1,100 Units, Retail and a Two Acre Park: The Latest Plans for Barry Farm

• September 6th 2019

by Nena Perry-Brown

With half of Barry Farm demolished and redevelopment temporarily on hold, barriers remain before work can commence on the 34-acre site in Southeast DC. In the meantime, the redevelopment team has a new overall plan for the project, and architects Grimm + Parker and Moseley Architects have some new designs for the site.

When the New Communities Initiative project initially received zoning approval, the development would have replaced the 444 public housing units between Firth Sterling Avenue and Sumner Road SE (map) with over 1,400 mixed-income residential units and 55,000 square feet of retail and commercial space around a central park. Following remand of the approval, the plans are to deliver roughly 1,100 mixed-income residential units, including 380 replacement units to a mixed-use project with a new community center, a two-acre park and 50,000 square feet of retail. 

The Historic Preservation Review Board is expected to rule later this month on whether to grant landmark status to the remaining units at Barry Farm. Earlier this week, development partner Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) gave a presentation to ANC 8C requesting the body submit a letter opposing the landmark application. POAH suggests that the development use public art, plaques, heritage trail markers and the like to commemorate the history of the site, noting a report from Historic Preservation Office staff recommending the landmark not be approved.

Members of the community seem divided on the merits of landmarking Barry Farm, with some advocating that the remaining structures be restored and and others who think that preserving the structures will slow or impede redevelopment of the site. The ANC ultimately voted in favor of sending a letter disapproving landmark status; POAH is expected to return to the ANC meeting next month.

The development team also includes the DC Housing Authority, EDG, Bowman Consulting, Bradley Site Design and A&R Development. Additional renderings are below.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/as-landmark-designation-remains-pending-here-are-the-latest-plans-for-barry/15842.