Upper Georgia Avenue Master Plan
There is currently a master plan is place for the Upper Georgia Avenue sector of Washington, D.C. The Walter Reed campus is right at the heart of this new development proposal, and I think it is important to study it as I go forward with my project.
As it stands, the master plan looks like this:
The vertical street on the right is Georgia Avenue on the east side of the Walter Reed site. The goals of the master plan according to the planners are as follows:
1. Reconnect Walter Reed Army Medical Campus site to the existing community. Because of strict security measures, WRAMC has been fenced off and disconnected from residents and the community. As 2011 quickly approaches and a realistic next phase of the [redevelopment] comes into fruition, this plan will provide a long-term framework plan to reconnect the edge back into the community, through the provision of street activated uses within the area fronting Georgia Avenue.
2. Lack of attractive retail opportunities. Participants expressed a strong desire for more diverse and upscale retail to offer greater choices to residents.
3. Redeveloping within the measures stipulated by State and Federal stakeholders. The foundation for any redevelopment plan must recognize a strict site security requirements of any new federal tenant.
4. Provision of municipal parking options. Parking challenges in the “gateway area” was a frequently cited concern during the planning process. While the District endeavors to encourage alternative modes [of transportation], car-sharing, and shared parking, there may be opportunity to provide a municipal parking garage for joint use with a federal tenant.
5. Neighborhood park at the northeast corner of Fern St. and Georgia Ave. Providing approximately 4 acres of active amenities consisting of children’s play areas, adult fitness stations, a dog park, and a winding pedestrian trail.
Now, the question arises of whether or not some or all of these goals are worth upholding as my project progresses. I think that the inherent properties of the program of my project are in accord with #1, #3, and #5 of the above listed development goals, namely extending the community onto the Walter Reed site. Whether this means actually placing new housing and extending the grid onto the site remains to be seen.
Food for thought.
And by the way, the Comments section of this blog seem to be out of whack. I encourage you to e-mail me (rsanz@umd.edu) with any comments. I am very interest in hearing what you have to say!
Until next time,
R
ADVANCED TRAINING FOR THE ADVANCING SOLDIER
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
