Zoning Amendment Filed for Rhode Island Avenue Firehouse Could Pave Way for Mixed-Use Development

• January 5th 2021

by Nena Perry-Brown

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Months after a map amendment application was filed for a series of properties in the 500 and 600 blocks of Rhode Island Avenue as preparation for a mixed-use development, DC is seeking to rezone its own adjacent site. 

The Office of Planning (OP) has filed a map amendment application to rezone the Engine Company Number 12 fire station at 501-513 Rhode Island Avenue NE (map) from PDR-2 (for "production, distribution and repair" uses) to MU-10 (for medium- to high-density mixed-use).

"The District could consider a private-public partnership for a mixed use redevelopment of Engine 12 as they have recently done with Engines 1 and 13," the application states.

Jair Lynch Development Partners applied for the same rezoning last fall at 519-649 Rhode Island Avenue NE in hopes to move forward with a series of mixed-use developments that will likely include at least 150 residential units. Per the Office of Planning application and its report on the Jair Lynch rezoning application, both the Rhode Island Avenue Small Area Plan (SAP) and the Future Land Use Map identify this area as ripe for mixed-use development.

The 2011 SAP goes on to contemplate a redevelopment for the entire block of adjoining parcels with "at least 300 mixed income housing units (including townhouses facing 5th Street NE), 16,000 SF of retail fronting onto Rhode Island Avenue, 135,000 SF of new office and minimal parking to encourage use of transit." If the firehouse site is redeveloped with housing, 30% of those units would have to be Inclusionary Zoning.

The Zoning Commission is not yet scheduled to consider either map amendment application.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/zoning-amendment-filed-for-rhode-island-avenue/17708.