Old Convention Center Site

First it was an ugly behemoth, hated by all. Then, it was turned into a giant parking lot, albeit one with fancy environmentally-friendly water control and fun public art. Now, it's scheduled to become Yet Another High-Rise Mixed-Use Development.

That's right! We're talking about the site of the Old Convention Center, and they have a web site all about their plans. While it may be outside our boundaries as a neighborhood, the sheer enormity of this plan will certainly have impacts on us, too.

Construction anticipated to begin: 2008

The project will include the following:

• Retail: 280,000 square feet


• Office: 450,000 square feet


• Housing: 690 units


• Parking: 1,700 spaces

In addition:

• Civic/Open Space: Park, Plaza, Pedestrian Alleys


• 111,000 square feet are reserved for uses to be decided upon by the District

Off the top of my head, all I can say is: Wow. That's big. I hope they make a good chunk of those housing units Offical Affordable Housing. The entire area desperately needs it!

Should DC Allow Skyscrapers?

An article in today's Post discusses the argument over the 130 foot building height restriction in the District. This is certainly an issue that greatly affects Logan Circle, as well as the surrounding communities.

On the one hand are those who feel that the city is simply running out of development-worthy land, and that the restriction unfairly limits the density an area can achieve - robbing the city of tax dollars. On the other hand are those who retort that not only is that anathema to the city "plan" by L'Enfant, and that there is plenty of land that could be suitable redeveloped.

Personally, I think I fall into the latter category, if only for the fact that much of the re-birth of the neighborhoods like ours would have been delayed if there had been less pressure to build out instead of up. And there seem to be plenty of half-renovated row houses sitting vacant, just begging to be torn down and replaced.

What do you think?