32-Unit Logan Circle Condo Project Receives Preliminary ANC Support

• March 26th 2014

by Lark Turner

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A 32-unit condo project on the boards for a site near the intersection of 14th Street and Rhode Island Avenue NW received support from the ANC 2F Community Development Committee (CDC) on Wednesday night. The committee backed the HPRB proposal for the project at 1427-1429 Rhode Island Avenue NW (map), contingent on the developers returning for final approval of the plan.

Developer Madison Investments presented the 90-foot-tall building’s design, which would include 8 parking spaces and 11 bike parking spaces, according to a proposal. Because it is in a historic district, the by-right project must go before the Historic Preservation Review Board for design approval. PGN Architects was the project architect.

The developer looked for approval of two different designs on Wednesday. One would fill the space between the new building and the adjacent building, the Zenith, with the Zenith’s permission; the other would leave that space open. The driveway currently serves as an entrance into surface parking spaces for Zenith residents. The developer would prefer to build out the facade and give Zenith residents access to their driveway while building out space on top of the driveway.

Doing so wouldn’t affect the condo count, said Madison Investments’ principal, Barry Madani, but instead give the building’s three-bedroom condominiums extra space and bathrooms. The building will consist of larger two- and three-bedroom condos, Madani said.

“We’re tuning the building more toward families and empty-nesters,” he told the ANC committee.

The project’s initial developer, Abdo, demolished two late-19th century buildings at the site in 2006 in preparation for developing the space. In 2011, Abdo was said to be working on a 70-unit project at the address, with (relatively) small studios and one-bedroom apartments.

But in 2012, Abdo dumped the project. One commissioner, Joel Heisey, blasted Abdo’s demolition of the lot’s original brownstone, but acknowledged that the demolition wasn’t Madison Investments’ problem. Heisey otherwise supported the proposal, but said the design was too conservative. Others thought it should be more modern.

“I’m glad they’re bigger units, and not all micros,” one commissioner said, specifically referencing hot-button parking issues in the neighborhood. “But I’d rather see the building go for it and be more modern.”

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/proposed_33-unit_building_for_logan_circle/8286.