ANC6D elected new officers at the end of last night’s meeting: L-R Ron Collins, Treasurer; Rhonda Hamilton, Secretary; Andy Litsky, Vice Chair; Gail Fast, Chair; Commissioners Edward Daniels, Anthony Dale, and Anna Forgie.
ANC6D Recommends Approval of Waterfront Station – Amidon PTA Pushes Back on Charter School
by Larry Janezich
Last night ANC6D recommended to the Zoning Commission that the Planned Unit Development (PUD) application by developer PN Hoffman for Waterfront Station at 1000 4th Street, SW, be approved. The ANC recently concluded negotiations with the developer for a package of community benefits under the PUD process, to compensate the community for the project’s density, mass, and height, which would otherwise run afoul of city zoning regulations.
Two of the community benefits eagerly sought by 6D were the inclusion in the ground floor retail of a diner and an experimental performance space (a black box theater). To that end, the developers pledged to reserve 1200 square feet for a diner and 9000 square feet for a theater for five years – beginning now, with the effort to market those spaces for those purposes. If unsuccessful, the spaces could be used for other purposes after that time.
Concerns were raised from the community regarding the recently announced decision by Hoffman to lease space to the AppleTree Pre-K charter school currently operating out of space on the grounds of Jefferson School. Representatives of the PTA from Amidon Bowen Elementary School voiced worries that the charter would set kids on a path that would draw students and funding away from Amidon.
6D Chair Andy Litsky expressed surprise the commission had not heard of the inclusion of the charter school before. PN Hoffman said that there had never been an intention to include an educational component, but AppleTree had approached the developer seeking to lease space. Commissioner Anthony Dale moved to make ANC6D’s recommendation contingent on Hoffman meeting Amidon Bowen reps within 10 days of the scheduled January 31st Zoning Commission hearing on the PUD, and the developer’s agreement with the school within 30 days after January 31 that addresses the school’s concerns.
The vote on the motion to recommend approval of the PUD was unanimous, 7 – 0.
The mixed use joint development is the result of a partnership between the city and the developer. Construction is expected to begin early next year with the goal of completion by the fall of 2022. The 11 story building will provide 456 residential units (134 affordable,) 11,400 square feet of retail, and 233 below grade parking spaces. UrbanTurf has a lot of renderings here: https://bit.ly/2FW4T9Z
In other business, the ANC elected new officers for 2019 and 2020: Gail Fast will serve as Chair; Andy Litsky, Vice Chair; Rhonda Hamilton, Secretary; and Ron Collins, Treasurer.
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