Tag Archives: Hine

How The Hine Project Has Changed Since The Plan Was Selected by The DC Deputy Mayor’s Office

by Larry Janezich

Last Monday, the Zoming Commission voted unanimously to “set down” or recommend that Stanton/Eastbanc’s request for a Hine site zoning change – its Planned Unit Development (PUD) application – be afforded a final hearing before the Commission in no fewer than 60 days.  Actually, it is more likely to occur in the next 90 or even 120 days.

The PUD process affords the community an opportunity to raise concerns and provides a process for improving the project in terms of its impact on the community.  Part of this process involves benefits and amenities and mitigations provided by the developer.

ANC6B has appointed a Subcommittee comprised of certain commissioners and resident members to analyze the PUD process and to come up with a list of amenities and mitigations and to negotiate with the developer on behalf of the community to achieve desired results.

Some of the major concerns of the community include its height and mass and how much the development has changed since the bid for development was awarded to Stanton/Eastbanc by the Deputy Mayor’s Office for Planning and Economic Development.  The following chart, created for the ANC Subcommittee by former ANC6B Commissioner Ken Jarboe reflects how the project has changed over time.

Best and Final Offer     HPRB Submission    PUD Submission     Term Sheet                        3/1/09                             2/25/11                     11/23/11

Sq. Feet     401,648                          427,530                        464,278                    405,793

Retail          48,285                             45,530                              46,699                      49,200

Office           213,197                           151,350                                163,392               211,999

Residential   140,166                           230,650                            254,187              144,594

No. of Units        150                                   168                                      158                      132

Parking Spaces   391                                   270                                      260                      201

(The figures under “term sheet” reflect what the developer agreed to provide after being awarded the bid by the city.)

Among the changes Jarboe selected for emphasis in a report to the Subcommittee were the following:

Changed shape of the public space from a plaza mid-C Street to a setback of the residential building at the corner of 7^th and C Streets, and access to the interior courtyard (originally accessible to the public it is now reserved for residents and occupants of the building);

Increased height of the 8^th and D Street residential building;

Added a 7^th story (ten feet) to the commercial building at Pennsylvania Avenue and 7^th Street;

Added a 5^th story (eleven feet) to the residential building at 7^th and C Streets;

Removal from the project of participation by the Shakespeare Theater;

Decrease in parking spaces from 391 to 260.

The height and mass of the project are controversial, with many in the community convinced that the development will dwarf and dominate the historic Eastern Market and ultimately work to the disadvantage of the small independent retailers on 7^th Street as well as the residences on nearby streets.  Others, some of whom characterize themselves as new-urbanists, support all the density and height the site next to a transportation hub will allow.  Both sides speak from a expectation and perception rather than from any clear ability to visualize the finished project.  That vision will become more clear in mid-March, when the developer will finally produce a three dimensional model of the project extending to one-half block  on each side of the site.  It’s perhaps noteworthy that the developer has resisted pressure to produce the model, relenting only after the Office of Planning urged them to provide one.  Equally noteworthy, the developer elected to present a single graphic of the Hine development in last month’s Hill Rag showing the project from its lowest perspective, minimizing the perception of both its height and mass.

The city, after alreadygranting the developer a one year delay, is pressuring the developer to begin construction as soon as possible.  Some Zoning Commissioners at Monday night’s hearing – as well as the Office of Planning – were skeptical that the project in its current form was ready to move to the final stage.  Despite those reservations and with assurances from the developer that the project will be ready by the time of the final hearing when scheduled, the project has moved to the final stages of approval.

ANC6B’s Subcommittee on the Hine PUD will meet next Thursday, February 23, at 7:00pm in Hill Center to discuss a preliminary list of amenities and mitigations with which to begin negotiations with the developer.  The meeting is open to the public.  The Subcommittee’s website can be found here:  http://hineschoolpud.wordpress.com/

DC Office of Planning Offers Scant Criticism of Hine Development – Initial “Set Down Report” Downplays Community’s Concerns                

by Larry Janezich

The Office of Planning (OP) has issued its “Set Down Report” on the Hine Planned Unit Development (PUD) project, recommending that the Zoning Commission proceed to a public hearing to begin the process for final approval of Hine developer’s request for a zoning change to permit greater height and density for the project.   The earliest that final Zoning Commission hearing could happen would be in April, but a May or even a June date is more likely.

The Planned Unit Development (PUD) process is designed to encourage high quality development that provides public benefits when development requires zoning changes.  Generally, in exchange for the zoning changes which permit greater height and density, the process requires that a development’s impact on the surrounding area be “either favorable, capable of being mitigated, or acceptable given the quality of public benefits in the project.”  

Occasionally a Set Down Report takes issue with a development, recommending changes to the proposal before the Zoning Commission proceeds any further with the case.  Yet, in the case of Hine, OP did not quarrel with the density of either the residential or the commercial building, which it deemed “moderate.”  Nor does it take issue with the maximum building heights – 54 feet for the 8^th Street residential, 64 feet at 8^th and D, 88 feet for the 7^th and PA office building – down to 51 feet nearer C Street, and 74 feet for the residential building at 7^th and C, diagonally across from Eastern Market.  Likewise the report raised no issue with the 47 foot maximum height of the North Residential building.  As residents have pointed out, the Hine proposal as it currently stands is the largest development to come to any historic district in the DC. 

Thus far in the PUD process, in addition the height and density, residents have expressed concern over aesthetics, parking issues, loss of green space, space for the flea market, ambiguity over the control of C Street, and the prospect of retail development on the here-to-fore exclusively residentially-zoned 8^th Street.   

The Zoning Commission will hold the first of two hearings on the PUD process on Monday, February 13, at 6:30pm.  This will be a conversation between the developer, Stanton/Eastbanc, and the Commission; the public will not be permitted to participate.  The public will participate at the second and final hearing which is likely to occur in May or June.  Both hearings will be held at the Zoning Commission at 441 4th Street N.W., Washington, DC 20001 in Room 220 South.

Commissioner Ivan Frishberg Presents ANC6B Positions on Remaining Hine Components

Commissioner Brian Pate Voices ANC6B Disappointment in HPRB Process; Cites ANC's Remaining Issues with ProjectHPRB Voice Votes Approval of Hine Project

Preservation Board Approves Last Components of Hine Development – Concerns Raised About Weekend Market

by Larry Janezich

While declaring there are still issues to be addressed, the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) voted 6-0 on Thursday to approve the Hine project’s 7^th Street Residential Building (now called the “Plaza Building”) where the developers still hope to site a hotel, and the North Residential Building, which has low and moderate income housing in addition to retail.  The Board also signed off on the landscaping plan but raised a final hurdle, reserving judgment on the Plaza design in an effort to assure that a larger segment of the weekend flea market survives the redevelopment.

Members of the Board cited concerns of community organizations regarding the developer’s plans to accommodate only half of the up to 150 vendors which constitute the Saturday and Sunday markets.  Carol Wright, flea market owner, testified that the weekend markets had been “100% behind Stanton Development as the choice for the developer of the Hine site, until this week” when they learned of the plan to change accommodation of the flea market to 68 tents instead of the 120 – 150 currently in use.

Project Architect Amy Weinstein noted that space for the flea market was lost when the developers were left with the east end of the Plaza was left as the only viable alternative for an entrance to the underground parking garage once objections by the Department of Transportation and 8^th Street neighbors were raised to locating it elsewhere.  She suggested that since ownership of Metro Plaza has been transferred to the city government, there was no legal barrier to having half the weekend market locate on the Metro Plaza.

Chair Catherine Buell, who said she frequents the weekend market, suggested that the Board should not take a position on the Plaza until a conversation has occurred about the size of the weekend markets.  She said that HPRB would host a meeting on the use of public space which would involve Councilmember Wells’ office, the office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, the Department of Transportation, the development team and other project stakeholders.

At the hearing, Commissioner Ivan Frishberg presented ANC 6B’s recommendations regarding the buildings and plaza design under consideration.  Commissioner Brian Pate followed by presenting ANC 6B’s position on the entire HPRB process, expressing disappointment with 8^th and D Street building and the short timelines for public input in particular.

The Historic Preservation Office staff was charged with compiling a list of recommendations Board members had for the developer regarding continuing design work that needs to be done.  A partial list of those suggestions is as follows:

Plaza Building – façade design elements needs more study

North Residential Building – rear view of the North Residential Building needs more study as does the entrance to the building

The building at 8^th and D needs serious design work

The mechanical penthouse on the 7^th Street Office Building needs additional consideration

Landscaping water features on the Plaza need refinement to make them year-round features

The developer hopes to send drawings to the Zoning Board to begin the Public Unit Development process by December.  That process, which will offer another round of opportunities for public input, could take up to eight months.

Commissioner Green, Chair Glick, and Commissioner Pate at Tuesday Night's ANC Special Call Meeting on the Hine Development

United ANC6B Wants Change in C Street Building but Endorses Latest Hine Plans; Divided ANC Passes Second Memo Listing Remaining Concerns

by Larry Janezich

In a rare unanimous vote, ANC6B asked Stanton/Eastbanc, developers of the Hine Project, to move the 5^th floor of the project’s C Street residential building farther toward 7^th Street in order to address the concerns of 8^th Street residents whose two story homes the building would overlook.  Apart from this, ANC 6B generally expressed support for Stanton/Eastbanc’s latest drawings.  The action came on a measure sponsored by Vice Chair Ivan Fischberg and Commissioner Brian Pate.  Both received plaudits from Commissioners Garrison and Metzger, who have often found themselves at odds with the ANC majority.

In addition, the ANC declared they had no issue with the height and massing of the Plaza residential building (formerly referred to as the 7^th Street residential building), urging only additional symmetry in the C Street façade of that building.  The ANC praised the west façade, calling it “well designed.”

The action came at an ANC Special Call meeting on Tuesday in preparation for the hearing before Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) August 4^th for height, massing, and design approval of the C Street residential and the plaza residential buildings and for the project’s landscape design.

The final recommendations passed on a 9-0 vote.  Commissioner Campbell was absent.  The project’s other two buildings were approved by HPRB on June 30.

The united front of the Commission dissolved once Commissioner Brian Pate called up a second memorandum expressing concerns with the historic review process for the project, concerns with the overall project itself, and concerns with the overall lack of guidance and precedent on the construction of sustainable projects and transit oriented development in historic districts.

Regarding the process, the memo criticized HPRB’s decision to review the historic application in pieces, undermining the ability to look at the whole project at once.  The “exceedingly short timelines for review” were also singled out for criticism.

During the discussion, Frischberg joined Chair Neil Glick and others in voicing concerns on the lack of time for review.  When Frischberg pressed Eastbanc developer Joe Sternlieb on why the HPRB review could not be delayed for a month to allow more time for input, Sternlieb replied that filing for the Public Unit Development process cannot be done until after the HPRB review, hence a delay would reverberate beyond the HPRB process alone.  Stanton/Eastbanc “has a team of people we’re paying,” Sternlieb told Frischberg, and “without HPRB approval, [architect] Amy Weinstein can’t go ahead.”

The memo listed the ANC’s remaining concerns with the overall project as follows:

• Need for reduced height or a set back at entrance of 8th Street residential building;

•     Need for further design work at roofline and on windows of 8th Street residential building;

•     “The building at 8th and D, especially in the context of the 7th and PA Ave building is not acceptable.  We must reinforce that we believe the design falls short of the distinctive and Hill appropriate architecture that this space deserves”;

•     Need for continued efforts to reduce the visual impact of mechanical penthouses;

•     The evolution of the courtyard from open, public space to closed private space and attendant negative impact on massing pedestrian access and potential future programming of the space.

Finally, the memo called upon HPRB to elucidate principles for large scale, sustainable developments in historic districts.  The memo suggests the Historic Preservation Office staff partner with historic preservation organizations and smart growth oriented urban planning organizations to discuss formulation of principles.

The memorandum passed the ANC on a vote of 5 – 2 – 2.  Voting for:  Critchfield, Frischberg, Green, Glick and Pate.  Against:  Flahaven and Metzger.  Abstaining:  Oldenberg and Garrison.

As previously reported on emmcablog, at its Tuesday night Special Call meeting, the ANC6B recommended as part of its first memorandum, agreed to unanimously, that HPRB consider ways to accommodate more of the flea market than the 68 tents which the current plan anticipates for the plaza.  That language, sponsored by Commissioner Brian Pate, stimulated action the next day on the part of the Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee (EMCAC) in support of the flea market.  When Donna Scheeder, appointed by Council Member Tommy Wells and current chair of EMCAC, gaveled the Wednesday night meeting into session, EMCAC members proceeded to authorize sending letters to the City Council, Office of the Deputy Mayor, and the Historic Preservation Review Board to urge that the Hine development accommodate a number of spaces equal to what is currently available for the weekend market – more than twice the number in the Stanton/Eastbanc plan. Representatives of EMCAC are seeking a meeting with Stanton/Eastbanc, the project’s developer.

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Size of Weekend Flea Market Cut in Half in Hine Development Plan:

Developer Suggests Options Exist for Accommodating Overflow Elsewhere

by Larry Janezich

Tuesday night, the ANC6B passed a recommendation to the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) on the two remaining Hine buildings coming before the Board next week.  The memo expresses the ANC’s concern about the downsizing of the popular weekend flea market as the result of confining it to the plaza planned for the intersection of 7^th and C Streets.

The memorandum notes, “[w]hile the size of the plaza itself has not changed since February, the number of tents it is depicted to support has changed.”  The memo goes on to note that the original RFP (Request for Proposal) plans called for support for over 100 tents.  “Plans presented in February 2011 depicted 72 tents,” the ANC noted, and “the latest design depicts 68 tents.  The current weekend market supports up to 140 10×10 tents. While the Board (HPRB) has given preliminary approval to the overall site plan, the apparent reduction of weekend market space suggests that the Board might want to review alternate configurations that would meet the terms of the city agreement and respond to community input.”

In a meeting with neighbors last Sunday night, StantonEastbanc suggested that there were ways to accommodate additional tents.  Ideas floated at that meeting included closing C Street between 6^th and 7^th Street, or 7^th Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and C Streets on weekends.  Those ideas, however, appear problematic, at least on their face, given the controversy which arose over Mayor Fenty’s decision to close 7^th Street next to Eastern Market on weekends.  Another idea which has emerged in previous neighborhood discussions is using Eastern Market Metro Plaza for part of the weekend market.

Commissioner Garrison urged, while making clear he was not pushing for an increase in the number of spaces for tents,  that the developer enter into a conversation with “Eastgern Market” about how many tents were actually needed for the weekend market. Commissioner Metzger suggested that a reduction in the total number of tents might be beneficial, raising the “quality,” though he did not specify what he meant by that.

The final version of the memorandum, which passed on a 9-0 vote, contained an ANC recommendation that the developer discuss the weekend market with flea market managers. Commissioner Brian Pate noted that the language was being agreed to in the context of new legislation from Councilmember Wells’ office to restructure the Eastern Market management.  It is unclear how this may affect the timing or nature of these discussions.

The developer’s current plan for a double row of back to back tents on the project’s plaza can be viewed here:  http://www.hineschool.com/sites/default/files/julyhprbbook.pdf  (Scroll down to L-03, about 19 pages down in the document.)

Hine Project Landscaping Plans to Be Considered by Preservation Board Next Week – HPRB Will Also Rule on Project’s 7^th Street and C Street Residential Buildings

by Larry Janezich

Hine neighbors met with Stanton Development Sunday night to hear the developer’s presentation on the plans which will be before the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) on Thursday, August 4.  The plans, which will include the layout for the weekend flea market will be presented to the larger community at ANC6B’s Special Call Meeting, set for Tuesday, July 26, 7:00 -9:30 pm, People’s Church/National Community Church, 535 8^th Street, S.E.

Following are the main points which emerged from the presentation and the discussion which followed.

• The 7^th Street residential building may yet be a hotel.  Stanton says that two hotels have expressed interest.  Each have their own criteria and are awaiting number crunching and HPRB design approval to determine if the space will work for them.
• Like other buildings in the project, the façade designs of the 7^th street and C Street buildings have been simplified and parts of the C Street building have been lowered by two feet.
• The current plan is for the interior courtyard to be private.  A discussion revealed considerable support for public use of the space among the neighbors.  The developer suggested one way to accomplish this would be for public events to be hosted in the courtyard, should a hotel end up occupying the 7^th and C Street residential building.
• No contracts with retail outlets will be sought until construction is well underway, about two years from now.
• The amount of parking in the building is still uncertain.  The developer says that whether there will be more than one level of parking is still undecided.
• Joel Larsen, from the city’s Office of Planning, will make a 20 minute presentation explaining the Planned Unit Development process ANC6B’s Special Call Meeting on Tuesday.  That process will begin sometime next spring and will be the community’s last chance to win concessions (amenities) from the developer regarding the project.
• Stanton’s Design Concept for the two buildings and the landscaping can be viewed here:  http://hineschool.com/vision

The Week’s Wrap Up:  ANC Committee, ANC Taskforce, and CHRS Meetings –New Development at the old Pennsylvania Avenue KFC?

by Larry Janezich

Hill East Taskforce to Discuss New Development at Old KFC Site

Commissioner Brain Flahaven announced on Friday the agenda for the Capitol Hill East Taskforce which will meet for the first time on Wednesday, July 27, at 7:00pm, at St. Coletta School, 1901 Independence Avenue, SE.  The meeting will establish the boundaries for its jurisdiction – essentially define the nebulous “Hill East” – and discuss a new proposed development – mixed retail/residential (21 units, retail on the first floor) – of the Old Kentucky Fried Chicken Outlet at 1442 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E.

Commissioner Brian Pate’s Community Outreach and Constituent Services Taskforce

The Taskforce met Wednesday night – perhaps for the last time in the current ANC office space rented from The Tipton Group.  ANC6B hopes to move into new quarters on the top floor of Hill Center in early August.

Bylaws

Among the topics addressed was the need for a clarification of the by-laws.  ANC6B Parliamentarian Brian Flahaven will undertake the project, which comes in the wake of bylaw violations by three of ANC6B’s Commissioners involving testimony in support of the Hine Development before the Historic Preservation Review Board.  The case provided a revealing look at the ambiguities contained in the rules.

Technology

Pate’s taskforce is addressing website, technology and media issues.  Committee members and resident members brought ideas to the table for improving existing web-based communication and adopting practices already employed by other ANCs.  .

Liaising with City Council Members

One of Pate’s goals is outreach to City Council Members at Large.  To that end, he is developing a plan to invite at large members of the council to address the ANC at their monthly meetings on a regular or semi-regular basis.

Resident members.

Commissioner Pate is actively soliciting the participation of resident members to serve on ANC6B Committees and Taskforces.  Currently, one resident per single member district (i.e., one resident per commissioner) can serve on a committee.  Resident members may vote on issues before committees within their single member district, or when their commissioners are not present.  There is no limit on the number of resident members who may serve on an ANC taskforce.  There are three standing committees:  Alcohol Beverage Control, Planning and Zoning, and Transportation.  The first two have official cachet with the DC city government.  Transportation is a newly established committee trying to carve out a role for itself on transportation and parking issues.  The two current taskforces are the Community Outreach and Constituent Services Taskforce, and Commissioner Brian Flahaven’s Hill East Taskforce.

ANC6B will fine-tune the process for approving resident members at the September ANC meeting.

Commissioner Kirsten Oldenburg’s Transportation Committee

CSX Tunnel

At Wednesday’s Transportation Committee Meeting, officials from CSX gave the new committee an update on the plan to widen and heighten the Virginia Avenue Tunnel.  The plan entails “double tracking and double stacking” the 3800 foot tunnel between 2^nd Street and 11^th Street, S.E., on the south side of the Southwest Freeway.

Construction will likely start in March of 2013.  A ways off, but what concerns the ANC is the potential for traffic disruptions occasioned by the beginning of construction on the tunnel and its impact on traffic issues complicated by the rebuilding of the 11^th Street bridge.  DDOT is seeking ways to smooth the flow of traffic over the new bridge during this period without having the preferred route become filtering through Capitol Hill residential streets.

DDOT, working closely with CSX officials, assures that the reconstruction plan will leave all north-south streets under the Southwest Freeway open, with the exception of Sixth Street.  Formal Plans will likely be revealed to the public in November with a final proposal ready early next year.

Planned Performance Parking Fund Projects

In other work, the Transportation Committee is formalizing a procedure to encourage the promulgation of ideas for projects which could be eligible for funding through the Performance Parking Fund.  Details are still being worked out, and should become clearer by the next ANC6B Meeting on September 13.  (There is no ANC6B meeting in August.)

Capitol Hill Restoration Society Board Meeting

The CHRS Board, Chaired by Beth Purcell, met on Tuesday night and after conducting routine business of approving the minutes and hearing the financial report, went into executive session for almost two hours to formulate the budget for the next year and to discuss renting office space from Hill Center.  Information from Hill Center distributed at the meeting shows nine office spaces on the building’s third floor, with monthly rates from a low of $750 to a high of $1050 a month.  At last month’s meeting, CHRS contributed $5,000 toward the restoration of the fence surrounding the Center.  CHRS currently rents space from the Architectural firm Architrave, at 410 10^th Street, SE.