45 New Residential Units to Overlook Virginia Avenue Community Garden

818 Potomac Avenue, designed by PGN Architects. The main entrance will face Southeast.  The building to the left is 816 Potomac Avenue, which will provide an additional 30 residential units. 

The schematic shows the project’s relationship to the Virginai Avenue Community Gardens and the proposed Virginia Avenue Park which will be restored after completion of the CSX Tunnel Project.

The arrow points to the 818 Potomac Avenue site south of the freeway, a short walk to Barracks Row.

45 New Residential Units to Overlook Virginia Avenue Community Garden

by Larry Janezich

Wednesday night, ANC6B’s Planning and Zoning Committee unanimously endorsed Murillo/Malnati Development Group’s Historic Preservation Application for a proposed four story 45 unit apartment building at 818 Potomac Avenue, Southeast. The project, designed by Capitol Hill based PGN Architects, will overlook the Virginia Avenue Community Garden across the street to the east.

The project anticipates some 25 two bedroom units.   30 to 40% of the balance will be made up of one bedroom units and the rest studio apartments.  The project follows the recent trend away from condos and toward rental units.  The project will utilize a mechanical lift to provide 49 parking spaces – against the trend of providing fewer rather than more parking spaces in a project this size.  The project will deliver an additional 30 or so units when the renovation of an adjoining building at 816 Potomac Avenue, SE, is complete.

The Application will come before the full ANC6B at its meeting next Tuesday, where it is expected to receive the Commission’s enthusiastic endorsement.  The developer will be back before the ANC later this year seeking relief from zoning regulations since the project otherwise would come under the Eighth Street Economic Overlay which requires 50% of the ground floor to be retail.