Big GDS news

[Anonymous]

8 stories is at best a mid-rise, hardly a sky scraper. And the difference between 6 stories and 8 stories is barely a blip on the radar.

Hyperbole is more fun though.

[Anonymous]

So no straight answer of how the Comprehensive Plan was written and why these lots were zoned the way they were?

This isn't rhetorical, I really can't find any information on this.

[Anonymous]

They're zoned that way because it's the most appropriate use of land. Sorry we can't zone a CVS onto every block, buddy.

[Anonymous]

Marion Barry cut a deal with the upper-caucasia in the mid-1980's to gain their vote in his first re-election bid. That is the short story as to why Wisconsin Avenue is underzoned, given it is a major street with high metro access.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Marion Barry cut a deal with the upper-caucasia in the mid-1980's to gain their vote in his first re-election bid. That is the short story as to why Wisconsin Avenue is underzoned, given it is a major street with high metro access.

Not true. Under Marion Barry Tenleytown got the white elephant that is 4000 Wisconsin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They're zoned that way because it's the most appropriate use of land. Sorry we can't zone a CVS onto every block, buddy.

You mean we might have to walk 7 minutes to the CVS? What a bummer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:8 stories is at best a mid-rise, hardly a sky scraper. And the difference between 6 stories and 8 stories is barely a blip on the radar.

Hyperbole is more fun though.

It's a 33% increase in density over zoning, which is why it requires a PUD. That's a big deal. And guess what? If the higher building height is approved in a special process, then the next time a developer comes in and wants to bust zoning, he points to the extra height PUD as the neighborhood baseline. The difficulty for Big Development and their front organizations and partners is that people aren't as stupid as they would like to think.

[Anonymous]

Here is some background:

Is true. Try using the Google machine.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1986/09/23/panel-halts-large-projects-near-tenley-circle-in-dc/3f94695a-f397-4cc9-980d-963b2321c01d/

or

Look up The Politics of Downtown Development: Dynamic Political Cultures... Part 3 By Stephen J. McGovern

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It's a 33% increase in density over zoning, which is why it requires a PUD. That's a big deal. And guess what? If the higher building height is approved in a special process, then the next time a developer comes in and wants to bust zoning, he points to the extra height PUD as the neighborhood baseline. The difficulty for Big Development and their front organizations and partners is that people aren't as stupid as they would like to think.

No, the difference is that some people see doom and gloom around 8 stories but not 6. Some people see the revenue benefits to the city with those extra income taxes that can help pay for pay raises to first responders or teachers. Some people see more patronage of local retail with those extra residents, creating more jobs and opportunities.

Others simply want to exclude anyone else from enjoying what they already have.

[Anonymous]

So the zoning is based around racially motivated 80s politicking - when the city was declining - to preserve patterns developed before Metro was even dreamed up? And this Joel Odum guy wanted it to be even less dense?

This is ridiculous. Tenleytown doesn't need to be Noma, but this Odum guy's justifications are completely tautological.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:8 stories is at best a mid-rise, hardly a sky scraper. And the difference between 6 stories and 8 stories is barely a blip on the radar.

Hyperbole is more fun though.

It's a 33% increase in density over zoning, which is why it requires a PUD. That's a big deal. And guess what? If the higher building height is approved in a special process, then the next time a developer comes in and wants to bust zoning, he points to the extra height PUD as the neighborhood baseline. The difficulty for Big Development and their front organizations and partners is that people aren't as stupid as they would like to think.

But GDS has explicitly said that the only reason they can get the building taller is by using air rights from the school property... How are other developers going to lean on that?

[Anonymous]

The metro system was conjured in the 1950's and the first stations opened in 1976. The upper NW Red Line stations opened in the 1980s, so no this didn't happen in the timeline you suggest.

[Anonymous]

There Ward 3 Vision's stooges go again, trying to make this racially motivated.

Face it, where Barry was operating they were glad to have development. And let them, plenty of neighborhoods in this city still could use some Genericlarendonization to clean them up. That's not necessary in established neighborhoods. People moved here understanding what the zoning was and changing it is effectively a breach of contract.

[Anonymous]

So would a 6-story as of right building not attract a CVS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There Ward 3 Vision's stooges go again, trying to make this racially motivated.

Face it, where Barry was operating they were glad to have development. And let them, plenty of neighborhoods in this city still could use some Genericlarendonization to clean them up. That's not necessary in established neighborhoods. People moved here understanding what the zoning was and changing it is effectively a breach of contract.

Did you read the articles? Talk to Tom Sherwood. Read the book that he and Jaffe wrote. Anyone who has lived here a while knows the stories.