Even With One Space Per Unit, A DC Development Draws Concerns About Parking

• July 7, 2015
• 1 Comment

by Tianna Mañón

This alley is part of a larger battle to protect parking in Eckington. Google Maps.

A proposal to build a 25-unit residential development in Eckington was met with criticism on Monday night. As usual, the issue was parking.

Brian Brown of NextGen Development and Meredith Moldenhauer of Griffin, Murphy, Moldenhauer and Wiggins, LLP presented at the monthly Eckington Civic Association meeting on Monday to get community feedback before filing a planned unit development for a building with 25 units that will be located between R Street NE and the Emery School (map).

The building is designed to look like multiple towhouses and the average unit size will be 900 square feet. The new development will also feature a roof deck and many of the units will have balconies, which some area residents worried could intrude on their privacy.

However, residents expressed the most concern about the parking plan for the project, even though the developer will provide one parking space for every residential unit.

Currently, an underground lot with 25 spaces is proposed for the building. However, some residents said that this may not be enough to keep newcomers from parking on the street. Another concern was that the building’s residents may have visitors or social events that could strain the parking in the community.

“I know parking is a serious issue and that’s our main focus right now,” Brian Brown, a LeDroit Park resident, said during the meeting.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/parking_a_hurdle_for_25_units_proposed_in_eckington/10088

1 Comment

1. Eckington resident said at 2:36 pm on Wednesday July 8, 2015:
   Parking was certainly a major objection, but there were other issues with this PUD that were briefly addressed. The alley lots are currently only zoned for artist workspace or storage. The proposed development would incorporate a rowhouse on 1st St NE into the project to provide street access (so that the project will be eligible for consideration). Vehicle access would only be from the alley. A portion of a city-owned alley would need to be incorporated into the project. My questions: Does the zoning commission have the authority to approve residential construction on alley lots (without gerrymandering in a tract to provide street access)? What is appropriate development of alley lots in residential (R4 in this case) neighborhoods?