Advisory Neighborhood Commission
6D
Present: Commissioners
Hamilton, McBee, Litsky, Moffatt, Siegel, Skolnik, and Sobelsohn.
The meeting was convened at 7:07
p.m.
1.
Agenda
Commissioner
Skolnik asked to have a resolution on a moratorium on the disposition of public
property added to New Business. The agenda was approved as amended
2. Community
Concerns
Gene Solon and Dick
Westbrook made remarks
3. Public Safety Report
There was no Public Safety Report
4.
Old Business
Randall
School/Corcoran Project
Paul
DelVecchio, of Monument Realty, and Jocelyn File, of the Corcoran Gallery of
Art, made a presentation about the Corcoran's plan to move most of its College
of Art + Design to the Randall Junior High School (formerly the Millennium Arts
Center), 65 I St., SW. As part of the project, Monument Realty will
build, in the northern part of the property, a
450-500 unit apartment building. The Zoning Commission currently expects
to review the project's Planned Unit Development application on September 27.
However, Mr. DelVecchio reported that Monument and the Corcoran plan to
request a postponement of the PUD hearing until early November.
Much of the presentation centered on a recent redesign to move the project's
loading docks west on H Street, and the option of increasing the project height
from nine to ten floors. Including the height of mechanical structures on
the roof, the project would reach a maximum of 108 feet. This is taller
than any building currently in the residential part of Southwest.
Mr. DelVecchio promised to provide redesign drawings, including the new loading
docks and the proposed tenth floor, by early October 2007. He also
promised that, if the PUD was approved, Monument would convey a permanent
public right-of-way on H Street, SW, to provide continued public access to the
Randall Recreation facilities, including the Randall Park ball fields; that the
project's residential tenants would not be permitted
to use the Corcoran loading dock or to bring in 55-foot trucks; and that the
Corcoran would use 55-foot trucks for a maximum of 6 trips per year.
As depicted in the current project drawings, delivery trucks using the loading
docks will exit via Delaware Avenue, SW. Another possible exit route, 1st
Street, SW (from H to I Street, SW), is currently jointly owned by the Corcoran
and the city. Mr. DelVecchio promised to study the feasibility, assuming
city approval, of routing truck egress through First Street instead of Delaware
Avenue.
Commissioner
Sobelsohn made/Commissioner McBee seconded the following motion:
MOTION
Regarding Zoning Commission Case No. 07-13: Corcoran/Randall School PUD
and Map Amendment
WHEREAS, on Tuesday, September 4, 2007, this Advisory Neighborhood Commission
first learned of a substantial modification to the proposed PUD in this
case--in particular moving of two loading docks; and
WHEREAS, on Thursday, September 6, 2007, this Advisory Neighborhood Commission
first learned of another possible major modification to the proposed PUD in
this case--in particular the addition of a 10th floor and removal of part of
the proposed structure on H Street, SW--and we have yet to see details of the
new design; and
WHEREAS, on Friday, September 7, 2007, this Advisory Neighborhood Commission
first received the applicant's final transportation-impact study; and
WHEREAS, this Advisory Neighborhood Commission has had less than one week to
analyze these substantial design modifications and barely one business day to
review the applicant's final transportation-impact study; and
WHEREAS, this Advisory Neighborhood Commission has yet to see a transportation
analysis by the DC Department of Transportation; and
WHEREAS, after nearly four weeks of negotiations, the applicant and this ANC
have yet to arrive at a mutually satisfactory community-benefits package; and--
WHEREAS, a 30-day postponement of the Zoning Commission hearing, currently
scheduled for September 27, will give this ANC time to gather and analyze the
information necessary to hold an educated vote, and will also give the
applicant time to negotiate in good faith with the ANC towards an appropriate
community-benefits package;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:
At this time, ANC 6D opposes approval of the Corcoran/Randall School PUD and
Map Amendment, Zoning Commission Case No. 07-13, and urges the Zoning
Commission to table consideration of this PUD and Map Amendment for 30 days.
The motion passed 7-0. Commissioner McBee made/Commissioner Litsky
seconded a motion to appoint Commissioner Sobelsohn to represent the ANC
regarding this matter at the Zoning Commission on September 27. The
motion passed 7-0.
Constitution Center (Nassif Building)
Tim
Jarroch, of the Nassif Corporation, made a presentation about the current
renovation of the old Department of Transportation building at 7th
and D Streets SW. Demolition is now
under way to take the building down to its frame. They plan to replace all the systems, and it will be the most
technologically advance, energy efficient large building in the District. They will seek LEED Silver certification,
and will recycle 5,000,000 tons of materials during construction.
The
center courtyard of the building will be enclosed for security reasons, and
they will use blast-resistant glass curtain walls on the building. There will be a one-acre park in the
courtyard. There will be an extensive
landscape plan, and the trees that they have removed, most of which were either
rotted or dying because their tree boxes were too small, will be replaced. There will be ten times the green space
there is now, and after negotiations with the District about removing the old
trees, they will put in the largest caliper trees that have a chance to
survive. The sidewalks will be made
more “intimate” by the landscaping.
The
Metro entrance at the building will be open for the next seven months, then
closed for nine months. People using
the entrance will have to walk around the block, which is closed for safety
reasons. Because there are four tower cranes, part of the site will have to be
closed until the autumn of 2009.
Waterfront (Waterside Mall) – M Street Facades
Gordon
Fraley, of Forest City, presented a new plan for the planned buildings facing M
Street. The modification in plans came
about through a negotiation process with residents of Tiber Island and
Carrollsburg Square, developments across M Street from the project. The residents had objected to the mass and
density of the buildings and were concerned about their views toward the
Channel. The original Zoning Commission
hearing was extended to September 17th to give the residents an
opportunity to question the architect, Shalom Baranes.
However,
subsequent to the hearing the developers reached an agreement with the
residents and the ANC representative to the negotiations (Commissioner Skolnik)
to move the buildings back from the street, and to add another floor to
compensate. The floors above the first
two will be set back 45’ from the street, broadening the view corridors and
providing less mass on the M Street frontage. The buildings will now be `127”
tall. The same square footage will be
maintained, just rearranged.
Christy
Shiker, of Holland and Knight, talked about the process: the Zoning Commission
record has to be re-opened, and the old plan replaced with the new, along with
a statement that all parties are in agreement to the new plan. She said that
the ANC should file a letter with the Zoning Commission that it agrees to the
new plan, that the record should be reopened to accept the new plan, and it
should be submitted in advance of the September 117th meeting. Motion: Commissioner Litsky
moved/Commissioner Skolnik seconded a motion to support the changes proposed by
the developer and the residents of Tiber Island and Carrollsburg Square, and
the case be reopened to accept the new drawings. The motion passed by a vote of 5-1-1, with Commissioner Siegel in
opposition and Commissioner Hamilton abstaining.
Proposal for Southwest “Shuttle Bug”
Beth
Paulson, of the Southwest Action Team (SWAT), and SWAT's transportation
consultant, Steve Yaffe, made a presentation regarding SWAT's proposal for a
vehicular shuttle (to be called a "shuttle bug") around the
Waterfront (Waterside Mall) construction site. Waterfront Development (the
property's developers), Councilmember Tommy Wells (D-Ward Six), and the DC
Department of Transportation have all approved the shuttle and its route,
conditioned on approval by this ANC. Waterfront Development would fund the
shuttle. A copy of a map of the proposed shuttle route is attached to
these minutes.
Commissioner Sobelsohn made/Commissioner Litsky seconded a motion resolving,
"that this ANC supports and approves the proposed shuttle bus service and
its proposed route." After discussion, Commissioner Sobelsohn moved
to amend his motion to condition ANC approval on the shuttle's managers'
reviewing its route in light of commissioners' concerns about the shuttle's
accessibility to residents east of the construction site. The amendment
passed without objection. As amended, the motion on which the ANC voted
reads as follows:
MOTION
Regarding the proposed shuttle bus service connecting residences north of I
Street with the Southwest Waterfront Metrorail Station
WHEREAS, for four decades, residents north of I Street, SW, have walked through
the Waterside Mall to reach essential neighborhood services, including the
neighborhood's only grocery store and its central Metrorail station; and--
WHEREAS, the Waterside Mall's closing has obstructed access, to these
essential neighborhood services, for residents north of I Street; and--
WHEREAS, Waterfront Development has agreed to fund, at no expense to the
community, a shuttle bus around the closed Waterside Mall, with stops
targeted to the most severely affected part of the community; and--
WHEREAS, this free shuttle service will provide, to residents most
severely affected by the Waterside Mall's closing, safe and efficient
access to the neighborhood's essential services; and
WHEREAS, the closing of the Waterside Mall on September 7, 2007, makes
addressing this issue urgent and immediate, and delay unacceptable; and
WHEREAS, the DC Department of Transportation has approved this shuttle and its proposed
route, on condition that they also obtain the approval of this Advisory
Neighborhood Commission; and
WHEREAS, securing this shuttle bus will provide a precedent for securing, from
other developers, similar methods of alleviating the hazards posed by the
redevelopment of our community;
THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED, that this ANC supports and approves the proposed shuttle bus
service and its proposed route, on condition that the managers of the bus
review the route with an eye towards increasing accessibility of the bus to
residents east of the Mall property.
As amended, the motion passed 7-0.
5. New
Business
Alley
Closing – Square 696
This
is a request for support for an alley closing, to come before the City Council,
from DPI Development/Jamestown Properties, in Square 696, between 1st,
Half, I and K Streets SE. It is a matter of right project.
Rick
Moi of K and O Architects made a presentation of the project, which will be a
three-phase mixed use project or residential, commercial and retail space, set
around an open plaza, with retail at its base.
It will be a LEED-certified development, with a green roof and a storm
water management system. The developer
is committed to open space, and the project will be built around an 8,000 sq.
ft. open public plaza (about the same size as the alley).
The
developer met with Councilmember Wells to discuss the needs of the
Southeast/Southwest community, and offered the following amenities to the
community: a $100,000 contribution to a community fund; LEED certification; and
a commitment to open space.
Motion:
Commissioner Siegel moved/Commissioner Sobelsohn
seconded a motion to write a letter to the Surveyor and the City Council
supporting the alley closing in Square 696.
The motion passed 6-1, with Commissioner Skolnik in opposition.
AIDS
Walk
David
Mallory, of the Whitman Walker Clinic, asked for support for its annual walk,
to take place on October 7th.
The walk makes a small entry into ANC 6D between 3rd and 4th
and D Streets and Independence Avenue SW.
Motion: Commissioner Litsky moved/Commissioner Sobelsohn seconded
a motion to support the AIDS Walk. It
passed 7-0.
Resolution
on Moratorium on the Disposition of Public Property
Commissioner
Skolnik presented, for Mary Williams, a resolution being circulated by Empower
DC and the People’s Property Campaign, that calls for an immediate moratorium
on the disposition of public property, including an accessible inventory of
public property, an amendment of public property laws to preserve public
property for public use, and maintaining valuable public assets and protecting
the long-term needs of DC communities by leasing, not selling public property.
Questions
were raised by members of the Commission as to whether the proposed legislation
would include textbooks, would interfere with the use of the public library as
a café and would have interfered with the Randall School project. Robert Sockwell suggested that the
resolution be tabled to allow time for community comment. Motion: Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner
McBee a motion to table discussion of the resolution. The motion passed 4-3, with Commissioners Skolnik, Litsky and
Siegel in opposition.
6.
Committees
Alcoholic Beverage and Licensing
Coralee Farlee, a member of the Committee,
reported that H2O’s license suspension had been lifted. She said that she was working on a
comprehensive list of all the licenses in the ANC’s area, and that license
renewals were coming up in October for H2O, Zanzibar, Cantina Marina, Phillips,
Market Inn, and Frank & Stein.
7. Minutes
Motion: Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner McBee seconded a motion
to table consideration of the July minutes until October. The motion passed 3-2
8. Treasurer’s Report
Commissioner Skolnik presented the Treasurer's Report for July 8,
2007 to September 10, 2007... A copy of
his report is attached to these minutes.
ANC 6D has $38,941.66 in current funds, including an allotment from the
DC Treasurer of $4.873.05. The savings
account has $5,142.18, including interest payments of $4.36. The report includes expenses submitted for
approval: staff salary to Roberta Weiner, $664.92 (Check #329), $102.12 to
Verizon for telephone services (Check #330); $90 to St. Augustine’s Church for
space rental (Check #331), $260 to St. Augustine’s Church for previous rental
(Check #332), $28.80 to the DC Treasurer for taxes (Check #333), $293.76 to the
US Treasurer for taxes (Check #334); $661.95 to Roger Moffatt for reimbursement
for printer purchase (Check #335); $91.91 to Verizon for telephone services
(Check #336), $336. to DC Access for annual payment for Internet services
(Check #337); and $554.10 to Roberta Weiner for salary (Check #338). Motion:
Commissioner Skolnik made/Commissioner Hamilton seconded a motion to approve the
September Treasurer’s Report and to authorize payment of the expenses. The
motion passed unanimously (7-0).
The meeting was adjourned at 10:52 pm.