Shakespeare Theatre Files PUD For 136-Unit Mixed-Use Project in Southwest

• February 8, 2016

by UrbanTurf Staff

Aerial rendering for Bard development.

The development team behind the contentious mixed-use project planned for the DC site of Southeastern University has filed its planned-unit development with the city.

The Bard is a joint development between the Erkiletian Development Company and The Shakespeare Theatre Company with Shalom Baranes as the architect. As planned, it will be a seven-story mixed-use project consisting of market-rate and artist residential units, artist studios, and office and educational space for the theatre company. The space for the Shakespeare Theatre Company would essentially consolidate the company’s operations in DC, and will include the costume studio, four rehearsal spaces, two classrooms and additional storage below grade, in addition to office space.

The residences would be broken down as follows: 93 market-rate and nine inclusionary-zoning units, 29 actor units, and five fellow housing units. In addition to seventy below-grade parking spaces, there will be approximately 75 long-term and 10 short-term bicycle
parking spaces on-site.

The development site is located at 501 I Street SW (map), the former home to Southeastern University, which was razed last year.

In response to community concerns, the developers reduced the height of the planned development and the number of units from what was in the original proposal, but there continues to be opposition from neighbors. A website has been created to outline their concerns, and the group has been vocal about their opposition at public meetings about the development.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/shakespeare_theatre_files_pud_for_136-unit_mixed-use_project/10847