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Photo courtesy of Jeanne Welsh |
Letter from Councilmember
Mary Cheh to Mayor Fenty (pdf)
The Outer Circle building, at Wisconsin
and Ellicott, was recently demolished to make way for a
drive-through bank. The movie theater showed arthouse
films for over 30 years and closed when their lease ended.
Current plans for the bank call for entrances
from both Wisconsin Avenue and the alley, with the exit
from the drive-thru onto Ellicott Street.
Two curb cuts would have to be created,
causing an increase in pedestrian risk. The site
is being planned as a matter of right project, which allows
the building to follow any design within certain limits.
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| Photo courtesy of Jeanne Welsh |
Unlike
a PUD (planned unit development) the matter of right status
will allow the building to be constructed without community
involvement. However, there may be limited opportunity
for input from the public and/or ANC 3E in order for Commerce
Bank to get the additional curb cuts.
Several neighbors are actively tracking the bank's plans
-- if you'd like more information or want to help them, we
can put you in touch with them. Please send
us an email.
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