Changes at Sursum Corda Redevelopment Will Put More Eyes on the Street

• May 28th 2019

by Nena Perry-Brown

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Earlier this year, the development team creating a new mixed-income community at the site of the Sursum Corda Cooperative unveiled a different look for the proposed project. Now, revised plans would put more eyes on the street.

Toll Brothers has updated a zoning application to incorporate flat-style units along L Street rather than using the space for amenities. As currently proposed, the planned-unit development (PUD) for the 6.7-acre site bounded by First and North Capitol Streets and L and M Streets NW (map) would deliver 1,131 housing units and 19,100 square feet of retail across four buildings in two phases.

The first phase would be on the South Parcel of the site and would also create 300 below-grade parking spaces. The flat-style units would be on the lower floors of the Southeast building, which would deliver roughly 339 units across 8-10 stories. The walk-up units are intended to make L Street feel more pedestrian-oriented.

The Southwest building would deliver 214 units across nine stories while transforming the North parcel, fronting M Street, into a public park. During the second phase, the park will be replaced with the 5-10 story Northwest building, delivering an additional 283 units, and the 6-10 story Northeast building, delivering 295 units.

136 of the apartments delivering in the first phase will be studios to four-bedrooms for returning Sursum Corda households. The amended application also requests than any unclaimed affordable units for returning Sursum Corda households be either converted into market rate units and replaced in the second phase, or serve as an affordable unit open to any income-qualifying household. There will be a total of 199 affordable units across the entire development.

In response to comments from the Office of Planning (OP), the development team shared that the amenities for the first phase would be wellness-based, including a pool, fitness center, bike storage and maintenance facilities, and communal rooms with kitchens. The team opted not to include the additional balconies requested by OP.

WDG Architecture is the master planner and design architect. The development was set down for a zoning hearing in February; a new hearing is scheduled for July.

The article has been updated to more accurately reflect WDG Architecture's role.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/walk-up-units-incorporated-in-plans-for-sursum-corda-redevelopment/15446.