111-Unit Residential Project at Meridian International Center Seeks Zoning Approval

• December 15th 2017

by Nena Perry-Brown

After more than two years of planning and striving to achieve a design and massing more compatible with the Meridian Hill Historic District, the Meridian International Center (MIC) was granted concept approval from the Historic Preservation Review Board this June for a new building on their site.

Now, MIC is moving forward to seek the necessary zoning approval to construct a 111-apartment building with 9,266 square feet of office and meeting space for MIC on the eastern portion of their property at 2300 16th Street NW (map). The new building would replace a surface parking lot and would include 47 parking spaces for the Center and 72 spaces for the residents on two below-grade levels.

The project is by-right when considering the development envelope allowed by the RA-4-zoned portion of the site along 16th Street; however, the site is partially zoned RA-2 and will therefore need a special exception to allow the RA-4 massing to extend 35 feet west of that zone’s boundaries. The building would read as eight stories from 16th Street, with a set-back eighth floor and a habitable penthouse, and would read as five stories with a habitable penthouse along Crescent Place, roughly aligned with the White-Meyer House.

Additionally, the center’s operation as a private school for adults was contingent on prior approval from the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA), requiring additional zoning approval to alter that plan. The existing retaining wall around the Center would be replaced by a series of shorter stepped retaining walls and berms.

Westbrook Partners also on the development team; the project is designed by Perkins Eastman. A BZA hearing has not yet been scheduled.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/meridian_international_center_seeking_zoning_approval_for_111-unit_building/13377.