Pennsylvania Avenue SE SWOT Analysis, Retail Demand Analysis, Strategy and Preliminary Planning Diagrams
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DC Retail Action Strategy Pennsylvania Avenue SE SWOT Analysis, Retail Demand Analysis, Strategy and Preliminary Planning Diagrams December, 2009 Pennsylvania Avenue SE SWOT Analysis Introduction = Core commercial area Boundaries Node 1: Pennsylvania Ave from Fairlawn Ave to 27th St, SE Node 2: Pennsylvania Ave from Branch Ave to 33rd Place, SE; Pennsylvania Ave to P Street, SE Node 3: Pennsylvania Ave from Alabama Ave to Forth Davis St, SE to R St, SE Zoning Pennsylvania Avenue is zoned as commercial in the Retail Action Strategy’s three different nodes, which are separated by residential neighborhoods. The first node is adjacent to a small area of commercial-light manufacturing low bulk by the Overview Anacostia Freeway. Across the freeway to the This submarket east of the Anacostia River runs along Pennsylvania Avenue, one of the District’s west of the three nodes, Pennsylvania Avenue signature boulevards with direct access to Capitol Hill, the Anacostia Freeway, and the Capitol continues as a commercial corridor. Fort Dupont and Fort Davis Parks snake their way through the Beltway. It is anchored by 3 major nodes: L’Enfant Square, Branch Avenue, and Alabama largely residential area as a government-zoned Avenue. These nodes, which vary greatly in character, offer pockets of retail that serve the property. surrounding residences. Pedestrian access to this retail, as well as other community amenities such as parks, is currently limited because of Pennsylvania Avenue’s auto-oriented nature. Retail Opportunity 1 L’Enfant Square This node is overwhelmingly defined by the Anacostia Freeway. While proximity to the highway is an asset in many ways, it also makes this area unsuited for retail (other than existing highway-oriented NODE 3 retail like gas stations) at present. Papa John’s 1A Infrastructure must be made less A Cash Loans Subshop+Chinese hostile to pedestrians in order for Seafood Market 1 1B Village Pantry Deli other retail types to thrive here. Braiding Salon Traffic congestion and adjacent Jackson-Hewitt Tax First Cash Advance housing also imposes limitations on Fairfax Cleaners T+N Nails development. US Post Office NODE 1 J’s Barber Shop Sunoco Wah Sing Restaurant Liquor 2 Branch Avenue Citgo Dollar Plus Food Store Gambro Healthcare Without the infrastructural Dog and Cat Hospital Checks Cashed 2 Exxon Bed-to-Go Child Development Center Auto Parts constraints of the first node, this Capitol Seafood Soul Food Jackson-Hewitt Tax Service Lee’s Mini Mart Off Da Hook Barber Shop Martha’s Market 2 SuperStar Chinese woodsy node is more appropriately Checks Cashed DC Carry-Out Chicken positioned for retail development. Liquor Store Passport Photos US Post Office People’s Market Its Penn Branch Shopping Center, a Car Wash Arlene’s Unisex 2-story suburban-style strip mall with SP Wine and Liquor BP Scott’s Beauty Center Shell NODE 2 3 subprime tenants, is the largest retail Ivan Brown Realty Creative Touch Check n’ Go H+R Block offering in the submarket. It has Patron Convenience Beltway Beauty and Stores Barber Supply 3 excellent potential to be redeveloped Wachovia Best Nails into an improved, centrally located Subway CVS Coast Guard Recruiting Municipal Services Ctr community offering. Sabin’s Records Coin Laundry Star Pizza Exxon 3 Alabama Avenue This node contains 2 small auto- Note: Tenant lists do not include all businesses located in the submarket. oriented shopping centers, Fairfax 1A 1B 2 3 Village and Fort Davis. Its vast parkland suggests that the area is suited more to residential than commercial expansion; however, there is room for retail development across from Fort Davis Park. Retail Node 1: L’Enfant Square This “L’Enfant Square” node can be divided into 3 sub-nodes: The Anacostia Freeway, Marginal Retail, and Residences. A - The Anacostia Freeway necessitates this node’s Anacostia Freeway overwhelming infrastructure. At its widest, Pennsylvania Avenue has 10 lanes of traffic surrounded by land with a significant grade change. This infrastructure limits the potential for any building, including retail development. A B B - Marginal Retail in poor condition lines both sides of Pennsylvania Avenue, although it appears to be single-loaded because of the street’s width and median. The southern side dominates with denser retail and a small strip mall. In general, retail here is redundant, with an over-representation of gas C stations and liquor stores. L’Enfant Square itself is inactive because it is bisected by cars and not utilized by residents. = Major Intersection C - Residences characterize this quieter section. Although = Minor Intersection residential lots have the most depth here, there is minimal retail; however, a large triangular lot between Minnesota = Sub-node A = Sub-node B Ave and 27th Street has potential to become a local anchor. = Sub-node C To the east, civic buildings mark the submarket’s residential beginning and transition to a smaller, 5-lane-total street. Retail Node 2: Branch Avenue The Branch Avenue node contains 3 sub-nodes: Residences, Penn Branch Shopping Center, and Other Retail. A - Residences bookend the Branch Avenue node. Single- ast the family homes in excellent condition line the woodsy area west ou of Branch Avenue, and a large mosque occupies the northwest t S e corner of this intersection. The easternmost section of this e tr node has 3- to 4-story apartment buildings. S r e t A n e B p r a C B - Penn Branch Shopping Center, a 90,000sf local-tenant strip mall with a Municipal Services Center in the rear, has the most critical mass of any retail offering in this submarket. Its C expansive surface parking, subprime tenants, and outdated facade/structure make it suited to major redevelopment. The A adjacent laundromat lot has potential to be a more substantial neighborhood offering with its prime location next to Penn Branch and opposite other retail (see below). However, the dramatic grade change of this site is a challenging constraint. = Minor Intersection = Neighborhood Intersection C - Other Retail across from Penn Branch includes a small strip = Sub-node A mall and gas station. This strip mall has less critical mass than = Sub-node B Penn Branch (it abuts a church and apartment), making it suited = Sub-node C to its current inventory of neighborhood retail and offices. Retail Node 3: Alabama Avenue The Alabama Avenue node contains 3 sub-nodes: Fort Davis = Minor Intersection Park, Fort Davis Center, and Fairfax Village Shopping Center. = Neighborhood Intersection = Sub-node A = Sub-node B = Sub-node C A - Fort Davis Park enhances the residential feel of this node of Pennsylvania Avenue. Parkland occupies the area west of Alabama Avenue; single-family homes and apartments occupy the east side across the park (north of Fort Davis Center). A B - Fort Davis Center is a small strip mall across Alabama Avenue from Fort Davis Park. It has good depth and is well- B positioned, with good visibility and access. These qualities give it more potential than the Fairfax Village Shopping Center (see below) to be redeveloped into a more significant community offering if the demand for retail increases. C C - Fairfax Village Shopping Center is a small strip mall directly off Pennsylvania Avenue. Its context makes its scale and merchandising appropriate–tenants here include a post office, Papa John’s, Fairfax Cleaners, Checks Cashed, and Potomac Seafood; limited depth due to adjacent mid-rise apartments makes it unlikely to expand. Efforts should be focused on improving parking (perhaps additional space could be added below grade or at the rear), as well as ensuring that it is used by customers rather than commuters. Retail Infrastructure Streets & Blocks Intersections Buildings Alleys & Service Pennsylvania Avenue drastically The largest intersections occur Most buildings by the Anacostia This heavily residential area is not changes character within this in the westernmost node near Freeway are either gas stations or as densely developed as other submarket. In its westernmost the Anacostia Freeway; the inline retail shops with marginal submarkets, so there is generally section, it is essentially a fast- sheer number of lanes make all goods and services tenants. more room between buildings paced highway that is clearly intersections here quite large Buildings here tend to be in poor with which to work. The retail auto-dominant. The pedestrian and hostile. Subdivisions of each condition and are often covered in areas in the first node, for example, experience is secondary to the street and numerous one-way on- graffiti. The easternmost section of are separated from adjacent functional demands of its proximity ramps expand the intersections. this node begins to turn residential residences by a street that creates a to the Anacostia Freeway, which Instead of the usual two roads as retail peters out and single- half block. Although this back area require numerous lanes and on- coming together, for example, the family homes take over. Past 27th is currently not utilized well, there ramps. A wide median divides the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue Street, this submarket is largely is room for service and loading; two sides of the street, alienating and Minnesota Avenue becomes residential. Single-family homes parking remains problematic. their storefronts from each other, 6 separate, one-way streets. This in good condition, as well as a few However, back door areas are not while the extensive, concrete multiplicity of streets should be mid-rise apartments, characterize well-oriented for the existing strip sidewalks are poorly maintained. reconsidered to make Pennsylvania the second and third nodes. malls, and dumpsters sit visibly East of 27th Street, however, Avenue’s infrastructure more There are also several larger civic in the parking lots. Overall, the Pennsylvania Avenue becomes a manageable and conducive to retail buildings amidst the residential lack of rear loading/service space much smaller, scenic street that development.