Developer Visions for the Hill East Waterfront

How will the proposed HE Waterfront fit with the Hill East neighborhood?

Very differently, depending on the proposal chosen by the DC government.

HDG Waterfront Development aims to connect the Waterfront development to our row-house neighborhood and be an extension of it. It would be principally a new residential area: residential space would be 70% of the total built and office space would be only 16% of total space. Retail establishments would be selected to serve the neighborhood - grocery store, drug store, hardware, etc. A primary care clinic is planned for Independence Ave. Two partners in this group have built residential developments on Capitol Hill that were respectful of neighborhood architecture.

Residential square footage and as percent of total square footage
2 million sq ft. 69% HDG Waterfront Development Group
1.8 million sq ft 36% Hill East Waterfront Development, LLC
3 million sq ft. 58% New Hill East JV

HDG's development would be lower density and have more low-rise buildings than that proposed by the two other developers. Density is a key element in whether the development would connect to the Hill East neighborhood and become part of it or be a different kind of place. The Hill East Waterfront Master Plan permits about 5 million square feet of building area.

Total square footage and percent of total allowed proposed
3 million 60% percent of allowed HDG Waterfront Development Group
5 million 100% percent of allowed Hill East Waterfront Development, LLC
5.1 million 100% of allowed New Hill East JV

Hill East Waterfront Development, LLC's vision is very different. This group's vision is an "all urban, high density development." In this developer's web site, it appears that most or all buildings will have the maximum height allowed in the Hill East Waterfront's Master Plan -- which means that buildings on or close to the waterfront will be built to the maximum 10 stories.

At the Jan. 22 open meeting of ANC 6B with all the developer groups, this developer announced his group would begin by building a large office building, to provide space for a large employer. Their web page site plan shows 5 large, tall office buildings. Most of these office workers would need to commute to the Hill East Waterfront; a good number of them would likely drive through the Hill East neighborhood on their commutes. Office space of 2.6 million sq. ft. composes 52% of this plan. Residential space of 1.8 million sq. ft. is 36% of the plan. It is unclear that this high-density plan has any integral connection with the context of our Hill East residential row-house neighborhood.

New Hill East JV's vision is different again. It is similar to the Hill East Waterfront Development, LLC's proposal in having a high density. But it contains some unique features, several of which are intended to attract shoppers and recreational visitors from considerable distances. It is also more visionary, but it is lacking in specifics on how most of its interesting ideas would become reality.

Hill East Waterfront, a regional destination
Shoppers would be coming to a retail store such as a large Wegman's Grocery. This large retailer would, it is said, attract other retailers to the Hill East Waterfront. [Blogger comment: With the new Harris Teeter supermarket in Hill East, do we need another large supermarket?]

Another feature that would add to making the HE Waterfront a regional destination is the planned Sportsplex. This is described as an "indoor sports center, the first of its kind in DC," though no details are provided on what might be housed in it. The developer plan also includes "premier sports fields for soccer, baseball and football" in the riverside park close to the Sportsplex. [Blogger comment: as the parkland along the Anacostia River is controlled by the National Park Service, the developer is not able to promise sports fields on this land. Other organizations have different designs on this parkland. ]

A third feature designed to make the HE Waterfront a regional destination is to immediately build a temporary "Festival Market Place" for small retailers, to create an immediate attraction and “sense of place” at Hill East. The metropolitan Washington area attracts over 19 million visitors and tourists; the Festival Market Place will be designed to attract such visitors and tourists.

Healthplex
The proposed Healthplex has features unique to this plan. It is planned to have urgent care, primary care, specialty care and behavioral health care. Senior housing. Education and job training in nursing and allied health fields. 24-hour day care for all ages.

New growth sectors
The developers propose to create centers for 1) E-Technology and 2) Corporate and University R&D. This concept sounds attractive, but the proposal contains only visions and no specifics on this component. For E-Technology, the vision is establish a national hub to attract companies in this emerging industry. For R&D, the vision is to create an urban R&D center such as those Johns Hopkins, MIT and the University of Pennsylvania. Does the developer have any commitments from funders or institutions that carry a realistic promise of turning these visions into reality? If so, none are shared with us.

Relationship to Hill East neighborhood
As in the previous proposal, it is unclear that this plan has any integral connection with the context of our Hill East residential row-house neighborhood.

Best Fit with the Hill East Neighborhood
Washington DC's Capitol Hill is known nationally as a desirable urban neighborhood in which to live. Hill East is one area in Capitol Hill's historic, low density neighborhood of 2- and 3-story rowhouses built in the late 19th and early 20th century.

DC's Office of Planning and Economic Development (OPED) asked developers to "articulate a creative vision for the implementation a world-class mixed-use development program at Hill East Waterfront." I urge OPED to choose the HDG Waterfront Development Group (HDG). In making this choice, OPED would be respecting Capitol Hill's world-class character.

When you comment, please tell us where you live -- block number and street name. It will be helpful to know which comments are made by Hill East Waterfront Neighbors. Thanks.

Pat Taylor 3xx 17th St. SE