6-Unit Condo Project Coming to Vacant Lot in Park View

• March 14, 2013

by Shilpi Paul

Photo courtesy of Google Maps.

On Wednesday night, the owners of 429 Newton Place NW (map), currently a vacant lot, stopped by the ANC 1A meeting to share their plans to construct three rowhouse-like buildings at the address.

Each building will be divided into two units, to be sold as condos, and there will be one parking space attached to each building. Currently, the block is full of near-identical brick rowhouses; the owner explained that the new buildings will look as similar as possible to the existing homes and will match the height and setback.

The owner is seeking a zoning variance to make the buildings slightly narrower than the current minimum, and came to the ANC meeting to seek support.

The ANC commissioners were largely in favor of the plans, and the width issue was not a problem. However, several neighbors spoke up in dissent, worried that the new project would exacerbate parking problems and create too much density.

A few commissioners defended the plans, reasoning that developers in other neighborhoods were creating new projects that look much more out of step the the surroundings.

While the ANC did ask the owners to consider increasing the number of parking spaces, it voted 11-1 to approve the plans.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/6-unit_condo_project_coming_to_vacant_lot_in_park_view/6790