New Residential Development on South Capitol – 1 K Street, SW – Last Monday night, ANC6D heard an informal presentation from representatives of W. C. Smith Development, prior to the ANC’s formal design review of a plan to construct a 13 story 352 unit residential building at 1 K Street, SE, adjacent to the long-time South Capitol fixture, the Skyline Inn. The plan anticipates 179 below grade parking spaces. The developer will come back to the ANC for a formal presentation when it is scheduled to go before the Historic Preservation Review Board for design approval. Here’s a view looking north from South Capitol Street.
As a matter of policy ANC6D regularly pushes for inclusion of additional affordable housing whether projects are required to provide it or not and the ANC did not disappoint. In 2019, Mayor Bowser announced a goal of building 36,000 new homes by 2025 including 12,000 affordable units. Here’s a broader view looking north from South Capitol – the US Capitol is visible is faintly visible in the distance.
The project is being built on what is now a parking lot in a D-5 Zone which is exempt from the requirement that new construction of 10 or more units must provide affordable housing. Commissioner Gail Fast told the representatives, “What you are required to do and what you do do are two different things.” She urged them to “look inward” and provide affordable housing.
Chair Rikki Kramer told the developers, “I hope you will come around. I expect you to move closer to our concerns next time [you come back before the commission].” Here’s a view looking southeast with the smaller Skyline Inn in the foreground.
647 G Street, SE – Developer Bojan Peovski of Square Residential Development wants to convert a three floor townhouse at 647 G Street, SE, into a 5 unit condo by digging a new floor ten feet below the building’s English basement. Neighbors and the Capitol Hill Restoration Society are opposed. A majority of the ANC voted to support the concept, with the prevailing sentiment seemingly being that increasing the number of residential units in the city takes precedence over historic preservation considerations. There may be other sub-basement constructions on Capitol Hill but this is the first one CHC has encountered.
Puppatella – Pupatella Neapolitan Pizza announced in September of 2021 they were opening a new pizza restaurant at 3rd and Massachusetts Avenue, NE, in the former Romeo & Juliet’s. Not much happened for months. There has been some recent activity but still no word on a prospecting opening. Pupatella has five outlets locally.
Here’s a shot of the line at Angie Brunson’s Blue Iris Flowers in Eastern Market on Valentine’s Day. Photographer Maggie Hall took this photo about 3:00pm Tuesday afternoon and titled it “Rose Day Line Day.” And, “Rose Day Line Day” from another angle.
Friends of Kingman Park held their hybrid in-person and virtual February community meeting last week. The group meets regularly on the third Thursday of the month at St. Benedict the Moor’s Catholic Church. The Friends heard a presentation on Kingman Island, and reports from Friends Chair Lisa White, ANC7D Chair Wendell Felder, ANC7D Commissioner Ebony Payne (who is also Secretary of the Friends group), and from Eboni-Rose Thompson of the DC Board of Education. See here for more: https://twitter.com/FOKPcivic
At last. Pacci’s Trattoria on Lincoln Park is open for a “preview.” An official Grand Opening will be announced in the near future.
The Week Ahead…& Some Photos from the Past Week
by Larry Janezich
Posted February 20, 2023
Tuesday, February 21
ANC 6A Transportation & Public Space Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.
For info on how to join the meeting, go here: https://anc6a.org/community-calendar/
Among items on the draft agenda: (Ed. Note: Thanks to the 6A TPS Committee for the clear explanation of agenda items.)
- 8th Street NE Bus Priority Project Update. Yohannes Bennehoff, DDOT Supervisory Transportation Planner, will present the 30% designs for the 8th Street, NE, Bus Priority Project.
- 42nd Annual Capitol Hill Classic 10K, 3K, and Fun Run. Roberta Stewart, Outreach Chair for the Capitol Hill Classic, requests a letter of support for the 42nd Annual Run, and will present race course and logistical details, and answer any questions.
- Public Space Permit Application. Community Members Neale Bergman and Ligia Paina are requesting ANC 6A support for renovation of private property on an existing footprint partially overlapping public space.
- Draft resolution: Calling for Greater Transparency and Action to Address Sidewalk Repairs, Sidewalk Gaps, and Pedestrian Infrastructure. Commissioner Amber Gove will discuss a recent ANC 4B resolution as a template draft resolution from ANC 6A.
- Automated Traffic Enforcement (ATE). TPS Co-Chair Shaun Lynch will lead a discussion on DDOT’s ATE process, including a recent incident reporting an RPP violation involving an out-of-state vehicle with excessive outstanding ATE violations.
Wednesday, February 22
The Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee will hold and in person and virtual meeting at 7:00pm in Eastern Market’s North Hall.
For info on how to join the meeting, go here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87192398587?pwd=NzJ1YVV6Q3c5alBuZHpRVjJycWFldz09
Meeting ID: 871 9239 8587
Passcode: 538967
One tap mobile
+19292056099,,87192398587# US (New York)
+13017158592,,87192398587# US (Washington DC)
Among items on the draft agenda: TBA
Report of the Chair
- Event Calendar and Improvement in Planning Process
- Strategic Plan Presentation
- 150th Anniversary Update
- Committee Structure
- Progress Updates
Report of the Market Manager
Capital Improvements
Market Operations
Tenants Council Report
Sunday, February 26
ANC 6B Southeast Library Task Force will hold an in-person meeting at 2:30pm in the lower level meeting room of Southeast Library.
- Community members are encouraged to attend. Since the Library could close as early as June. The Task Force will discuss the need for interim services during the closure, potential sites and funding for interim services, the impact of construction on the neighborhood, and the potential for tweaking the final renovation design.
CAPITOL HILL CORNER 