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D.C. Municipal Regulations (Last Updated: September 13, 2017) |
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Title 10. PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT |
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SubTilte 10-A. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN |
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Chapter 10-A9. URBAN DESIGN |
Section 10-A909. UD-2.1 PLACE-MAKING IN CENTRAL WASHINGTON
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909.1Some of the very qualities that make Central Washington’s design so memorable also create its greatest challenges. Distances are unusually long, walking is difficult in many places, and there is a lack of connectivity between the sub-districts of the central city. It is nearly four miles from the West End to the Navy Yard-arguably both are parts of the central business district-yet the two feel like entirely different cities. The District’s height limit, while lauded for its human scale, has also resulted in long rows of featureless office buildings with little architectural interest. Moreover, Downtown is not particularly well integrated with the National Mall. To some extent, the Mall divides-rather than unites-the central city, and adds to the perception of a city with multiple downtowns bearing little connection to one another. 909.1
909.2While the goal of creating a more coherent central business district has been in place for awhile, the current rapid pace of development means that the District must take a more proactive role. A stronger urban design framework is needed to attain the goal of a more cohesive and well-designed central city. 909.2
Sunken retail space is common in the District, as it allows for additional square footage in buildings that are otherwise limited in size by the Height Act.
909.3This framework should establish a stronger identity for the emerging business districts on the northeast and southeast edges of Downtown. It should improve streets and public spaces, promote a higher level of architectural quality, and establish appropriate scale and density transitions to protect small-scale residential neighborhoods on the edges of Downtown. It should include strategies to deal with specific site challenges, such as the isolation of the Kennedy Center from surrounding land uses, the poor pedestrian environment at L’Enfant Plaza, and the presence of industrial uses on New Jersey Avenue, SE and Delaware Avenue just blocks from the US Capitol. 909.3
909.4Design decisions for Central Washington should also address the peculiar architectural dynamics created by the 1910 Height Act. Currently, the desire to maximize buildable floor area while adhering to height limits often results in buildings with very little sculptural form. The most innovative and distinctive buildings tend to be public places-museums, libraries, and other structures where maximizing rentable space is not the primary objective. This is consistent with the city’s architectural heritage in some respects, but there are still opportunities to improve the design of office, residential, and retail buildings in the central city. 909.4
909.5While the height limit clearly affects building form, it also affects street life in unexpected ways. It results in ground floors that are sunken below grade by as much as several feet to maximize the number of stories that can be accommodated in each building. This in turn creates challenges for street-level retailers, and impacts the experience of walking or shopping downtown. Other challenges include the appearance of vents, mechanical equipment, and other essential rooftop elements that exceed the maximum building height. The design of these elements takes on special importance given their high visibility on an otherwise “flat” downtown skyline. 909.5
909.6As the Historic Preservation Element notes, the presence of numerous historic buildings, historic districts, and important vistas also affects design. Attempts to create false facades mimicking historic styles, or to preserve facades and tear down the buildings behind them, have produced mixed results. As the existing stock of aging office buildings is replaced, greater attention must be given to design quality, street character, and landscape. 909.6
909.7Policy UD-2.1.1: Design Character
Create a more coherent design character for Central Washington by improving the physical linkages between the monumental core, the business sub-districts on the perimeter of the National Mall, and the expanding mixed use areas to the east and southeast of Downtown. Urban design strategies should focus on making the entire area more walkable, discouraging monolithic architecture, improving signage and streetscape features, and adding new land uses which make the area more lively, interesting, and dynamic.
909.8Policy UD-2.1.2: Downtown Street and Block Pattern
Maintain a fine-grained pattern of Downtown blocks, streets, and alleys, with intersections and frontages that encourage pedestrian movement and reduce the potential for immense variations in scale and “fortresslike” office buildings. (see Figure 9.8) 909.8
909.9Figure 9.8: Superblock versus Fine-Grained Street and Development Patterns
909.10Policy UD-2.1.3: Downtown Edges
Establish and maintain scale and density transitions between Downtown and adjacent lower density neighborhoods. Use variations in height, massing, and architectural quality to ensure that the fine-grained pattern of adjacent neighborhoods is protected. (see Figure 9.9) 909.10
909.11Figure 9.9: Desired Scale Transitions at Downtown Edges to Residential Areas
909.12Policy UD-2.1.4: Architectural Excellence
Promote excellence in the design of Downtown buildings and landscapes. Particular attention should be focused on ground floor (street) levels, with greater architectural details used to improve visual image. 909.12
909.13Policy UD-2.1.5: Federal Coordination
Coordinate with the federal government to achieve a consistent urban design vision for Central Washington. As applicable, the District should incorporate design concepts from the National Capital Planning Commission’s Legacy Plan and similar design-oriented plans for the monumental core of the city into its own design plans and strategies. 909.13
909.14Policy UD-2.1.6: Pedestrian Bridges and Tunnels
Discourage the construction of second-level Downtown pedestrian bridges that drain activity from the street level. Subterranean tunnels between buildings also should be discouraged, unless they improve access to Metro and are necessary for pedestrian safety. 909.14
909.15Action UD-2.1.A: Retail Ceiling Heights
Convene a Task Force of retailers, developers, architects, and others to evaluate alternative approaches to achieving higher first-floor ceiling heights in new Downtown buildings. 909.15
Development along Chinatown’s 7th Street shows how contemporary designs can be integrated into historic settings.
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