May 16 Penn-Potomac Meeting Recap

May 19, 2013
T-Intersections

The T-Intersection Concept for the Pennsylvania Ave-Potomac Ave Intersection.

On May 16, the District Department of Transportation held its second public meeting on Pennsylvania-Potomac Avenue SE Intersection Pedestrian Safety Study at Payne Elementary School. Here are the highlights:

  • Sanjay Kumar of DDOT and Karl Kratzer of CH2MHill, DDOT’s consultants for the project, opened the meeting with a presentation on the project and the project timeline. The goal of the second public meeting was to present potential design concepts and get community feedback.
  • Kratzer outlined four potential design concepts:
    1. No Build - No changes to the intersection, just adjustments to signal timing.
    2. Mid-Block Crosswalk – A mid-block pedestrian crosswalk would be added between the two existing intersections of Penn Ave SE and Potomac Ave. SE.
    3. T Intersections – The Potomac Ave entrances to Penn Ave SE would be modified to intersect at T configurations. The new intersections would result in additional public space both north and south of Penn Avenue. A mid-block pedestrian crosswalk would be added between the two re-configured intersections. And the southbound approach of 14th Street SE to Penn Ave adjacent to the Potomac Ave Metro station would be closed to traffic and be converted to a new  Kiss and Ride.
    4. Signalized Oval - The intersection would be completely reconstructed into a signalized traffic oval with all approaches to the oval signalized. There would a mid-oval crosswalk installed at 14th Street SE and pedestrian crosswalks installed at each end of the oval.
  • DDOT conducted traffic studies of each design concept based on projected traffic flow in 2040. Concepts 1 (no build) and 2 (mid-block crosswalk) would improve existing conditions for vehicular traffic and would slightly improve conditions for pedestrians. Concepts 3 (T-intersections) and 4 (signalized oval) would minimally degrade intersection conditions for vehicles but would significantly improve conditions for pedestrians.
  • After analyzing the data and considering cost, DDOT has ruled out Concept 4 and will examine concepts 1, 2 and 3 for the remainder of the study.
  • Of the three remaining concepts, my preference is T-intersections, which would do the most to improve pedestrian crossings and safety. I also like the additional public space that would be created around the Potomac Avenue Metro plaza. The other two concepts would really not do near as much to improve pedestrian safety at the intersection.
  • The project’s third public meeting will likely be a public hearing on a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) which will recommend one of the concepts. DDOT anticipates holding this hearing in July.

Please post your comments and questions below.

Summary of design concepts for the DDOT Penn-Potomac Ave Pedestrian Safety Study.

Summary of design concepts for the DDOT Penn-Potomac Ave Pedestrian Safety Study.

Leave a Comment » | Penn East, Potomac Avenue Metro, Transportation | Permalink
Posted by bflahaven

ANC 6B May 2013 Meeting Recap

May 17, 2013

Liquor license renewals, a contentious zoning case and the public space case for the Hine redevelopment project were the main items on ANC 6B’s May 14 agenda. Here is a recap of meeting highlights:

  • After a lengthy debate, the commission voted 4-2-3 to take no position on variance requests related to a rear porch addition at 1375 Massachusetts Avenue. The porch is actually already built, and the applicant is attempting to get retroactive approval from the Board of Zoning Adjustment for the variances he should have requested prior to construction. Though the applicant made a pretty good case for why the variances should be granted, I could not support what was essentially a retroactive request given the precedent it would set. Thus, I voted with the majority to take no position.
  • The commission approved of 26 of 27  liquor license renewal requests by restaurants. The only exception was Matchbox. Unfortunately, Matchbox refused to bring their late night sidewalk cafe hours in line with the rest of the establishments on Barrack’s Row. The commission has worked over the past few years to achieve uniform sidewalk cafe hours for all establishments on Barracks Row – 12 am on weekdays and 1 am on weekends. Even though they currently close earlier, Matchbox is insisting on keeping outside hours of 2 am on weekdays and 3 am on weekends in case there are special events like the World Series or major concerts at Nats Park. The commission offered to include language in an agreement with Matchbox that would allow for periodic late night hours during special events. Unfortunately, Matchbox was unwilling to compromise. As a result, the commission voted 8-0-2 to protest the license. This was a tough vote for me because I really like Matchbox, a restaurant that has certainly added value to Barracks Row. But I also think it is important that all establishments  be good neighbors, particularly when it comes to outside hours.
  • The commission approved two letters related to the Hine redevelopment project. The first letter expressed the commission’s support for the development’s public space plan. The second letter stated the commission’s strong support for Hine construction entrance and exit locations that minimize truck traffic on residential streets.
  • The commission voted unanimously in favor of sending comments (pdf) to the Historic Preservation Office on its 2016 Draft Preservation Plan. I was pleased that the comments included language urging the HPO to examine the viability of “conservation” or “preservation” districts.
  • The commission voted unanimously to send DDOT a letter (pdf) requesting additional information on the agency’s citywide signal timing study, particularly as it relates to pedestrian crossings on Pennsylvania Avenue SE. Currently, the pedestrian crossing times do not allow pedestrians to cross PA Ave without stopping in the median.
  • I announced that ANC 6B’s  Hill East Task Force will be holding a May 22 meeting to discuss development plans for Reservation 13, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm at St. Coletta of Greater Washington (1901 Independence Ave SE). Commissioner Nichole Opkins (6B06) reminded the audience about DDOT’s May 16 Pennsylvania-Potomac Avenue Intersection Pedestrian Safety Study meeting, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm at Payne Elementary School (1445 C Street SE).
  • ANC 6B’s June meeting will be on Tues., June 11, 7 pm at the Hill Center (921 Pennsylvania Ave SE).

1 Comment | ANC 6B | Permalink
Posted by bflahaven

Upcoming Meetings: Penn-Potomac, Reservation 13

May 13, 2013

Mark your calendars for two important upcoming meetings:

  • The District Department of Transportation will hold Public Meeting #2 for the Pennsylvania-Potomac Avenue SE Intersection Pedestrian Safety Study this Thursday, May 16, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm at Payne Elementary School (1445 C Street SE). DDOT is expected to share design alternatives for public feedback. Read more about the Penn-Potomac Intersection Study.
  • Donatelli/Blue Skye Development, the sole respondent to the recent Hill East/Reservation 13 RFEI, will once again present their plans at ANC 6B’s Hill East Task Force meeting on Wednesday, May 22, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm at St. Coletta of Greater Washington (1901 Independence Avenue SE). If you missed the April 24 meeting, this will be an opportunity to see the proposed plans for parcels F1 & G1 and share your comments. ANC 6B will likely submit formal comments to the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development in June.

Hope to see you at both meetings!

Leave a Comment » | Development, Penn East, Potomac Avenue Metro, Reservation 13/Hill East Waterfront, Transportation | Permalink
Posted by bflahaven

Big Weekend at Congressional Cemetery

May 3, 2013

Historic Congressional Cemetery is hosting two big events this weekend.

  • On Saturday, May 4, the Cemetery is hosting Sousa Palooza, a tribute to the great American conductor and composer John Philip Sousa. Attendees can participate in a scavenger hunt, participate in a free docent-led tour and enjoy musical performances throughout the day. The event runs from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Should be a great time!
  • On Sunday, May 5, the Cemetery will host another Notes from the Crypt chamber music concert at 4:00 pm at the Chapel. Tickets, which are $20 ($15 for students and seniors), can be purchased online or at the door. Proceeds go to the Association for the Preservation of the Historic Congressional Cemetery. I highly recommend attending this concert - its a great way to end a beautiful weekend.

Finally, Congressional Cemetery is competing with 24 local historic sites to win a $65,000 grant in the Partners in Preservation program. You can help the Cemetery win a grant by voting each day until May 10 at https://www.preservedmv.com/. You can also earn additional points for the Cemetery by using social media to encourage others to vote.  

Thanks for supporting Congressional Cemetery!

Leave a Comment » | Congressional Cemetery | Permalink
Posted by bflahaven

*UPDATED* Donatelli/Blue Skye Development Plans for Reservation 13

April 25, 2013

Below are renderings that Donatelli/Blue Skye shared at last night’s DMPED community meeting on Reservation 13. Here are some basic details about the plans:

  • Proposing two mixed-use buildings, one on parcel F1 and the other on parcel G1. Each would be four stories.
  • North Building (parcel F1) would have 113 apartments, South Building (parcel G1) would have 240 apartments.
  • Both buildings would have retail on first floor, with about 10,000 square feet of retail in each. Retail would be focused towards Stadium-Armory Metro Plaza and 19th Street SE. View the floor plan (pdf).
  • Both buildings would be significantly set back from 19th Street SE, with green space separating the South Building from 19th. Donatelli/Blue Skye envisions a farmer’s market and other community events utilizing the green space.

I’ll post some more details and my thoughts shortly. In the meantime, post your comments below.

North Building 1

Rendering of North Building, which would be located directly East of the Stadium-Armory Metro Plaza.

Rendering of North Building, which would be located directly east of the Stadium-Armory Metro Plaza.

Rendering of South Building on parcel G1.

View Down C Street SE

View looking East down the extended C Street SE.

SE View

Overhead view looking Southeast from the intersection of 19th Street SE and Burke Street SE.

View looking NE

View looking Northeast from intersection of 19th Street SE and Massachusetts Avenue SE.

Updated 4/26/13: A few more details on the plan above and my initial thoughts.

  • In his presentation, Chris Donatelli, president of Donatelli Development, said that they would like to bring a mix of local and national/regional retail to the first floor of each building. They do not envision large-scale retail like Target, Walmart, etc.
  • My former ANC 6B colleague Jared Critchfield asked Donatelli if his team had considered how the development will fit with the remaining parcels on Reservation 13. In particular, the current design seems to emphasize the front of the building at the expense of the back and there is no planned retail on the sides of the two buildings (facing the extended C Street SE and extended Mass Avenue SE). Donatelli said they approached the initial design with a focus on parcels F1 and G1 but would certainly look at retail options along the side streets. One challenge is the relatively steep decline in grade on the side streets.
  • I like the idea of the pedestrian promenade along 19th Street SE, though it would be better if the plans eliminated the street between the North Building and the Stadium-Armory Metro Plaza. Instead of creating a pedestrian unfriendly “island” around the Metro Plaza, I’d like to see the street turned into a pedestrian only walkway in front of the retail.
  • Donatelli/Blue Skye plan to include 225 parking spaces on the site, with parking in garages in each building. Parking and loading would be accessed from alleys along the rear of the buildings. They also anticipate metered on-street parking along the extended C Street SE, Mass Ave SE and Burke Street SE for customers visiting the retail locations.
  • In terms of affordability, Donatelli/Blue Skye plan to comply with the affordable housing requirements in law. Specifically, 30 percent of the units will be affordable, with 15 percent affordable to households earning up to 30 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) and 15 percent affordable to households earning up to 60 percent of AMI.

Overall, this is a good plan. There are some areas in need of further work (more retail along side streets, street in front of North Building, etc.) but the Donatelli/Blue Skye plan is certainly consistent with the mixed-use retail/residential development called for in the Reservation 13 master plan. And the Donatelli/Blue Skye team certainly expressed a desire and willingness to make changes and engage the surrounding community in the process. I think it is worth our time and effort to see this come to fruition.

Speaking of process, I plan on inviting Donatelli/Blue Skye back out to the neighborhood to share their plans once again and to get further community comments and feedback. The goal is for ANC 6B to send some comments to the Deputy Mayor’s Office before DMPED decides whether to proceed with the Donatelli/Blue Skye plan. I’ll share date/time/location information once a meeting is set.

One final thought: It was great to see Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander and Commissioners from ANC 7F in attendance at the meeting. Our Ward 7 colleagues will also have an opportunity to weigh in on Reservation 13 since it is now in their ward, and I’m looking forward to working with them.

Please continue to post your comments/questions below!

10 Comments | 19th Street SE, Development, Reservation 13/Hill East Waterfront | Permalink
Posted by bflahaven

Reminder: April 24 Meeting on Reservation 13

April 22, 2013

On Wednesday, April 24, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) will hold a community meeting on development plans for parcels F1 and G1 at Reservation 13. Representatives of the sole development team to bid on the project – Donatelli/Blue Skye – will share their plans and answer community questions.

The meeting is from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the Department of Corrections Training Academy at DC General (1901 D Street SE), Room 1340.

Attendees can enter the former hospital campus at 19th and C Streets, SE. Metro to Stadium-Armory. Attendees driving to the event can park on the campus by making a left at the first stop sign and heading past the Protective Services Division parking lot as directed to a special visitor parking area. Use the Department of Corrections Video Visitation Center entrance.

Leave a Comment » | Development, Reservation 13/Hill East Waterfront, RFK/Stadium Armory, Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by bflahaven

*UPDATED* A Huge Loss for Hill East

April 20, 2013

This past week, Hill East lost a great friend and passionate advocate. Frank Zampatori, a longtime Hill East resident, passed away on Monday. A number of Hill East residents have posted great tributes to Frank on the newhilleast listserv:

No one — no one — could or will ever match Frank’s experience or his institutional memory on the subject of District politics or on the longstanding issues in our neighborhood.

It was important for Hill East that Frank kept a close eye on what was happening on the DC General / Hill East Waterfront…

From a neighborhood perspective, Frank helped our neighborhood immensely. He was an active citizen in Ward 6. Frank kept notes. When politicians lied, Frank remembered. (And he was not shy about telling people.) Frank protected our neighborhood. He tracked what was going on and got involved to protect us from dumb decisions.

His energy and supportive words and actions helped me know that I would be okay on my block – that I can help change what goes on by being active in my community. 

I first met Frank during my 2010 ANC campaign. I’m not sure if he thought I could win, but I appreciated his willingness to answer my questions and provide advice, particularly since he didn’t live in my Single Member District (he ultimately did end up in my SMD after ANC redistricting).

Once I was elected, I soon realized Frank was one of, if not the most, knowledgeable residents about the neighborhood. I always looked forward to our conversations, particularly ones on Reservation 13. Frank played a key role in the community process that developed the Reservation 13 master plan and was extremely frustrated that city leaders had put development plans on the back burner. He constantly worked behind the scenes to try and move the development forward. 

Frank was also very concerned with the city’s lack of transparency about the DC General homeless shelter, methadone clinic and other clinics on Reservation 13. During the redistricting and training facility battles, he gave me a “DC General 101″ course on how many people were being housed on the site and in what buildings.  At times, Frank knew more about what was happening at Reservation 13 and DC General than the city.

I was particularly appreciative that Frank accepted an invitation to participate in a panel discussion on the history of Reservation 13. The goal of this session was to provide Hill East residents with background on the Reservation 13 master plan in anticipation of Mayor Gray’s visit to the neighborhood to discuss efforts to bring a Washington Redskins training facility to the site. Frank was in his element during the panel discussion, which riveted the 130+ attendees at St. Coletta. Though he couldn’t attend the meeting at the Armory, he was extremely pleased that we all called out the Mayor and Councilmember Jack Evans on the false claim that the Res. 13 master plan included a baseball stadium. He called out city leaders all the time.

Frank and I agreed that city leaders would only pay attention to Reservation 13 if Hill East residents made them pay attention to Reservation 13. I’m sure Frank probably had the upcoming April 24 Reservation 13 meeting on his calendar. And I’m also sure he was skeptical that the meeting would result in anything more than continued delays and broken promises. But I can guarantee that he would have been there if he could.

I’m sure going to miss Frank…and so will our neighborhood.

Updated 4/23/13: A memorial service for Frank is being held this Thursday, April 25, 6:30 pm at Pope Funeral Home, 2617 Pennsylvania Avenue SE. Following the memorial service, there will be a gathering at 8:30 pm at Trattoria Alberto (526 8th Street SE to celebrate Frank’s life.

Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by bflahaven

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