On Wednesday May 13, 2015, ANC 2B passed the below Resolution by a vote of 7-0 regarding the development project at 1772 Church Street, NW (the “Project”). Two amendments to the Resolution, presented by Commissioner Maltz, were passed by the ANC. The amendments were based on language that CAS Riegler, the Project developer, submitted to select commissioners* prior to or during the meeting. A copy of this language (the “CAS Riegler Amendment Language”) is available HERE.
The Commission will forward a letter containing this below resolution to the Historic Preservation Review Board. HPRB will review the project on June 4th (the May 2015 overflow date).
* The author of this post, ANC 2B07 Commissioner Justine Underhill, was notified of the existence and content of the CAS Riegler Amendment Language only after the termination of the May 13, 2015 meeting.
1772 Church St HPRB May 2015
WHEREAS the development at 1772 Church Street NW has been reviewed by Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2B (ANC 2B) and the Historic Preservation Review Board multiple times; and
WHEREAS during the last project iteration, the Historic Preservation Review Board requested the applicant address ANC 2B’s resolution passed without opposition at the March 11, 2015 ANC 2B meeting, which is attached for your convenience; and
WHEREAS the ANC 2B resolution specified several conditions to ensure compatibility of the project with the historic neighborhood; and
WHEREAS while most stipulations were met, ANC 2B believes the following two stipulations were not met:
“The residential building seen from adjacent at-grade vantage points including the entirety of Church Street, P Street, 18th Street, and the public alley between Church and P Streets be between 40 and 59 feet tall, including mechanicals, and maintain existing setbacks.”
“Alterations are made to the exterior design so that the corrugation of the Church Street buildings’ facades and the rhythm of the Church Street buildings’ roof lines are in scale with the surrounding buildings.”; and
WHEREAS ANC 2B believes the residential component of the project as presented does not satisfy the height stipulation from many at grade vantage points on Church Street, 18th St, and in the public alley— including from the corner of 18th and P, Church Street from 17th Street to four rowhouses from the parish hall, and from the 17th Street vantage point in the alley.
THEREFORE, be it RESOLVED ANC 2B finds the proposal not in compliance with the March 2015 ANC 2B resolution; ANC 2B recommends the Historic Preservation Review Board require changes to the project massing and design that meet the conditions of the March resolution in their entirety.
Be it further RESOLVED that to fit the rhythm of the surrounding context, ANC 2B believes the bays on the residential component, which abut the property line, should be set back such that they are in line the Church Street buildings’ facades.