Upcoming Events

Now that monsoon season has apparently ended, SWBID and SWNA will be hosting Southwest Duck Drop this Sunday at the SW Duck Pond, located at 6th and I streets from 1 – 4pm, which was rescheduled from May due to rain. The event is the celebration of the refilling of the SW Duck Pond and is the second year the BID has hosted. There will be ice cream, BBQ, a local Blues band, games, dance demonstrations, and it is free! 

During the weekend of June 16 and June 17, Events DC will host DC JazzFest at the Wharf, with free performances at District Pier, Transit Pier and Hyatt House, along with a ticketed concert at The Anthem. The schedule of events can be found here. 

The 13th Annual Capital Fringe Festival will be held at venues across Southwest from July 7 through July 29, including Arena Stage, St. Augustine’s Church, Christ United Church, Westminster Church, and Blind Whino. Tickets go on sale on June 18. More details will be posted here when available. 

The DC State Fair will make its return to Southwest this fall when the annual event will be held on Sunday, September 23 at Waterfront Station, located at 4th and M streets. Last year, the fair was also held in Southwest – the DC State Fair has been held in previous years in Columbia Heights, Adams Morgan, Capitol Hill, Shaw, and NoMa. The Southwest BID was instrumental in bringing the fair back to Southwest. According to a press release, contest entries so far include Best Bud, Honey, Wine, and Fiber Arts categories. New categories include Best Salsa, Best Biscuit, and Best Cookie. Other events include the Pet Parade, live music, food and craft vendors, and demonstrations.

Historic Designation Sought for Rowhomes

In response to the pending demolition of the rowhomes along the 1300 block of South Capitol Street and the unit block of N street to build a 200-unit apartment building, the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly (SWNA) filed an application to designate the structures as historic with the District’s Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB). According to the application, the six “Coleman & Richards Row” homes on South Capitol Street were built in 1892 and the seven “Banes Row” homes were constructed in 1916. The Coleman & Richards Row homes represent the oldest working-class single-family rowhomes left standing in Southwest. Most of the “obsolete dwellings” in Southwest were demolished during urban renewal, but the area east of Canal Street, south of M Street, and west of South Capitol Street was spared since at the time, most of the buildings were fairly new and in good repair.

This is not the first time in the neighborhood that historic designation was used to halt or slow development. SWNA used the tactic in 2014 when the Southeastern University campus building at 6th and I streets was being demolished in preparation for development into “The Bard,” a mixed-use project with administrative and rehearsal space for the Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) and multifamily rental housing. In that case, the neighborhood organization was able to get some concessions from the developer in exchange for withdrawing the historic application. Subsequently, the building was demolished and the site sold to STC. A Planned Unit Development was filed for the site in 2016, but it was withdrawn last summer after a backlash from neighbors over the proposed height and density of the project.

It was used again when UIP and Perseus Realty had plans to build on top of a parking garage at Capitol Park Tower, located at 4th and G streets. In 2012, SWNA filed an application to place Capitol Park Tower on the DC Preservation League’s endangered list. At the same time, an application was filed to designate the building and landscape as historic. After the building and landscaping received historic preservation protection, the developers needed HPRB approval before proceeding with their plans for an addition. Final approval was given in 2016, but construction has yet to begin on the project. 

Altus Realty Partners was expected to start construction on the South Capitol Street apartment project later this year with completion in 2019. Since a historic designation application was filed, demolition of the rowhomes and development of the apartment building will not be able to move forward until the HRPB makes a decision or SWNA withdraws their application.

Historic Designation Sought for Buzzard Point Power Plant

An application was filed by the DC Preservation League to give historic designation to the decommissioned Buzzard Point Power Plant, an art moderne structure built in 1933 at Half and V streets. The old water intake plant (now the Matthew Henson Conservation Corps building) is also included in the designation application. SWNA submitted an historic designation application for the power plant in 2013, but decided to withdraw it. Ideas for repurposing the power plant building have included an art gallery a la Tate Modern in London or an entertainment facility like Power Plant Live! in Baltimore. 

Interest in Buzzard Point has increased significantly over the past few months once it was certain a new stadium would be built there for D.C. United and the Office of Planning released their Buzzard Point Vision Framework Plan. Recent announcements include: 

• Marina Place condos site sold 
• Stadium District Lofts 
• Residential at Ziegfeld’s/Secrets 
• Transpoint Building redevelopment 
• 1900 Half Street residential 

In addition, Pepco is building a new substation just north of the stadium footprint at 2nd and R streets. Many of these sites were mentioned as potential development opportunities in a post I wrote back in 2013. We’ll see if any others on the 2013 list will come to fruition soon…

Community Benefits Meeting for The Bard This Thursday

Thursday will be a busy day for meetings in the neighborhood. In addition to a planning meeting for the SW Branch Library, a community benefits meeting will be held for the proposed Bard development at 501 I Street. The meeting will start at 6:30pm at Amidon-Bowen Elementary School (401 I Street). (NOTE: this meeting has been postponed until next week - I'll let you know once I have more details.) A PUD was filed earlier this year for the proposed project, which would include a costume design shop, administrative, educational, and rehearsal space for Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC), with actor and fellow housing and market-rate apartments to be developed above STC's operations by Erkiletian. 

The Bard is nearly three years in the making. Back in the fall of 2013, STC had the site under contract with Graduate School USA. The campus building had been vacant since The Graduate School USA absorbed SEU and the university lost its accreditation in 2009. At first, it was thought that The Graduate School USA would expand its L’Enfant Plaza campus to 6th and I streets, then it was announced in 2011 that the school would become the anchor tenant at The Wharf (that deal has since been cancelled). Afterwards, the SEU campus was put on the market. There were some suitors for the campus, including Apple Tree Early Learning Public Charter School, who wanted to renovate the building for a school, but that proposal never resulted in the sale of the building. Ironically, Apple Tree will now be expanding at The Wharf instead of Graduate School USA. 

Then in the spring of 2014, a raze permit was filed for the campus building, which spurred the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly (SWNA) to file a historic landmark application for the property. The building was first constructed in 1948 for the Metropolitan Police Boys Club No. 4 with a brick exterior in a smaller footprint than what it ultimately became. The building was one of the few that survived urban renewal. Then in 1961, The Hawthorne School (a private co-ed high school) purchased the building, expanded it to the north & south, and clad it in concrete in a brutalist design done by Charles Goodman, the same architect that designed River Park Cooperative Homes. Eventually, declining enrollment and financial difficulties at the school caused the sale of the property to Southeastern University, which operated at the site until 2009. SWNA eventually withdrew its historic landmark application, but in exchange STC agreed to several community benefits, as well as a $60,000 payout to SWNA. The property then was sold to STC and Erkiletian in the fall of 2014. 

During the Southwest Small Area Plan process, it was expressed by the community that zoning for the SEU campus site remain as R-3, which permits matter-of-right development of single-family residential uses (including detached, semi-detached, and row dwellings), churches and public schools. After the Small Area Plan was developed by the Office of Planning, the owners of 501 I Street lobbied the DC Council to rescind this portion of the Plan, but ultimately failed, which left them with the option to file a Planned Unit Development (PUD). The one-acre Southeastern University campus building was demolished last summer and the site cleared in anticipation for development. Several forums have been held with the community over the past three years to gather input which resulted in changes to the development plan. 

Some neighbors of 501 I Street from Townhouse Management I and III have mobilized efforts to try and stop the development, which would replace a two-story building under R-3 zoning with a much denser project (under SP-2 zoning) and has the potential to block sunlight to surrounding residential properties and Amidon-Bowen Elementary School. Yard signs can be found along 6th Street deriding the project and a blog called Out, Damned Developer! Out! has been developed in opposition to The Bard. Andrea Pawley lives across the street from 501 I Street and is the author of the blog, through which her vociferous opposition to the project is channeled. In late January, more than 50 neighbors signed a letter sent to the attorneys representing the development team asking for a delay in submitting the PUD application. This letter did nothing to dissuade the development team, since a PUD application was subsequently submitted in early February. Here is an excerpt from Pawley’s blog in reaction to the PUD submission: 

“Shakespeare Theatre is not responsive to community concerns. Shakespeare Theatre’s Planned Unit Development application is an attempt to gloss over the community’s numerous deep concerns. Shakespeare Theatre’s application also attempts to subvert the Office of Planning’s work with the community to help shape the future of Southwest D.C.” 

The neighbors hired legal counsel and a consultant to undertake a market feasibility study to determine the viability of an alternative plan for the site that meets current zoning requirements. 

According to the PUD application, the redevelopment of the property into The Bard will “complement the existing arts uses along I Street, serving as a bookend to the burgeoning I Street arts corridor.” The project includes 93 market-rate units, nine inclusionary zoning units for households earning up to 80% of Area Media Income (AMI), 29 actor and five fellow housing units (each fellow housing unit will have four bedrooms, which will accommodate up to 20 fellows), with the remaining 43,100 SF dedicated to STC artist studio space, non-profit office space, and educational uses. STC’s costume fabrication studio will be located on the first floor, which will also have art panels along I Street depicting quotations from William Shakespeare. The residential entrance to the building will be at the corner of 6th and I streets and a courtyard on 6th Street will serve as the entrance to STC’s space. Building heights range from 73 feet at the corner of 6th and I streets and steps down to about 42 feet on the northwest side of the site. A total of 70 below-grade parking spaces will be provided, accessible from 6th Street and 85 bicycle parking spaces (75 long-term and 10 short-term). The Bard will be designed to achieve LEED-Silver status. 

Renderings courtesy of Shalom Baranes Associates

Soccer Stadium Vote Today, Buzzard Point Panel Tonight

The DC Council will be taking their first vote today on legislation to approve construction of a new stadium for DC United at First and R streets on Buzzard Point, also known as the District of Columbia Soccer Stadium Development Act of 2014. The proposed legislation has changed from the Mayor’s proposal such as the removal of the Reeves Center land swap. In order to make up for the proceeds that would have been gained from the land swap with Akridge, the city will need to borrow about $62 million out of $150 million to pay for land acquisition. The legislation will also permit the use of eminent domain if necessary to purchase the Buzzard Point land. The WaPo also states that a proposed sales tax abatement of $7 million for the team has also been scrapped. Meanwhile, the CBCC continues to work on including a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) for those living closest to the stadium site in the legislation, although the final asks will likely be scaled back from their draft CBA. The group has been meeting with representatives from DC United and Council members to work on which components of the CBA can be included. Today’s Committee of the Whole meeting will be held today at 10am at the Wilson Building and the legislation meeting will be at 11am. Watch the meetings live.

On a related note, the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly will host a panel discussion this evening on Buzzard Point development and preservation. Moderating the panel will be former ANC 6D commissioner David Garber. According to Hill Now, panelists will include ANC 6D commissioner Rhonda Hamilton, founder of Dupont Underground Julian Hunt, director of the Anacostia Watershed Society Jim Foster and historian Hayden Wetzel. The meeting will be held at MPD’s First District headquarters at 101 M Street, starting at 6:30pm. 

Rendering courtesy of DC United

Latest on Buzzard Point Soccer Stadium Proposal

At Tuesday night’s soccer stadium Open House, representatives from the District government, DC United, and developer Akridge had a series of information stations covering different aspects of the proposal, such as transportation and planning. This Open House follows the forum hosted by SWNA back on September 15. Over the summer, a series of plans and studies have been conducted for the stadium proposal and surrounding Buzzard Point neighborhood, including a Special Events Study, a Transportation Management Plan, and the Buzzard Point Urban Design Framework. Here’s what we now know about the proposal: 

The Stadium 

The District and DC United propose a $300 million, 20,000-seat soccer stadium at 2nd and R streets in Buzzard Point, about two blocks southwest of Nationals Park. There is a chance that in the final design, the number of seats at the stadium could decrease to 18,000. The District will contribute up to $150 million in a series of land swaps with Akridge and Pepco, as well as infrastructure improvements needed for the stadium site; a tax abatement will be provided to the team over a period of 20 years. The land swaps will allow the District to provide a subsidy for the stadium without breaching the debt limit cap placed on the city. DC United will contribute the remaining $150 million to build the stadium.

Major League Soccer’s season lasts from March to November and most of DC United’s home matches occur on weekend nights. Once the stadium opens in the Spring of 2017, there will be an average of 23 home matches per season with an average attendance of 19,200; five sold-out international soccer matches; three sold out concerts; five community events with an average attendance of 4,000 people; and 10 other events with an average attendance of 6,000 people for a total of 46 events a year.

Buzzard Point 

The Urban Design Framework developed for Buzzard Point will inform and guide public and private development decisions for the next 10 years. A summary of the draft can be found here, but some interesting details were mentioned at the forum and Open House. Development in Buzzard Point will be focused toward the rest of the Capitol Riverfront BID area along Potomac Avenue in order to protect the existing housing north of the stadium site. A riverfront esplanade will connect to Yards Park and a more naturalized shoreline is envisioned. A Maritime Museum is planned for a site that lines up with the axis of the Capitol and the soccer stadium south of the proposed traffic oval on South Capitol Street. The addition of residential units in Buzzard Point will come from new construction on empty lots, but will also come from the repurposing of existing buildings in the area, including the Transpoint Building, 1900 Half Street, and the Buzzard Point Power Plant.

Upcoming Events

There will be an Open House/Community Information forum tomorrow evening hosted by representatives from the District government, DC United, and developer Akridge to discuss the pending agreement to build a new soccer stadium for the team at a site in Buzzard Point. The Open House follows a forum hosted by SWNA earlier this month. At the SWNA-hosted forum, consultants stated that the existing housing north of the stadium site will be preserved and development in Buzzard Point will be oriented toward Potomac Avenue to connect the area with the rest of the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood east of South Capitol Street. According to the media advisory for tomorrow’s Open House, this is an opportunity for community members to receive the very latest planning updates and answers to any questions they may have about the project, all in an informal setting. Representatives, government officials and key consultants will be available to discuss planned traffic operations, housing, environmental clean-up, jobs, contracting and more. Capital Business and the DC Fiscal Policy Institute have articles describing a Community Benefits Agreement that the CBCC is negotiating with the city and DC United - the major component being a $5 million community fund to support recreational and educational programming for the community’s youth. Tomorrow’s Open House will be held at 100 M Street, SE, 8th Floor from 6-8pm. 

Rendering courtesy of DC United

The fourth annual SW ArtsFest will take place from October 2-5 at venues across Southwest. Events include (e)merge Art Fair, art installations at Nonuments Park, The Shoplifters at Arena Stage, the G40 art show at Blind Whino, and Pumpkin Lantern Palooza at The Wharf. Check the SW ArtsFest website for more information on which venues will be available and when. 

Image courtesy of SW ArtsFest

There will be a mayoral forum on Monday, October 6 at 7pm at Arena Stage, sponsored by ANC6D, SWNA, and the Navy Yard Civic Association. The forum will cover topics of importance to those who live south of the freeway and west of the Anacostia River. The moderator will be Shannon Vaughn, editor-in-chief of The Southwester. Vaughn hosted the Mayoral Forum that was held ahead of the April 1 primary. 

DC’s local chapter of DOCOMOMO, an international preservationist organization, is hosting a guided tour of modernist architecture in Southwest on Saturday, October 11. The press release states the following: The event will begin at 1:30 pm at Arena Stage with an introductory talk by Dr. Richard Longstreth of George Washington University, followed by two walking tours and a reception in the roof-top Club Room at the Chloethiel Woodard Smith-designed Harbour Square, which overlooks the Potomac River. The tour will also include access to unique interior spaces of the neighborhood's most noted projects, including Arena Stage, Waterfront Tower and River Park. Tickets are $15 for students, $25 for members of the DC Preservation League and DOCOMOMO-US/DC, and $35 for non-members.

The next DC Job Fair, hosted by Arena Stage and Ward 6 Council member Tommy Wells' office will be held on Friday, October 17 at Arena Stage from 10am - 2pm. This year's event will feature a new partnership with the Office of Returning Citizens Affairs, which provides support and services to previously incarcerated individuals - the fair will be targeted toward these individuals. According to the press release for the event, recruiting companies committed so far include Big Bus Tours, Bread for the City, Building Futures, DC Central Kitchen, Fort Myer Construction Corporation, Giant Food, Harris Teeter, Specialty Hospital & Nursing Center of Washington, and the U.S. Postal Service.

 

ANC 6D will have their next monthly meeting on Monday, October 20 at 7pm. The meeting will be held in Near SE/Navy Yard/Capitol Riverfront at 200 I Street, SE.

Former SEU Campus Building's Days are Numbered

 

A raze permit was filed by the Graduate School USA for 501 I Street in May, which is the former Southeastern University campus building. The raze permit was filed to see whether any historic preservation groups would try to landmark the building; however, at the June ANC meeting, the commissioners voted to oppose the permit because no plan had been formally presented for what would replace the building. 

Spurred by the raze permit application, the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly (SWNA) filed a historic landmark application for the property in July. According to the landmark application, the building was first constructed in 1948 for the Metropolitan Police Boys Club No. 4 with a brick exterior in a smaller footprint than its current state. The building was one of the few that survived urban renewal. Then in 1961, The Hawthorne School (a private co-ed high school) purchased the building, expanded it to the north & south, and clad it in concrete in a brutalist design done by Charles Goodman, the same architect that designed River Park Cooperative Homes. The school was the first private school to be built in an urban renewal area. Eventually, declining enrollment and financial difficulties at the school caused the sale of the property to Southeastern University, which operated at the site until 2009. 

Currently, the campus is owned by Graduate School USA and is vacant. Upkeep of the grounds around the building has been deferred with tall weeds sprouting around in spots. The campus is under contract to the Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) who has plans to joint venture with developer Erkiletian to build a nine-story building with approximately 155 residential units (a portion of the units will be set aside for actors, interns and affordable housing under Inclusionary Zoning), as well as rehearsal space, a black-box theater, a costume and set equipment fabrication shop, and the administrative headquarters for the Company. Most of STC’s operations will be located below-grade. STC has been looking for several years for a location to consolidate its back-of-the-house operations, which are scattered across leased space in the District. After several false starts with other proposals, the Company came across 501 I Street and placed it under contract. A zoning change would be needed for the property in order to build what STC and Erkiletian have initially planned. A historic landmark designation for the property would scuttle STC’s plans. 

SWNA hosted a neighborhood forum on the project on July 28 at Arena Stage. At the forum, Cecille Chen from SWNA gave a presentation on the history of the building, followed by additional remarks on the social implications of the Hawthorne School and SEU by Dr. Marjorie Lightman. Afterwards, STC’s managing director Chris Jennings explained the Company’s plans for the project and current involvement in the community, which was followed by a question and answer period. 

Former SEU Campus Building Nominated for Historic Status

Apparently spurred by the raze permit that was applied for the former Southeastern University campus building at 501 I Street a couple months ago, SWNA filed a historic landmark application for the property. According to the landmark application, the building was first constructed in 1948 for the Metropolitan Police Boys Club No. 4 with a brick exterior in a smaller footprint than its current state. The building was one of the few that survived urban renewal. Then in 1961, The Hawthorne School (a private co-ed high school) purchased the building, expanded it to the north & south, and clad it in concrete in a brutalist design done by Charles Goodman, the same architect that designed River Park Cooperative Homes. Eventually, declining enrollment and financial difficulties at the school caused the sale of the property to Southeastern University, which operated at the site until 2009. 

Currently, the campus is owned by Graduate School USA and is vacant. The campus is under contract to the Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) who has plans to joint venture with developer Erkiletian and build actor and apprentice housing, along with rehearsal and performance space, costume and set equipment storage, education classrooms, and the administrative headquarters for the Company. A zoning change would be needed for the property in order to build what STC has initially planned, a nine-story building with approximately 155 residential units and 70 garage spaces. A historic landmark designation for the property would most likely alter or scuttle STC’s plans.

SWNA will be hosting a neighborhood forum on 501 I Street this Monday, July 28 at Arena Stage, starting at 7pm.

Stadium Deal Finalized, Ziegfeld’s/Secrets Building for Sale

 

Mayor Gray announced today in a press release that the city has reached final business terms with DC United to build a new 20,000 – 25,000-seat soccer stadium in Buzzard Point at 2nd and R streets. The announcement comes ten months after the city signed a term sheet with DC United. Currently, the city controls 88 percent of the stadium site and “has also brokered an agreement in principle for acquisition of the final parcels for full possession of the required land for the stadium,” according to the press release. 

“This is a major step forward for economic development in the District of Columbia,” said Mayor Gray in a prepared statement. “The new soccer stadium will be the connector between developing areas around our baseball stadium and the new Wharf development along our Southwest Waterfront. The new soccer stadium is the final catalyst for what is certain to become one of the most vibrant and sustainable sports and retail districts in America.” 

Some of the components of the deal include a land swap with Akridge – the city will offer the Reeves Building at 14th and U streets, NW in exchange for a portion of the stadium site. Akridge originally planned a secure office campus ideally for a federal tenant on their three-block long, nine-acre site, which was being marketed as 100 V Street. The developer will retain the southern two blocks of the site and will more than likely build a mixed-use project oriented to an entertainment district rather than a federal enclave, although that is pure speculation at this point. A new Reeves complex will be built in Anacostia that will be completed in three years. The city will also acquire land owned by Pepco in the stadium footprint and in turn, Pepco will buy city-owned land at 1st and K streets, NW, where they will be required to build a new substation. This substation is in addition to the one Pepco has planned in Buzzard Point at 1st and Q streets. Details on the sale of the other parcels needed for the stadium have not been finalized yet. 

The city will spend a maximum of $150 million for land acquisition and infrastructure, while DC United will pay an estimated $150 million to build the stadium. Additional uses will be built adjacent to the actual stadium within the footprint, presumably a hotel, team offices, and some retail. The land will be leased by the team for 30 years (up to 40 years if renewed) at a subsidized rate of $1 per year, but the ancillary uses portion of the site can be renewed for a longer term provided the team pays market rent during that additional term. Property and sales taxes will be phased in during the life of the ground lease, as well as a $2 ticket surcharge. 

A Few Quick Monday Evening Items: Water Taxi, SW History, Wharf Retail

Potomac Riverboat Company is now offering a new water taxi service on the Potomac River connecting Old Town Alexandria and National Harbor to the National Mall. The National Mall stop is located at West Basin and Ohio drives. The average trip time from Old Town Alexandria to the National Mall is approximately 30 minutes and from National Harbor to the National Mall is 45 minutes. Tickets are $14 one way or $28 round-trip for adults, and $8 O/W & $16 R/T for children.

SWNA will have its monthly meeting tomorrow at Westminster Presbyterian Church (400 I Street), starting at 7pm. The meeting will include a presentation from Marjorie Lightman, Bill Zeisel, and Peter Sefton from QED Associates LLC, who will share their preliminary findings from a historic context study of Southwest that was commissioned by SWNA. The context study is a step in the process of establishing a Southwest Historic District.

In today's Real Estate Bisnow, Monty Hoffman from PN Hoffman is profiled. An interesting factoid about the retail planned at The Wharf was mentioned:

About two-thirds of The Wharf's restaurant space is under LOI, and celebrity chefs Mike Isabella, Robert Wiedemeyer, Stephen Starr, and Fabio Trabocchi are in talks for new concepts.

Rendering courtesy of Hoffman-Madison Waterfront

A Few Quick Thursday Morning Items: Critique of Wharf Critique, Wharf Permits, HHS Consolidation, Buzzard Point History, Channel Inn History

Ward 6 Council Member Tommy Wells posted an article on Greater Greater Washington refuting the critique that the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts has for some of the design elements of The Wharf.  From the article:

The Wharf development has the potential to create an exciting pedestrian-oriented, human-scale space along DC's Southwest Waterfront. But a federal board of artists and architects, most of whom don't live in the Washington region, is trying to make it much more boring.

Rendering courtesy of Hoffman-Madison Waterfront

A Sheeting and Shoring permit was issued to excavate for a parking garage for the planned office building at Parcel 3 of The Wharf, according to the Washington Business Journal. The groundbreaking ceremony for the project occurred last month and a 42-month construction period is anticipated to complete phase one.

Rendering courtesy of Hoffman-Madison Waterfront

The WBJ also reported that the Mary Switzer building at 4th and C streets and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services headquarters (AKA the Hubert Humphrey Building) at 4th Street and Independence Avenue will be remodeled to consolidate more HHS office space and save the GSA money over the long-term.

A Hill Rag article gives a description of the history of Buzzard Point by local historian Hayden Wetzel.  Apparently, Buzzard Point is one of the oldest neighborhood names in the city. This research was done as part of the application process by the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly to get the Buzzard Point Power Plant building at Half and V streets designated a historic landmark.

 

Also in the Hill Rag, there's an article about the history of the Channel Inn and its role in the day-to-day life of several Southwesters. The hotel and its two restaurants closed at the end of March to serve as the construction office for The Wharf and a temporary home for the Capital Yacht Club. CM Wells will be moving his monthly office hours next month to the seating area in the Waterfront Station Safeway.

The View at Waterfront on the Market

The View at Waterfront apartments at 6th and M streets is on the market and the tenants are vetting proposals from developers to partner with and buy the buildings under TOPA rules. In addition to the two IM Pei-designed apartment buildings next to Waterfront Station, the sale would include the opportunity for the developer to build on the two parking lots that face the buildings – one on M Street and the other on K Street. The Pei buildings were renovated in 2008 when Fairfield Residential owned them and a Planned Unit Development (PUD) was filed to develop the two parking lots. The original PUD called for two new towers that were designed by Esocoff and Associates. At the time, the planned M Street building would have ground floor retail. However, the project was shelved during the housing crisis and Fairfield lost the complex in a foreclosure sale. Part of the PUD called for the renovation of the large courtyard and pool area between the existing buildings, which was the only portion that was completed. In addition, the PUD called for repairs to the Southwest Duck Pond once the first building was complete, which is located across K Street from the north parking lot (pictured below).

SW Duck Pond.

The View at Waterfront is the sister development to Town Center East, which is going through the PUD process to develop on its parking lots and ran into issues last year when the residents of Waterfront Tower and the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly applied for historic status for the existing buildings and landscaping. As a result, the PUD was revised to remove one planned building along 3rd Street and the other two planned buildings were redesigned. 

Previous plan for new M Street residential building at The View.

Several residential buildings have been trading hands recently in the neighborhood. Those include Channel Square and Capitol Park Tower. The new owners of both complexes are planning to renovate, but a new six-story addition is planned at Capitol Park Tower.

Rendering courtesy of Esocoff & Associates

Apartment Sale Activity Picking Up

 

The last quarter of 2013 included a couple of apartment building sales transactions in Southwest – Channel Square and Capitol Park Tower. Channel Square was purchased in October by a joint venture of Somerset Development Company and the National Housing Trust-Enterprise Preservation Corporation. The tenants association chose the new owners in a competitive bid process through TOPA. Channel Square is located at 325 P Street and has 223 units in a mix of high-rise and townhouse buildings. The property will undergo a major renovation with a focus on green features. One third of the units will be targeted for voucher holders, one third for residents at or below 80% of AMI, and one third under a rent stabilization program similar to rent control. 

Capitol Park Tower

In November, Urban Investment Partners, PRP LLC, and Perseus Realty purchased the 289-unit Capitol Park Tower, located at 301 G Street. According to the press release, the new owners plan to invest in significant improvements over the next several years, but the property will remain rent-controlled. Capitol Park Tower was under contract in 2012 to UIP by the previous owner, but then the tenants association exercised their first right of refusal, which began a process to find an alternative buyer for the property. After a vetting process, eventually the current ownership group was able to purchase the building. 

In response to the pending sale of the building and potential for infill development, an application was filed in 2012 by SWNA to place Capitol Park Tower on the DC Preservation League’s endangered list. Capitol Tower was designed by Chloethiel Woodard Smith and built in 1962, part of the Capitol Park residential complex – a series of five high-rise buildings and two groups of townhouses arranged around open spaces and pathways. The property is also pending designation as a historic landmark by the Historic Preservation Review Board. However, it was reported in today’s Washington Business Journal that a foundation permit was issued for a six-story addition, which presumably will be built to the north of the existing building overlooking the Southwest Freeway where the parking structure and landscaped area are currently located. DCRA's website states that as of yesterday, the permit was still pending approval.

A Few Quick Items: Upcoming Meetings and Events

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

Image courtesy of Graphic Recorder Jim Nuttle

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

Rendering courtesy of DDOT

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

Image courtesy of SWNA

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

Pepco Purchases Bakery, Plans New Substation

Here is an update on the Buzzard Point development potential post from last month. Pepco closed on the sale of the Lyon Bakery, across the street from the proposed DC United stadium site at 2nd and R streets, on October 31. Now, Pepco owns the entire block bounded by 1st Street, R Street, Q Street, and 2nd Street, which includes the James C. Dent House and Ana Towing. The utility company has plans to build a new substation on the site, which will be able to handle the increased demand for power in the Southwest Waterfront, Navy Yard, and a portion of Capitol Hill. The vacant, but historic James C. Dent House on Q Street will not be part of the substation and will remain intact, but its intended use is still being determined by Pepco.  The new Waterfront Substation has been designed to look like an office building and the bricks used will resemble the architecture of buildings at Fort McNair. 

Unsightly equipment in Buzzard Point.

Neighbors of the proposed substation site, many of whom are public housing residents, are concerned about the potential health risks associated with living near a substation. At Monday's ANC 6D meeting, commissioner Hamilton brought up those concerns to representatives from Pepco and inquired why the substation has to be built at that site and not on other property owned by Pepco in the neighborhood. A substation's role is to step down high voltage power that comes from a power plant down to levels that can be distributed to homes. Pepco representatives stated that there are several studies by the World Health Organization about the electromagnetic field (EMF) generated by a substation and its health effects are negligible. They will provide the ANC with a list and photos of substations throughout the city that are located adjacent to residential buildings, including the Ritz Residences Georgetown. 

In addressing the proposed location of the substation, Chris Taylor from Pepco stated that the northern portion of the land owned by Pepco near the Buzzard Point Plant will be used for construction of the proposed DC United stadium. Other portions of the property are still in use and cannot be moved to build a new substation. While the generation portion of the Buzzard Point Plant has been decommissioned, the top two levels are still in use as a substation. Those two upper floors will be decommissioned once the new Waterfront Substation is complete in 2016. The plant's future is uncertain, although SWNA recently submitted an application for historic designation of the art deco building.

Buzzard Point Plant.

 

The Waterfront Substation will be built in two phases, with the first phase covering the northern portion of the site. Installation of underground duct banks to carry transmission lines will begin in 2014, while construction of the substation will begin by May 2015 with completion by the end of 2016. Although an exact start date on the second phase has not been determined, it's anticipated that construction would begin on the addition 5-10 years after the first phase is built. As Pepco goes through the approval process, there will be a community meeting to give updates. In addition, information will be available on their website.

With a new substation, DC United stadium, Frederick Douglass Bridge, and traffic oval, Buzzard Point will be one big construction zone for the foreseeable future.

Rendering courtesy of Pepco

Soccer Stadium Forums Planned

Still on vacation, but I thought I'd pass this along...

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.

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..  

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