A Trip Within the Beltway: Rhode Island Avenue Area Encroachment Continued

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Rhode Island Avenue Area Encroachment Continued

Yet another thoughtlessly placed developer project
proposed to chock the I-95 B&O Grand Arc Corridor
at http://www.usa.com/frs/805-809-channing-pl-property.html

Read more about Grand Arc: http://wwwtripwithinthebeltway.blogspot.com/2015/01/grand-arc.html

B&O railroad shown at lower left

this turkey is a demolition special!

https://www.google.com/maps/place/809+Channing+Pl+NE,+Washington,+DC+20018/@38.9224752,-76.9938541,3a,52.5y,332.64h,89.36t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sNIZ2BbMO1zISPK58M9utMQ!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x89b7c7f61bea320b:0xf102296a55ff9a40!6m1!1e1

http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/douglas_proposes_295_units_in_two_buildings_near_rhode_island_metro/9296

Douglas Development is planning two six-story residential buildings near the Rhode Island Avenue Metro with a combined 295 units, according to a presentation made to ANC 5B this week.

The project at 805-809 Channing Place NE (map) includes a modern build-out of an existing industrial building as well as new construction. The existing building will become a six-story, 156-unit residence with six parking spaces; the new building will have 139 units and 60 parking spots. [NOTE only 66 automobile parking spots for 295 dwelling units!] Neither project includes retail. The two projects would be connected by a pedestrian walkway topped by a pool and have large shared amenity spaces, including what’s labeled in the plans as a yoga studio, a juice bar and a fitness area. Eric Colbert & Associates, GTM Architects and Parker Rodriguez worked on various aspects of the project design.

Incoming ANC commissioner Joe Barrios indicated the project is a matter-of-right development that is likely to move forward without further approvals, and suggested it may be completed by early 2016.

“I am thrilled that blighted industrial land is being converted to much better use within short walking distance of the Rhode Island Avenue metro stop,” Barrios said. “This in turn will help fuel the revitalization of the Rhode Island Avenue corridor that many people in our community have been working on.”

Joe Barrio seems ignorant of this corridor's significance.

We have plenty of dwellings.

But no radial highways within northern Washington, D.C.

And no northern linear park-lands in NE, as with Glover Archbold and Rock Creek Parks, with the nearest thing to such the McMillan Park Water Filtration Vaults likewise being threatened with needless development supported by the astro-turf "smart growth" lobbyists and the assorted new urbanist suck-ups.

Don't build I-95 quite like they were going to do during the 1960s along the railroad uncovered.

Rather build I-95 as part of a holistic project addresses the parallel railroad as well, and even re-surface the long buried Tiber Creek, somewhat akin to Madrid's M-30 project.

And STOP proposing the construction of new development projects placed too close to this railroad corridor.

Why can't the federal government take some initiative and treat Washington DC as the Nation's Capital, rather than some local medievalist fiefdom?

This Douglas Development project -- if built -- cries out for eminent domain tear me down!

Its yet another example of 'new urbanist'/new medievalist sell out to needless real estate developer profiteering.