Back in September 2018, the Cafritz Foundation released big plans for the second phase of Art Place at Fort Totten, also known as the FEZ at Art Place or Block B in the plans. In December 2018, the developer announced that Meow Wolf would operate part of the family entertainment zone. On January 25, 2019, the developer filed updated plans to respond to issues raised by the Office of Planning (OP) and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) when the project was recommended to be set down for a hearing. Some of the changes/clarifications include:

• Increase in residential units to 270 (originally proposed 210-250 in September): 180 units in two towers 80 feet tall above a retail podium in the west building & 90 units in a five-story east building with bridge connecting the two buildings
• Change in massing of residential buildings to allow more sunlight to reach 4th Street where an expanded Central Plaza will be located
• Mix of 50 studio, 106-110 one-bedroom, and 106-110 two-bedroom apartments; previous plan contained 50% studios and 50% one-bedroom units and 50% two-bedroom units
• Dispersal of the 30 artist housing units that were previously going to be in the 3-story east building throughout the east & west buildings; units will be reserved as affordable for a period of 20 years at 80% AMI
• Ground floor artist studio spaces in west building similar to Brookland Arts Walk concept
• Increase in parking from 765 spaces to 930 spaces
• One Riggs Plaza apartment building will remain
• Removal of proposed curb cut on South Dakota Avenue; no parking entrance to project on South Dakota
• Developer states lighting of the “HUB,” the circular structure, is intended to be “subtle” so that it does not spill past the South Dakota right of way
• OP’s setdown report noted that it continues to encourage the developer to proffer more affordable housing than the 171 affordable units required in original PUD order – does not look like the developer is going to do that, but by moving 30 affordable units from Block C to Block B, developer will construct the total 171 affordable units in the first two phases (141 already constructed in 1st phase and 30 proposed for 2nd phase). Developer also notes that arts and cultural uses of the project would not happen without significant financial subsidy from the developer

The developer states some of these changes were driven by Meow Wolf and the grocery store operator. On that note, the developer states it is very close to announcing the grocery store, as in the next couple of weeks. As this submission and also residents have noted, the city is full of free museums and other programming. Therefore, this family entertainment zone needs to offer something unique. The developers believe some of these changes will help to accomplish that goal.

It’s worth looking at their prehearing statement. To view the full book submitted with the prehearing sttement, look up case number 06-10D on the Zoning Commission’s website. A hearing is scheduled for April 4, 2019. Stay tuned for community meetings on these updates before then.

Proposed residential changes

 

 

 

Renderings