Fewer Units, More Quality of Life? The New Plans for DC's Cotton Annex Conversion

• January 3rd 2022

by Nena Perry-Brown

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A year after a zoning application was filed to convert the Cotton Annex in Southwest DC into a residential development, the developer is looking to make some tweaks.

Douglas Development has applied for a modification to last spring's zoning approval in order to adapt and construct an addition to the historic building at 300 12th Street SW (map), seeking to deliver 564 residential units rather than 610 units. According to the application, the reduction in units would ensure that units do not have an awkward configuration.

"The Applicant realized that to attain the current minimum unit count, many of the units would be low on the “quality of life scale” and undesirable. Due to the issues of protecting the historic building and joining it to the new addition and the resulting numerous corners, many of the units would be small, oddly configured, and have limited windows. By decreasing the overall unit count, the Applicant will be able to achieve larger, regularly-configured, and better lit units that will be more desirable and better for residents."

The resulting 12-story development will still include roughly 37,000 square feet of Inclusionary Zoning units, 1,552 square feet of ground-floor retail/restaurant space, and 110 parking spaces. BKV Group is the architect.

The Cotton Annex was built in 1936 and was home to the Department of Agriculture until 2007; it has been vacant since. The Zoning Commission is expected to consider the application next week.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/fewer-units-more-quality-of-life-the-new-plans-for-dcs-cotton-annex-convers/19095.