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Articles
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| ANC 6B pans Penn Ave project |
VOICE writes, "ANC 6B pans Penn Ave project
BY BEN WEINSTEIN
The Southeast Capitol Hill advisory neighborhood commission (ANC 6B) Oct. 9 opposed project plans for additions to historic buildings at 1123 and 1129 Pennsylvania Ave., SE.
The residential project calls for adding two additional full floors and a partial floor onto 1129, a corner building, and adding a third floor onto 1123. Several nearby residents opposed the plans — some mentioned parking problems, others said it’s out of character with the neighborhood.
“It seems to me like we’re trying to turn this joint into Tenleytown,” a 12th Street resident said, calling the condominium-building plans an “architectural abortion.”
Another resident said, “We have serious objections. ... We think it’s going to change the face of the neighborhood.”
But Commission Chairwoman Julie Olson said the panel was to consider only certain historic preservation aspects of the project, not many of the residents’ zoning issues."
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In fact, the applicant’s representative said the project can be built by right, meaning the project would not need to go through a zoning review. He also said historic preservation staff recommended the project’s massing, which is what the neighborhood commission was set to review.
Commissioner Ken Jarboe opposed the project, but he rejected many of the neighbors’ reasons. For example, he said it’s contradictory to complain about too many cars and worsening air quality on the one hand while opposing greater density and added residential units near a Metro station.
Jarboe said he opposed the project because the Historic Preservation Office’s recommendations are unclear. He said in other cases, the office rejected applications to build atop contributing historic townhouses without proper setback from sight lines.
“Now they’re saying it’s OK,” Jarboe said after the meeting. “Why is it OK here but not on Eighth Street?”
Commissioner Dave Garrison, who supported the project, said he was troubled the commission opposed this but supported a similar project earlier this year for buildings on the 600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue.
Jarboe said that case was different because that area is denser with commercial buildings and the project won’t add much mass.
The Historic Preservation Review Board is scheduled to hear the case Oct. 25.
Board pans Pac Grill license request
The commission opposed Pacific Grill and Cafe’s liquor license renewal because it operated as a nightclub and committed other violations against its license.
A city investigation found that the establishment, 1129 Pennsylvania Ave., SE, violated its license and its voluntary agreement with the neighborhood commission by providing amplified music and operating a second-floor nightclub.
The Alcoholic Beverage Control Board also reported that the bar advertised an upstairs dance club, which violates its voluntary agreement.
“How did you not know that?” Olson asked owner Mahmoud Abdalla about a listing in the Washington City Guide for Penn 12, with a review stating, “Best Bar, awesome owner, great DJ, and a private smoking deck out back.” Penn 12 was listed under Pacific Grill’s address.
“Did you not understand that there are a whole lot of people dancing upstairs?” Olson asked.
Abdalla said he did not advertise for the club and that the employee responsible for it was fired.
Other actions
The commission also voted to:
• Support the American Trucking Association’s modified plans for its buildings at 430-434 First St., SE and 100 North Carolina Ave., SE. The commission said the updated plans, which need approval from the Historic Preservation Review Board, better fit the area’s historic character.
• Support an application to demolish the historic structure at 419 First St., SE, and rebuild.
• Take no position on liquor-license renewals for: Bullfeathers, 410 First St.; Sonoma, 223 Pennsylvania Ave.; Thai Roma, 313 Pennsylvania Ave.; and Bread and Chocolate, 666 Pennsylvania Ave.
• Support a new liquor license request for Wisdom, a proposed “upscale martini bar” at 1432 Pennsylvania Ave.
Roll call
Commissioners Ken Jarboe, Will Hill, Mary Wright, Neil Glick, Julie Olson, Carol Green and Dave Garrison were present. Commissioner Francis Campbell was absent.
The commission’s next meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on Nov. 13 at the Old Naval Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Ave., SE. For information, visit www.anc6b.org or call (202) 543-3344.
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Posted on Oct 22, 2007 22:41pm.
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