Over
the next six months, the DC Office of Planning will be engaging Southwest
residents and stakeholders to create a community led plan to guide the changes
in the Southwest neighborhood for the next five to ten years. The Southwest
Neighborhood Plan will focus on four key elements – people, parks, connections,
and building. A Public Kickoff meeting related to the Southwest Neighborhood
Plan was held on September 11th at Arena Stage. The meeting was well attended
with people who live and/or work in Southwest. For the first hour or so, there was
an Open House with different stations that allowed residents to comment about
the benefits and challenges that exist in each of the four key elements of the
neighborhood plan. Afterwards, Planning Director Harriet Tregoning and Ward 6
Planning Coordinator Melissa Bird gave a presentation about the planning
process and entertained questions from the audience. During Tregoning’s
presentation, she mentioned that some of the values Southwest residents
expressed to her during the Open House portion of the meeting include
diversity, green space/tree canopy, and the library. Following the
presentation, the Open House resumed for another hour.
Some of the participants at the Open House. |
During
the planning process, the Office of Planning and their consultants will work
with the community to analyze several components to help inform their
recommendations for the Southwest neighborhood. First, they will assess the
development potential for multiple underutilized District-owned sites. A number
of underutilized District-owned properties are included in the study area,
including Randall Recreation Center, the northeast parcel of Waterfront
Station, First District headquarters, Lansburgh Park, the DMV inspection station, and the DCFD
Repair Shop/Engine Co. # 7, among others. The team will create an urban design
framework that promotes greater pedestrian access, improved neighborhood
connectivity and increased multimodal transportation choices. A coordinated
approach to public parks and public space improvements will be developed.
Meanwhile, neighborhood conservation potential will be assessed to reinforce
character in established residential areas. Finally, opportunities will be
identified to enhance sustainability at a neighborhood-level.
The
Southwest Neighborhood Plan study area extends from South Capitol Street to
Maine Avenue and from P Street to Interstate 395. Within the study
area, the portion from I Street to M Street is considered to be the
primary focus area – where most of the development opportunities are located,
as well as urban design issues. A portion of Greenleaf is also included in the primary study
area, but a separate study will be conducted for that site as a part of the HUD Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant
recently submitted by the DC Housing Authority. The remaining area is
considered to be the secondary study area, where neighborhood conservation, neighborhood
connectivity, and sustainability are the principal focus.
The
Office of Planning has created a project website and a second website called “Engage Southwest” where
community members can interact. Other ways to participate in the process
include using social media (use the hashtag #SWDCPlan on Twitter, “like” posts
on Facebook, etc.), submitting hand-written comments or questions at the public
meetings, calling the Office of Planning at 202-442-7600, or sending an email
to Melissa Bird. All of the comments from the Open House will be posted soon on the website. Not all Small Area Plans focus
exclusively on real estate development – questions and comments from the
audience at the kickoff meeting suggest that the Southwest Neighborhood Plan
may include other components, such as teaching computer skills to seniors,
helping break down barriers between longtime residents and newcomers, as well
as other social improvements.
Image courtesy of Graphic Recorder Jim Nuttle
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