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O Street Market decision unpopular in Shaw
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Community leaders and Shaw residents are furious with a D.C. Zoning Commission decision this week to send a long-awaited $250 million project back to the drawing board.
Groundbreaking for the CityMarket at O Street, a project of D.C.-based Roadside Development two blocks north of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, is slated for next year. But Roadside officials now say the project, designed to include three 110-foot residential towers and a 65,000-square-foot Giant supermarket, could be delayed following the commission's directive that the developer draw down the height of its buildings.
"If there's any other neighborhood that needs some spark and revitalization it is 7th and O [streets Northwest], so we were stunned," Susan Linsky with Roadside said of the commission's Monday decision. "This project really reflects the community's desires"
The developer is "regrouping" and hasn't decided its next step, Linsky said, though the project is back on the commission's agenda Dec. 10.
The O Street Market is widely viewed by the community as a catalyst for much-needed revitalization. Ward 2 D.C. Council Member Jack Evans issued a statement expressing outrage Wednesday, saying "Our patience is running out."
"Given the problems we've had for years at the corner of 7th and O Streets, NW: gang activity, crime and drug dealing, it would seem obvious this project must move forward," Evans said. "No more delays, no more excuses; I am calling upon the Zoning Commission to reconsider their decision and approve this project as proposed."
Alex Padro, a Shaw advisory neighborhood commissioner, said the project is one that the community has worked on for six years. In addition to the Giant, the development is slated to include 600 units of rental and condominium housing - 13 percent affordable - 700 underground parking spaces and a hotel.
"Everybody supports this project except the Zoning Commission," Padro said.
The high rises are unusual but not unprecedented in the area around 7th and O streets, Linsky said, and the market proposal meets the conditions of the city's Comprehensive Plan.
Comments from Examiner Readers
10:18 AM MST on Mon., Nov. 26, 2007 re: "O Street Market decision unpopular in Shaw"
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1:32 PM MST on Fri., Nov. 23, 2007
re: "O Street Market decision unpopular in Shaw"
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10:30 AM MST on Fri., Nov. 23, 2007
re: "O Street Market decision unpopular in Shaw"
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John said:
IMGoph pointed out that there is a building of equal height across the street from 7th and O. S/he should have pointed out that a second building of equal height is catecorner. So there are TWO buildings adjacent to 7th and O of equal height. And the Convention Center (no small structure) is a mere block away!
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IMGoph said:
the ridiculous thing is that there is a building of equal height RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET on the southwest corner of 7th and O. it would be wonderful if the paper would have a graphic showing this, demonstrating that the zoning commission people are worse than pedantic....they're petty fools. it would be nice if they actually cared about the people who live and die in the neighborhood (obviously, they don't).
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Examiner Reader said:
Building height (especially at a miserable 110 feet) is more important than neighborhood redevelopment and resident quality of life? Is the zoning commission really so pedantic that they will derail this important project over some bureaucratic nuance? What am I saying? Of course they are.
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