Section 10-A1811. FSS-2.1 HISTORIC ANACOSTIA

 

1811.1Since the 1980s, much of the planning activity east of the Anacostia River has focused on Historic Anacostia. The area always has had symbolic importance, as it is the oldest area of continuous settlement east of the river and the gateway to the East of the River neighborhoods. Its narrow streets, woodframe row houses, well-defined business district, and hilly terrain create the ambiance of a small historic mill town-yet is literally minutes away from the US Capitol. The extension of the Metrorail Green Line in the early 1990s made the area more accessible and has created opportunities for revival. 1811.1

 

1811.2Revitalization has been slow, but the area is on the cusp on positive change. The business district was designated as a DC Main Street in 2002, and commercial façade and streetscape improvements have been completed. The abandoned Nichols School has been beautifully refurbished and reopened as Thurgood Marshall Academy. A new streetcar line is planned, and a new government center will soon break ground at the foot of the 11th and 12th Street bridges. Future development at Poplar Point and St. Elizabeths should also help Anacostia rebound. 1811.2

 

1811.3An Anacostia Transit Area Strategic Investment and Development Plan was prepared in 2004 and 2005 to provide guidance on several key sites along the Martin Luther King Jr Avenue corridor from the 4-acre Metro station site on the south to the “gateway” at Good Hope Road on the north. The Plan proposes mixed use (residential and commercial) development on vacant sites, restoration of historic buildings, better ground floor retail, a return to two-way traffic on MLK Jr Avenue, and improved connections to parks and adjacent neighborhoods. Three distinct centers of activity are identified- these are summarized in Policy FSS-2.1.2 below. 1811.3

 

1811.4Policy FSS-2.1.1: Historic Anacostia Revitalization

 

Encourage the continued revitalization of Historic Anacostia as a safe, walkable, and attractive neighborhood, with restored historic buildings and compatible, well-designed mixed use projects. New development should serve a variety of income groups and household types and should restore needed retail services to the community. 1811.4

 

1811.5  Policy FSS-2.1.2: Activity Concentrations

Concentrate development activity in Historic Anacostia at the following locations:

 

(a) The Metro station, including the station site and the adjacent Bethlehem Baptist Church site, which should be developed with a mix of single and multi-family homes with ground floor retail. Strongly encourage WMATA to make its land available for joint development.

 

(b) The W Street/Martin Luther King Jr Avenue area, where diverse new housing opportunities and ground floor retail should be encouraged on parking lots and underutilized sites.

 

(c)  The Gateway area (at Good Hope Road), where a government center is planned, and additional opportunities exist for residences, shops, offices, and arts uses. “Densities and intensities should be compatible with the area’s historic character and should generally be in the medium range, with high density on the Metro station site and in its immediate vicinity.  Any increase in zoning or density around the Metro station shall only be available through a planned unit development with the expectation that commensurate benefits shall accrue to the neighborhood in terms of education and job opportunities, new and affordable housing for homeownership, improved urban design, and public infrastructure improvements.  The planned unit development shall provide civic and cultural amenities, promote quality in design of buildings and public spaces, support local schools, create opportunities for cultural events and public art, and enhance the public realm by addressing safety and cleanliness issues.”

 

1811.6Policy FSS-2.1.3: Pedestrian Connectivity

 

Improve connections between the Anacostia Metro station, Poplar Point, Anacostia Park, Cedar Hill, the Good Hope Road area, and Hillsdale/Fort Stanton, especially for pedestrians and transit users. 1811.6

 

1811.7Policy FSS-2.1.4: Historic Preservation

 

Encourage continued historic preservation efforts in Anacostia, including the restoration of commercial facades along Martin Luther King Jr Avenue and Good Hope Road and the rehabilitation of older and historic residential and commercial buildings. 1811.7

 

1811.8Action FSS-2.1.A: Government Center

 

Complete the Anacostia Gateway Government Center, which will include the headquarters for the District Department of Transportation, by 2008. Ensure that streetscape and landscape improvements take place concurrently. 1811.8

 

1811.9Action FSS-2.1.B: Transportation and Public Realm Improvements

 

Implement the transportation improvements identified in the Anacostia Strategic Development and Investment Plan, including the Anacostia streetcar, pedestrian safety improvements, new landscaping and street trees, improved signage, redesign of the Metrobus Plaza, and development of new off-street parking facilities. In addition, Martin Luther King Jr Avenue SE should be restored as a two-way street to improve retail accessibility. 1811.9

 

1811.10Action FSS-2.1.C: Public Facility Improvements

 

Restore cultural and public facilities throughout Historic Anacostia, including Savoy and Burney Schools, the Anacostia Public Library, and the historic Carver Theater. 1811.10

 

1811.11Action FSS-2.1.D: 1900 Block of Martin Luther King Jr Avenue

 

Ensure that future development on this block includes rehabilitation plans for the existing structures in order to preserve their historic character. 1811.11

 

See the Anacostia Transit Station Strategic Investment and Development Plan for additional detail.

 

authority

Pursuant to the District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; D.C. Official Code § 1-306.01 et seq.), the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital: District Elements of 2006, effective March 8, 2007 (10 DCMR A300 through A2520) (“Comprehensive Plan”).

source

Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2006, effective March 8, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-300) published at 54 DCR 924 (February 2, 2007); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2010, effective April 8, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-361) published at 58 DCR 908, 927 (February 4, 2011).

notation

The provisions of Title 10, Part A of the DCMR accessible through this web interface are codification of the District Elements of the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital. As such, they do not represent the organic provisions adopted by the Council of the District of Columbia. The official version of the District Elements only appears as a hard copy volume of Title 10, Part A published pursuant to section 9a of the District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1994, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; D.C. Official Code § 1 -301.66)) . In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions accessible through this site and the provisions contained in the published version of Title 10, Part A, the provisions contained in the published version govern. A copy of the published District Elements is available www.planning.dc.gov.