Negotations Regarding the Hine School Project Going Strong

• March 14th 2012

by Shilpi Paul

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At Tuesday night’s ANC 6B meeting, the main attraction was the way that the committee would vote on a few negotiating stances with the developers of the long-awaited project at the site of Hine Junior High School.

The Hine site takes up the block north of Pennsylvania Avenue SE between 7th and 8th Street (map), adjacent to Eastern Market. Mary Mottershead from the Eastbanc side of the Stanton-Eastbanc developer partnership told us earlier this week that they are planning for 124 residential units, consisting of one, two and three-bedrooms, at the mixed-use development. The projected completion date is estimated as late 2015.

Last year, the community persuaded the developers to bring down the height for certain sections of the planned buildings and to design a facade that more closely meshed with the historic neighborhood. Now, the ANC’s major critiques have to do with wanting a more striking design (the word “outstanding” was heard a few times) along Pennsylvania Avenue, lowering the heights of the proposed buildings at 7th and Pennsylvania and 8th and D, and providing more public space.

At last night’s meeting, the ANC also voted in agreement to negotiate on a few “big ticket” items. Specifically, they want more local retailers, space for community meetings, a subsidized non-profit office and a day care center on the site. As Housing Complex reported last month, some residents are quite riled up about the redevelopment, and are worried that the project will “turn 7th Street into a lightless canyon.” Stanton-Eastbanc has been addressing that fear and recently completed a shadow study of the project, analyzing the projected shadows created by the new buildings to ensure that neighboring streets don’t darken too much. We’ll be sure to keep you updated as plans move forward.

The developers will be presenting a development revision to the Historic Preservation Review Board on March 23rd, and the ANC is preparing a response. The Planned Unit Development (PUD) submission can be found here.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.production.logicbrush.com/articles/blog/negotiations_regarding_the_hine_school_project_going_strong/5285.