RSS FeedHPRB Approves New Plans For 7th & H St NW Development
Rendering courtesy of R2L Architects’ website
Our friends at DCMUD wrote last month about new plans for the NE corner of 7th & H St NW. As we all know, this is the same corner of 7th & H St NW where the CVS used to operate and is also on the north side of the friendship arch. Previous plans for the site included a 10-story condominium that would fit in with the Gallery Place development directly across the street. The new proposed plan is underwhelming when compared to the old, to say the least.
While the plans were revealed with ANC approval, the Historic Preservation Review Board still had to weigh in on the plans. On Septemeber 22, 2011, the HPRB approved the concept contingent on the one-story addition on 7th Street being pulled back sufficient to ensure that it won’t be visible from the street. Here is the 2-page staff report provided by HPRB.
R2L Architects has some more renderings of the development on their website.
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Comments
I don’t understand all the implied criticism from the entire DC blogosphere directed at HPRB for this project. Sometimes it’s deserved but now it just seems like a pavlovian response. From what I’ve read it appears Douglas Development proposed the project at this scale rather than a ten story scale. Sure HPRB requested the one-story addition to be recessed and not visible from the street. That doesn’t mean they would have held a 10-story addition to the same standard had Douglas proposed it. Afterall a 10-story concept was approved in 2006.
If a project of this scale is what Douglas felt it had the best chance of financing and moving forward soon with I’m all for it. This new plan is still going to get substantial retail on that corner. Now it can happen sooner.
you make a good point Paul. this iteration was not proposed at 10 stories as it was a few years back. on the other hand and given my understanding of demand for office space, I think they could have filled a 10 story building if they wanted to. but, this is a private project and not a public one so it has to work for the developer and getting the site developed after years of sitting there is a net positive.
@pqresident – I agree that PQ/Chinatown is and will continue to be a desirable in-demand office market. But even with new construction beginning again very few office buildings are being built on spec (i.e. no future lead tenant in place before groundbreaking). Douglas has said in neighborhood meetings they won’t build office on spec. Most of the current wave of new construction around the district is apartments or GSA offices which are projects that can get financing right now.
I’d also say that Douglas is oft criticized for holding parcels too long. But if they were to focus only on the absolute highest potential use for a site development would move at an even slower pace. I think it’s great they identified a profitable way to redevelop the site ASAP primarily as retail rather than continuing to wait out the office market.
As someone who works in the neighborhood, I say brava. The open inviting glass windows all the way around the bottom are a nice touch. Maintains the feel of the surrounding neighborhood without overwhelming it. Work on it can’t start soon enough for me. Goodbye, blight!
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I too am completely underwhelmed. not daring, not ambitious, not even a full tower of boring steel framed glass. the HPRB did a real disservice by scaling this project back.