DC Court Gives Eastbanc's West End Project Go-Ahead

• August 8th 2013

by UrbanTurf Staff

A DC court has ruled that Eastbanc’s plan to redevelop the fire station and library along the 2300 block of L Street NW in the city’s West End can move forward.

The Washington Business Journal’s Michael Neibauer reported the decision on Thursday:

The D.C. Court of Appeals has rejected the D.C. Library Renaissance Project’s bid to overturn the previously approved West End planned-unit development. The Renaissance Project made three arguments: That the Zoning Commission wrongly waived inclusionary zoning requirements, that it undervalued the land, and, more generally, approved a project inconsistent with the District’s Comprehensive Plan.[The judges] agreed with the Renaissance Project on its right to bring the suit, but rejected every one of its arguments.

The Renaissance Project was formed by one-time presidential candidate Ralph Nader. It sought to stop the development on the grounds that it violated affordable housing guidelines.

UrbanTurf reported back in 2011 when New York and Mexico-based TEN Arquitectos and Eastbanc unveiled the initial designs for this project. Above is a rendering for the new library and the 172-unit condo project that will fill the 2300 block of L Street NW. Below is an early rendering for Square 50 at 23rd and M Street that will include a new firehouse and 52 affordable rental units (reserved for those making 60% of area-median income). The project will move forward with these same parameters.

Eastbanc was originally chosen to redevelop the sites in 2010. Depending on when ground is broken on the project, construction is expected to take about 27 months.

Renderings courtesy of Eastbanc and TEN Arquitectos.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/dc_court_gives_eastbancs_west_end_project_go-ahead/7434.