• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

2.0 EXISTING CONDITIONS ANALYSIS RIGGS ROAD & SOUTH DAKOTA AVENUE AREA DEVELOPMENT PLAN | 9 This page is intentionally left blank 10 BACKGROUND URBAN DESIGN The Riggs Road and South Dakota Avenue study area is located in the northeast Urban design is the process of shaping the physical setting for public places. Al- quadrant of the District, primarily in Ward 4 with the southeastern most portion of though typically defined as gathering spots, public spaces may also include town the study area located in Ward 5. The area of study includes ANC 4B08, 4B09, 5A01, squares, parks, and plazas, as well as, right-of-ways like sidewalks and public build- 5A02, 5A03 and includes the neighborhoods of Lam- ings, such as libraries. The major principles of urban design promote defining a ond Riggs, Manor Park, Queens Chapel, Fort Totten, strong sense of community identity, and North Michigan Park. Figure 2.1 - Figure 2.2- Images of positive visual character in the study District ward map with which can be accomplished through a variety of factors including the area The primary study area immediately sur- study area scale and character of a neighbor- rounding the Riggs Road and South Da- 1st St.from Riggs Road hood, ease of movement, wayfind- kota Avenue intersection (see Figure WARD ing nodes and land use patterns. 2.1) is predominately commercial 3 4 retail with pockets of light indus- 1 Scale and Character trial land uses. The broader second- WARD 5 The scale and character of a particu- ary study area is primarily residential, lar area is defined as the look and feel interspersed with numerous community 2 of a place. Most commonly, descrip- assets. The area is served by the Fort Tot- 7 6 tions of the scale and character of a ten Metrorail station which is one of the only community emerge when residents Metro exchanges (red, green, and yellow lines) characterize their physical settings outside of downtown. in response to “what is your neigh- borhood like?” Answers are likely to The surrounding area was historically part of the Civil 8 Houses along Jefferson Ave. focus on any number of factors that War defense of Washington, DC and as a result, Fort contribute to visual consistency or Totten and Fort Slocum have been preserved as open inconsistencies, such as prevalent spaces as part of the National Park Service’s Fort Cir- neighborhood building materials or cle Parks system. In addition to these parks, there is a colors, typical heights of buildings, wealth of public assets including the Lamond Riggs cultural landmarks, dominant land Library, Food and Friends Facility, and four public uses, and the presence or absence schools (LaSalle, Bertie Backus, Keene School, and of natural features like trees or water. Mamie Lee). Despite the pockets of vacant prop- erty, the neighborhoods surround- Despite the volume of public amenities and proximity to Metro, the project area has ing the intersection have a generally poor walkability and suffers from unclear pedestrian paths. The land uses are incon- positive visual character. Figure 2.2 sistent with pockets of light and heavy industrial uses interspersed with residential Nicholson looking towards 5th St. shows current examples of pleasant, and commercial development. There is a general lack of consistent urban streetscape, tree-lined streets with small scale especially along Riggs Road and South Dakota Avenue in the primary study area. buildings. Off the main streets are residential corridors populated with Nevertheless, many developers plan to consturct new residential and retail develop- a high volume of owner occupied ment projects in the study area because of the neighborhood’s strong residential char- single family homes. The quality of acter and proximity to Metro. the housing stock is good and the exterior structures and landscaping The existing conditions analysis focuses on the following resource areas: Urban Design are well maintained. and Land Use, Public Realm and Community Safety, Parks and Open Space, and Eco- nomic Development and Housing. RIGGS ROAD & SOUTH DAKOTA AVENUE AREA DEVELOPMENT PLAN | 11 Scale and Character (continued) The area surrounding the intersection has a dif- 1910 BUILDING The area fronting South Dakota Avenue between Galloway Street and Kennedy ferent visual character. The buildings facing the Street (see Figure 2.4) is bounded by two prominent community facilities: the Bertie HEIGHTS ACT intersection are set back from the street and are Backus Middle School to the south at Galloway and the Lamond-Riggs Neighbor- The scale of the District’s built low, single story buildings (see Figure 2.3). The hood Library to the north at Kennedy. resulting scale makes the street seem exces- environment is based on the 1910 Building Heights Act, sively wide and detracts from the pedestrian which regulates the ratio of Currently, this stretch of South Dakota is characterized as pleasant, with a mature friendliness of the space. DDOT’s Design and roadway widths to building tree canopy on the west side of the street and a row of semi-detatched single family Engineering manual cites wide roads, low den- heights. Building heights may dwellings on the east side of the street. The width of the street is proportional to sity development, and large building setbacks equal the width of street they the mass and setbacks of the small scale two-story residences. The challenge go- as a primary cause for speeding. The width of front plus 20 feet, or up to a ing forward will be to balance the current scale and character of this area with the Riggs Road around the primary study area is ap- maximum of 90 feet on residen- future mixed-use, multi-story development envisioned for the Cafritz property to proximately 65 feet. However, due to the large tial streets. In most cases, 130 the west of the parcel. setbacks resulting from the South Dakota ramps, feet heights are permitted on there is approximately 300 feet between the Ti- commercial streets. Figure 2.4 - Street section at South Dakota Avenue at Galloway looking north ger Mart and Dakotas Apartments. Figure 2.3- Street section at Riggs Road looking west Ease of Movement The ease of movement, often associated with pedestrian circulation, is key component to the success of a community. Walkable communities contribute to the health of residents, as well as foster social interaction, which reduces crime. Communities with an excellent system of sidewalks and crosswalks that are clearly delineated and separated from vehicular traffic contribute to walkable communities. Currently, the majority of streetscape is inhospitable to pedestrians and there is a lack of a continuous access to Metro. The area around the existing intersection is awkward to negotiate. Presently, the sidewalks follow the curve of the northbound ramps and do not provide immediate, direct access to the intersection. Since pedestrians tend to travel in the most direct paths, they are forced to do so here without the benefit or safety of a side- walk (see Figure 2.5). Figure 2.5- Unsafe or inadequate pedestrian paths Riggs at Chillum looking southwest Fort Totten path Galloway St. NE Riggs looking south to South Dakota Fort Totten west parking lot Fort Totten walking path 12 With the adjacent Fort Totten Metro and Figure 2.6 - Community landmarks WHAT IS TRANSIT the proposed and ongoing development, ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT? the study area demonstrates opportunities to incorporate principles of Transit Orient- Transit Oriented Development de- ed Development (TOD). Successful TOD scribes the initiative to create walkable reduces reliance on vehicular transit. A key communities with high density mixed- component to its success is accessibility. If use development centered around pub- the path of travel to and from the Metro is lic transit systems (Metrobus, Metrorail, not hospitable to walking is discontinuous, crosstown connector stops and street- A. Lamond Riggs Library B. Bertie Backus School C. Medstar Manor it undermines the benefits of an adjacent cars, etc.). In theory, TOD will reduce Metro. dependency on cars and parking. E M V A D A D IS E O R N I S H T Wayfinding Nodes S R P E M E Wayfinding refers to the ways in which people establish a sense of orientation within A T H their physical environments. Wayfinding nodes help people navigate efficient paths W E E N N D A of movement. Neighborhoods that are distinct and well defined create a sense of ori- O R D. LaSalle Elementary School GS entation and territoriality. A strong sense of territoriality usually equates with strong RIG A CSX/METRORAIL TRACKS feelings of belonging, civic ownership, and pride, which contribute to a strong com- C SOUTH DAKOTA AVE munity identity. The more a sense of character is established, the easier it is to dif- ferentiate strangers from friendly faces and deviant behavior from a normal routine. A sense of ownership often reduces the likelihood of vandalism and increases the ON B E ILT upkeep and maintenance of property. HAM N. CAPITOL STREET NW STREET CAPITOL N. NORTH Cultural landmarks and other things commonly found in neighborhoods like com- E. Mamie D. Lee School munity facilities, art displays, iconic or distinct buildings, or popular commercial or institutional establishments often provide residents with a sense of place and orien- In the study area, the elevated CSX/Metrorail tracks at Riggs Road between 1st tation. There are numerous public assets and community facilities in the study area Place and 3rd Street NE (see Figure 2.7 and location on Figure 2.6) is one notable that include four schools, a branch library, and churches (see Figure 2.6). These places boundary; although, the percep- Figure 2.7 CSX / Metro tracks at Riggs Road are commonly known and easily located.

Load more

  32

Copy Link