Posts about Barracks Row

Many children played with bunnies, goats, and other animals at the petting zoo; other kids took to the rowing machines provided by the Anacostia Community Boathouse Association. DC Rollergirls skated through the crowds, trying to wrangle up some arm wrestling challengers. Art representing multiple disciplines was on display, including metal working, photography, sketches, paintings, and sculptures.

There were a few standout moments: Signing my life away to the Marines when completing the pull-up challenge; gulping a Yeungling Oktoberfest from The Ugly Mug; and pigging out on a slider, mini hotdog, salad, and cookie plate from Matchbox.

All together, it was a fun way to spend the afternoon.

The task force report wrote that not long ago Barracks Rows was "often avoided in the evening." Since then the neighborhood adjacent 8th Street SE has seen home prices surge and crime fall as businesses began to invest in retail space. Even as Barracks Row filled up with attractive eateries and swanky bars, the ANC's attitude toward new dining establishments is surprisingly standoffish.

Just a month or so after the Retail Mix Task Force issued its findings, I found myself in attendance at the season two finale of The Sunday Circus at the Fridge Gallery, a two-hour long performance featuring over half a dozen performance artists from the DC area and beyond.

Tucked away into a rear alley connecting Barracks Row to 9th Street SE, The Fridge is a showcase for art with a multipurpose twist. With classes offered weekly, an on-going schedule of performances, and plenty of wall space devoted to aspiring and well-known artists alike, the gallery is both a rich and productive venue.

This establishment is thriving, and no matter what the ANC might suspect, it is not thriving in spite of taverns and cafes, but because of them. Smart bar and restaurant owners value a diversified commercial terrain that attracts new customers.

Restaurateurs brought more life to Barracks Row and are more than willing to put their money where their real estate is. After all, educational events, gallery openings, and shows all draw hungry crowds.

If you don't believe me, head over to the Fridge for a Sunday afternoon art class. You'll see the list of sponsors that reads like a Barracks Row restaurant guide. Local restaurateurs are invested and investing in the Row's success.

For the zoning rewrite, OP recommended counting from the ground, not a bridge. But applying that rule for the railyards means that a significant amount of the otherwise allowable building envelope will be taken up by the yards, making it much less financially feasible to build the platform.

Also, with only low building heights, there will be a strong incentive to create boxy buildings that fill up as much of the envelope as possible, whereas with 130 feet of height, it'll be possible to build more aesthetically pleasing buildings. And the site is limited to 6.5 FAR, meaning 130-foot boxes would simply not be allowed.

If approved by the Zoning Commission, this height won't come without strings. Akridge, the developer for the project, will have to submit all buildings to design review including two phases of community review, approval by the Zoning Commission, and approval by the Historic Preservation Review Board. In other words, they won't have the right to build just any buildings, but have to build nice buildings.

Meanwhile, residents and businesses are proposing increasing building heights around 8th Street between the Southeast Freeway and the Navy Yard to 65 and 85 feet, which is still not very high.

As Lydia DePillis explains, that area was limited to 45 feet in 1999 to preserve historic buildings, but it's ultimately led to both historic and nonhistoric buildings sitting moribund. Instead, the proposal would increase the height but also require structures over 45 feet to go through design review with community involvement, preservation of historic structures, and a quality plan.

Potential massing for Lower Barracks Row under 45, 65, and 85 foot limits.
Image via Washington City Paper.

Both proposals follow the principles from Larry Beasley's speech on the height limit to avoid the mistakes of the NoMA upzoning. Simply allowing extra height just gives property owners a one-time windfall that ironically can tie the hands of the ultimate developers. But granting added height subject to some restrictions ensures that public priorities become part of the project allows more housing and office opportunities while sharing the economic gain between the property owners, developers, and the public.

The Zoning Commission hearing is Thursday, 6:30 pm at 441 4th St NW (One Judiciary Square), room 220-South. If you wish to submit comments, you can also send them by fax or email as a signed and scanned PDF to zcsubmissions@dc.gov.