A Few Design Changes For The Wharf's Second Act

• November 27th 2017

by Nena Perry-Brown

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Following a Zoning Commission (ZC) hearing earlier this month, the development team behind the second phase of The Wharf has submitted a few design revisions as well as responses to various concerns raised by neighbors and approval bodies.

Design-wise, the massing of the Morris Adjmi Architects-designed office and retail building planned for Parcel 10 has been modified on the 3rd and 4th floors, with the corner of the building lopped off to provide more separation from it and the newly-delivered condo building at 525 Water.

In response to the Office of Planning’s concerns about shade for the steps on the M Street Landing, five trees have been added to the site plan for this open space and a planted wall has been added to the top of the steps. There is also now a conceptual rendering for a rooftop restaurant and bar atop the ODA-designed apartment-and-hotel building planned on Parcel 8; no operator for the hotel or rooftop space has yet been identified.

While no specific signage has been shown, the development team did offer some guidelines, including the commitment to not incorporate digital signage or signage with flickering or moving lights. The developers also clarified that while the terrace atop Water Building 2 is intended to be completely open year-round, a future tenant may opt to utilize sun- and/or windscreens as needed.

In response to DC for Reasonable Development’s assertions that The Wharf will lead to displacement of nearby residents, the developers cited the net gain in multifamily residences that the project will provide, including market rate units, workforce housing capped for households earning 100 and 120 percent of median family income (MFI), and affordable housing for households earning 30, 50, 60 and 80 percent of MFI.

At 16.2 percent of the total residential units, the affordable housing in the development exceeds the typical minimum required by inclusionary zoning. The developers are also presenting two options of subsidy and amenity packages that will benefit existing slipholders on the marina, furthering the commitment not to displace those slipholders during construction and to ensure rents remain affordable.

The second phase of The Wharf is currently under review for second-stage planned-unit development (PUD) approval and approval of a modification of consequence by zoning officials and will join the recently-delivered restaurants, residences, retail and amenities along the southwest waterfront. The PUD would deliver two SHoP Architects-designed office buildings with ground-floor retail on Parcels 6 and 7; 235 rental apartments and 116 hotel rooms atop 26,000 square feet of retail on Parcel 8; 82 condos over 16,000 square feet of retail in a building designed by Rafael Vinoly Architects on Parcel 9; the office-and-retail building on Parcel 10; three buildings containing maritime, retail and dining services along the pier; and open spaces including the M Street Landing, the Grove, and the completed Marina.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/a_new_look_for_parcel_10_in_the_wharfs_second_phase/13290.