:30pm. Free ice cream will be provided by the Neighbors of SW Duck Pond and information tables will be set up by neighborhood organizations, including Amidon-Bowen PTA, ANC 6D, CBCC, DC Sail, Friends of the SW Library, Girl Scout Troop 4298, Neighbors of SW Duck Pond, PAWS of Southwest, Southwest Chamber Players, SWNA, Southwest Playground Project, SW Gardens, and Waterfront Academy.

The Little Farm Stand is back this season at the SW Duck Pond and will be held on Saturdays from 10am to 2pm through November.  Fresh, local organic produce from Loudoun County will be for sale, along with farm-baked pies, preserves, and honey.  Email littlefarmstand@yahoo.com to join the weekly list serve of fresh offerings and pre-order your selection.  Aya Community Markets also has a farm stand on Saturdays from 9am to 1pm on the grounds of Christ United Methodist Church at 900 4th Street.

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

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

Friends of SW Library Used Book Sale

There will be a used book sale at the SW Library next week sponsored by the Friends of Southwest DC Public Library.  Hundreds of books will be available, including bestsellers, fiction, non-fiction, vampires, and cookbooks.  Donations are also welcome (contact by email - friendsofswlibrary@gmail.com or by phone - 202-670-7795). Most books will cost under $3 and pocket paperbacks will be sold 5 for $1. On Wednesday, October 24, there will be a Member Preview Night from 6pm - 8pm. On Saturday, October 27, the book sale will be open to all from 10am - 3pm.  All proceeds from the sale support community events and supplies for the Southwest Branch Library.

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

Amidon-Bowen Opens New Doors

(This post is an abbreviated version of the South by West article that will appear in September's Hill Rag.)

While children were enjoying their summer break, crews worked seven days a week to complete a $5 million renovation at Amidon-Bowen Elementary School, the only elementary school in Southwest. Gone are the red walls and window air conditioning units. In their place is a more modern-looking school for a neighborhood that is rapidly changing. Mayor Gray and DC Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson were on hand today to celebrate the completion of renovations and the first day of school.

New lobby area.

 Renovations at Amidon-Bowen include a new ADA-compliant entrance, a new administrative office suite, a new walk-through from the front to the play area, a new air conditioning system, and re-sized classrooms with technology upgrades and moveable walls. Additional improvements such as a water feature near the front entrance were not included as a cost savings measure. Despite the removal of the water feature from the plans, a maritime theme now permeates throughout the school, where creatures found in the Chesapeake Bay such as barracudas and turtles serve as “mascots” for each grade level pairing along with a new color scheme including blue, green, purple, and orange

.

The basketball court will be replaced with a soccer/football field and running lanes.

Shortly after the completion of interior renovations, work on some exterior sections will begin. Funding is already in place for the play areas, which will cost $500,000; however, the $1 million needed for installing new windows has yet to be secured. Improvements to the play areas will include two playgrounds, a turf football/soccer field, and a couple of running lanes. The fence near the front of the property will be pushed closer to I Street to make room for a playground for older children. A second playground for younger children will be placed in the back of the property and will be separated from Amidon Field by a controlled-access fence. Currently, there is a playground located closer to the school building, but the positions of the new playgrounds will help reduce noise into the classrooms. The site of the current playground will be replaced by a grassy area. PTA President Marty Welles would like to incorporate the “mascots” and color scheme inside the school to the new playgrounds to help tie the spaces together. The football/soccer field will replace the basketball court that is currently on site – the court will be rebuilt this fall at Lansburgh Park where a neglected tennis court now stands. Next to the turf field will be two running lanes. All of these areas will be open to the public outside of normal school hours. In addition to play areas, a greenhouse is planned for an area next to the playground reserved for younger children. A greenhouse will be able to grow herbs and flowers in the winter time whereas the majority of the growing season for the raised garden beds currently in place occurs when school is not in session.  

Amidon's recently renovated library.

Other recent improvements to Amidon-Bowen include an upgrade to the school’s library last year, courtesy of a grant from Target with new books, technology updates, new furniture, carpet, and shelves. Also, volunteers from Joel Osteen’s group made some landscape improvements outside of the school last spring when the televangelist held a spiritual event nearby at Nationals Park. Future unfunded phases of renovations, in addition to new windows, include improvements to the gymnasium and all-purpose room, as well as improvements to interior systems, such as the installation of an elevator.

Update: There will be an open house on Saturday, September 8 at the school from 10am - 12pm.