Tenley-Friendship
Library
 Last year, the Deputy Mayor's Office released
an RFP,
or a request for proposals, for the redevelopment of
the Tenley-Friendship Library. We were pleased with the high
quality of the RFP as it set a high standard for the
new facility and possible community amenities.
The city received three
proposals
in response to the RFP. Now we have the
opportunity to consider which proposal best leverages
the value of the site for expanded community benefits.
According to the city's press
release, the three proposals
all have a strong focus on affordable housing -- which
is in short supply in our neighborhood. The proposals
were submitted by LCOR, Roadside Development and Smoot Construction,
and the See Forever Foundation with UniDev LLC.
The city is planning a community
meeting in February to discuss the proposals, and a final decision
is scheduled for late February. We will review the
proposals and pass along more information when available.
More Information
Washington
Business Journal article
DMPED Press release
City's Tenley-Friendship Library RFP blog
Commerce Bank
 The former
Outer Circle theatre at Wisconsin and Ellicott was demolished
last year to make way for a suburban-style, drive-through
Commerce Bank. Plans call for a large
curb cut on Wisconsin Avenue and a high volume of additional traffic
in the neighborhood.
Currently, Commerce Bank is still
waiting on a building permit from the Department of Consumer
and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA). The
delay is due to the proposed queue lines. The Department
of Transportation (DDOT) has not yet approved permits
for the new curb cuts on Ellicott Street and Wisconsin
Avenue, however they did rule the alley way is private
property and can be used for customer access without
a permit.
Councilmember Mary
Cheh is tracking the plans and has expressed
concern. Because
the bank is allowed by matter of right zoning, there
is limited opportunity for public comment and only a
slim chance of stopping it. We'll keep you updated.
Comprehensive Zoning Review
Sounds boring, right? It's actually really important!
Planning for land use and development
has two components. The first is our city's Comprehensive
Plan, a long-range
document that describes a vision for our city. It outlines
how and where our city should grow. In late 2006, the
city finished a thorough update of our Comprehensive
Plan after three years of public outreach.
The second part is the set of
laws that guide land use and development -- called
zoning.
Now that our Comprehensive Plan has been rewritten,
it's time to update
DC's zoning so it matches Comprehensive
Plan's vision.
Our current zoning dates
back to the 1950s and calls for suburban-style,
pedestrian-unfriendly development along the Wisconsin
Avenue corridor, including 1-3 story buildings and
drive-thru businesses like
banks and fast food restaurants. The current zoning
doesn't promote mixed use development or allow
creative uses of space, such as granny apartments.
The proposed Commerce Bank at
Wisconsin and Ellicott is an example of why the outdated
zoning no longer fits our growing city. The bank is allowed
by matter of right zoning, meaning that there is virtually
no opportunity for input from the community. If
the zoning code reflected the pedestrian- and transit-oriented
nature of our neighborhood, a drive-thru bank wouldn't
be allowed.
Maxim Condos/Former Babe's
Site
You may have read the recent news about this project
in the Northwest Current. Plans for the new condominium
building, located at Wisconsin and Brandywine on the
former Babe's Billiards site, are a downscaled version
of the original proposal. The project was approved in
2005, prior to Ward 3 Vision's formation, and then the
property changed ownership a few times.
The Zoning Commission granted a two
year extension of the project approval at the site owner's
request. The owner, Clemens 4600 Partners LLC, cited
the condo market downtown as the reason for the extension.
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