Reservation 13 Update: DMPED Receives Only One Response to RFEI

January 25, 2013

Yesterday, the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development’s office (DMPED) announced that only one development team submitted a response to the Request for Expressions of Interest to develop parcels F1 & G1 of the Hill East/Reservation 13 project. As reported by Jonathan O’Connell of the Washington Post, the sole response was submitted by the team of Donatelli Development and Blue Skye Development. Some previous bidders, including William C. Smith & Co, decided not to bid this time around.

To say that I’m disappointed is an understatement. In making the decision to start from scratch and rebid the site, the city argued that the recovering market would translate into more development teams bidding on the site (they also referenced a shaky legal argument). Now, instead of choosing between two responses from teams who had submitted plans for the entire site back in 2008,  the city and neighborhood now have only one option to evaluate.

Here are my best guesses as to why the city only received one response:

  • Removal of “right of first refusal” language. In their revised RFEI, DMPED removed language that gave the development team that won the right to develop parcels F1 & G1 the right  of first refusal to develop the rest of the site. The right of first refusal was a huge incentive for developers to bid on the scaled-back project and also demonstrated a commitment by the city to eventually develop the entire site. 
  • No money for infrastructure. The RFEI required development teams to pay for all infrastructure improvements, including the construction of public roadways. Back when Mayor Gray, Councilmember Jack Evans and former Councilmember Michael Brown were trying to lure the Redskins to build a training facility on the site, they said that while the city would not cover the cost of building the  facility, the city would cover the cost of infrastructure. Unfortunately, the city is  unwilling to make the same commitment to a project that is a much better use of the site – one that will provide new tax revenue, jobs and housing. The Mayor has budgeted infrastructure funds for other development projects, such as St. Elizabeth’s. Why is he not willing to do so for Hill East?
  • No plan for social services.  This is probably the main reason that developers remain skeptical about Reservation 13. The city does not have a plan for relocating any of the services located on the 67-acre site. I plan on continuing to urge the city to come up with a concrete and comprehensive relocation plan – one that will provide some certainty to the neighborhood and development community.

I am appreciative that Donatelli and Blue Skye submitted a response and I’m eager to learn more about their plans. Donatelli was a partner in one of the top two bids in 2008.  But as I argued last year, the city should have selected one of the two scaled-back responses submitted in 2010. Instead, the city wasted another year re-bidding the project with a worse result.

11 Comments | Development, Reservation 13/Hill East Waterfront | Permalink
Posted by bflahaven

Stop by my Saturday “Office Hours” at the Pretzel Bakery

January 18, 2013
The Pretzel Bakery at 340 15th Street SE.

The Pretzel Bakery at 340 15th Street SE.

Tomorrow (Sat., Jan. 19) I’ll be at the Pretzel Bakery (340 15th Street SE) from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm for my first “office hours” of 2013. Feel free to stop by and ask questions or share comments. No formal agenda is planned.

Hope to see you there!

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Posted by bflahaven

Meeting Scheduled on 15th & D Street SE Building Plans

January 17, 2013
Current building at 401-403 15th Street SE. The owner wants to raze the current structure and replace with a residential building.

Current building at 401-403 15th Street SE. The owner wants to raze the current structure and replace with a residential building.

Goodeon Kingston, LLC, the owner of 401-403 15th Street SE, will discuss their development plans at a community meeting on Thursday, January 24, 7:00 pm at Liberty Baptist Church, 527 Kentucky Avenue SE. The meeting is an opportunity for Hill East residents and particularly surrounding neighbors to learn more about the proposed residential project and to ask questions and provide feedback. While Commissioner Nichole Opkins (6B06) and I helped organize the meeting, it is not an official ANC meeting. 

In December, ANC 6B supported the owner’s request for a raze permit to the current one-story building on the site.  Goodeon Kingston plans to build a five-story residential building on the site this year.

1 Comment | Development | Permalink
Posted by bflahaven

Save the Date! DDOT Pennsylvania-Potomac Ave Meeting on Jan. 31

January 11, 2013
Proposed changes to Penn-Potomac intersection from 2005 Middle Anacostia River Crossings Study.

Proposed changes to Penn-Potomac intersection from 2005 Middle Anacostia River Crossings Study.

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will hold a Pennsylvania-Potomac Avenue Intersection Environmental Planning & Pedestrian Safety Study Public Meeting on Thursday, January 31, 6:30 pm – 8: 30 pm at Payne Elementary School, 305 15th Street SE. At the meeting, DDOT will update the community on plans to improve the intersection.

DDOT is also planning a February 2013 meeting on another major transportation project in Hill East – the reconstruction of Barney Circle and creation of the Southeast Boulevard. I’ll provide date, time and location details for the  Barney Circle-Southeast Boulevard Environmental Assessment Study Public Meeting as soon the information is finalized by DDOT.

To learn more about these two major projects, read my Dec. 3, 2012 blog post.

1 Comment | Barney Circle, Potomac Avenue Metro, Transportation | Permalink
Posted by bflahaven

ANC 6B January Meeting Recap

January 10, 2013

On Tues., Jan. 8, around 40 residents attended the first ANC 6B meeting of the new year. This was also the first meeting for new Commissioners Nichole Opkins (6B06), Sara Loveland (6B07), Chander Jayaraman (6B08) and Phil Peisch (6B03).

Here is a brief recap:

  • The meeting began with the election of officers. I was elected commission chair for 2013. Commissioner Ivan Frishberg (6B02) was elected vice-chair, Commissioner Phil Peisch (6B03) was elected secretary, Commissioner Brian Pate (6B05) was elected treasurer and Commissioner Nichole Opkins was elected Parliamentarian. I’m extremely grateful to my commission colleagues for their support, and I’m looking forward to a productive year for the commission.
  • As required, commissioners approved standing rules (9-1) and the 2013 meeting schedule (10-0). The Commission also scheduled a special call meeting for Tuesday, Jan. 22 to conduct a comprehensive review of the standing rules. The special call meeting location will be announced shortly.  
  • Stephen Flippin and Officer Andrew Ford of CSX Railroad announced the opening of a community outreach office for the planned reconstruction of the CSX Virginia Avenue Tunnel between 2nd Street SE and 11th Street SE.  The office, located at 861 New Jersey Avenue SE, will remain open through the entire three-year project and will be the company’s primary point of outreach for the community. The office will also be the headquarters of up to three CSX police officers. You can read more about the project on the Virginia Avenue Tunnel website. 
  • The Commission unanimously supported parking and lot occupancy variances for a proposed three unit residential building on the vacant lot at 1311 Pennsylvania Avenue SE (next to Mangialardo’s).
  • The Commission voted 8-0-2 to support MedStar Health’s applications for certificates of need to the DC Department of Health to establish a primary care physicians’ and urgent care practice on the first floor of the National Association of Home Health Care and Hospice Building (228 7th Street SE). Commissioners Dave Garrison (6B01) and Kirsten Oldenburg (6B04) voiced support for the facilities but argued that the commission did not have the technical expertise to determine if there was a need for such a practice on the Hill. I agreed with the majority of my colleagues that there is certainly a need for primary care physicians and urgent care on Capitol Hill and that the commission should not unnecessarily limit our voice when asked by a DC agency for our opinion. 
  • During community speakout, residents of the 300 block of 7th Street SE expressed concern that Chipotle (415 8th Street SE) was violating the terms of its agreement with the neighborhood. Back in 2011, ANC 6B voted unanimously to support a special exception for the restaurant contingent on a signed agreement covering noise, trash and other nuisance issues (fast food establishments are typically not allowed on Barracks Row). Residents are concerned about noise and trash issues and an inability to get Chipotle, or building owner Street Sense, to resolve the issues. The commission will likely consider the issue and whether to formally alert the Board of Zoning Adjustment of the agreement violations in February.
  • After changes were made to the parade route, the commission unanimously supported the 2013 Tour de Fat Bicycle Parade taking place Saturday, June 1. The bicycle parade, which supports the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA), will begin at Yards Park and weave through portions of Capitol Hill.
  • I announced that DDOT would hold a public meeting on the Pennsylvania-Potomac Avenue intersection project on Thursday, Jan. 31. Location to be determined. DDOT also plans to hold a public meeting on the Barney Circle-Southeast Boulevard project in late February. I’ve posted some background information about both projects.
  • ANC 6B’s February meeting will be on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 7:00 pm at the Hill Center.

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Posted by bflahaven

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