Acknowledgements City Council Consultant Team Interdepartmental Team Mayor William D. Euille Goody Clancy Alexandria Economic Vice Mayor Redella S. Pepper David Dixon, FAIA Development Partnership Councilman Ludwig P. Gaines Phil Goff Stuart L. Litvin, CEcD Councilman K. Rob Krupicka Ben Carlson Stephanie Landrum Councilmember Timothy B. Lovain Martina Ruhfass Alexandria Redevelopment Councilman Paul C. Smedberg Ganesh Ramachandran and Housing Authority Councilman Justin M. Wilson Steve Wolf Roy Priest, Interim Executive Paul Santos Director Planning Commission David Curran Eric R. Wagner, Chair Agnieszka Siuda Alexandria Transit Company (DASH) John Komoroske, Vice Chair Sandy Modell H. Stewart Dunn, Jr. Kramer & Associates Al Himes Donna Fossum Robert Kramer Jesse Jennings Andrew Bing Office of Housing Mary Lyman Edward Thomas Mildrilyn Stephens Davis, Director J. Lawrence Robinson Helen McIlvaine Kittelson and Associates City Manager’s Office Yolanda Takesian Police Department James K. Hartmann, City Manager Brandon Nevers David P. Baker, Chief Mark Jinks, Deputy City Manager Phill Worth Captain David Huchler

Department of Planning Retail Compass Recreation, Parks & Cultural and Zoning Activities Heather Arnold Faroll Hamer, Director Kirk Kincannon, Director Aimee Vosper Richard Josephson, Deputy Director W-ZHA, LLC Kathleen Beeton, Division Chief, Laura Durham Sarah Woodworth Neighborhood Planning and Mary Stephenson Community Development Transportation & Environ- Jeffrey Farner, Division Chief, mental Services Development Richard Baier, Director Thomas H. Canfield, NCARB, Thomas Culpepper City Architect Yon Lambert Carrie Beach, Urban Planner Sandra Marks Andrew Spurgin, Urban Planner James Maslanka Valerie Peterson, Urban Planner

Special thanks to Rhae Parkes from Abt Associates for graciously volunteering her time to make a presentation on public housing issues during Community Workshop #1. TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Executive Summary 1

2. Community Vision 11

3. Principle 1: Create a sense of place with neighborhood identity, 17 vitality, and diversity > Historical Influences > local and National Recognition > dIversity > sustainability and green design

4. Principle 2: Provide walkable neighborhoods that are secure 35 and feel safe > Walking Streets > Additional Walking Routes > Intersection Improvements

5. Principle 3: Establish a series of community-serving, 43 usable open spaces > neighborhood Park > metro Plaza

6. Principle 4: Encourage community-serving retail and services 47 > Retail Needs > Retail Guidelines

7. Principle 5: Promote mixed-income housing and follow an 53 inclusive process to deconcentrate public housing > neighborhood Opportunity > existing Public Housing > Redevelopment Opportunities > deconcentration of Public Housing > nATIonal Examples > Challenges > next Steps

8. Principle 6: Manage multimodal transportation, parking, 67 and road infrastructure > bACkground > Traffic Impact Associated with Future Development > Transportation Demand Management

TABLE OF CONTENTS ■  9. Principle 7: Achieve varying and transitional heights 87 and scales > uRban Design Framework > uRban design concept > building Height and Massing > lAnd Use, Development, Key Redevelopment Sites

10. Implementation Strategy 115 > Implementation Advisory Group > Communications > City’s Interagency Braddock Implementation Team > funding Public Amenities > Capturing Revenue from New Development > Plan Recommendations by Chapter

Appendix A–Design Guidelines 127

Appendix B—Braddock Metro Neighborhood Plan Process 149

ii ■ | March 2008 Executive Summary

The Braddock Metro neighborhood contains nearly all of the ingredients of a great traditional neighborhood: an existing network of walkable streets and small blocks; a surrounding fabric of human- scaled, historic row houses, small apartment buildings and churches; a brand-new community center; a riverfront and downtown commercial core within easy walking distance; and a rail transit station that can 1 whisk riders to the heart of the nation’s capital in twenty minutes. This Plan is about writing another chapter in the story of this great neighborhood. It focuses on preserving and enhancing those aspects of the neighborhood that are beloved—its traditional scale and character and walkable streets—while at the same time helping the neighborhood adapt to emerging opportunities and challenges—the changing nature of its diversity, the increased importance of transit, Historic rowhouses in the Parker-Gray Historic District and the evolving value society places on sustainability. All of the Plan’s recommendations are designed to achieve this integration and balance. In addition, the Plan takes two important steps forward: investing a portion of the fiscal benefits from development in implementing the Plan’s recommendations and initiating a new partnership with the community to oversee implementation. Guiding Principles While general, the principles point the City and the community in the right direction for the future. The principles The seven principles that emerged also establish the organization and from the stakeholder interviews and framework for this Plan, as each one community comments early in this is the subject of a separate chapter and planning process represent the com- discussion. munity’s aspirations for finding the right balance between preservation and change. The principles are: Neighborhood Identity • Create a sense of place/neighbor- hood identity, vitality and diversity. As an overarching theme, the issue • Provide walkable neighborhoods that of identity emerges in any discussion are secure and feel safe. of the Braddock Metro neighborhood. • Establish a variety of community- There is a sense that this vital neighbor- serving, usable open spaces. hood, with its rich history and charm- • Encourage community-serving retail ing residential streets will become just and services. an anonymous part of Alexandria’s • Promote mixed-income housing urban expanse and an afterthought to and follow an open, fair and inclu- Old Town unless steps are taken to af- sive process to deconcentrate public firm its individual character and bring housing. its diverse residents together. This Plan • Manage multi-modal transportation, confronts this clear message with a parking and road infrastructure. series of recommendations. First, it rec- • Achieve varying and transitional ommends a robust program to preserve heights and scales. and publicize the neighborhood’s ar-

 ■ | March 2008 chitectural and cultural history through an enhanced historic preservation program and new interpretive signs or markers along a walking route on the most historically significant streets in the area. Carefully considered public gathering places, including both parks and retail and community services must be created so that residents have places to meet and know each other. New mixed-income communities on the site of current public housing de- velopments will be an opportunity to bring people of various income levels together. and private automobiles. The Plan The Braddock Road recommends both improved pedes- Metro station Braddock trian connectivity to the site—through Metro Station urban design, lighting, signage, and crosswalks—and putting this land to A chief organizing feature of the neigh- more appropriate use with mixed-use borhood and this Plan is the Brad- redevelopment, ground-level retail and dock Metro station. It and the general an open plaza. Redevelopment would close in location of the neighborhood also include the enhancement of adja- have led to increased property values, cent Braddock Road and West Street, pressure for new transit oriented de- turning them into prime locations for velopment, and the ability to achieve community-serving retail to help create increased density without excessively activity and a gathering place for peo- increased traffic. ple who work and live in the Braddock Metro neighborhood. In fact, it is the proximity of two Metro stations, both within a 10-minute walk Walkability for most residents, which reinforces the connectivity and competitive advan- The Braddock Metro neighborhood tage of the neighborhood. With easy features a traditional grid of streets and connections to Reagan Washington regularly-sized blocks, giving the neigh- National Airport, Arlington County, borhood a human scale and making it and downtown Washington, Metro is walkable. Buildings ranging in height the travel mode of choice for nearly from two to three stories fill most of half the neighborhood’s commuters. the area’s blocks. The low scale and Braddock Road station itself, however, historic architecture of the Parker-Gray does not integrate well into the neigh- Historic District reinforces the area’s borhood physical fabric, separated as livability. Where the grid has been lost it is from the rest of the area by a two- to large “superblocks,” particularly acre swath of land dedicated to load- in Andrew Adkins and the Northern ing, moving, and storing buses, taxis, Gateway, walkability and a strong sense

Chapter 1 | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ■  of place – key Future Develop- components of the community’s ment and Design vision for the Guidelines neighborhood – can be strength- The land in front of Braddock Road ened by restor- station is one of several sites likely ing the grid and to undergo redevelopment over the enhancing the next five to 20 years. Because of the streets with gen- neighborhood’s proximity to Potomac erous sidewalks Yard, a once bustling rail yard, it has and greenery. numerous warehouses, light industrial and other commercial buildings. These Enhanced streetscape improvements Giving the pedestrian priority, as properties’ real estate value has risen this Plan does, means that enhanced enough to make them prime candi- streetscape improvements, bike facili- dates for redevelopment into housing, ties, and pathway connections within hotel, office, and retail uses. Finding and from the neighborhood should be ways to integrate these new larger made. The Plan calls for specific im- buildings into a compatible develop- provements for pedestrian access at, ment framework will help assure that for example, the Wythe/Braddock/West they do not overwhelm the fine-grained intersection and at Route 1 and Fayette texture of the historic blocks south of and First Streets. It also suggests that a Wythe Street and east of Henry Street. pedestrian corridor through Braddock Design guidelines, which are part of Place would facilitate travel to and from this Plan, address the compatibility of the Metro, connect the Jaguar develop- height, building massing, and archi- ment to the rest of the neighborhood tectural character for new buildings. and provide enhanced opportunity for They require new development near the retail businesses. Braddock Road station to make a sensi-

The site in front of the Braddock Road Station

 ■ | March 2008 Future Fayette Street view looking south to First Street showing Jaguar development on the right tive transition to the rest of the historic backs to create landscaped “green edg- neighborhood. es.” In addition, the Plan encourages landowners to integrate sustainable New buildings at the Metro station will design features, including LEED certi- be taller and incorporate ground-floor fication, into new development projects retail; new buildings east of Route 1 in collaboration with the sustainability will remain as walk-ups or townhouses recommendations set forth in the Vi- with backyards. In between, there will sion for Alexandria 2015 report. be a transition of height and scale that will rise from east to west. Route 1 will Redevelopment be made more pedestrian-friendly, with of Public Housing new residential, retail, office, and live- work buildings. It is the recommendation of this Plan that the nine blocks in the center of the Design guidelines included in this neighborhood, now occupied by public Plan will ensure quality architecture, housing, be redeveloped with hous- compatible urban design and improved ing for mixed-income communities. It walkability. In particular, these guide- is specifically recommended that the lines will establish maximum heights ARHA-owned James Bland (and Addi- for building faces to create “shoulders” tion), Andrew Adkins, Samuel Madden that step down next to the street and (Uptown), and Ramsey Homes proper- limit the height of buildings along the ties be redeveloped at higher densities sidewalk while allowing added height and with a mix of populations including near the center of the block. These public housing, affordable, workforce, guidelines establish ground level set-

Chapter 1 | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ■  Andrew Adkins the Braddock East process that will ad- public housing site dress details regarding the mix of units, financing, site plan design, height, density, building types, open space and parking for the redeveloped sites. Open Space

The community places significant value and market rate units. The Plan recom- on additional recreational opportuni- mends future designation of the sites ties, and wants to see places for walk- as CDDs, with the creation of CDD ing a dog or sitting on a park bench to guidelines during the Braddock East read. This Plan recommends a new, planning process. Blending income lev- large centrally located public park to be els will help protect the economic and located on the Post Office site at Wythe cultural diversity of the community. The and Henry Streets. In addition, smaller Plan acknowledges the challenges in- pocket parks and a plaza are envisioned volved in this dramatic change, but also as part of private development projects recognizes the rare opportunity redevel- throughout the neighborhood. opment creates for the neighborhood and the City. The Plan recommends that these open spaces be accessible to the entire com- The Plan further acknowledges the munity. Better lighting, more street Braddock East planning process and trees, and new traffic-calming features recommends that comprehensive plan- will enhance the public realm that sur- ning take place for all of these sites rounds and connects the new parks. as part of that effort. While this Plan Because the Plan anticipates a commu- makes general recommendations, it is nity that is less dependant on cars in the future, these improvements will be in- troduced throughout the neighborhood but concentrated on “walking streets” that enhance the pedestrian connec- tions to the Metro station, the rebuilt Charles Houston Recreation Center and the proposed neighborhood parks to es- tablish walking as the primary mode of transportation in the neighborhood. Neighborhood Serving Retail

One of the community’s redevelopment goals is the creation of a lively new A large neighborhood park and smaller pocket parks will provide places neighborhood square, the centerpiece or walking a dog or sitting on a park bench.

 ■ | March 2008 of new development adjacent to the own additional automobiles or employ- Metro site, which takes advantage of the ees to drive to work. Mixed-use develop- neighborhood’s ability to support over ment sites will share parking among 80,000 square feet of new neighbor- different users who park at different hood-serving retail. In addition, this un- hours of the day. tapped demand will support additional new retail located as part of other new The Plan recommends the establish- developments; this additional retail will ment of a district-wide transportation play a critical role in promoting walk- management program (TMP), managed ability by adding destinations and pro- by a coordinator to oversee numerous viding places of activity. The Plan rec- strategies that will ease the demand ommends financial assistance to sup- for drive-alone vehicle trips within port local entrepreneurs who can bring the neighborhood. Strategies include high-quality new retail, restaurants, ridesharing programs, incentives to and other business that contribute to use transit, pedestrian and bike facility the neighborhood’s unique quality and enhancements, and management of character. This is especially the case at shared parking lots and garages. key areas for community activity such as at the Metro site and along Queen Implementation Street. These funds could also support efforts to recruit high quality retailers. The Plan takes advan- Transportation tage of a new approach to Traffic congestion will be mitigated by implemen- implementing transportation demand tation not management policies and programs to available encourage new and existing residents during previ- and employees to use transit and other ous rounds alternatives to single vehicle travel, of planning: including carpooling, car sharing, walk- leveraging ing or biking in the neighborhood. The the neigh- Plan recommends revising current borhood’s The community was parking requirements for properties growing wealth and real estate values heavily involved in located within 2000 feet of the Brad- to help implement significant public the creation of this Plan and should also dock Road Metro station, as the City improvements in the neighborhood. be involved in its has successfully done at the King Street These community-benefit dollars gen- implementation. and Eisenhower Avenue Metro Stations erated by new development will help in an effort to encourage transit use to support amenities such as walkable and reduce the number of vehicles on streets and a new neighborhood park, neighborhood roads. New development and take advantage of the underly- projects will provide enough under- ing value of public housing sites to ground parking to avoid aggravating transform public housing into a mixed- the on-street parking crunch, but not so income community that is part of the much that it encourages households to larger neighborhood.

Chapter 1 | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ■  Development Sites

1 Jaguar Site

2 Yates Warehouse Site

3 Water Tower and Adjacent Site 1

4 Tony’s Auto Site 8 2 3

1261 Madison Site N. PAYNE STREET 5 N. FAYETTE STREET

FIRST STREET 6 Metro Site 9 4

7 Fayette Warehouses Site BRADDOCK PLACE MONTGOMERY STREET 10 8 Route 1 Triangle Site 5 16 15 9 Carpenter’s Shelter Site MADISON STREET 6 14 11 10 Madison Site

WYTHE STREET

11 Henry Street – Site A N. ALFRED STREET 13 N. COLUMBUS STREET N. WEST STREET 12 17 12 Henry Street – Site B PENDLETON STREET

13 Post Office Site 7

ORONCO STREET

Andrew Adkins Public N. HENRY STREET 14 N. PATRICK STREET Housing Site

N. PEYTON STREET

PRINCESS STREET 15 James Bland and Bland Addition Public Housing Site

16 Samuel Madden Uptown QUEEN STREET Public Housing Site

17 Ramsey Homes Public

Housing Site CAMERON STREET

The 20-year redevelopment scenario for the Braddock Metro neighborhood that includes potential building projects on 17 different sites as well as new parks and plazas, enhanced green streets and improved pedestrian/bike connections

 ■ | March 2008 View of the proposed new public square in front of Braddock Road Station

Most of the funds for these public im- Group that will form soon after the provement projects will come from new Plan’s adoption. development and by city capital invest- ments which can be supported through The time has come for a plan that spells the increased tax revenue that new de- out the aspirations of the Braddock velopment will create. This will not hap- Metro neighborhood community. New pen overnight, however. The Plan as- development projects—slow to arrive sumes a 20-year buildout period where after the completion of Braddock Road developer contributions and other funds station over 20 years ago—have recently will gradually pay for the public im- been completed and several others are provements that the community helps ready to go. The recommendations put to prioritize in the implementation forth in this Plan promise to improve phase of the Plan. the neighborhood’s livability through a strategic list of public improvement The Plan also represents a significant projects and programs that will be fund- new step toward involving the com- ed through well-designed and context- munity in managing implementation. sensitive private development. The Plan While Alexandria has long embraced aspires to create a neighborhood that is community-based planning, this Plan safe, walkable, dense enough to support makes the community a partner with retail, and replete with housing oppor- the City in implementing the Plan by tunities for a diverse range of people at creating an Implementation Advisory different income levels.

Chapter 1 | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ■  10 ■ | March 2008 Community Vision

As Americans throughout the country continue to rediscover the joys and value of the history, culture and walkability of older urban neighborhoods, inner Alexandria stands poised to strengthen its reputation as one of the most livable places in the Washington region. Building upon the many positive attributes and opportunities within the neighborhood and striving to overcome the area’s challenges are 2 the keys to creating a successful plan. The following chapters—one for each of the seven principles created and unanimously supported by the community members who participated in the development of them—lay out the vision for a series of planning ideas and public policies that will further enhance the Braddock Metro neighborhood’s livability for years to come. This vision builds upon the work that the City and the community did together to ensure that neighborhood stakeholders were heard and that solutions to tough problems were found.

A diverse group of neighborhood residents, business owners, developers and elected officials worked together to identify ways of improving the Braddock Metro neighborhood’s quality of life. COMMUNITY • Residential and office development feasibility ENGAGEMENT • Transportation and traffic management After several years of work, consider- • Height and mass of potential new ing neighborhood issues, the com- development munity began an intensive, five-month • Successful mixed-income community planning process in late communities September 2007 that resulted in this Plan. Building on a series of stake- These and more topics provided in- holder interviews last summer, and formation to the community as they assisted by a group of professional weighed and balanced competing con- planners and facilitators, participants cerns and worked to create the vision attended two for themselves that this Plan articulates. educational work- shops, a full-day Creating a community vision involved community char- many lively and important discussions rette, a walking among community members, all of tour of the neigh- whom brought diverse points of view borhood, and five to the process. Ultimately, these discus- work sessions. sions focused on the core opportunities The participants and challenges facing a diverse commu- During the community were neighborhood citizens and other nity such as: charrette and concerned Alexandrians, and most work sessions, the faithfully attended all sessions. A de- summaries of the • balancing the advantages of tailed look at the process is presented small-group exercises convenient access to Metro with were done by pairs of in Appendix B. community members the development pressures that this and reporters were convenience creates and Topics covered at the various education- encouraged to engage • balancing its commitment to al workshops, charrette and working with others in a panel- sustainability with its concerns like format. sessions included: about the impacts on the quality of life due to higher density • New demographics and development adjacent to Metro. neighborhood values • Elements of livability and placemaking • Urban design framework • Public realm: parks, pedestrian corridors, edge conditions and retail activity • Zoning and development rights • Public housing • Retail feasibility • Neighborhood history and During the November 3 community charrette preservation participants rated area buildings and streetscapes in a visual preference survey.

12 ■ | March 2008 Opportunities and Challenges Facing the Braddock Metro Neighborhood

Underutilized warehouse and light District-wide industrial sites Opportunities • Valuable land appropriate for new Permeable and walkable street grid mixed-use development concentration of public housing 250-foot-by-350-foot blocks • Opportunities for new provide optimal access development that can Valuable ARHA-owned for pedestrians, cyclists, generate funds to help sites could provide land and local vehicle trips pay for public amenities for new mixed-use, mixed- throughout the neighborhood income development central to the neighborhood. Parker-Gray Braddock Road Metro Historic District Station concentration of Architectural identity and Easy access to greater Public Housing historic character that is unique to the Braddock Washington region The 365 units on the Metro/Parker-Gray Adkins, Bland, Madden, neighborhood Lack of retail presence and Ramsey sites create a high concentration of • Braddock Place: greater poverty in portions of the visibility needed to neighborhood. support retail District-wide • Henry Street: high challenges visibility, but too busy to support many Perception of safety problems neighborhood-serving Neighbors perceive safety businesses issues related to the public housing sites and post office vacant warehouses. distribution facility compatibility of new Trucks and surface park- buildings with scale & ing detract from character character of historic of this valuable site Neighborhood Transitional building heights and scales needed between Parker-Gray and the Braddock Metro station. lack of public park or other usable open space New development projects, public housing sites, and the Metro site offer some green space, but most is not particularly usable for most of the community.

Traffic congestion & noise on Route 1 Conditions limit pedestrian comfort and safety and 0’ 100’ 200’ 400’ 800’ Opportunities make local vehicle travel difficult during peak Challenges periods.

Chapter 2 | COMMUNITY VISION ■ 13 Building on the Opportunities and Overcoming the Challenges

Underutilized warehouse and light building on industrial sites Opportunities Encourage high-density development that will Permeable and create a vibrant, mixed- walkable street grid use neighborhood and help • Design sidewalks and generate public-benefit concentration of streets that are green funds. public housing and invite walking: on- Re-create the public street parking buffers housing sites as mixed- pedestrians from traffic, Braddock Road trees line the sidewalks, Metro Station income communities. and buildings engage • Improve pedestrian concentration of the public realm with access to the station Public Housing active uses and well- from the surrounding landscaped setbacks neighborhoods. • Develop mixed-income that create a green edge. housing on ARHA sites • Manage multimodal • New buildings along through an open, fair transportation, parking the four “walking and inclusive process. and road improvements streets” will step down surrounding the Metro • Increase job-training to 3-4 stories along the site. programs and other sidewalk. social services for pub- • Encourage redevelop- lic housing residents. ment of “super-blocks” into a more permeable and historically contextual street grid. Parker-Gray Historic District Further strengthen the Lack of retail presence neighborhood’s identity, vitality, and diversity • Provide two or three that compliment the neighborhood retail architecture and character “squares” at strategic of Parker-Gray. locations, including at the Metro station if/when the site is redeveloped. • Enliven the ground-floor overcoming of the Braddock Place challenges office buildings with community-serving uses. Perception of • Promote Queen Street safety problems retail with assistance Create safe, secure streets programs and other through environmental initiatives. design and redevelopment of underutilized property to provide additional eyes on post office the street. distribution facility compatibility of new buildings with scale & Relocate postal character of historic distribution facility Neighborhood and replace it with a Develop guidelines neighborhood park and that require building mixed-use building “shoulders” to ensure that that retains the post- new development adjacent office retail and counter to the historic district is services. sympathetic to its scale and character.

Traffic congestion, lack of public park noise along Route 1 or other usable Promote live-work units open space and other uses that • Incorporate usable and accessible open space 0’ 100’ 200’ 400’ 800’ Opportunities can thrive adjacent to Route 1 within all private-sector Challenges development projects. • Create a 1.5-acre neigh- borhood park on the Post Office site or in conjunc- tion with redevelopment of the Adkins block.

14 ■ | March 2008 Ultimately, all of the discussions set The following list of seven principles re- the stage for a new vision that affirmed flect values that participants in the plan- most of the recommendations from the ning process share, and also underlie all earlier planning process in 2005–06, but of the ideas in this Plan. Each principle added significant elements such as: is the topic of a separate chapter, includ- ing more detailed recommendations to • Creating additional places that achieve it. In combination, they offer nurture a sense of community for a vital and comprehensive community the neighborhood—principally the vision. new park, supporting Queen Street, and creating a lively neighborhood Principles for the square at Metro Braddock Metro Neighborhood • Committing to overcome the social divide between the public housing 1. Create a sense of place/ community and much of the larger neighborhood identity, community by transforming public vitality and diversity. housing into mixed-income housing • Acknowledging and celebrating 2. Provide walkable the richness that diversity and neighborhoods that are secure and feel safe. multiple individual histories adds to the neighborhood’s quality and 3. Establish a variety of character community-serving, • Recognizing that many feel they usable open spaces. have not benefited equitably from recent development in the 4. Encourage community- neighborhood serving retail and services. • Forging a direct link between development and funding public 5. Promote mixed-income benefits housing and follow • Recognizing that well-managed an open, fair, and development can and should inclusive process to de-concentrate public contribute to enhancing housing. neighborhood character and quality. 6. Manage multimodal Coming to these understandings took transportation, parking a commitment and intensity from and road infrastructure. citizens and staff alike, but built on a 7. Achieve varying and rather easily arrived at set of principles, transitional heights and refined over time, that tell the story of scales. Braddock’s future.

Chapter 2 | COMMUNITY VISION ■ 15 The process produced two particularly important benefits that were not part of prior planning efforts for the neigh- borhood. A community-wide dialogue addressing the future of public hous- ing—one that will bring the public housing and larger community togeth- er to talk about their shared future—is underway. In addition, the process created a new partnership between the community and the city, represented initially by an Implementation Advi- sory Group to manage the implemen- tation of this Plan.

16 ■ | March 2008 Principle 1 Create a sense of place with neighborhood identity, vitality, and diversity During the Braddock Metro neighborhood planning effort, the community made it clear on numerous occasions that it wants to preserve and strengthen its neighborhood’s sense of place. Overwhelmingly, residents enjoy the two-to-three-story scale of most blocks in the neighborhood and the tree-lined streets with landscaped setbacks in some areas. Most appreciate the diversity of cultures, 3 income levels and lifestyles within the neighborhood as well. The Plan aims to maintain these important attributes and reinforce them through strategic initiatives to preserve the architectural character and cultural diversity, and promote sustainability and green design. The other overarching goal is to promote the identity of the neighborhood as a walkable, diverse, active, historic community that aspires to be one of the most livable in the Washington metro area. Historic architecture and mature trees found in the Parker-Gray Central to this identity is the serious need Historic District help create a to create places where people of diverse powerful sense of place. backgrounds and lifestyles can come together. The walking streets, parks and retail squares discussed in subsequent chapters will go a long way to implementing this need. The Plan recognizes the differences Historical between the smaller-scale, historic row house blocks that now help Influences establish the neighborhood’s sense of place, and the redeveloping industrial The area’s three most poignant and sites located adjacent to Metro where influential historical stories relate to larger scale development is planned. its concentration of industrial uses, Taking advantage of Metro’s proximity its heritage as an African American is essential in an era that values neighborhood, and the importance sustainability and seeks alternatives of its architecture and buildings. In to auto-dependence. The public- addition, the opening of the Braddock benefit dollars generated from this Road Metro Station adds another development will help to reinforce chapter to the twentieth century history. the character of the neighborhood for years to come. The Implementation 1. Industrial/Commercial Advisory Group will enable the City and History community to work together to manage these public benefit dollars to enhance Businesses and residences have the identity, vitality and diversity of the survived side by side for most of neighborhood. the history of the Braddock Road Metro area. Prior to the Civil War, the Alexandria and Washington railroad line had been built along the center of North Fayette Street when there was little business activity in the Braddock area. Notable enterprises included a Rope Walk located west of West Street from Oronoco to Queen Streets, an ice house at 218 North Columbus Street and Jacob Hoffman’s sugar refinery at 220 North Washington Street. More businesses arrived as the area developed.

By the latter part of the nineteenth century the area had numerous small businesses, such as ice houses and Early 20th-century warehouse building along Fayette Street hay and feed stores, and the railroad had attracted a series of industrial uses nearby. The railroad station was located at 200 North Fayette, and a wood yard was not far away in the 800 block of Cameron Street. The Belle Pre Bottle Company, and the Alexandria Glass Company, both large, multi-building

18 ■ | March 2008 businesses, were located in the 1100 During the second half of the twentieth block of Madison and Montgomery century, after the railroad line was Streets, respectively. Other warehouse moved, the industrial and business uses hugged the railroad, lining North climate began to decline. Auto related Fayette Street. In addition, uses such businesses such as Tony’s, Pat’s as a cobbler’s shop at 200 North Alfred Radiator and European Auto Body on and an ice house at 300 North Alfred North Henry Street were the dominant served the residential population. business sector in the area by 2000. A few large businesses such as Hennage By 1950, there were still businesses Printers at 1101 Pendleton Street that were reminiscent of an older and Check Soda (215 North Payne) way of life such as J & S agricultural recalled older technologies while equipment (530 North Henry), the companies such as Commonwealth Mutual Ice Company (on North Scientific instrument makers (various Payne), Stark & Slagle coal and fuel locations, including 800 North Henry) (North Henry extended) and L Hoge represented new high technology feed and grain store (at 511 North industries. Many large warehouses, Fayette), but the nature of most of including Sykes (300 and 621 North the businesses in the Braddock Road Henry), Hopkins Furniture (1112 Metro Area was now squarely based on Cameron Street), Security Storage twentieth century technology. Moving (621 North Payne), and Braswell and storage companies such as the (1017 Queen Street) enjoyed the large Victory Van lines (520 North Fayette) industrial sites from a prior era. and Duncan Transfer (400 North Columbia), electrical contractors such The arrival of the Braddock Road Metro as Zimmerman Electrical Contracting Station and dramatically increased (509 North Fayette) and sales and metal property values have meant the gradual working firms such as Alexandria Sheet closing of most of the industrial and and Metal Works (700 North Fayette) storage businesses in the Braddock were important businesses. area, as economic pressures and continuing market changes replace Auto related businesses (which were such uses with residences and retailers. to be so prevalent in the area at the end of century) were also beginning 2. Uptown: An African to locate in the area, primarily in the American Neighborhood 600 and 700 blocks of North Henry Street. There were also many small The location of the railroad and businesses, such as beauty salons industry attracted African Americans, (there were 17 barbers and beauty who had always had a significant salons), restaurants and small retailers. presence in Alexandria, to the Queen Street, between North Fayette Braddock area in particular. Originally and North Henry Streets, emerged populated before the Civil War, the area as a prime location for neighborhood bounded by West, Cameron, North oriented businesses. Columbus and Montgomery streets was known as Uptown, and became the

Chapter 3 | PRINCIPLE 1 ■ 19 largest of Alexandria’s ten historical African American communities. Over time, and especially through the twentieth century, Uptown was a vibrant, self-contained, self-sufficient neighborhood, offering home, church, schools, entertainment shopping and recreation to its citizens.

Uptown Institutions and Businesses Former grocery warehouse, later the Alexandria Laundry, on Queen Street Prominent among the institutions in the area was a multitude of churches, at corner sites. In the Queen Street including St. John Baptist Church, corridor from Alfred to Payne streets St. Joseph Catholic Church, Russell were located the Colored Drug Store, Temple C.M.E. later known as Dr. Blue’s Pharmacy Church, Third and Dr. Henry Ladrey’s office on Henry Baptist Church, Street. Throughout the changes in Meade Memorial industry and business over the decades, Episcopal Church, the 1100 block of Queen Street between and Ebenezer and North Fayette and North Henry Streets, Mt. Jezreel Baptist remained a prime location for small, Churches. neighborhood serving businesses, especially African American owned There were businesses, including a taxi cab also a number company, Dancey’s barber shop, Mrs. Historic photo of the Weenie Beenie Dancey’s carryout, a cafeteria, movie (Photo courtesy of the Black History Museum) of fraternal organizations theater, restaurants and automobile providing civic services to the businesses. While other parts of the community, a few of which used or Braddock area business community rented their buildings for public events. have seen radical change, this block The most frequently used buildings of businesses remains strong, and for community purposes were the American Legion Post 129 at 200 North Fayette Street and the Elks Home at 227 North Henry Street. Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, and most of the up and coming male and female black vocalists, groups and bands played at the Elks Home during the decades of segregation.

Small neighborhood businesses and Historic Uptown photo (Courtesy of the Black offices dotted the area, especially Historic Museum)

20 ■ | March 2008 includes such existing enterprises for its excellence in education and as Sgt’s Restaurant (recently closed its dedicated teaching staff who were by fire, with hopes for a reopening), involved in neighborhood activities and barbershops, a grocery store and auto well known to the community. related parts and tires store. Increased enrollment Parker-Gray School eventually required a larger high school, Perhaps the most significant feature and in 1950 the high of the Uptown neighborhood was school relocated the emphasis on the education of its to a new building children, and the strong, rigorous at 1207 Madison response by educators to the demand. Street, retaining Several free and private schools were its name. The old established in homes and churches school building before, during and after the Civil War. on Wythe Street A public school for African Americans was then renamed Original 1920 Parker- was established in Alexandria as early Charles Houston Elementary School, Gray School building as 1785. It existed at the Alexandria in appreciation of the famous located at the 900 Academy until 1847, when the NAACP lawyer and dean of Howard Wythe Street, later City of Alexandria, originally part University Law School who used his the Charles Houston Elementary School of Washington D.C., was relocated influence, power and knowledge to and site of the to Virginia, which prohibited the aid the Alexandria African American Charles Houston education of African Americans. Later, community in their fight to secure a Recreation Center. the Hallowell School for Girls (400 separate high school building. It was North Alfred) and the Snowden School Charles Houston who trained the for Boys (South Pitt Street), built in the lawyers, developed the strategy, and 1870s, educated generations of African wrote the brief that upheld the cause American children until 1920. of integration in the Supreme Court. Integration of Alexandria’s schools In 1920, the Parker-Gray Elementary was achieved in 1964 and the Parker- School was constructed at 900 Wythe Gray school closed its doors in 1979. Street and named to honor the beloved The original Parker-Gray school site principals, John Parker and Sarah then became the home of the Charles Gray, respectively, of the Snowden Houston Recreation Center. and Hallowell Schools. Originally opened as a school for grades 1-8 Library - Civil Rights Action only, students who wanted a full high school education were forced to attend The Black History Museum at 902 Dunbar, Cardozo, Armstrong, or Wythe Street is a monument to the Phelps High Schools in Washington, dedication of Alexandria’s African D.C. Parker-Gray became Alexandria’s Americans to retain their history and first African American high school in their neighborhood. The small, one 1932. Over time the segregated Parker- room, Robinson Library was originally Gray High School became known built in 1940 at the corner of North

Chapter 3 | PRINCIPLE 1 ■ 21 Library sit-in at the Alexandria Free 3. Parker-Gray Historic Library, 1939 (Photo District courtesy of the Black History Museum) History

Historic preservation has long been recognized as an integral part of the land use process in the City of Alexandria. However, the Uptown area, which contains significant Alfred and Wythe streets by the architectural and cultural resources, City of Alexandria to address the need was not included in the original Old for African Americans to read and and Historic Alexandria District’s borrow books from a public facility. The boundaries, adopted in 1946 to lack of that opportunity was brought include only those properties east of to the City’s attention when, in 1939, Washington Street. five young, well dressed and courteous African American men refused to Starting in 1969, when City Council leave the newly built Alexandria Free attempted to expand the historic district Library at 717 Queen Street (now the to protect the area, Uptown residents Kate Waller Barrett Branch), when opposed the effort, because they feared they were prohibited from using that that a historic designation would “whites only” public facility. Leading increase the cost to repair, maintain and organizing the effort was Samuel and renovate their homes and that Tucker, a local, African American housing prices would rise beyond the attorney. As a result of this early “sit- affordable range. in,” Otto Tucker, Edward Addis, Morris Murray, William Evans and Clarence After the completion of formal surveys Strange were arrested, charged and that found concentrations of historically then released from custody. Despite and architecturally significant buildings requests by Tucker for a ruling in from the mid to late 19th century in the the court case, the charges were neighborhood, and in recognition that later dropped and the City built the redevelopment was occurring regardless Robinson Library. of the lack of designation, City Council and the neighborhood were The Uptown neighborhood, now ultimately convinced that protecting known as Parker-Gray, or Inner City for the destruction of buildings in the its close-in location within the City, has neighborhood by historic designation long maintained an African American was the only means to assure that new presence in the Braddock area. The development remained compatible with Black History Museum stands as a existing small scale homes. testament to the history and influence of the Uptown neighborhood, even as Thus, in 1984, the Old and Historic the community faces inevitable change. Alexandria District, at that time the only historic district, was expanded

22 ■ | March 2008 to include 40 additional blocks, the threat of rising land values and encompassing most of the Uptown taxes resulting from speculation and neighborhood. This change established development pressures.” the boundaries of the Parker-Gray Historic District (the District) and Historic Neighborhood Character regulations for Board of Architectural Review (BAR) jurisdiction, and created The Parker-Gray Historic District (the a new Parker-Gray panel that would District) is mostly residential, with decide cases within the Parker-Gray commercial development concentrated neighborhood. primarily along North Patrick and North Henry streets. The area follows The stated purpose of the district the street grid and building setbacks was to preserve and protect the found in the adjacent Old and Historic architectural and cultural character Alexandria District. The majority of of the predominantly residential the residential development consists neighborhood. Final design guidelines of single-family attached residences. for the District were adopted in 1983 However, there are a number of and continue to set the standards for small apartment buildings as well architectural review in the District in as some detached single-family addition to those standards set forth in houses. Commercial structures the Ordinance. In 1992, the Parker-Gray include shops, offices, warehouses, Historic District panel was abolished fraternal organizations and buildings and formally became the Parker-Gray formerly occupied by movie theaters. District Board of Architectural Review. Churches are located throughout the neighborhood and are among its most Along the way, in recognition of the significant landmarks. important social and cultural heritage of the neighborhood, City Council acted The District developed gradually to assure protection of the Uptown over the last half of the 19th century community. In 1974, the City Council and first several decades of the 20th passed Resolution No. 276, noting century. Buildings from the early that “there exist in Census Tract 16 a 19th century are few and generally substantial number of well-built and concentrated on the southern end well-maintained homes that establish of the district near King Street on the predominantly residential character North Patrick, North Henry and North of the area” and that it was the policy Payne streets. A significant upsurge in and objective of the City Council “to development associated with the New preserve and improve Census Tract 16 Deal and World War II era growth of as a viable, predominantly residential the Washington, D.C. metropolitan community.” The resolution also stated area is reflected in the brick rowhouses that “City Council will seek to preserve along Oronoco and Buchanan streets. the opportunity for homeowners of The entry of the federal government all income levels to continue residing in the field of housing is reflected in in the 16th Census Tract and to find the blocks of mid 20th century public effective ways to protect residents from housing development at the north

Chapter 3 | PRINCIPLE 1 ■ 23 end of the District. Most buildings continue in the future to celebrate in the area are small-scale vernacular further the neighborhood’s strong interpretations of popular or high style historic past. architecture. National Register Identifiable stylistic influences include Nomination Italianate, Queen Anne, Second Empire, Colonial Revival and Art In January 2008, the City completed its Deco, Art Moderne, Bungalow and submission of the nomination of the International styles. Uptown/Parker-Gray neighborhood to the National Register of Historic Neighborhood Protection Places and anticipates a successful determination by the United States As one of the City’s two locally- Park Service later in 2008. The regulated historic districts, changes to National Register nomination is one the exterior of buildings and structures of the three concurrent overlapping within the District which are visible planning processes in the Parker- to the public must be reviewed by the Gray neighborhood – in addition to BAR to ensure they will be compatible the Braddock Plan and the Braddock with their neighbors on the block and East planning process – and as such in the immediate area as to the: has required substantial coordination • scale and mass of the building; and communication with residents • height of the roofline along the to avoid confusion. The interrelation street; of the various planning efforts and • architectural style, including boundaries was discussed at the architectural detail and material, Braddock Metro Neighborhood Plan texture and colors; meeting on October 16, 2007. City • retention of original distinguishing preservation staff also held a meeting qualities of the building; and with the community in early February • historic appropriateness of new 2008 to provide information about building features. the nomination process, the district boundaries, and the benefits of the The Parker-Gray Historic District BAR historic designation. meets monthly to review and act on applications for work on buildings in The potential listing in the National the District. The Board also reviews Register will formally acknowledge any request to demolish a building or the importance of Uptown, one of portion of a building in the District. Alexandria’s thriving African-American neighborhoods before segregation was LOCAL AND NATIONAL abolished in the 1960s. Listing also REcOGNITION brings some protection from actions involving the Federal government, such In addition to the Parker-Gray Historic as highway widening or redevelopment District protections created by the City, involving federal funds or permits. steps are being taken now and should Owners of qualifying properties listed

24 ■ | March 2008 on the National Register who undertake the history will also strengthen substantial renovation are eligible neighborhood diversity. Finally, for investment tax credits on state supporting Queen Street’s unique and and federal income taxes. However, locally owned businesses will help the threshold for qualifying for such create an active market for them within credits is difficult to meet in Parker- the neighborhood. Gray or Old Town due to the area’s high property values. As part of the Braddock planning process, many ideas for preserving Queen Street Retail District and celebrating Uptown/Parker- Gray’s history were recommended. During the decades of segregation, Neighborhood residents developed the Queen Street was “Uptown’s” thriving following suggestions: commercial street. There were two movie theaters, barber shops, stores, • Conduct an oral history project in restaurants, a drug store, doctors Uptown/Parker-Gray, perhaps in and lawyers offices. Ray Charles the context of a citywide African and other entertainers performed American History of Alexandria; in the theaters and fraternal lodges. Gather stories, photos and other On warm evenings, people strolled documents from previous and long- along the sidewalks between Fayette time residents; and Patrick, the core of the business • Take examples from other cities, such district. While the vitality of business as Birmingham, Alabama, which along Queen Street did not survive has done a great job telling the story segregation, it maintains an important of segregation and the fight for civil role in the commercial energy of rights within the neighborhoods the neighborhood as well as in its in the places where important historic past. This Plan makes several events occurred. Parker-Gray could recommendations to retain and similarly integrate the telling of the enhance its business vitality, including neighborhood “story” into the urban financial support for both new and fabric itself, through interpretive established businesses. See Chapter markers, wayfinding signs, and 6 for more detail on this important public art; neighborhood recommendation. • Create a walking tour/trail (with an accompanying booklet and podcast) Future Preservation Efforts that follows interpretive signs detailing important cultural and This Plan recommends that the historic events, and connects to other City undertake additional steps to trails within the City; document, memorialize and celebrate • Install pavers imbedded with writing/ the neighborhood’s history. A first art along walking corridors and at key step in celebrating the neighborhood’s locations, both to commemorate the rich history is making the history neighborhood’s history, but also to more accessible and more visible. set it apart as a unique district with a Documenting and memorializing cohesive character;

Chapter 3 | PRINCIPLE 1 ■ 25 • Support retail on Queen Street to help re-establish it as an important and vibrant community corridor; • Implement streetscaping recommendations in the Braddock Plan that make walking in the neighborhood more comfortable – street trees, sidewalk improvements; • Document buildings that have been torn down; and • Consider changing the name of the Historical, Metro Station to Parker-Gray, and interpretive sign of Dr. Martin Luther tie the Metro into a walking tour, King, Jr.’s boyhood perhaps by developing a tour map home in Atlanta, GA. that begins at the Station. (above) Interpretive walking map sign from Washington DC. In addition, an interpretive program (right) should be developed that would present a national story illustrated with in preparation for international the Parker-Gray example. For instance, visitation. Small businesses along the national stories might include 19th Auburn Avenue continue in largely century industrial and railroad growth African American ownership, serving in the edges of cities, the Civil War and locals and an increasing number of Alexandria, and of course, the national tourists from all over the world. story of racial segregation. Making the stories accessible could take several Each of the above recommendations forms: deserves further consideration and development in order to enhance the • An audio tour or podcast that could neighborhood’s unique character and be downloaded from the city’s sense of place. tourism website is one method, and • A heritage trail with informative historical panels and walking tour maps is another. DIVERSITY

The latter serves another purpose in The economic and racial diversity of that following it could draw visitors the Braddock Metro neighborhood and shoppers from King Street over to is one of its strengths, but this is Queen and beyond. A local example changing through redevelopment and is the neighborhood trails developed gentrification. A strong demand for and signed by D.C. Cultural Tourism. urban living is driving up property In Atlanta, the Auburn Avenue area values and rents, and many lower- around the Martin Luther King Jr. site income and African-American was given well-designed sidewalks with residents have left the neighborhood. historical panels for the 1996 Olympics, In the year 2000, for the first time, the neighborhood’s white non-Hispanic

26 ■ | March 2008 population outnumbered its population Metro neighborhood should consider of African-Americans. In 2006, nearly hiring area residents and other workers four times as many neighborhood from the surrounding community households earned $100,000 or more in order to enhance employment annually as in 1990. opportunities for those with carpentry, masonry, electrical, plumbing and all- The Plan supports diversity through the around construction skills. Increased explicit recognition and celebration of employment for local residents the neighborhood’s history as well as will translate into higher incomes, the development of a range of housing equipping more current Braddock types at differing levels of affordability. Metro neighborhood residents to cope Diversity of housing should incorporate with rising housing costs and remain unit size ratios and amenities that are in the neighborhood. conducive to families with children. While the mix of housing types, unit The recent closing of Sarge’s restaurant sizes, and affordability levels is no due to fire damage leaves the African- guarantee that the Braddock Metro American community without a neighborhood will retain its current full-service, sit-down restaurant to racial diversity, it can at least ensure a call its own. Many members of the mix of people with different lifestyles, community have voiced concern about family sizes, and other characteristics this void. While the Alexandria Black that will promote the neighborhood’s History Museum can serve as a formal livability. Developers in the Braddock gathering space, it does not cater to

New businesses have begun to fill in empty spaces between ndBridges.com existing historic a African-American ll, Portl

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Sarge’s Restaurant before the fire Storefronts along Queen Street

Chapter 3 | PRINCIPLE 1 ■ 27 more spontaneous, informal gatherings The Plan recommends using between with food that a sit-down restaurant $4-$6 million to support existing can provide. Sarge’s Queen Street businesses and recruit new businesses location offered an ideal spot for such that will enhance the livability of the socialization. neighborhood. A portion of the funds created through new development With or without Sarge’s, Queen Street should be used to support Queen represents a unique opportunity to Street businesses, underwrite historic preserve community character and preservation projects, and/or improve sense of place for African-Americans the street’s physical condition. who live in the Braddock Metro neighborhood, especially those who While much of Queen Street’s have spent their whole lives there. The future patronage will come from key to retaining this sense of place lies local residents who arrive on foot, in preserving and promoting locally- planning to strengthen the street owned small businesses. should recognize the importance of convenient, nearby parking. One Today, businesses along Queen challenge to revitalizing Queen Street Street (and elsewhere) are fragile retail is the difficulty of getting there and threatened by high property by car. The street’s one-way, eastbound values and taxes and a dwindling traffic flow creates an obstacle for cars customer base. A key step in this traveling from nearby Route 1. The direction would be to establish physical enhancement programs for the street’s sidewalks, the street itself, building façades, and signage. Technical assistance programs run by the Small Business Development Center and the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership—which focus on developing business plans, low-cost loans, marketing, and brokering business partnerships— should continue to actively assist small business on Queen Street and throughout the Braddock Metro neighborhood as well. The Queen Street Area Business Association should coordinate all efforts and work to broaden the reach of these programs beyond existing participants and promote the area to new businesses and create a distinctive, interesting, and Historically African-American U Street in funky alternative to nearby King Street. Washington has recently seen a revival thanks to the renovation of many older buildings, new nearby residential, new retail and nightlife.

28 ■ | March 2008 City should study the feasibility of reconfiguring the street for two-way traffic, especially between West and Patrick Streets, a change that would offer improved access to existing and future businesses. Enhanced vehicle circulation, along with revived businesses, will also enhance the perception of safety on the street, which in turn will encourage more people to visit the portion of the Braddock Metro neighborhood that has been perceived as unsafe.

To promote the small-scale redevelopment of some of the properties along Queen Street and elsewhere in the Braddock Metro neighborhood, the Plan encourages Live-work building examples in Emeryville, CA “live-work” buildings. Live-work and Portland, OR. is a use that fits well into the fine- grained fabric of a historic commercial street. It allows new construction SUSTAINABILITY and rehabilitation projects that create AND GREEN DESIGN ground-level space that can flexibly accommodate residential, office, A sustainable community is one or retail uses. Ideally, a live-work that addresses the long-term building includes loft-like spaces economic health of the economy, at street level that provide space for the environment, and social equity, home offices, small shops, cafés, or thus preserving the ability of future other neighborhood-oriented stores, generations to live and flourish. as well as services such as chiropractic Particularly in a redeveloping offices, hair salons, or dental offices. environment like the Braddock Typically, the small business owner Metro neighborhood, it is critical or entrepreneur also lives in the that the City plan to guide growth space itself or within the building. and change, addressing all of these Live-work space can occupy either principles to create a community that the ground-floor space of a larger, is more environmentally responsible, multifamily building or the first floor more economically viable, and of a townhouse unit that contains the with a quality of life that attracts small business or office space. Live- and retains residents well into the work units would fit well into the future. The result can be a rich historic fabric along Queen Street and combination of benefits: improved add even more enlivening activity to health, lower expenses for the average its sidewalks. household, increased home ownership

Chapter 3 | PRINCIPLE 1 ■ 29 opportunities, cleaner air, cost savings urban communities such as Alexandria for the City, and many others. are able to achieve when compared to average suburban communities. When This Plan compared to suburban development, complements urban communities can achieve a the sustainable 43% to 66% reduction in energy aspects of consumption per year. This reduction the Vision for stays true even when suburban Alexandria 2015, development incorporates green design produced by the and drivers use hybrid cars. This City Council in reduction grows primarily from urban 2004, which lays communities’ pedestrian-oriented the groundwork nature that reduces the need to drive “Green” streets can for many of the sustainability policies and promotes compact multifamily and reduce stormwater now in place across Alexandria. rowhouse development that is more runoff problems in an urban area. Guiding principles have been energy efficient than large free-standing established in order to create a more homes in suburban or rural areas. livable community for residents today and for generations to come and From that perspective, the Braddock include detailed recommendations Metro neighborhood is an ideal for creating walkable neighborhoods, candidate for redevelopment, given the providing a mix of land uses, providing density of the surrounding street grid a range of housing choices, providing (approximately 34 blocks per square new open spaces and street trees, and mile); multiple opportunities for infill improving access to transit. development or redevelopment of

energy use comparison of The City’s Vision suburban vs. urban homes contributes to an overall reduction of multiple Transportation Use Household Use environmental impacts caused by sprawl by encouraging redevelopment of previously developed sites within Alexandria’s traditional ENERGY CONSUMED (MILLIONS OF BTU PER YEAR) ENERGY

urban fabric. Resources DefenseChart Council Benfield, Natural based on data from Kaid The chart below 239 mBTU 158 mBTU 136 mBTU 82 mBTU Suburban Suburban urban urban with demonstrates average with average green the vast savings Green design design in energy SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSEHOLD TYPES consumption that

30 ■ | March 2008 urban sites; and the neighborhood’s location within walking distance of a variety of diverse uses, including restaurants, schools, houses of worship, convenience stores, banks, police/fire stations, supermarkets, theaters, health clubs, medical offices, hair salons, hardware stores, and libraries.

On a smaller scale, traffic-calming measures and pedestrian-oriented urban design strategies—such as ground level entrances to buildings, crosswalks, and continuous sidewalks—contribute to the sustainability of the Braddock Metro neighborhood. Other urban design strategies, including transparency of ground-level storefronts, on-street parking, and street trees reinforce the Plan’s contribution to citywide sustainability efforts.

Sustainable design at the building level should also be encouraged through various environmental design certification systems that promote energy-efficient buildings and recycled material use for multiple scales of new construction. In 2000, the U.S. Green Another environmental design Alexandria’s Green Building Council (USGBC) developed certification system, the EarthCraft and Sustainable Building Checklist the LEED (Leadership in Energy and House Virginia Program, a partnership Environmental Design) Green Rating between the Virginia Community System in order to create a label as well Development Corporation and the as guidelines for design and decision- Southface Energy Institute, became making, and to serve as an incentive a statewide program in Virginia in for more environment-friendly design 2005. Through a certification process and construction of buildings. The for single family and multifamily certification levels vary, depending on projects, EarthCraft Virginia, aims the number of points earned under the to reduce utility bills and protect the different categories within the LEED environment. rating system. These levels include, in order of magnitude: Certified, Silver, The City of Alexandria strongly Gold, and Platinum. encourages both LEED certification

Chapter 3 | PRINCIPLE 1 ■ 31 The soon-to-be-completed Charles Houston Recreation Center is aiming for LEED Silver certification.

and the application of all the discussion for this site. The potential items on Alexandria’s Green and redevelopment of the James Bland Sustainable Building Checklist to all public housing site is anticipated new developments. This checklist to contain both Earthcraft certified reflects environmental sustainability townhome units and LEED certified tools that are particularly important multi-family buildings. to Alexandria, such as: recycling construction materials; creating green- Additionally, the City’s General roofs; providing permeable ground- Services Department, which oversees cover materials; promoting public the construction of publicly funded transportation; conserving and reusing buildings, requires all new buildings, water; and maximizing daylight within including the new Charles Houston buildings. The City is working on the Recreation Center, to obtain LEED creation and implementation of a green Silver Certification. building policy along with other related environmental efforts. The table on the following page illustrates the criteria for a sustainable Many of the current development community that are already met in the proposals within the Braddock Metro Braddock Metro neighborhood and neighborhood are independently those that could be further reinforced applying sustainable standards through recommendations made in to their proposals. The Madison this Plan. proposal for a 350-unit multi-family building is anticipated to have a green-roof. The proposed Northern Gateway development not only plans to incorporate green roofs, but it will also meet LEED standards. Graywater reuse for irrigation is also under

32 ■ | March 2008 Sustainability Criteria for of Addressed within The Braddock Metro could be further a Sustainable the existing Braddock Neighborhood Plan explored within the Community neighborhood? addresses this by… Neighborhood by… Promotes a com- Partially • Further creating an appealing, ­• Creating a long-term con- munity that is both [ ] A 250x350-foot street grid, safe pedestrian environment nection under the Metro programmatically + and physically con- sidewalks, crosswalks, along principal corridors linking tracks to the Del Ray and nected to the sur- pedestrian paths, and Braddock Metro neighborhood Rosemont neighborhoods rounding area bicycle paths help connect with surrounding development, Braddock Road Station to through both building uses and surrounding neighborhoods streetscape enhancements [–] The Metro embankment walls off the Braddock Metro neighborhood from neighborhoods to the west Promotes Partially • Further reducing automobile • Creating a TDM multi-model [ ] The majority of the plan dependence by improving pe- (transportation demand transportation and + walkability area is located within 1/2- destrian connections to mass management) program mile walking distance of transit and throughout the neigh- in order to reduce mass transit borhood energy consumption and [–] Perceived safety issues, ve- • Recommending a variety of uses, pollution from motor hicular congestion, and an including residential, live-work, vehicles by encouraging overall lack of usable public office, and retail the use of public space are issues in some • Providing access to public spac- transportation (For more areas of the neighborhood es through the incorporation of a information on TDM large neighborhood park, smaller programs, see Chapter 8.) green spaces, and urban plazas, as well as through improved pedestrian connections to the existing Powhatan Park Sets standards Partially • Reducing the footprint of surface • Encouraging individual for reduced water [ ] In addition to the Charles parking lots by providing podium projects to be certified use, stormwater + management, Houston Recreation Center, parking below buildings with under the US Green building reuse, Cromley Lofts at 1210 plazas and green spaces on top Building Council’s LEED renewable energy Queen Street, an 8-unit resi- • Increasing the overall area of for New Construction, generation and use, dential condominium green space within the neighbor- LEED for Core and Shell, and overall energy conservation located in Old Town Alexan- hood will help with stormwater or LEED for Neighborhood dria is the first LEED-certi- and heat island issues Development programs fied condo in the state of Virginia, earning a ‘Gold’ ranking by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Encourages Yes • Proposing higher density, mixed- compact [+] Existing overall density of use buildings on several under- development 20–25 dwelling units per utilized sites. acre promotes sustainably compact development Provides Partially • Incorporating a variety of hous- opportunities for [ ] A variety of housing types ing types and income levels social, economic, + programmatic, and exist throughout the neigh- within the plan area. racial diversity borhood, including multi- • Stabilizing and promoting local family and townhouse units businesses – some minority owned – through recruitment and retention programs.

Chapter 3 | PRINCIPLE 1 ■ 33 34 ■ | March 2008 Principle 2 Provide walkable neighborhoods that are secure and feel safe

The Braddock Metro neighborhood can be a community where every resident feels safe and comfortable on foot 24 hours a day. The foundation for a walkable neighborhood has existed since the initial platting of the area in the 19th century. A network of relatively tight, 350 foot by 250 foot blocks separated mostly by two-lane streets promotes walking and is central to creating the neighborhood’s 4 prevailing character and sense of place. Despite increases in automobile traffic in the Post-War years, pedestrian activity has greatly increased since Metro Rail was extended to the area. The walkable street network draws people out into the public realm and helps to build community and will be increasingly the case as the Plan’s recommended View of Fayette walking street from Pendleton parks, plazas and retail looking north. destinations are gradually implemented in the future. The funding strategies discussed in Walking Streets Chapter 10 will play a critical role in unlocking the ability to create a A drawback to Braddock Metro neigh- more walkable public realm: paying borhood grid, however, is the lack of for extensive tree-planting and other hierarchy for various rights-of-way. The streetscape improvements, new parks area contains arterials, collectors and lo- and plazas, and the ability to promote cal streets but other than the heavy Route neighborhood-oriented retail. During 1 traffic imposed by Henry and Patrick the implementation process the com- Streets, most other streets have been built munity will continue to play a central in a similar way: 38 feet of asphalt curb- role in working with the city to plan to-curb, 14 foot sidewalks on each side, the details of greening streets, intersec- and homes built either to the property tion improvements, and other critical line or with small, landscaped setbacks. aspects of creating a more walkable neighborhood. The Plan proposes designating clearly defined “walking streets” to establish a sense of hierarchy within the exist- ing grid and communicate to residents and visitors the best way to easily reach parks, new retail nodes and other desti- nations on foot. In fact, walking streets should be considered part of the larger public realm, along with the existing parks and the new ones proposed in this Plan (see Chapter 5). The Plan recom- The visual axis of the Fayette “walking street” is the Washington Monument on the Mall.

Recommended setbacks and upper-floor step-backs on designated walking streets

36 ■ | March 2008 mends designating the following as enclosure without walking streets: being out of scale Examples of • West (between Queen and Madison) to pedestrians. As Shoulder Buildings • Fayette (between Queen and Route such, the Plan rec- 1) ommends that new • Madison (between West and buildings along Washington) the four walking • Wythe (between West and streets incorporate Washington) “shoulders” that are capped at three sto- Turning this quartet of walking ries or 40 feet, with streets—two running north-south and new buildings al- two running east-west—into an opti- lowed to rise higher mal walking environment will involve after stepping back rethinking sidewalk design, landscap- some distance from ing, and the height and character of the the building front. buildings that line the streets. Incorpo- On Fayette Street, rating bicycle improvements on these north of Madison, streets should be considered as well. shoulders are The design guidelines in this Plan es- capped at four sto- tablish requirements for sidewalks and ries or 50 to 60 feet. the adjacent building frontages. Gener- Shoulder heights ally, these require: on the public hous- • wide sidewalks separated from the ing blocks will be street in residential areas by planting determined as part strips or tree wells; of the Braddock • landscaped setbacks for all new East process. buildings in residential areas; • regularly-spaced street trees and In general, these pedestrian-scale lighting; shoulder heights • bicycle enhancements through will create aspect ratios of at least 1:2, traffic-calming features; which is a comfortable range in an ur- • intersection treatments, including ban environment and allows each block curb bulb-outs and well-marked to feel like an outdoor room. To en- crosswalks at key intersections with hance the appeal of the walking streets, busy cross streets such as Route 1; the ground floor of any new or signifi- and cantly renovated building must provide • clearly defined areas for bus shelters. active uses such as stores or restaurants (where feasible) or residential entrances Just as important as the design of side- separated from the sidewalk by land- walks along each walking street is the scaping and elevated a few feet above scale of the buildings that line these grade. Surface lots, parking garages, streets. The walking streets should be and blank walls compromise the quality defined by multistory buildings (or open of the walking street and are prohibited. space) tall enough to create a sense of

Chapter 4 | PRINCIPLE 2 ■ 37 Additional sion of the Metro Linear Park pathway, space for bicycles must be found on the Walking Routes service road behind the Braddock Place office buildings. Cycling on the pro- The Plan recommends studying the fea- posed walking route would likely lead to sibility of a primary pedestrian connec- conflicts with pedestrians and should be tion parallel to Fayette Street connecting discouraged. the Metro station with the Northern Gateway area through the Braddock Should a study show this route to be Place development. This walking route infeasible, improvement of the nar- could substitute for the poor quality row four-foot sidewalk along the Metro existing pedestrian route embankment is warranted. Narrowing along the service road the adjacent service road from approxi- adjacent to the Metro mately 25´ to 22´ curb-to-curb between tracks. The new route the Braddock Metro station and First will be further enhanced Street should be studied although the if the ground floors of necessary width of the service road will the Braddock Place office depend on the type of rolling stock used buildings were more ac- for the proposed Potomac Yard/Crystal tive and vibrant. The Plan City Transit Corridor, described in more also recommends that the detail in Chapter 8. Traffic volume and City work with the com- speed are low enough that the road munity and the property surface should be a comfortable envi- owners to locate commu- ronment for cyclists. Adding “Share the nity-oriented uses, artist road with bikes” signs and/or “sharrow” studio spaces and possibly pavement markings will further contrib- subsidized retail in these ute to a more bike-friendly street. currently vacant spaces. Potential walking route through The recommended route takes pedestri- Braddock Place ans through the Braddock Place plaza area, past the fountain and circular drop-off area, and potentially between the Meridian apartment tower and the northernmost office building. To make this connection, a study must determine if the route could be made ADA-accessible, how pedestrians would move across the flow of drop-off traffic, and whether the property owner would Existing “sharrow” pavement markings on support a public easement through an Pendleton Street area that is currently blocked by a fence. Additionally, for this route to serve as a reasonable substitute for an exten-

38 ■ | March 2008 Walking Streets and Routes Diagram

Chapter 4 | PRINCIPLE 2 ■ 39 ±25’ 4’

Existing service road behind Braddock Place looking toward Metro

As described in more detail in Chapter 8, this service road has been strongly recommended as the alignment for the Crystal City/Potomac Yard transit corridor by the community. The final alignment is contingent on right-of-way access and operational analysis, such A potential Del Ray/Rosemont entry to as turning radii. If the walking route Braddock Road Metro Station (top) should connect to the area outside of the turnstiles through Braddock Place proves infeasi- (bottom). ble, the Plan recommends that the Met- ro service road be studied to determine if it can be narrowed to accommodate a access route should connect to the area wider sidewalk, whether or not high-ca- of the station outside the turnstiles so pacity transit is introduced at this loca- that the tunnel can also accommodate tion. Many options can be identified for people seeking to visit the Braddock the service road but one possibility is to Metro neighborhood and not ride the bring the entire paved area to grade and train. This access point will become to separate pedestrians from motorized especially important if the Metro-owned traffic with bollards. site in front of the station is redeveloped with businesses, housing, neighbor- To enhance connectivity across the hood-serving retail and/or open space. tracks and to encourage Metro use by Del Ray and Rosemont residents, the Intersection Plan recommends studying the feasibil- Improvements ity of building a tunnel connection un- der the freight rail tracks from the Brad- Creating a more walkable neighbor- dock Road station itself. A tunnel would hood requires addressing pedestrian provide a grand new station entry from safety at intersections. Most intersec- the west, saving pedestrians walking tions throughout the Braddock Metro time by eliminating the existing need neighborhood offer some level of traffic to walk south to the Braddock Road un- control—either traffic lights or four- derpass to reach the station. Any new

40 ■ | March 2008 way stops—that do not detract from the The Braddock/Wythe/West intersec- walking environment. Three major in- tion serves a major pedestrian connec- tersections create uncomfortable or dan- tion to the Braddock Road station for gerous conditions for pedestrians trying people walking from the east or the to cross particular intersections. The south. The intersection’s offset configu- Plan recommends a study to evaluate ration favors the flow of vehicles at the and propose improvements to the Route expense of pedestrians. Free-right-turn 1/Fayette Street, Route 1/First Street and lanes to and from Braddock Road cre- the Braddock/Wythe/West intersections. ate an unnecessarily wide intersection that encourages high-speed turns, forc- The Plan’s implementation phase will ing pedestrians to cross at unprotected address the details of redesigning the crosswalks. The jog created by the intersections. Identifying clear goals offset street alignment makes crossing now can set the stage for effective both Wythe and West streets on foot plans to improve pedestrian crossing quite awkward: pedestrians can never conditions at each intersection. The predict where turning vehicles are overarching goal for each is to priori- coming from. To improve pedestrian tize safety, accessibility, and comfort safety, the Plan recommends that the for pedestrians wishing to cross the City and WMATA conduct a thorough street. All three intersections serve as study of the intersection focusing on: a gateways to important nodes in the • improved pedestrian access and neighborhood. Improvements at the safety intersection of Route 1 and Fayette will • better traffic management help connect the NorthEast and Brad- • enhanced accessibility for all modes dock neighborhoods and provide im- portant pedestrian access for NorthEast Reconfiguring these intersections residents who use Metro. Enhance- will go a long way toward enhancing ments should include a new traffic sig- the walkability of the Braddock Metro nal, clearly marked crosswalks and, if neighborhood. In addition to the more space allows, a raised pedestrian refuge dramatic enhancements described island between the two directions of above, the City should provide any vehicle travel on Route 1. missing curb ramps, crosswalks or

Existing conditions at the Braddock/West/ Wythe intersection

Chapter 4 | PRINCIPLE 2 ■ 41 street lights at intersections through- out the neighborhood. Enhanced light- ing at intersections and along blocks will dramatically improve residents’ sense of safety and comfort for walking after sundown. Likewise, on the mul- titude of blocks located on streets not designated as “walking streets,” funds should be prioritized to provide a mini- mum level of enhancement including street trees, pedestrian-scale sidewalk lighting, and bicycle facilities.

42 ■ | March 2008 Principle 3 Establish a series of community-serving, usable open spaces

The framework of “walking streets” called for in Chapter 4 will create a more pedestrian-friendly Braddock Metro neighborhood. Strong pedestrian connections will help people travel more easily on foot or by bicycle to important destinations within the community and link a new system of both small and large parks. In addition to serving destinations within the Braddock Metro neighborhood, the walking 5 streets provide access to recreational opportunities in the vicinity such as the waterfront, the Mount Vernon Trail and Potomac Yard. A new public park in the heart of the neighborhood will become the center of a comprehensive system of small parks, a square, a recreation center, and other public-space resources located across the neighborhood. Connected by the walking streets, this neighborhood park system will both reinforce traditional character and provide places that draw people together, helping to create a stronger sense of community. The ability to create this effective park system depends on both capturing revenue from development projects and establishing a policy that counts only those park spaces that are truly visible and accessible towards developers’ public open Green spaces full of trees and space requirement. The community will continue to play a central role in places to sit working with the City to confirm the feasibility of the preferred Post Office are vital to a healthy, urban site. An alternative location for a safe, well-designed, well-programmed community. and accessible park space is also possible. NEIGHBORHOOD vitality of the open space; • lie on property that will take some PARK time to acquire but does not appear to be fatally flawed; and The Plan recommends creating a new • offer safety and visibility to public neighborhood park at the intersec- view. tion of at least two of the designated walking streets. This central location The community clearly backs the Post should be home to a park of at least one Office site for a public park. A com- acre, either on a portion of the block munity vote during Work Session #2 solidified it as the community’s top choice, with the Adkins block as a back- up location. The City, its consultants, and the larger community all recognize the potential difficulty of securing the Post Office site for a park. At the same time, the community acknowledges that re-creation of the public housing on the Adkins block may lie a decade or more in the future.

The Post Office bounded by Fayette, Wythe, Henry and That difficulty has prompted a sug- block is the Pendleton streets currently occupied by recommended gestion—not widely supported at this the Post Office and warehouse space, location for a writing—to convert the privately-owned or on a portion of the block currently public park. grassy space along Madison Street be- occupied by the Andrew Adkins public tween Braddock Place Plaza and the housing site. Of the two, the Post Of- Braddock Place townhouses into a one- fice site is preferred. Both of these sites acre public park. A park here would have strong potential to contribute sig- represent a tremendous amenity for nificantly to the livability of the neigh- immediately adjacent residents and borhood. Both parcels: • are large enough to accommodate a park of at least one acre; • are highly visible, easily accessible on foot and by bicycle, and inviting to the larger community; • include existing and proposed edge conditions— residential and retail, ideally—that can A potential park on the post office block could become the contribute to the neighborhood’s central gathering space like Bryant Park in New York City.

44 ■ | March 2008 Open Space Framework

Chapter 5 | PRINCIPLE 3 ■ 45 workers, but it does pose problems. must be clearly visible from a public The site’s high cost, given its existing street and not encapsulated within the zoning, and its isolation and lack of center of the development project. The significant frontage on a public street goal of this planning effort is to estab- make it a less desirable choice. Addi- lish the legitimacy of the recommended tionally, the Plan notes that the City’s park locations and set them within a Open Space Steering Committee previ- larger context of other open space and ously evaluated this site and did not streetscape improvements for the entire recommend it for acquisition. Despite Braddock Metro neighborhood com- these significant challenges, some munity. The Open Space Framework community support for creation of a diagram (on the previous page) shows park at this site does exist, and such a the locations of existing and proposed conversion could likely happen much open spaces and the designated “walk- more quickly and at far less expense ing streets” that connect them. than would be the case for the two preferred locations. The Plan recom- The implementation efforts subsequent mends keeping the Madison Street site to the Plan’s adoption will study the as a candidate for a new park should specific steps required to acquire any of conversion of the two preferred spaces the open spaces mentioned above. Also prove unfeasible or unreasonably long- covered will be design and program- term. Also, recognizing that the prop- ming issues for the parks and plazas. erty has existing building entitlements, The ultimate goal should be to create the Plan recommends that the portion a range of activities that complement of this site closest to Madison Street those offered at the Charles Hous- could be set aside as a smaller park or ton Recreation Center and that draw plaza for public use when the property people of all ages, races, and economic is developed. backgrounds to share the public space together and build a stronger sense of community. METRO PLAZA

The Plan also recommends a well de- signed and active plaza space for the Metro site in conjunction with redevel- opment. A Metro plaza will establish a second primary gathering space for the community, one that is more activated by retail and outdoor cafes then the potential park spaces at the Post Office, Adkins or Madison Street sites. Other pocket parks and plazas will also become available through the redevelopment of other parcels in the neighborhood. However, to count as publicly-accessible park space, they

46 ■ | March 2008 Principle 4 Encourage community-serving retail and services

The foundation of a successful public realm lies in the design of streets where pedestrians are the first priority, and in the strategic placement of parks to ensure that they are well-used and active. A third, and sometimes overlooked, element is retail space. While privately owned, retail space—including grocery stores, shops, cafés and restaurants—provides a quasi-public space because it is generally 6 open and accessible to the public during business hours. Some retail establishments, especially coffee shops and cafés, provide “third places” between home and work to which people frequently go to socialize, write, or study, as much as to eat or drink. These places are important parts of the social life of a community and the Braddock Metro neighborhood currently has very few “third places.” When businesses are open later, they provide an additional level of vitality—and sense of safety—into Retail space in the Colecroft building the evening hours. RETAIL NEEDS steps above grade, or a low-visibility location. Retail and restaurant uses fit equally • Stores are scattered around the into buildings new and old, helping neighborhood and lack a focus area. to revive parts of the neighborhood • The highest visibility streets—Henry where preservation is the higher prior- and Patrick—are not comfortably ity, such as Queen Street, as well as suited to pedestrians because of high where change is desired, such as at the auto volume. Metro Site. The community and the • Strong retail competition nearby— city should work closely with WMATA including Mt. Vernon Ave, Potomac to ensure an appropriate mix of busi- Yard, King Street, and the Carlyle nesses that benefit the neighborhood neighborhood—attracts a significant are recruited for the new Metro space portion of the demand that originates including first-time entrepreneurs. within the neighborhood. • Numerous full-service grocery stores The Braddock Metro neighborhood cur- (Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and two rently includes less than 50,000 square Giant Foods) lie just beyond the feet of existing retail space, or what neighborhood borders. Nearby, the amounts to only two or three blocks community is also served by Harris of a retail main street like King Street. Teeter, Shoppers and Safeway. This small amount of retail shopping can be enhanced considering the neigh- Despite these challenges, there is still borhood’s 3,000-plus households and latent demand for more retail space and over 1,000 employees. The primary and restaurants within the neighborhood. secondary retail “trade areas”—the core The analysis by the Plan’s retail consul- area from which customers are expected tant suggests an unmet potential for to come—are even larger, comprising 50,000 square feet of retail and restau- over 4,000 and nearly 6,000 households, rant space for the existing residents in respectively. Though the size of the the neighborhood. These numbers will Braddock Metro neighborhood retail trade area is substantial, there are several chal- lenges to retail in this area: • Uneven quality of the neighborhood’s retail space. Some is of poor quality, with low ceilings, inconvenient elevations a few Storefront retail along King Street

48 ■ | March 2008 of retail. The Plan estimates that an ad- ditional 560,000 square feet of office will be built over a 20-year period, creating demand for an additional 5,000 square feet of retail. Combining the demand from new development with the latent demand from existing residents and employees adds over 75,000 square feet of potential new retail space over a 20- year period.

RETAIL GUIDELINES

Even with this increased demand, it may be difficult for locally-owned busi- nesses to locate in the neighborhood without assistance, especially within Current ground-floor space in the Braddock new buildings where the monthly lease Place office buildings could accommodate more retail tenants. rates will be far higher than older build- ings. The value of having smaller inde- increase as new development brings pendently owned, neighborhood-serv- thousands more people and hundreds ing retail, cafes and restaurants (whose of new jobs to the immediate area. by very nature is typically locally-owned) These newcomers—many with dispos- cannot be underestimated. Therefore, able incomes and a desire to walk to the Plan recommends that $4–6 million nearby stores and restaurants—will be of the funds generated through new noticed by potential retailers. Over the development (see Chapter 10) be used last three years, median household in- to assist with the retention of existing come growth in the Braddock area has neighborhood-oriented businesses and outpaced the national average and is the recruitment of new ones. Qualifying now over $90,000. New development businesses must comply with a specific will accelerate this trend to the benefit set of criteria to be determined as part of the goal of attracting community- of the implementation phase of the serving retail and services to the neigh- Plan, and would need to demonstrate borhood. Each new housing unit creates a viable business plan and financing. additional demand for approximately 10 The Alexandria Economic Development square feet of retail space. The Plan es- Authority and other organizations can timates an additional 2,000 new units of help develop assistance criteria as well housing over the next 20 years, creating as tools for recruitment. additional demand for approximately 20,000 square feet of retail space. Every Retail and restaurant space works best 1,000 square feet of new office space when it is concentrated, highly visible to produces demand for 8 to 9 square feet passing motorists and pedestrians, and

Chapter 6 | PRINCIPLE 4 ■ 49 easily accessible uses to Braddock Place including com- to parking, both munity uses like meeting rooms, exhi- curbside and in bition areas or work space for artists, if garages. Archi- retail uses do not materialize. tectural qualities of any new the Three additional opportunities for retail space itself retail clusters include the revitalized are important and Queen Street corridor, the ground should include: floor of new mixed-use buildings on floor to floor the non-park portion of the Post Office height of 15–20 site, and within replacement buildings feet, accessibil- on the Samuel Madden public housing Storefronts with locally-owned, neighborhood- ity from a public site, in conjunction with the 23,000 serving businesses, like these in Asheville, NC, sidewalk at grade, square feet of retail space within the should be encouraged in the Braddock Metro building depth approved Madison project. The Sam- neighborhood. of 45–80 feet and uel Madden site—given its size and building bay width of 20–30 feet to offer visibility between Henry and Patrick the flexibility of housing smaller and streets—might succeed as a location large stores. for a full-service grocery store. While the prospect of a grocery store in the The Plan identifies four locations with- Braddock Metro neighborhood is high- in the Braddock Metro neighborhood ly speculative, this three-acre parcel as logical places for retail clusters of is one of the few sites that could ac- 10,000–45,000 square feet. The greatest commodate one. Without a significant opportunity for a true neighborhood anchor like a grocery store to draw square of stores, restaurants and pos- additional stores, it is likely that retail sibly small-scale entertainment uses along Henry Street will remain spotty exists with the potential redevelopment and diffuse. Although some residents of the Metro site at the Braddock/West/ would like Henry to support retail Wythe intersection. Redevelopment of along much of its length, the reality is this site in conjunction with the Adkins that the volume and speed of traffic on block across the street holds the poten- the street discourage pedestrian use, tial for retail along both sides of West diminishing the chances for neighbor- Street between Wythe and Madison as hood-serving retail in any significant well as retail that surrounds a public quantities. plaza in the center of the Metro block. A 35,000- to 40,000-square-foot cluster of The community strongly favors the new retail would bring additional cus- neighborhood-style, locally owned tomers to the retailers at Colecroft and retail recommended for the Plan’s possibly attract new retail activity to the commercial squares. A master lease vacant spaces along some of the ground program is an ideal tool for achiev- floors of the Braddock Place office ing this desired retail, particularly at buildings. In addition, the City should the proposed Metro plaza, as a master work with the property owners (and the lease is well suited to publicly held community) to help bring more active property and a mixed use environ-

50 ■ | March 2008 Retail, Views, and Gateways

ROUTE1

NORTHERN GATEWAY Retail clusters

Gateway

Existing retail area

Proposed retail area VIEW TO SECOND Mix of existing retail WASHINGTON and housing plus new MONUMENT retail and live-work units VERNON View corridors FIRST Braddock Metro Small Area Plan boundary RT. 1 Parker-Gray Historic GATEWAY MONTGOMERY District boundary

POTENTIAL GROCERY STORE SITE MADISON

BRADDOCK VIEW TO METRO WYTHE METRO GATEWAY

PENDLETON

ORONOCO EARL PEYTON PRINCESS

QUEEN

BUCHANAN ALFRED COLUMBUS WASHINGTON CAMERON WEST PAYNE HENRY FAYETTE PATRICK

Chapter 6 | PRINCIPLE 4 ■ 51 ment. The RFP issued by WMATA for the development of the Metro site should include a provision that a separate non-profit retail developer partner with the developer of the likely office building above, and that this developer work closely with the City to find quality businesses that support the overall goals of the Plan. The non- profit retail developer should be given a long term master lease substantially below market as part of the public benefits provided by the development. A retail master lease requirement for the buildings at Metro is one of the best ways for the City to help shape a vibrant neighborhood square, alive with neighborhood-serving stores and restaurants.

52 ■ | March 2008 Principle 5 Promote mixed- income housing and follow an inclusive process to deconcentrate 7 public housing

One of the landscaped courtyards in the James Bland housing site PUBLIC HOUSING The opportunity for the Braddock Metro neighborhood to consider this OFFERS A NEIGHBOR- new housing direction results from the HOOD OPPORTUNITY increase in the local real estate market. The sharp increase in property values A unique opportunity exists at the mo- in close in neighborhoods near Metro ment: nine blocks of aging public hous- creates the financial incentive for de- ing in the Braddock Metro neighbor- velopers to work with ARHA and the hood can be planned for redevelopment City and will help subsidize the cost in a comprehensive manner as mixed- of building the new community. The income residential communities. It is increased desirability of the neighbor- the interest of everyone – Alexandria hood also makes it one in which people Redevelopment and Housing Author- who can afford market rate housing ity (ARHA), the residents who live in will choose to live in mixed-income public housing, the City of Alexandria housing because of its location. and the larger community – to work together to create mixed-income hous- To responsibly redevelop the public ing to unite a diverse neighborhood, housing with mixed-income housing celebrate its history and build a future requires pursuing a full range of objec- together. Examples of mixed-income tives. In the Braddock Metro neighbor- housing programs in Alexandria and hood, mixed-income housing will be re- elsewhere have demonstrated the vi- quired to generate significant financial ability and desirability of mixed-income return to be reinvested into the redevel- communities. opment. A full range of housing types, open space, and community facilities Public housing sites will be necessary to accommodate the diversity of households who will live Samuel Madden/uptown there. In addition, there needs to be a > Built 1945 sufficient amount of housing to retain > 66 units (19du/acre) a sense of community for everyone at Andrew Adkins every income level. Redevelopment > Built 1968 creates the opportunity for a new devel- > 90 units (25du/acre) opment pattern with heights, massing and urban design that is a good neigh- bor to its existing neighbors. These and additional factors will make the process of working together as challenging as ramsey homes any that ARHA and the City have en- > Built 1942 > 15 units (21du/acre) gaged in to date. But it also brings with it the opportunity for great rewards.

james bland and Addition > Built 1954-59 Together, the City, ARHA, public hous- > 194 units (25du/acre) ing residents, housing advocates and neighborhood representatives have already begun participating in the

54 ■ | March 2008 Braddock East planning process to find specific methods of reaching the community’s goals for mixed-income housing in Braddock. That process will allow the stakeholders to agree on a de- velopment parameters and make it pos- sible for ARHA to initiate the process of redevelopment. EXISTING PUBLIC HOUSING

The Braddock Metro neighborhood contains more than 3,100 housing Two- and three-story townhomes units at the units – and more than 10% of them are Andrew Adkins public housing site. public housing units owned and oper- ated by the ARHA. About half of the neighborhood’s residences were built REDEVELOPMENT before World War II, and many are two- OPPORTUNITIES and three-story, stick-frame row houses, often with brick facades. As the value of Because of proximity to the Metro, Old the area’s housing has risen, the neigh- Town, and the Parker-Gray Historic borhood has become less affordable District, each of these four ARHA- for working-class families and elderly owned sites is extremely valuable – and residents. is a prime redevelopment opportunity. Each site and its potential for redevel- Some of the only viable housing left opment is described below: for lower-income families and seniors is within the neighborhood’s public • James Bland. The 8.95-acre James housing complexes. While the remain- Bland site comprises 194 housing ing four ARHA-owned sites – Andrew units on five city blocks in an area Adkins, James Bland (including James bounded by North Patrick Street on Bland Addition), Samuel Madden Up- the west, First Street on the north, town and the Ramsey Homes – provide North Columbus Street on the east, low cost housing for the Braddock and Wythe Street on the south. Two neighborhood, they are more than 30 of the site’s blocks lie just across years old and some are more than 50 the boundary of the Braddock Road years old. This Plan recommends that Metro Small Area Plan within the the public housing on Andrew Adkins, NorthEast Small Area Plan. ARHA James Bland (and Addition), Samuel and a development group are Madden Uptown, and Ramsey Homes preparing a conceptual plan that should be redeveloped and that the proposes to replace these two-story planning for them should be done com- buildings, built in 1954 and 1959, prehensively. with approximately 174 three-story townhouses and 140 multifamily

Chapter 7 | PRINCIPLE 5 ■ 55 height in the center of the northern- View of James Bland from Alfred Street most block. Future mixed-income residential development on this site could include three-story townhouses and five- and/or six-story multifamily buildings. Additionally, the highly visible location between the two Route 1 streets makes this a logical place to site a potential large retailer, such as a grocery store. units. At the drafting of this report, an application had been submitted • ramsey Homes. Ramsey Homes to HUD in competition for a consists of 15 public housing units HOPE VI grant to help underwrite along the eastern side of North redevelopment of this site. Patrick Street between Pendleton and Wythe streets. The quartet of • samuel Madden. The Samuel two-story apartment buildings, built Madden site consists of 66 housing in 1942, could potentially be replaced units located on two blocks along by mixed-income townhouses or live- North Henry Street between work units. The 0.65 acre site lies Madison and First streets built in just to the south of the new Charles 1945. This 3.8-acre site lies at the Houston Recreation Center and to point where Route 1 divides into a the north and west of primarily two- couplet of one-way streets, making story historic row houses. it an important gateway location. Building on this gateway character, • Andrew Adkins. The Adkins the Plan recommends increased development consists of 90 housing

View of Samuel Madden from Henry Street

56 ■ | March 2008 units on land that was originally two house lots to the west in order to city blocks between North Fayette make the entire block available and West streets and between Wythe for redevelopment. The Plan also and Madison streets. These two- recommends dividing the site into and three-story buildings, built in two blocks by extending North 1968, contain some of the largest Payne Street from Wythe Street public housing units in the city, to Madison Street to reestablish including 32 four- and five-bedroom the more walkable grid system of units. Located next to the Braddock neighborhood blocks. Metro station, this 4.5-acre site is the most valuable of the ARHA Refashioning the Adkins site as sites in the neighborhood from a mixed-income community that a land use economics measure. blends public housing, market-rate, Significant redevelopment has and affordable ownership units will already taken place around the site necessitate additional height and in the form of the Braddock Place density, to be determined as part of office and residential development the Braddock East planning process. across Madison Street; the recently Because this new development will approved Payne Street Condos likely house significant numbers of project across Wythe Street; and children, generous play areas and the Braddock Lofts development green space should be considered as to the east along Fayette. The Plan part of the redevelopment program. recommends combining the Adkins property with the single-family Given the proximity to Metro, retail uses should be included in the buildings located on the east side of West Street.

Further planning for all of these sites, as well as additional coordination be- tween the City and ARHA, will occur during the Braddock East planning process. Deconcentration

Public housing was first created during the 1930s to provide decent, safe, and sanitary low-cost housing. Over time different approaches have been taken and some public housing examples became concentrations of poverty, with social and economic isolation producing Alleyway off of Wythe St. at the Adkins project (top) and the Braddock Lofts negative impacts for both public hous- development across Fayette St. (bottom). ing residents and the surrounding com-

Chapter 7 | PRINCIPLE 5 ■ 57 munities. Since the 1990s, the national poor residents together with more afflu- policy approach has been to remove ent ones. Mixed-income housing also social and economic pockets of poverty helps draw together citizens with differ- by deconcentrating public housing, scat- ent backgrounds and histories, creating tering low-income housing throughout a mixed, diverse neighborhood, instead middle class communities and building of maintaining islands of poverty in the mixed-income communities. midst of growing wealth. When families of different income brackets live in the Locally, the City and the Alexandria same development together, their chil- Redevelopment and Housing Authority dren meet each other and play together (ARHA) have long endorsed deconcen- without regard to income level. Adults tration by scattering public housing in a mixed-income community are throughout the City. They have also drawn into a shared sense of communi- endorsed and successfully implemented ty as they work together to manage their mixed-income housing. The redevel- housing and address issues of shared opment of Quaker Hill and Chatham concern to residents. Square are examples. The goal is to create communities large Mixed-income housing produces physi- enough to include a strong social and cal, economic, and social benefits and is support network, but within an overall now deemed – on an international level mix of income levels. Including both – to be rational public policy and effec- workforce and affordable housing in the tive social and urban planning, mak- public housing redevelopment creates ing better communities for everyone. the greatest diversity and also presents Mixed-income housing physically mixes new opportunities. Subsidized owner-

The sidewalk along Pitt Street in front of the Chatham Square development

58 ■ | March 2008 ship housing gives public housing resi- cases renters in the surrounding com- dents an opportunity to improve their munity can gain access to newly created economic standing and remain in the affordable ownership housing on the neighborhood. It gives others who may sites. Redevelopment also provides an have “middle class” incomes but who opportunity to resolve longstanding may not be able to afford market rate urban design issues, such as transform- housing an opportunity to live in close ing superblocks into blocks that fit in neighborhoods. into the larger neighborhood pattern.

There are also practical reasons for It is the recommendation of this Plan transforming public housing into that the redevelopment of the Brad- mixed-income housing. Public hous- dock neighborhood public housing ing residents gain access to housing sites result in mixed-income housing that is of sufficient quality to be com- developments and that the mix include petitive in the market place. Over time, public, workforce (rental and/or for mixed-income developments must be sale), affordable (rental and/or for-sale), maintained and managed at a level of and market-rate housing. Mixed-income quality that remains competitive, and housing works best when there are the presence of a significant number ranges of incomes and ranges of hous- of affordable and market rate units ing opportunities that best reflect the provides financial resources to sup- diverse spectrum of residents in the city. port maintenance and services that The inclusion of workforce and afford- no public housing authority could af- able housing units in a mixed-income ford. The significant investment that development is necessary to create a redevelopment unlocks should include social and financial balance between the funds for expanded human and social public housing and market rate units. services, such as workforce readiness, to support public housing residents in moving from an exclusively low-in- come to a mixed-income environment. Public housing agencies, generally faced with extraordinarily tight budgets, gain access to funding to administer these expanded programs. Property owners within several blocks of trans- formed public housing sites benefit from significant increases in property values. Cities in turn benefit from the increased property taxes associated with rising real estate values. In many

Chapter 7 | PRINCIPLE 5 ■ 59 National Examples of Mixed-Income Housing Projects

Tent City Boston, Massachusetts In terms of materials and massing, Tent City responds to and makes a transition in scale from the 19th-century Victorian townhouses to the south to the large new buildings of Copley Place to the north. Housing, commercial spaces, and an interior landscaped courtyard are built over a two-level below-grade parking garage. The development is totally integrated in that no physical or visible distinctions link a dwelling unit’s type, size, or location to the income, race, or ethnic background of its residents. The impetus for Tent City traces to 1965 and the clearance of century-old rowhouses to make way for a large-scale commercial development. Area residents opposed the demolition and insisted on a dramatically different program: affordable neighborhood housing. The residents organized a sit-in and pitched tents on the site (hence the development’s name). They ultimately blocked • Area: 3 acres • Units: 269 the proposed development, but it took nearly 20 years to realize • Residential Density: 89 units/acre their goal of affordable neighborhood housing. Tent City offers an • Affordability breakdown: 1/4 low- example of how a new mixed-income community can be designed income, 1/2 affordable, 1/4 market- rate to be aesthetically pleasing, financially sound, and beneficial to local • Parking Ratio: 0.7 spaces/unit (average) residents. It also provides a model for how successful developments • Parking provided: 698 garage spaces and community participation can change public policy. In addition • Architect: Goody Clancy (1985) to its multiple national and local awards for design excellence, Tent • Developer: JMB/Urban Development Company (garage) City received the 1994 United Nations World Habitat Award for outstanding housing in a developed country.

Chatham Square Alexandria, Virginia

The Chatham Square mixed-income community is the result of more than a decade of public discussions regarding the redevelopment of the Samuel Madden (Downtown) Homes, a two-story 100-unit public housing complex that was originally built in 1940. In 2001, the City of Alexandria selected developers Eakin Youngentob & Associates (EYA) to redevelop the parcel with a mix of 52 replacement public housing units and 100 market-

60 ■ | March 2008 rate townhomes. The remaining 48 public housing units were • Area: 4.11 acres rebuilt on three separate sites within the city. Chatham Square’s • Units: 152 units most innovative quality is its seamless integration of the 52 public • Residential Density: 37 units/acre • Affordability Breakdown: 66% market- housing units with the 100 market-rate units. Due to the building rate housing, +34% public housing configurations, which typically include four market-rate townhomes • Architect: Lessard Group mirrored by six public-housing units on the reverse side, the • Developer: EYA Development different units types appear remarkably similar in nature. Rear alleys provide vehicular access to the shared, underground parking garage. Financing for the project came from the sale of the public housing site itself, low-income tax credits from the Commonwealth of Virginia, a $3.5- million dollars loan from a combination of the City and Housing Trust Fund (which has been repaid), as well as from a Federal Hope VI grant.

During community discussions about public housing issues, public housing and other neighborhood residents expressed some concern about the success of the Chatham Square project; some felt that the mix of different income levels within the same project has been successful, but others have noted some of the inherent frictions, including mixed parking and play areas for children.

Hismen Hin-nu Terrace Oakland, California The central theme of the Hismen Hin-nu Terrace development is the restoration of a main street with mixed-income • Area: 1.46 acres housing above • Units: 92 units 18,000 square feet • Residential density: 85 units/acre (mixed-use portion), 65 units/acre of active commercial overall space. The 92 low- • Affordability: 100% affordable (50- 60% AMI) and midrise townhouses and apartments are integrated with • Parking ratio: <1 space/unit a childcare center, a series of semi-private courtyard spaces, a • Parking provided: 119 total spaces ground-floor market, and a community center. Artwork throughout (89 residential) • Architect: Pyatok the development enlivens the exterior spaces and represents the • Developer: The East Bay Asian Local multi-ethnic mix of tenants. Development Corporation

Chapter 7 | PRINCIPLE 5 ■ 61 Parkside of Old Town (Cabrini Green, Phase IA) Chicago, Illinois Integral to redevelopment of the notorious Cabrini Green pubic housing site, a public process led by Goody Clancy included mediation among a broad range of constituencies-low-income residents, developers, city aldermen, an actively involved mayor, and assertive community • Area: 19 acres (Phase IA) • Units: 760 (Phase IA) groups. Goody Clancy’s consensus-based vision and planning • Residential Density: 40 units/acre framework won wide support and led to creation of a two-phase • Affordability Breakdown: 30% low-income, 20% affordable, 50% plan for more than 5,000 units of mixed-income housing on the market-rate Cabrini Green site. Both the plan and redevelopment guidelines • Planning/Urban Design: Goody Clancy (2004) establish a signature new neighborhood with a full spectrum of • Developer: Kimball Hill, Holsten Real uses and incomes, a strong sense of place, and restored connections Estate, Cabrini Green LAC Community Development Corporation (2006- to surrounding neighborhoods that end years of physical and 2010) social isolation for the area. The two phases of the plan will create an extensive new public realm built on a new street grid and system of blocks designed to build a sense of community. Phase IA-which encompasses 760 new units- was partially funded through a HOPE VI grant, with limited additional funds from city and other public investment. The plan’s architectural guidelines draw on traditional Chicago block patterns and building styles, including row houses, walk-up one- and two-floor flats, and apartment buildings.

Townhomes on Capitol Hill (Ellen Wilson Homes) Washington D.C. This successful mixed- income community serves as a connection and transition between higher-income and lower-income areas on • Area: 5 acres either side, bringing • Units: 147 stability and a new • Residential density: sense of pride to 29 units/acre • Affordability breakdown: the surrounding 91% low-income and affordable, 9% community. Prior to redevelopment, a public housing development market-rate • Architect: Weinstein Associates, Sorg known as Ellen Wilson Homes occupied this 5.3-acre parcel in the & Associates Capitol Hill neighborhood. Built in 1941, the public housing units • Developer: Telesis (1996–2005) remained vacant from 1988, when residents were relocated during a

62 ■ | March 2008 failed redevelopment attempt, until 1993, when the units were demolished in a new revitalization effort made possible through a $25 million HOPE VI grant. A cooperative structure governed sale of the new townhomes to applicants ranging from 0% to 115 % of the area’s median income. The redevelopment also included 13 market-rate townhomes and a 6,000-square- foot community center.

Langham Court Boston, Massachusetts Comfortably integrated into Boston’s historic South End, Langham Court’s 84 units (on a one-acre site) demonstrate how building • Area: 1 acre densities can be raised • Units: 89 to “smart growth” levels • Residential Density: 89 units/acre • Affordability breakdown: 33% while matching the scale, low-income, 33% affordable, 33% massing, and rhythm of the market-rate surrounding neighborhood. Notable for a subtle transition from the • Parking ratio: 0.7 spaces/unit • Parking provided: 51 garage spaces public street to the private courtyard, the complex’s architecture and • Planning/Urban Design: Goody design make no distinctions among units earmarked for market- Clancy (1990) • Developer: Four Corners Development rate, middle-, and low-income residents. Corporation

Challenges The Resolution establishes a one-for- one replacement approach for any lost Replacement Housing. Redevelop- public housing unit. Therefore, any ing public housing into mixed-income redevelopment of the public housing communities presents many challeng- units in the Braddock neighborhood es, including future housing for current will require the replacement of all exist- residents; achieving a balance among ing public housing units either on-site the diverse needs for housing types; or elsewhere in the City. and financing the redevelopment. Al- though these are significant challenges, There are 365 public housing units they are not insurmountable if planned today in the James Bland, Andrew Ad- well, as was shown in the recent Cha- kins, Ramsey Homes and Samuel Mad- tham Square development process. den complexes. As part of the Glebe Park redevelopment plan, which is cur- Resolution 830, adopted by City Coun- rently underway, it is anticipated that 44 cil in 1982, created a joint commitment units from the eventual redevelopment between the City and ARHA to retain, of James Bland will be relocated to at a minimum, 1,150 public or publicly- Glebe Park and that another 16 Bland assisted housing units in Alexandria. units will be relocated off-site. The Braddock East planning process will

Chapter 7 | PRINCIPLE 5 ■ 63 provide and require further and more HOUSING DEFINITIONS detailed discussion about a replace- ment strategy for Bland and the other Mixed-income and affordable housing strategies provide a redevelopment sites. range of different housing types to serve the needs of a mix of families at different income levels. Relocation. Federal law mandates pro- • Public housing units are owned and operated by a local viding certain benefits to any families housing authority (in this case ARHA) and are targeted to relocated from public housing, includ- low- and very-low-income families. Resident families pay ing replacement housing payments, 30% of household income as rent, and the U.S. Department moving cost assistance, and relocation of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides the counseling. A Resident-Relocation housing authority with subsidies to help it maintain these Plan, showing where the existing pub- units and the developments in which they are located, lic housing residents will live, on both a although HUD subsidies are increasingly falling short of temporary and permanent basis, must fully meeting ARHA’s costs. be thoroughly analyzed and completed • Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Units are financed before any redevelopment occurs. with funding awarded on a competitive basis from the Virginia Housing Development Authority and are income- Balancing Diverse Needs. Mixed-in- restricted at a variety of levels. come housing creates diverse physical, social, and economic needs that impact • Workforce Housing Although not current city policy, the viability and sustainability of the the Affordable Housing Initiatives Work Group is likely development. The actual mix and type to recommend that workforce units include both rental of housing – whether rental or owner- and ownership units targeted to renter households earning ship; market-rate, public housing, or between 60% and 80% and owner households earning affordable; family or senior – depends between 80% and 120% of the median income level in not only on market demand, but also the area. HUD sets the median income level, the point on attracting a range of incomes and at which half and area’s incomes are lower and half are meeting the needs of the existing higher. neighborhood. Too much housing of • Affordable for-sale housing are income-restricted any one type could affect the desirabil- units that may include price reductions, down payment ity and marketability of the other hous- assistance, and “silent second mortgages.” These units ing types within the development. The are typically targeted to families at or below 80% of the neighborhood now is home to a broad median income level. demographic range: small households of singles, empty nesters, the elderly, • Mixed-Income Development makes use of private and/ young professionals, and families with or public sources to develop market rate and affordable children. Redevelopment of public housing that may include Low-Income Housing Tax Credit housing will create a new community Units, Workforce Housing and market rate owner-occupied for a variety of residents, and amenities units and rentals. should recognize the diversity of the The Affordable Housing Initiatives Work Group is currently population, with playgrounds for chil- working to modernize the City’s housing definitions, as well dren as well as passive green areas. All as its housing policies, including developer contributions for sites incorporate a mix of open space affordable housing. types, including tot lots, passive greens, plaza areas for sitting and community

64 ■ | March 2008 events, and private backyards where Next Steps appropriate. The public housing in particular should incorporate support- ive social services that encourage and The Braddock East increase the financial independence Planning Process of its residents. Easily accessible space The Braddock Metro Neighborhood should be set aside for community in- Plan is just the first step in develop- teraction, job training and other social ing a plan for redeveloping the public programs. Varieties of architectural housing sites in the Braddock Metro and building types are encouraged, but neighborhood. More detailed plan- housing for different income levels ning has already started as part of should not be visibly different. The the Braddock East planning process, diverse needs of such a development which will create a planning frame- require careful management of its fa- work for individual blocks, including cilities and grounds and homeowner unit mix, building heights and den- and tenant associations that are atten- sity, building types, site plan layout, tive and sensitive to the needs of all its open space, streetscape, and parking. residents. As part of the process, deliberative consideration should be given to: Financing. The process for winning federal funding for mixed-income and • the appropriate and financially mixed-finance redevelopment projects feasible number of public housing is often highly competitive and requires units that will remain within the formation of numerous financing and neighborhood. development partnerships. Potential • the appropriate mix of income levels and typical financing approaches in- within the new developments. clude creative layering of multiple • the height and scale of new sources of funds, including: buildings so as to be compatible with existing adjacent • Low-Income Housing Tax Credits neighborhoods. • HOPE VI grants • open space types, including tot • Tax-exempt bonds lots, passive greens, plaza areas • Municipal funds for sitting and community events, • Federal Home Loan Bank Funds and private back yards where • Public housing authority funds appropriate. • Developer contributions • policies and programs that will • Local government loans, and improve management and tenant • Private support from non-profits or organization. foundations. • the creation of a CDD and guidelines for these sites.

Chapter 7 | PRINCIPLE 5 ■ 65 Conclusion

The Braddock Metro Neighborhood Plan lays the foundation for redevelop- ing public housing, reshaping a signif- icant portion of the neighborhood and presenting an unequaled opportunity for building a strong, diverse com- munity. The Braddock East process will build on this foundation with a detailed plan for the future.

66 ■ | March 2008 Principle 6 Manage multimodal transportation, parking, and road infrastructure

The presence of the Metro station in the Braddock neighborhood makes future changes in travel behavior far more likely here, compared 8 to other parts of the city. This presents distinct advantages for redevelopment to While Metrorail is the dominant form of transit provide a more pedestrian- in the neighborhood, buses play an important oriented design that role in enhancing the community’s sense of mobility. minimizes the quantity of parking relative to other places. This chapter expands on the principle of a walkable neighborhood served by Metro and promotes a coordinated multimodal transportation system that considers vehicular traffic impacts and introduces concepts of transportation demand management (TDM), parking management, and system design that will provide greater transportation choice and more efficient, healthy, environmentally-friendly, and fiscally sound travel options. Managing transportation impacts is a central role in working with the city central to preserving the neighbor- to work out the details of TDM and to hood’s quality of life and is also critical manage the assessment of impacts. to responding to the growing commu- TDM measures should be adjusted and nity interest in alternatives to auto-de- expanded to meet future challenges. pendency. With improved pedestrian access to Metro, better DASH service, BACKGROUND and enforced TDM programs, the in- crease in traffic associated with new de- The Braddock Metro neighborhood velopment will be minimized and will features one of only four Metro sta- be considerably less than traffic increas- tions in the City of Alexandria and for es related to ongoing growth through- this reason residents and visitors enjoy out the region. Much of the traffic easy access to the Washington region generated by new development in the and better travel mode choices than in Braddock Metro neighborhood will many other neighborhoods. Like many largely offset regionally-generated traf- of the transit stations in the Washing- fic. Route 1 is a regional arterial and, ton region there has been an inter- as such, operates at capacity at many est in developing around the station times of the day. Regional traffic growth since it opened in the 1980s. Because can be displaced to other routes and/or the entire Braddock Metro neighbor- modes to reduce impact. Analysis later hood is within walking distance of in this chapter will show that the net the Metro Station, there is a unique increase in traffic volume will be rela- opportunity for the neighborhood to tively minor and should not have a sig- direct its future to a more sustainable nificant impact on any specific streets development framework using TDM or intersections throughout the area. strategies. A district-wide Transporta- tion Management Plan (TMP) can In the implementation phase of the coordinate and market transportation Plan, specific funding strategies for choices to the area and attract new op- intersections, walking streets and other tions such as expanded car-sharing. capital improvements will be provided through a combination of conven- The Plan recognizes that while TDM tional roadway improvement sources can mitigate the local effects of in- and developer contributions. A critical creased traffic demands, the City will element of the TDM program will be still need to monitor traffic to ensure to set realistic parking requirements that the local area is not unduly im- that avoid the cost of unnecessarily pacted by new development. Though high numbers of below-grade parking the neighborhood benefits from a spaces. For example, each $50,000 be- grid street pattern, the entry points low-grade space not required will gen- are constrained to just a few loca- erate significant funds for public spaces tions such as the George Washing- and other community amenities—or ton Parkway, Route 1, and Braddock can support a transit fund to provide Road. These are streets that serve as expanded services in addition to Metro. regional connectors to other parts of The community will continue to play the Washington area and are increas-

68 ■ | March 2008 ing in volume at rates from 0.5 to 3% Assessing the traffic impact of a 20- per year. The traffic impact analysis year buildout of the area requires in this chapter shows that the traf- understanding the mode choice of the fic resulting from new development many people new development will is less than one-third as much as the bring to the area—new residents, em- growth in regional traffic on a par- ployees, or visitors. Mode choice in- ticular road. As a result, the increases cludes single-occupant vehicle (SOV), from new development will not be transit, walking, biking, or carpooling. as pronounced within the Braddock Metro neighborhood. An additional Existing and Future Mode benefit of the capacity constraints on Shares streets is that a finite number of ve- hicles can enter the Braddock Metro To conduct the traffic impact study, the neighborhood street network. Develop- consultants reviewed census data for ment internal to the Braddock Metro the Braddock area and trip-generation neighborhood will displace through totals collected for the Braddock Place trips with local trips to support neigh- Condominiums and Colecroft Station. borhood development, such as com- These figures suggest that 50% of ex- munity-serving retail and services. Mode Share: Trips originating from outside TRAFFIC IMPACT of the neighborhood to jobs in Braddock ASSOCIATED WITH FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

This Plan’s anticipated 20-year build- out could include nearly 250 town- house units, over 1,700 multifamily units, 560,000 additional square feet of office and hotel space, over 100,000 additional square feet of retail—ap- proximately 3,000,000 square feet of new development overall. All of this Mode Share: Trips that originate in the Neighborhood development will take place within a half mile of the Braddock Road Metro station, or within less than a 15-min- ute walk. (For the purposes of traffic modeling, these numbers include potential estimated redevelopment of public housing sites, however the scope of these projects will be deter- mined as part of the Braddock East Planning Process ).

Source: WMATA and Kittleson Associates

Chapter 8 | PRINCIPLE 6 ■ 69 The Lloyd District TMA in Portland has made impressive studies in reducing employee and resident reliance on the automobile for commuting.

isting commute-to-work trips from the distinguish among different modes area take place by car (transportation of transportation for each trip. As a engineers refer to this as a 50% “auto result, Table 1 on the next page shows mode share”). The Plan sets a goal of the overall number of trips generated reducing this percentage to approxi- by each land use, but does not reflect mately 42% with full implementation the number of trips that involve Single of TDM strategies, a figure similar to Occupancy Vehicles (SOVs). what the Ballston Metro area experi- ences today. For auto commute-to- To determine the actual number of work trips into the Braddock area, the new SOV trips—that is, the direct im- Plan sets a goal of reducing the cur- pact on traffic volume on Route 1 and rent figure of 70% to 40% for new em- other streets in the Braddock Metro ployers. Other locales have achieved neighborhood—the consultants mul- similar reductions (the Lloyd District tiplied the peak-hour trips projected in Portland, Oregon, is one example) for the full build-out (between 1,952 by attracting transit-supportive em- and 2,347) by the percentage of com- ployment to the station area. muters today who drive to work. (See Table 2 at top of page 72.) As noted, A standard reference manual—Trip 70% of job-related trips into the area is Generation, published by the Institute by SOV; the other 30% involve Metro, of Transportation Engineers or ITE— bus, carpool, walking, or biking. Half helps calculate the number of new of the trips by Braddock Metro neigh- trips that each land use generates un- borhood residents heading to jobs der the 20-year buildout. Although the outside the study area take place in ITE manual helps to estimate the total SOVs, and the other half involve the al- number of trips generated, it does not ternatives noted above. On residential-

70 ■ | March 2008 Table 1: new trips under full build-out (no breakdown by mode)

ITE LAND AM PEAK PM PEAK HOUR USE TOTAL AM PEAK TOTAL PM PEAK LAND USE CODE SIZE RATE HOUR TRIPS RATE HOUR TRIPS Townhouse 230 250 units 0.44 trips/unit 110 0.52 trips/unit 130

Multifamily 220 1,750 units 0.51 trips/unit 893 0.62 trips/unit 1,085 1.55 trips/ 1.49 trips/ Office/Hotel 710 560,000 sf 1,000 sf 868 1,000 sf 834 0.74 trips/ Retail 814 110,000 sf 1,000sf 81 2.71 trips/sf 298 Total 1,952 2,347 related trips, residents of most other evening peak hours, only 19% of the communities drive alone at somewhat trips estimated to be headed for Brad- lower levels—39%—and 61% use al- dock Place Condominiums occurred ternate modes (source: WMATA 2005 as drive-alone auto trips (13 out of 70), Development-related Ridership Survey). and only 40% of trips destined for Col- The goal of this Plan is to reduce the ecroft Station occurred as drive-alone number of commuters who will drive auto trips (35 out of 87 trips). alone to jobs within the Braddock Metro neighborhood and of Braddock It is important to note that the City residents who will drive to work out- has a TDM program, known as Local side the neighborhood. Motion, that educates residents, busi- nesses, commuters and visitors on the The goal of reducing work-related availability, benefits and use of alter- trips that begin in the Braddock Metro native modes with the ultimate goal neighborhood from 50% to 42% and of shifting behavior away from drive- reducing trips to the Braddock Metro alone travel. The Plan recommends neighborhood from 70% to 40% is building on the existing successful attainable. It requires, however, ag- TDM strategies and introducing new gressive implementation and enforce- ones by creating an district-wide TMP ment of the proposed TDM measures, in which all new development would including such initiatives as creating participate and benefit. more walkable streets, enhancing tran- sit service, providing better bike ac- Future Traffic Impacts commodations, and discouraging auto use through parking management and Table 2 on the next page shows the transit incentives. net new drive-alone auto traffic (not total trips, as before) that will be gen- A trip-generation study conducted erated during the evening peak hour by Gorove/Slade Associates (Transit by new development within a 20-year Use Near the Braddock Metro Station, period. The total at bottom represents February 3, 2006) provides statisti- additional drive-alone auto trips based cal support for the feasibility of this on the current mode split, compared goal. It found that during weekday

Chapter 8 | PRINCIPLE 6 ■ 71 Table 2: New Drive-alone car trips under full build-out PM PEAK TOTAL “TRIPS” TOTAL “TRIPS” FUTURE ADDITIONAL FUTURE ADDITIONAL GENERATED AFTER INTERNAL DRIVE-ALONE TRAFFIC, DRIVE-ALONE TRAFFIC, (ALL MODES TRIP REDUCTION BASED ON CURRENT BASED ON PROPOSED LAND USE SIZE RATE COMBINED) FACTOR MODE SPLIT TDM PROGRAMS Townhouse 250 units 0.52 trips/unit 130 125 50% 62 42% 52

Multifamily 1,750 units 0.62 trips/unit 1,085 1,045 50% 523 42% 438

Office/Hotel 560,000 sf 1.49 trips/1,000 sf 834 814 70% 570 40% 325

Retail 110,000 sf 2.71 trips/1,000 sf 298 260 38% 100 38% 100

Totals 2,347 2,244 1,255 915 (1)

1 Refinements were made to the development program since the January 7th work session which resulted in a decrease in the number of residential units and an increase in the square footage of office use. The net effect is an increase in the number of net new trips from 820 to to the improved mode split that would 915 during the weekday p.m. peak hour. come from implementation of the Plan’s more aggressive TDM program. Trip Distribution Patterns Table 2 shows that with the TDM programs already operating in the Braddock area, future development is expected to generate approximately 1,255 p.m. peak new auto trips on the neighborhood’s roads during the eve- ning peak hour. The Plan’s proposed TDM enhancements, however, would reduce that figure to 915 p.m. peak new auto trips. A majority of residen- tial and office trips would be oriented along Route 1, with 30% from/to the north and 25% from/to the south. The remaining office and residential trips are generally expected to fall evenly, with approximately 15% each from/to the west on Braddock Road, to the north on Washington Street, and to the south on Washington Street. These additional trips are expected to create only a minor increase in the overall percentage of trips on a particular street, ranging from a 11% increase

* Please note that percent adds up to >100% because some of the streets are one-way. The sum of inbound and outbound trips separately will add up to 100%

72 ■ | March 2008 on Braddock Road to a 4% increase on configuration seems to give priority for Washington Street. The chart on the vehicular movement over pedestrian facing page shows the relative increase access to the Metro station. in traffic volumes on most streets in the Braddock Metro neighborhood Field observations indicate that Route based on the 20-year development 1 congestion occurs in the weekday scenario and future implementation evening peak due to heavy traffic de- of the TDM programs recommended mand from three primary sources: the within the Plan. Eisenhower Valley to the west, Old Town to the east, and regional traffic Implications for Roadway from the north. These demands all Conditions converge in the vicinity of the inter- section of Duke, South Patrick and Increasing congestion along major South Henry Streets. Traffic from through-streets will generate more this bottleneck creates queuing on cut-through traffic on local streets. Route 1 almost to Pendleton and The Plan recommends an evaluation Wythe streets (at least one-half mile of measures to discourage cut-through north). At the same time, a limited traffic and to manage the speed of number of entry points constrains traffic on local streets, including traf- the amount of traffic that can enter fic-calming strategies that slow and/or the Braddock Metro neighborhood divert traffic back to the system of col- (Route 1 from the north and south, lectors and arterial streets. Improve- Braddock Road from the west, Wash- ment is especially important on streets ington Street from the north and such as Fayette, designated as one of south). These constraints control the the Plan’s prime walking corridors and amount of traffic that can enter and at the Braddock/West/Wythe intersec- pass through the study area. These ca- tion, where an awkward intersection pacity controls mean that increases in

Traffic Impacts of 20-year development scenario (with enhanced TDM measures)

3,500 ADDED VOLUME EXISTING VOLUME 3,000 #% level of added s p i 2,500 volume tr

ur 2,000 ho

eak 1,500

PM P 1,000 500 0

RT. 1 north MONTGOMERY WYTHE STREET PATRICK STREET FAYETTE STREET BRADDOCK of First St. STREET ROAD

WASHINGTON MADISON STREET WASHINGTON HENRY STREET WEST STREET STREET (NORTH) STREET (SOUTH)

Chapter 8 | PRINCIPLE 6 ■ 73 traffic demand produce “peak spread- ular traffic in the future for streets in ing”—longer periods of peak conges- the Braddock Metro neighborhood and tion than are experienced today, but that congestion on Route 1 will con- not a perceptible increase in the level tinue. The development program for of traffic congestion at a given time. the area will increase traffic on Route 1 by approximately 10% over the 20 year In addition, because the roadway buildout time frame, but this remains system capacity is not planned to be less than the 0.5% to 3% increase per expanded in the future, most new trips year in background traffic resulting added as a result of new development from regional growth without any new in the Braddock Metro neighborhood development in the Braddock Metro will displace trips that are more re- neighborhood. The Plan also recog- gional in nature. Many of these region- nizes the assets of the neighborhood al trips do not require Route 1, and including the Metro station and the increasingly frequent queuing caused gridded street pattern that is adequate by more trips starting or ending in the and appropriate for future neighbor- Braddock Metro neighborhood will hood development. Because the road- compel some drivers who now use way network capacity is limited and is Route 1 to use other routes. In other not planned to be expanded to provide words, congestion levels will remain additional vehicular capacity, new trips roughly the same, but the “peak” added as a result of new Braddock period may last a bit longer, and the development should displace trips on proportion of local trips will increase the network from regional traffic (see as drivers making regional trips seek graphic below). The proportion of local alternate routes. trips on the streets will grow and these local trips can be managed through In sum, this Plan recognizes that there existing and proposed transportation will be a manageable increase in vehic- demand management strategies. TRANSPORTATION Displacement of regional trips DEMAND by local traffic MANAGEMENT

Transportation demand management programs that encourage travel modes other than single occupancy vehicles will contribute in a significant way to creating a livable neighborhood. The Braddock Metro neighborhood is an ideal environment for introducing TDM programs beyond those already in use by the City that can help make the neighborhood a better place to live and work. The appropriate mix of

74 ■ | March 2008 development in the neighborhood will biking, and carpooling all contrib- reinforce the effectiveness of TDM by ute to an overall strategy for reduc- reducing demand for mobility on al- ing dependence on automobiles. ready congested streets. TDM Strategies TDM programs have two primary goals: promoting efficient use of trans- Key elements in a TDM program are portation infrastructure by influenc- viable transportation alternatives—in- ing when and how individuals choose cluding transit, bicycle, and walking to use it and providing viable travel systems—as well as a managed park- options that maintain and/or expand ing supply. TDM programs available to accessibility to a multimodal transpor- residents and employees are designed tation system. Providing choice is a to use these systems and encourage al- crucial element in any TDM program. ternatives to driving alone. Some strate- gies have proved especially successful The streetscape enhancements dis- in multiple settings: cussed in Chapter 4 represent one way to encourage Braddock residents 1. Car Sharing to choose walking over driving when making a local trip. One of the direct Car sharing is the sharing of a vehicle results of new development in the located in the community, provid- area, including the redevelopment of ing individuals the benefits of vehicle public housing sites, will be the in- ownership without having to actu- creased walkability of the streetscapes ally purchase and maintain a vehicle. resulting from the Design Standards Participants become members of the featured in this Plan as well as the cre- car share organization and can rent a ation of mixed-use development that vehicle for as much time or as little as will provide retail destinations and ser- a half an hour. According to a study of vices within walking distance. Using San Francisco’s City CarShare program, development dollars for streetscapes nearly 30% of members reduced their allows the entire Braddock Metro household vehicle ownership and two- neighborhood to benefit from an im- thirds avoided purchasing another car. proved walking environment. The average car-share member drives 47% fewer miles annually after joining. Many other strategies can discour- age the use of automobiles for both Car sharing is already available in Al- local and regional trips. Easy access exandria, and through the Carshare to the transit system through the Alexandria! program city residents and neighborhood’s two nearby stations, businesses may be eligible for financial Metrobus, the DASH bus system and subsidies toward a first-time member- a network of bikeways make travel ship. Since becoming members of to Alexandria’s other neighborhoods Carshare Alexandria!, 39% of survey and regional destinations easily viable respondents indicate a decrease in without automobile travel. Actively vehicle ownership and 76% of respon- promoting use of Metro, walking, dents agree that they use alternative

Chapter 8 | PRINCIPLE 6 ■ 75 transportation more often. Zipcar ve- variable in the area’s ability to accom- hicles are located at the Braddock Road modate growth and investment without Metro station. Additional opportunities adding significant vehicular traffic. for expanding the current program as Rail transit station areas across the redevelopment occurs in the Braddock United States are attracting an increas- should be explored. ing number of smaller households without children—an emerging trend 2. Ride Sharing that higher energy prices and greater highway congestion have only acceler- A well-executed ridesharing program ated. Rail-station ridership studies of that provides information as well as the Washington, D.C. region conducted incentives has the potential to reduce in 2007 show a wide range of land-use commute trips by 10% to 30%. Such densities within a quarter mile of sta- programs also typically reduce up to tions. The choice of modes for access 3.6% of regional vehicle miles trav- to these stations also varies. The station eled (VMT) and 8.3% of commuting profiles—comparing development den- VMT. Alexandria Rideshare maintains sity near the station with station access a secure online database that matches by mode—appear in the table below. riders by commuting patterns and provides contact information. Several Compared to other Metro Station regional vanpool services are also avail- neighborhoods, the Braddock Road able. Web networking sites also provide station falls in the middle range for a ridesharing alternative at off-peak household density, with 5.9 households hours for members of online rideshar- per acre (within a range of 4.3 to 11.8 ing networks. for all stations), but in the lower end of the range for all stations for job density 3. Transit at 12.9 jobs per acre (the range for that category ran from 4.1 to 26.8). A signifi- The availability of high-quality transit cant portion of the station’s riders walk in the Braddock Metro neighborhood to/from the station or arrive/depart represents the single most significant by bus. According to the 2007 study,

2007 WMATA Comparison of Metro Station Ridership and Density Station Ridership Households/Acre Jobs/Acre 2030 2030 2005 (projected) 2005 (projected) Braddock Road 8,703 5.9 9.4 12.9 19.6 Clarendon 8,599 10.8 16.9 26.8 37.2 Eastern Market 11,414 11.8 15.6 19.3 26.0 Eisenhower Avenue 3,681 5.1 7.8 14.4 24.2 Friendship Heights 19,237 5.0 6.5 10.5 12.2 King Street 16,228 4.3 7.3 20.8 32.9 Takoma 12,980 6.2 9.2 13.7 14.5 Wheaton 9,518 3.3 4.6 4.1 4.6

76 ■ | March 2008 Alexandria has the highest percentage minutes on weekdays. of people accessing Metrorail by bus of • Metrorail—The Braddock Road any jurisdiction in the WMATA com- station offers service on both pact (includes Arlington and Fairfax the Yellow and Blue lines. Both Counties and Washington, D.C.). Alex- lines provide service to central andria’s bus mode of access is 48.5% in Washington, with the Blue Line contrast to 23.4% for the entire region. continuing east to Capitol Heights and Largo, Maryland, and the Yellow Metrorail ridership for the station is Line continuing to the District’s measurably lower than stations with northeast boundary. The southern similar or even lower household and section of the Blue line provides job densities, suggesting strongly that service to Franconia-Springfield density alone cannot explain differ- via King Street and Van Dorn. The ences in ridership. Travel behavior is southern section of the Yellow line also strongly determined by the type provides service to Huntington via and nature of land uses that surround King Street and Eisenhower Avenue. stations that can attract or generate Both lines connect to every other trips. Ridership is also determined by Metro line, assuring that riders can quality of access to the station by differ- reach any of Metro’s 75 stations with ent modes (pedestrian, bicycle, bus and no more than one transfer. As at the drop offs). Braddock Road station, Metrobus connections continue on from most The Washington Metropolitan Area Metrorail stations. WMATA has Transit Authority (WMATA) and the capacity to increase service frequency Alexandria DASH system provide bus on the Yellow and Blue lines over and rail transit service—both regional time to accommodate anticipated and local—in the study area. Transit growth in demand. Additionally, on services available include: some lines WMATA is deploying eight car trains at peak hours to • Metrobus—Routes 10A (Huntington provide additional capacity. An eight Towers/Pentagon) and 10B car train provides 33% more capacity (Huntington Towers/Ballston) over the conventional six car trains. provide service between the • DASH—DASH operates bus service Huntington Towers to the south every 20 minutes between 5:30 a.m. and Pentagon City and Ballston and 11:00 p.m. through the study Common to the north. Route 9E area. The AT 2, AT 3, AT 4, and AT provides service to Crystal City and 5 lines stop within the study area, the Pentagon via Potomac Yard offering access to points south, west, and Del Ray. Route 10E provides northwest, and north, including Old service to the Pentagon via Del Ray Town, Potomac Yard, the West End, and Alexandria. These routes also and North Ridge. provide connections to areas served • Other Transit Services Proposed— by other Metrobus routes in the In addition to Metrorail, Metrobus region between 5:00 a.m. and 12:00 and DASH service, transit service to a.m., with an average frequency of 30 the Braddock Metro neighborhood

Chapter 8 | PRINCIPLE 6 ■ 77 will soon be provided as part of the implemented in the area. Without safe Crystal City/Potomac Yard Transit and comfortable facilities for walking Corridor project. This transit route and biking, incentives to reduce driv- will offer express bus service on a ing are less likely to have much effect. mix of dedicated ROW, bus-only The City of Alexandria recently com- and mixed-traffic lanes. The transit pleted a Transportation Master Plan route will operate along the Route that includes a Bicycle and Pedestrian 1 corridor between the Pentagon Mobility Plan (Mobility Plan). The City and the Braddock Road station and completed a draft version of the Plan in offer transit access to and from November 2007, and the final version the areas between these two Metro will replace the current Alexandria Bi- stations that are spaced over three cycle Plan, adopted in 1998. miles apart. In consideration of the full build-out of Potomac Yard the The Mobility Plan assesses crossing transit route is projected to serve difficulty for pedestrians at crosswalks approximately 30,000 passengers throughout Alexandria. Overall, cross- daily in the area between the Crystal ing ease within the Braddock Metro City and Braddock Metro stations. neighborhood ranked fairly high, al- Many of these trips would otherwise though several crosswalks received operate as single occupant vehicles poor marks, primarily along Patrick along the already congested Route Street, Henry Street, and Wythe Street. 1 corridor. As to the portion of The draft mobility plan identifies the the alignment that is within the need for 645 new marked crosswalks Braddock Metro neighborhood, in Alexandria, including several in the the community has expressed a study area. In addition, the study identi- preference for the transit route to fies improvements needed in existing be located along the service road signals, curb ramps, and crosswalks to adjacent to the Metro Rail tracks improve pedestrian friendliness. after and connecting with First Street at Route 1. The final transit Cameron, Pendleton Street, Payne alignment is contigent on right-of- Street and Braddock Road all carry way access to the service road and an “on-street bikeway” designation in operational analysis, such as turning the Alexandria Bikeways map. New radii. Many in the community on-street bikeways are planned for expressed opposition to bus rapid Oronoco and Fayette Streets. No road- transit and any potential transit ways within the study area, however, corridors in any location within the have on-street bicycle lanes, and the Braddock Metro neighborhood. draft mobility plan calls for only a small portion of Braddock Road to receive 4. Pedestrian And Bike marked lanes. The draft plan identifies Facility Improvements several other facility improvements, including: Providing a high-quality pedestrian • Three new routes: bicycle boulevards and bicycling environment is essential along Fayette Street and Oronoco to the success of any TDM program streets and an extension of the

78 ■ | March 2008 current shared-use path along the more pedestrian and bike friendly by east side of the Metro tracks north converting them from one-way to two- of Braddock Road station to the city way. The Plan recommends that Madi- limits son, Montgomery and Queen streets • The Plan identifies one east-west be evaluated by the City to determine if route, Wythe Street, for installation this conversion is feasible. Besides po- of shared-lane pavement markings tentially improving the environment for (“sharrows”). These projects will pedestrians and bikes, the hope is that create better bike routes for travel two-way streets are more beneficial for within the study area and better residential development along Madison bicycle connections to destinations and Montgomery and for retail space outside of the study area along Queen Street. The possibility of Montgomery Street as a transit route Fayette Street is a good candidate for between the Braddock Metro station development of a bike boulevard be- and other north-south routes should cause signed restrictions already pro- also be explored. Although this one- hibit through traffic during peak hours. way street is currently used as a DASH Full “bike boulevard” treatment would route, the future redevelopment of the include additional traffic-calming ele- blocks along both sides of Montgomery ments and/or traffic diverters to reduce Street create an opportunity to redesign traffic volume and speed, making a it as both more pedestrian- and transit- safer and more comfortable cycling en- friendly. vironment. TDM Implementation The Mobility Plan underlines the im- portance of sufficient bike parking at The Braddock Metro neighborhood key destinations, including transit sta- offers substantial opportunities for tions, as a way of encouraging biking TDM strategies to alter travel decisions as a viable transportation mode. Field in ways that benefit the neighbor- visits to Braddock Road station suggest hood. Taking full advantage of these high demand for bike parking there, opportunities will mean designat- with more than 75 bicycles parked dur- ing an entity to lead the TDM effort, ing sunny, warm weather and many of providing leadership, managing the the existing bike racks fully utilized. program, being accountable to stake- Additional bicycle parking—including holders, and tailoring the program to covered, on-demand parking—at the the area’s specific needs. Establish- station should be planned as growth in ment of a district-wide Transporta- the study area continues. The provision tion Management Plan (TMP) may of additional bicycle lockers at the Brad- represent the best way to proceed. dock Road station for long-term park- ing should be considered. A TMP is required in Alexandria for large-scale projects and is typically Finally, during the community process, development-specific with individual some members of the public expressed TDM strategies. An effective TMP be- the desire to make a handful of streets gins with an analysis of certain facts

Chapter 8 | PRINCIPLE 6 ■ 79 and projections, including the nature will be considered with plan imple- of the development and intended use mentation, but recommended activities of the property; proximity of the project include discounted transit fare pro- to public transit; availability of and ac- grams, targeted shuttle bus service, cessibility to offsite parking spaces that car sharing programs, pedestrian and could serve the project; number of em- bicycle facility improvements, fund- ployees and their likely places of origin; ing for bus shelters and transit service type and number of users of the pro- improvements, and others identified by posed parking supply and their likely the City, the district TMP coordinator places of origin; projected number of and district participants. Critical to the vehicle trips the project will generate; success of the district is the develop- and a description of the measures the ment of benchmarks and evaluation of developers intend to take to reduce a the effectiveness of existing and future project’s traffic impact in the surround- TDM strategies with modifications ing neighborhood. where necessary to achieve the goals of the Plan. Through its traffic impact assessment, the Braddock Metro Neighborhood Parking Management Plan has consolidated much of the background work of individual TMPs. Another role of the district-wide TMP The Plan recommends a larger district- could include the management of park- level TMP that sets up an institutional ing as it affects mode choice as well as framework for TDM programs. This land use patterns in the community. Plan recommends the establishment Managing parking encourages more of a TMP coordinator who would build efficient use of private, on-site parking partnerships and oversee implementa- facilities, making it possible to reduce tion of the TDM strategies recommend- the number of lots and garages needed ed in this Plan. The City would remain to meet demand, and possibly to reduce active, however, requiring new develop- actual driving. ment in the Braddock area to financial- ly and programmatically participate in One strategy to reduce vehicular traffic the district, serving as a liaison to other is to manage parking with appropri- public agencies, and appropriately ad- ate parking pricing by removing hid- justing its own policies and codes to den subsidies and making the cost of support traffic-management programs alternate transportation modes more developed by the TMP. competitive. Effective parking pricing strategies include: The Braddock Road Metro station is an • Charging motorists directly for asset upon which future neighborhood parking. development will be based. The TMP • Offering comparable benefits for should have a primary focus on encour- other travel modes, such as subsidies aging employer and residential use of for transit users. the various transit services that operate • Managing and pricing the most from this station. convenient parking spaces to favor The details of the Braddock-wide TMP priority users (i.e., customers rather

80 ■ | March 2008 than employees in curb spaces in front of a business). Public parking is limited to on-street • Introducing variable rates (i.e., spaces within the Braddock Metro higher cost for long-term parking, neighborhood, and the City manages lower rates for short-term parking). its on-street spaces in a variety of ways: • Eliminating discounts for long-term by imposing time restrictions, by cre- parking leases. ating and enforcing permit districts, • Breaking out the cost of parking and by using parking meters. A March from rents and condo prices. 2006 parking study conducted by HPE reported heavy use of on-street park- Parking is an essential component of ing, even though the report recorded automobile travel; without it, auto ac- only one instance of an occupancy rate cess to any land use is cut off. While above 85%. Parking occupancy rates many trips in urban areas such as the below 85% are typically considered Braddock Metro neighborhood can be satisfactory; when rates reach 85% or accomplished without the use of a car, higher, finding a space becomes dif- private automobiles will play a substan- ficult, leading to driver frustration and tial role in Alexandria’s transportation unnecessary travel as motorists circle system for the foreseeable future. Con- their target block in search of a spot. sequently, parking management and thoughtful consideration of parking de- All off-street parking in the study area velopment for vehicles and bicycles will is accessory parking, that is, it serves become keys to developing an effective only an attached or adjacent land use. transportation plan for the study area. Surface lots are available for most com- mercial and industrial businesses in Braddock Road Parking Types Existing City parking Requirements Zoning Ordinance King Street Metro Eisenhower East Small Parking District Area Plan (maximum parking requirements; gross sq ft) Residential • 2 spaces per dwelling unit (single • 1 space per dwelling • 1.1 space/1,000 sq ft familyand townhouse) unit • 1.3 to 2.2. spaces per dwelling unit (multifamily) Office 1.66 spaces/1000 sq ft 1 space/530 sq ft .34-1.66 space/1,000 sq ft Retail, Restaurant, • 2.5 spaces/1000 sq ft (personal • 0 spaces for first • 3.0/1,000 sq ft initially Personal Services services) 10,000 sq ft if not • 2 spaces/1,000 sq ft once 2 • 3.03 to 4.67 spaces/1000 sq ft greater than 25% of million sq ft office is developed (retail) total floor area • 3.5 spaces/1,000 sq ft > 1500 feet from Metro Station HOTEL • 1 space/4 seats (rest.) • 0.7 spaces/room • 0.7 spaces/room • 1 space/room (less than 3 stories) • 1 space/8 seats of rest or con- • 1 space/2 rooms (over 3 stories) ference space) • 1 employee space/15 guest rooms

Chapter 8 | PRINCIPLE 6 ■ 81 the area, and off-street surface parking sit where parking requirements are is available for some residential devel- reduced shows that transit mode opments. The recent residential devel- shares are significantly higher for opments near Braddock Road station residential and office uses. In other include underground parking. words, the closer a development is to Metro, the more people in that Braddock Metro Neighborhood development will choose to travel Parking Development by transit rather than car, recogniz- ing that they may still own cars. Most minimum parking requirements are meant to satisfy peak demand and The Washington Metropolitan Area build in the assumption that parking is Transit Authority is 2005 Develop- always free. Yet all customers—regard- ment-Related Ridership Survey Final less of whether they drive—end up Report confirms these numbers for covering the expenses of providing free development located at or near a sta- parking, which are simply blended into tion (for suburban sites inside the the larger costs of developing or operat- Beltway): the Metrorail mode share for ing a property. This practice of “exter- office workers located at a station is nalizing” costs—which can run as high 35% for both commute and mid-day as $50,000 per space for underground trips, and 49% (43% rail and 6% bus) garages—raises the price of both goods for residential development. The data and housing. clearly shows that Metro use dramati- cally increases in direct relationship Minimum parking requirements can to Metro proximity, and within that also have a profound effect on the built connection, Metro use is even higher environment. A single parking space for residential over office uses. requires approximately 350 square feet, including the spaces’ share of common The City has previously reduced park- drive aisles. Therefore, parking require- ing requirements in the King Street ments of 3 (or more) spaces per 1,000 Metro Parking District and the Eisen- square feet of built space consume hower East Small Area Plan due to the more space for parking than for the ac- proximity to Metro Stations and exten- tual land use. sive public transit service. The table on the prior page summarizes the park- An analysis of the City’s existing park- ing ratios that the City of Alexandria ing requirements found that the re- currently requires. quirements are higher for single family, multifamily and townhouse residential The Plan encourages transit-oriented and retail uses than those recommend- mixed-use development in part to ed by the Institute of Transportation encourage the use of transit, car shar- Engineers (ITE), Urban Land Institute ing, bicycling and walking as viable (ULI) and SmartCode, the New Urban- alternatives to multiple vehicle owner- ist development code. ship. However, the Plan recognizes that people who live near Metro sta- In addition, data for areas near tran- tions often own a vehicle and makes

82 ■ | March 2008 provisions in the proposed off-street be found so that an overabundance of parking requirements to address that parking does not include more auto reality. The Plan seeks to balance the trips while an undercount could exacer- community’s concerns about ensuring bate on-street parking problems. that new development provides suf- ficient off-street parking with the high The Plan seeks to balance the commu- level of existing and proposed future nity’s concerns about not under-parking transit service in the area. The Plan new development with the high level also seeks to promote transit and other of existing and future transit service in forms of transport so that people have the Braddock Metro neighborhood. It choices when it comes to mobility that should be noted that much of the rede- may, over time, reduce their reliance velopment anticipated in this Plan over on the automobile. the next 20 years will occur on proper- ties north of the existing neighborhood, Parking Management in areas in close proximity to the Metro Recommendations station, buses, and Zipcars and between Route 1 and the Metrorail tracks. The Plan recommends revising the current parking requirements for prop- The benefits of appropriate parking erties located within 2,000 feet of the ratios include not over-parking develop- Braddock Metro station, measured in a ments with excess parking that goes straight line from the station entrance. unused, encouraging non-automobile This area should be established as a modes of travel which reduces the num- parking district with its own set of ber of vehicle trips and lessens traffic required parking ratios. The City has congestion, discouraging car owner- lowered parking requirements at both ship in general and multiple vehicle the King Street Metro Station and in ownership in particular, and augments Eisenhower East in order to encourage the walkability of the neighborhood. the use of transit. After a careful review of existing parking requirements in The parking ratios indicated here shall those locations and new developments be the allowable “by right” parking. at Carlyle and in the Braddock area, the Any increases or decreases from these Plan recommends that “right-sizing” ratios shall require approval of a special parking requirements for new develop- use permit, provided however that in ment projects in the Braddock Metro the cases of fractional spaces, the park- neighborhood become a priority. Re- ing requirement may be rounded up ducing parking is especially important or down to the nearest whole number given that each underground parking without requiring a special use permit. space will cost approximately $50,000. A reduction in required parking, there- Residential fore, can save hundreds of thousands of dollars in development costs, some New residents in the Braddock Metro of which can be redirected to help fund neighborhood will pay a premium to open space and street improvements. live near a Metro station and are likely However, the right balance needs to to use Metro for at least some of their

Chapter 8 | PRINCIPLE 6 ■ 83 travel needs. While it is unlikely that hotel use in the Braddock Metro neigh- there will be a high proportion of no-car borhood is 0.7 space per room, and households in the neighborhood, there one employee space per each 15 guest will likely be many one-car households. rooms. Hotels built near the Braddock A reduction in the parking requirement Road Metro station are likely to attract for smaller dwelling units will ensure business travelers drawn to the area by that one-car households will not pay a convenient access to Northern Virginia, premium for two parking spaces when Ronald Reagan National Airport, and they only need one car. Multi-family Washington, DC. buildings typically have fewer residents per dwelling unit than single-family Auxiliary uses in hotels such as res- housing (often because residents are taurants and meeting spaces vary less likely to have children), reducing greatly and it is recommended that the need for multiple car ownership – since the exact use of hotel space or in some cases – car ownership at all. in the neighborhood is not known, Consequently, the Plan recommends that additional off-street parking reducing the minimum requirement for such uses will be determined at for units with less than three bedrooms the time of development review. to 1.0 space per dwelling unit. The Plan recommends that units with three Retail or more bedrooms have the same re- quirement as single-family houses: 1.5 To foster the Plan’s goal to secure com- spaces per dwelling units. In addition, munity-serving retail and services, and all residential development shall dedi- to reflect the reduced parking demand cate an additional 15% of the required created by transit service in the neigh- parking supply for visitor parking, con- borhood, the Plan recommends that the sistent with existing City practice. minimum requirement be reduced to Limited reductions will be allowed 3 spaces per 1,000 square feet of retail to these parking requirements. A re- development. In addition, a full ex- duction of 5 spaces for each on-site emption shall be provided for the first car-sharing spot should be allowed, 15,000 square feet of grocery stores and although this reduction may not exceed the first 1,200 square feet of all other 20% of the total required spaces. Final- retail and service uses. Similar exemp- ly, in the event that a new development tions in place in Arlington County have increases the net number of on-street provided important community-serving parking spaces available, the increase retail and services near Metro stations. in on-street spaces shall apply to the visitor parking or retail parking require- Restaurants ment in a mixed-use development. To encourage small restaurants such as Hotels a coffee shop or deli that support local residents and workers, no parking is Similar to the ratios at the Eisenhower required for a restaurant with up to 60 Avenue and King Street Metro Stations, seats. Restaurants with a greater num- the recommended parking ratio for a ber of seats should comply with the

84 ■ | March 2008 standard City requirement of one space subsidies. These standards are consis- per four seats. tent with parking requirements in other locations in communities with high The Plan recommends retaining the quality transit and are consistent with existing City requirement of 1 space per industry standards for transit oriented every 4 restaurant seats, with an exemp- developments. tion, however, for the first 60 seats to allow a limited service restaurant such Additional recommendations include: as a neighborhood coffee shop or deli • Consider incentives and restrictions that will have little parking impact. A to encourage developers to plan similar exemption in Arlington County carpool and car-sharing parking has succeeded in attracting small scale during the development process development near Metro stations. • Require the provision of bicycle Office parking (both on and off-street), as described in the Bicycle and The Plan recommends no change from Pedestrian Mobility Plan the existing parking requirement for 1.67 spaces per 1,000 square feet of of- • Unbundle parking from multifamily fice space with reductions of up to 30% residential development. Parking based on transit, car-pool and van-pool spaces should be sold or rented

Land Use Braddock Metro Neighborhood Parking District Ratios* Single-family 1.5 spaces per dwelling unit (DU) plus residential, two-family and row or townhouse 15% visitor parking** dwellings Multi-family residential 1.0 spaces per DU of less than 3 bed- rooms or 1.5 per DU of 3 bedrooms or more, plus 15% visitor parking** Hotels 0.7 spaces per 1 guest room plus 1 employee parking space per 15 guest rooms. Additional off-street parking for auxiliary uses will be determined at the time of development review. Retail 3.0 spaces per 1,000 SF. First 15,000 SF of grocery stores and first 1,200 SF of all other retail exempt.** Restaurants 1 space per 4 seats. First 60 seats exempt. Office 1.67 space per 1,000 SF * Provided however that in the cases of fractional spaces, the parking requirement may be rounded up or down to the nearest whole number without requiring SUP. ** In the event that new development increases the net number of on-street parking spaces available, the increase in on-street spaces shall apply to the visitor or retail parking re- quirement.

Chapter 8 | PRINCIPLE 6 ■ 85 separately from residential units by a coordinator who works directly to lower the costs of housing for with local residents and businesses residents who choose not to own or to tailor programs and services to the rent a parking space. This concept area, establish benchmarks, evaluate can also be applied to commercial programs and policies, and change developments. them where needed over time to en- courage a walkable and livable neigh- • Manage on-street parking more borhood. effectively. Evaluate existing on-street parking restrictions to determine if there are opportunities to better manage on-street parking spaces through adjustments to current restrictions. CONCLUSION

The volume of vehicular traffic antici- pated from 20 years of future devel- opment in the Braddock area can be expected to have a small but negligible effect on local traffic conditions. Lo- cal streets will experience increased demands but still operate acceptably. Route 1 will continue to bottleneck and experience further spreading of peak demands. A significant portion of the impact of new development could be counter-balanced should ex- isting residents and employees within the Braddock area modify their travel choices, similar to the travel behavior expected for the tenants of new devel- opment.

TDM strategies offer a low-cost ap- proach to maintaining community mo- bility and mitigating the effects of new development. Alexandria’s current TDM toolbox has resulted in reduc- tions in drive-alone trips and increases in Metro ridership. These successes could be expanded in the Braddock Metro neighborhood through the cre- ation of a district-wide TMP managed

86 ■ | March 2008 Principle 7 Achieve varying and transitional heights and scales Community character and livability can be greatly enhanced when an appropriate strategy for the height and scale of future development projects is determined. Appropriate scale—achieved by considering both height and massing—is fundamental to finding the right balance between preservation and change where each are appropriate. The 9 Plan attempts to do this by recommending maximum height and floor- area ratios (FAR) that will ensure transitions in scale between the two and three-story fabric of much of the Braddock Metro neighborhood and the predominant scale of existing development near the Metro station that reaches heights of 77 feet at Colecroft Station, 85 feet for most of the Braddock Place office buildings and 150 feet for the Meridian apartment tower. Finding the right height and massing—and adding design guidelines to ensure appropriate character and scale transitions—unlocks the ability to provide significant development-generated dollars to support community amenities. Throughout the community engagement process, the ability to derive development-generated dollars helped the community carefully consider the Urban Design Diagram costs and benefits of the scale associated with new development, especially at the Metro and Adkins blocks. Final height and density recommendations for Adkins and the other public housing sites will be developed during the Braddock East planning process. Urban Design building, the former theater, and Framework several churches Mid Neighborhood Area The Urban Design Framework comprises a series of layers or systems • The transition zone from the that graphically articulate the ideas Parker-Gray Historic District to the presented in this Plan and include the Braddock Road Metro station/west Character Areas diagram, the Urban neighborhood Design Concept diagram, the Building • Includes potential new park Heights and Massing diagram and space to replace the Post Office the Open Space Framework diagram block, creating a potential new (shown in Chapter 5). neighborhood “center” • New and proposed mixed-use Character Areas buildings between Patrick and Henry streets that will improve pedestrian The urban fabric of the Braddock Metro accessibility and activity along these neighborhood is far from homogeneous. high traffic corridors Within the study area, four distinct “character areas” (diagram at right) mark West Neighborhood Area shifts in visual character and tone. Along with the location of the walking streets, • Mix of uses, with taller buildings the Plan’s recommendations for height close to the Metro station, although and density reflect the existing scale and the existing lower buildings within character of the four zones, taking into the area require stepping taller account places where scale and character buildings back from the sidewalk in are likely to change dramatically, such some locations as at the Gateway Neighborhood Area • Given the presence of Metro, this at the north end of the Braddock Metro area could be the primary shopping/ neighborhood. Descriptions follow of dining area in the neighborhood the four character areas, in which the • Metro sits at a confluence of local height and scale of new development streets where walking should be the should take into account existing primary emphasis, not vehicular context. traffic • Heights should transition from Parker-Gray Neighborhood Area lower in the Parker-Gray Historic District to higher in the west • Defined by two- and three-story neighborhood historic rowhouses with a handful of commercial buildings Gateway Neighborhood Area • Contains multiple, low-rise public housing sites with significant green • Provides an opportunity to introduce space unique architectural treatment • Queen Street retail area with at northern end to form a major adjacent historic buildings of gateway into the neighborhood, and significance, such as the Elks Club

88 ■ | March 2008 to use more modern architecture to the NorthEast neighborhood across reflect the warehouse and industrial Route 1 to the east history of this area • Potential Fayette walking street • The design of new buildings along terminates in a neighborhood park Fayette Street and Route 1 should and bike path connection to Potomac respect the scale and character of Yard Potential Redevelopment Sites within the Four Character Areas

The Braddock Metro neighborhood’s four character areas

Chapter 9 | PRINCIPLE 7 ■ 89 Urban Design Plan’s recommendations appear on the Building Heights and Massing diagram Concept three pages ahead. Strategically, the recommended heights relate directly The Urban Design Concept diagram to the location of the walking streets builds on the Character Areas and with taller buildings clustering closer to adds open space, streetscape and the Metro station and especially at the redevelopment components consistent Northern Gateway Area. Also shown with the characteristics of the four is the community’s preferred route areas. The recommended location for the proposed Crystal City/Potomac of the walking streets ties many of Yard Transit Corridor project along the ideas together. Besides providing with three “gateway” locations. The ideal walking routes through the gateways are meant to create a sense neighborhood, the walking streets of entry into the neighborhood for also help to link the proposed park walkers, drivers, and cyclists at strategic and plaza spaces with the sites where locations, such as the south end of the the most significant redevelopment Monroe Avenue Bridge, where Route is expected to occur. Also clearly 1 splits into Henry and Patrick streets, highlighted are the proposed retail and where Braddock Road passes below areas and their relationship to existing the Metro tracks. Components that retail space in the Braddock Metro create gateways include architectural neighborhood. features on buildings such as tower-like elements, special landscaped areas, tree The diagram communicates the groupings, and locations for large-scale sense of scale that will result after a public art. number of redevelopment projects are completed in the neighborhood. While the three colored areas are meant to give an overall impression of height, this map is only conceptual. Specific maximum heights that are part of the

Large-scale public art, like this example in Baltimore, could make for a unique gateway into the neighborhood.

90 ■ | March 2008 Urban Design Concept

Chapter 9 | PRINCIPLE 7 ■ 91 Building Height recommended height along West, Wythe and Madison streets—three of and Massing the Plan’s “walking streets”—is 40 feet for the lower level of any building. This The diagram on the facing page shows dimension forms the “shoulder” for recommended maximum heights for sites any potential building and allows three within the Braddock Metro neighborhood stories of any single land use and most that have redevelopment potential. Most mixed-use combinations. The maximum of the blocks indicate heights that are the recommended height along Fayette Street, current maximum allowed by zoning, the fourth “walking street,” is 40 feet south through the Special Use Permit (SUP) of Madison Street and 50–60 feet north of process. The only areas where the Plan Madison Street. This increase reflects the recommends increases in maximum height different height and character of many of are at the Northern Gateway and the Metro the buildings along Fayette Street north of site. Heights for the Andrew Adkins public Madison, such as the Meridian, which is housing site will be determined as part of 150 feet. In all cases, building heights may the Braddock East planning process. The increase beyond this 40 or 60 foot limit if increase in height at Metro and the Northern they provide the “shoulder” with a setback Gateway has been carefully considered of at least 12 feet from the lower-level in order to maintain the character of the façades before adding additional height.

The parcel with the most significant increase in height and density is the Metro site. The maximum height allowed by current zoning is 50 feet. In order to facilitate a mixed-use development project on the property, the tunnel connection, plaza and other community-desired benefits, the Plan recommends raising the maximum height to 77 feet at the Metro site. This height is the same as at Colecroft Station, across Braddock Road to the south, and will complement the taller 85-foot buildings at Braddock Place immediately to the north of the Metro Cross section site. Maintaining these heights around designated walking streets and to provide view of a typical the Metro station will establish this as the appropriate transitions to the nearby historic walking street preferred locus of future development highlighting fabric. the sidewalk and discourage inappropriately large and upper-level development at sites away from the Metro. The Design Guidelines section in the setbacks that A shoulder should be incorporated into create a more Appendix recommends a building any buildings along the north, east and pedestrian scale “shoulder” that would require a setback south edges of the property. for the public of approximately 12 feet before additional realm height is permitted above the 40–50- Example images of buildings of different foot street wall façade. The maximum heights appear on the following pages.

92 ■ | March 2008 Building Height and Massing

Chapter 9 | PRINCIPLE 7 ■ 93 Building Height Examples 35–45 feet Analogs from Alexandria

Braddock Lofts Chatham Square Prescott Analogs from elsewhere

Seattle, WA Portland, OR Hismen Hin-nu Terrace, Oakland, CA Building Height Examples 55 feet

Analogs from Alexandria

Whole Foods (both photos) Analogs from elsewhere

Edgewood, Atlanta, GA Vancouver, BC Chicago, IL

94 ■ | March 2008 Building Height Examples 65–75 feet Analog from Alexandria Analogs from elsewhere

Colecroft Station Portland, OR Portland, OR Arlington, VA

Building Height Examples 90 feet

Analogs from Alexandria Analogs from elsewhere

Braddock Place Condos Duke Street Marriott Boston, MA Atlanta, GA

Building Height Examples 120 feet Analog from Alexandria Analogs from elsewhere

Residential building in the Arlington, VA Harbor East, Baltimore, MD Carlyle District

Chapter 9 | PRINCIPLE 7 ■ 95 Development Sites

1 Jaguar Site

2 Yates Warehouse Site

3 Water Tower See page 110 and Adjacent Site 1

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15 James Bland and Bland Addition Public Housing Site

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CAM ER ON ST REE T 17 Ramsey Homes Public Housing Site

The 20-year redevelopment scenario for the Braddock Metro neighborhood that includes potential building projects on 17 different sites as well as new parks and plazas, enhanced green streets and improved pedestrian/ bike connections

96 ■ | March 2008 DEVELOPMENT TABLE Existing Parcel Proposed Development Cur- Cur- rent rent Current Existing Allow- Total Pro- Site Character Parcel Area Develop Current Allow- Allow- Proposed Max. Area - Zoning able able able Develop- posed Height ment Develop- ment F.A.R. F.A.R. Height ment (1) (1) (1)

sf acres sf feet sf sf feet

1 Jaguar Site Gateway Area 308,000 7.07 102,000 OCM-50 1.5 to 77 to 496,500 770,000 2.5 (2) 50 to 150 &CRMU/H 2.5 90

2 Yates Warehouse Gateway Area 23,000 0.53 12,000 CRMU/H 2.5 77 to 57,500 57,500 2.5 (2) 50 to 90 Site 90

3 Water Tower and Gateway Area 25,000 0.57 8,000 OCM-50 0.5 to 50 to 30,000 50,000 2.5 (2) 90 to 120 Adjacent Site & UT 1.5 77

4 Tony’s Auto Site Mid-Neighbor- 41,600 0.96 10,000 CRMU/H 2.5 77 to 104,000 104,000 2.5 50 to 90 hood Area 90

5 1261 Madison Site West Neighbor- 49,000 1.12 0 CRMU/H 2.5 77 122,500 122,500 2.5 77 hood Area

6 Metro Site West Neighbor- 139,000 3.19 0 UT 0.5 50 69,500 291,000 3.0 (4) 30 to 77 hood Area (4)

7 Fayette Warehouses West and Mid- 42,000 0.96 32,000 CRMU/M 2.0 to 50 to 95,000 95,000 2.0 to 2.5 40 Site Neighborhood & CRMU/H 2.5 70 Area

8 Route 1 Triangle Site Gateway Area 126,000 2.89 110,000 OCM-50 & 1.5 to 77 to 242,000 242,000 2.0 50 to 70 CRMU/H 2.5 90

9 Carpenter’s Shelter Mid-Neighbor- 36,000 0.83 18,500 CRMU/H 2.5 77 to 90,000 90,000 2.5 50 to 90 Site hood Area 90

10 Madison Site Mid-Neighbor- 113,000 2.59 70,000 CRMU/H 2.5 77 283,000 283,000 2.5 50 to 90 hood Area (8)

11 Henry Street—Site A Mid-Neighbor- 56,000 1.29 24,000 CSL 0.75 50 42,000 42,000 0.75 40 to 50 hood Area

12 Henry Street—Site B Mid-Neighbor- 30,000 0.69 0 CSL 0.75 50 22,500 22,500 0.75 50 hood Area

13 Post Office Site Mid-Neighbor- 87,000 2.00 19,000 CRMU/M 2.0 50 to 174,000 174,000 2.0 (6) 40 to 77 hood Area (6) 77 (7)

TOTAL 1,075,600 24.69 405,500 1,828,500 2,343,500 (total new sf)

NET TOTAL: 1,938,000 (total sf less existing development sf) TOTAL INCREASE OVER CURRENT ALLOWABLE DEVELOPMENT: 515,000 (total new sf less current allowable sf)

Properties to be determined through braddock east planning process (9) 14 Andrew Adkins West Neighbor- 175,000 4.02 148,000 RB 0.75 45 131,000 350,000 to TBD TBD Public Housing Site hood Area (5) 525,000 15 James Bland and Parker-Gray Area 370,000 8.49 166,000 RB 0.75 45 277,500 462,500 to TBD TBD Bland Addition 745,000 Public Housing Site 16 Samuel Madden Mid-Neighborhood 150,000 3.44 64,000 RB 0.75 45 112,500 300,000 to TBD TBD Uptown Public Area 375,000 Housing Site 17 Ramsey Homes Parker-Gray Area 28,000 0.64 14,000 RB 0.75 45 21,000 21,000 TBD TBD Public Housing Site TOTAL 723,000 16.59 392,000 542,000 1,133,500 to 1,666,000 (total new sf) NET TOTAL: 741,500 to 1,274,000 (total sf less existing development sf) TOTAL INCREASE OVER CURRENT ALLOWABLE 591,500 to 1,124,000 (total new sf less DEVELOPMENT: current allowable sf) NOTES of 0.75 is not enough to allow for mixed-income housing rede- 6. 1.3 acre park proposed leaving 30,000 sf site area 1. Current Allowable Floor-Area-Ratio (FAR), Height and Allowable velopment to occur on the public housing sites. A refinedF AR 7. Total modeled for traffic impact analysis, should development Development calculations based on SUP. recommendation will be developed during the Braddock East occur other than the park. 2. An overall FAR of 2.5 is shown, since the parcels are part of planning process. 8. 282,838 SF approved with DSUP. the overall Northern Gateway CDD Site along with the Jaguar 4. Based on FAR of 3.0 and a 97,000 sf parcel size, net of 9. Height and density of these sites will be determined during the development site. circulation space for buses, taxis and other vehicles. Braddock East planning process. Numbers shown here are for 3. Conceptual analysis has shown that the current maximum FAR 5. Based on a 175,000 sf site area net of Payne Street extension. the purpose of traffic impact analysis only.

Chapter 9 | PRINCIPLE 7 ■ 97 LAND USE Site Character Area Parcel Area Existing Current Recom- Required Preferred Develop- Zoning mended Land Use Land Use (1) ment Zoning sf acres sf

1 Jaguar Site Gateway Area 308,000 7.07 102,000 OCM-50 CDD Ground Floor Residential/ &CRMU/H Retail (GFR) Office 2 Yates Warehouse Site Gateway Area 23,000 0.53 12,000 CRMU/H CDD Residential/ Office 3 Water Tower and Gateway Area 25,000 0.57 8,000 OCM-50 CDD Office Adjacent Site & UT 4 Tony’s Auto Site Mid-Neighborhood 41,600 0.96 10,000 CRMU/H no change Residential/ Area Office 5 1261 Madison Site West 49,000 1.12 0 CRMU/H no change Office, park Neighborhood Area 6 Metro Site West 139,000 3.19 0 UT CDD Office or Office or Hotel, Neighborhood Area Hotel, GFR Retail 7 Fayette Warehouses Site West and Mid- 42,000 0.96 32,000 CRMU/M no change Residential/ Neighborhood Area & CRMU/H Office 8 Route 1 Triangle Site Gateway Area 126,000 2.89 110,000 OCM-50 no change GFR Residential/ & CRMU/H Office 9 Carpenter’s Shelter Site Mid-Neighborhood 36,000 0.83 18,500 CRMU/H no change Residential/ Area Office 10 Madison Site Mid-Neighborhood 113,000 2.59 70,000 CRMU/H no change GFR Residential/ Area Office/Retail 11 Henry Street – Site A Mid-Neighborhood 56,000 1.29 24,000 CSL no change Residential/ Area Office 12 Henry Street – Site B Mid-Neighborhood 30,000 0.69 0 CSL no change Residential/ Area Office 13 Post Office Site Mid-Neighborhood 87,000 (2) 2.00 19,000 CRMU/M no change GFR Residential/ Area Office/Retail PROPERTIES TO BE DETERMINED THROUGH BRADDOCK EAST PLANNING PROCESS: 14 Andrew Adkins Public West 175,000 (3) 4.02 148,000 RB CDD TBD TBD Housing Site Neighborhood Area 15 James Bland and Bland Parker-Gray Area 370,000 8.49 166,000 RB CDD TBD TBD Addition Public Hous- ing Site 16 Samuel Madden Uptown Mid-Neighborhood 150,000 3.44 64,000 RB CDD TBD TBD Public Housing Site Area 17 Ramsey Homes Public Parker-Gray Area 28,000 0.64 14,000 RB no change TBD TBD Housing Site NOTES: 1. As market conditions warrant 2. 1.3 acre park proposed leaving 30,000 sf site area 3. Based on a 175,000 sf site area net of Payne Street extension

The implementation phase will include development district (CDD) will be es- the creation of a parking overlay dis- tablished for the Metro site and the trict and a retail focus areas district public housing sites. The latter will be consistent with the guidelines set forth determined as part of the Braddock in the Plan. In addition, a coordinated East planning process.

98 ■ | March 2008 KEY REDEVELOPMENT SITES

Metro Site Existing Parcel

Existing Conditions one-way bus loop and an unnecessarily The Braddock Metro site is home to high number of parking spaces occupy a busy rail transit station, with both the majority of this very valuable site. WMATA and DASH buses circulating Note: The designs on the following through the site, and parking for transit pages are illustrative only and are users. The present site is accessible not intended to prescribe a specific to vehicles, but pedestrian conditions site plan or building design. They on and around the site are poor, and are intended to show a conceptual the Braddock/Wythe/West intersection alternative that complies with the acts as a major impediment to height, density and public realm pedestrian access from the south. A standards recommended in the Plan.

Braddock Place seen from the Metro station View from Wythe-West intersection platform

Chapter 9 | PRINCIPLE 7 ■ 99 KEY REDEVELOPMENT SITES

Metro Site Proposed development scenario Vision for the Metro site A lively public plaza surrounded by ground-level retail and other active Existing development Hotel community-focused uses will lead Multifamily housing pedestrians from West and Wythe Townhouses streets to the station entrance on the Office western side of the plaza. Café tables, retail public art, and a new grand fountain bring constant motion to the plaza, and the plaza’s paving pattern crosses West Street to engage pedestrians coming from the heart of the neighborhood and to slow traffic along the street. Across West Street could be a 200 room hotel or office building with ground floor retail. A proposed pedestrian concourse connecting to the other side of the tracks would open direct access from both sides of the tracks, helping

connect the Del Ray and Rosemont neighborhoods and future Potomac Yard residents to both Metro and the public plaza.

Recommendations for the site’s proposed office buildings (77 feet high) reflect and complement the height and scale of existing development around the site. These include the Colecroft

existing parcel proposed development current current Below- new Development existing allowable allowable total grade proposed proposed Site Area devm’t far (1) height (1) development parking far maximum height 1.66 spaces/ SF acres SF 1,000 SF 130,000/ 3.19/ retail: 23,000 SF 65 (3) 77’ 0 0.50 50 feet 3.0 97,0002 2.18 office: 268,000 SF 445 (both buildings) 291,000 SF 510 1 Current allowable floor area ratio (FAR) and height calculations based on SUP 2 Net of circulation space for buses, taxis, and other vehicles 3 Per parking ratio recommendations: first 1,200 gsf of retail is exempt and subsequent gsf is 3 spaces/ 1,000 sf

100 ■ | March 2008 KEY REDEVELOPMENT SITES

Metro Site Proposed development scenario

building at 77 feet and Braddock unique to the industrial heritage of the Site cross-section Place at 85 feet. It is important to Braddock Metro neighborhood. along the edge of the Metro tracks note, however, that the Metro site is showing relative at a grade at least 10 feet lower than In the proposed development, bus building heights its neighbors, making its potential 77- circulation would shift from a one-way foot height appear lower from certain loop to a more efficient two-way busway vantage points. Building “shoulders” with ten bays. The two office buildings at the sidewalk that support taller, set- could extend over a portion of the back structures would provide a low- proposed bus-way, creating a sheltered rise transition between taller elements waiting area. Additionally, a canopy on proposed for the site and the pedestrian the western façade of the existing Metro scale and lower-rise conditions embankment would help to protect prevalent throughout the neighborhood. transit riders from the elements. A The Plan encourages contemporary limited number of parking spaces to the interpretations of Alexandria building north of the site would accommodate characteristics and materials that are parking for taxis, Zipcars, and disabled

Chapter 9 | PRINCIPLE 7 ■ 101 KEY REDEVELOPMENT SITES

Metro Site Proposed development scenario users. A portion of the curb on West significant, and no funding has yet been Street would be designated as a “kiss allocated for the construction of the and ride” zone. On-site parking for the preferred alternative. office building will be underground. New development will not aggravate the The Plan recommends the future existing situation at this intersection, designation of this site and the block because all new development is referred to as the “Adkins site” as a prohibited from increasing storm Coordinated Development District (CDD) water runoff from the site. This is to ensure the urban design, high-quality accomplished by detaining any architecture, and public amenities additional runoff on the site until described in the Plan. CDD guidelines after the peak has occurred in the will be developed in the future, after the collection system. The City already Braddock East planning process and requires development in this drainage after further discussion with WMATA. shed to “over detain,” or hold more water on site than would normally Although the site is publicly owned by be required, because of the existing the regional transit authority, the City is problem at the Braddock Road/West allowing additional height and density as Street intersection. In addition, envisioned by this Plan in order to create redevelopment in this area will likely substantial new land value, part of involve improvements in the existing which would need to be channeled into storm sewer system in order to provide public amenities (both on site and off adequate outfall for the projects; such site). Also, part of the public amenities redevelopment will generally improve funding would be allocated to creating the overall storm water capacity. and subsidizing the retail space to ensure the right mix and desired variety Development projects located within the of retail uses are obtained. Braddock Metro area will be evaluated on an individual basis during the site- The City has begun a study of plan review process to determine the Braddock Road/West Street if adequate storm water outfall is intersection to explore alternatives for available. If not, additional capacity correcting the flooding problem there. must be made available prior to The study will provide the City with a issuance of a certificate of occupancy. better understanding of the solution Sanitary sewers for development and cost of any preferred alternative. projects in the Braddock Metro area The next phases consist of design will be connected to the Potomac Yard work and bidding the project, followed Trunk Sewer, which was built with by construction. The cost will likely be significant excess capacity.

102 ■ | March 2008 KEY REDEVELOPMENT SITES

Adkins Site Existing Parcel

The Adkins block is formed by Madison, if and when the site is redeveloped. Fayette, Wythe and West streets. The At the west end of the block are 10 4.5 acre site consists of 90 units small, single-family homes, many built of public housing on the majority of in the early 20th century. One lot in the block. The townhouse-style units particular, near the corner of West include 22 units of one and two and Wythe streets, has recently been bedrooms, 36 three-bedroom units, 23 remodeled. Note: The designs on the four-bedroom units and 9 five-bedroom following pages are illustrative only and units and are currently occupied are not intended to prescribe a specific primarily by families with multiple site plan or building design. They children. These are some of the largest are intended to show a conceptual public housing units in Alexandria alternative that complies with the and, by City policy, each one must be height, density and public realm replaced, either on-site or elsewhere, standards recommended in the Plan.

Some of the small single-family homes along Madison and West streets, across from the Metro station Adkins view along Fayette Street

Chapter 9 | PRINCIPLE 7 ■ 103 KEY REDEVELOPMENT SITES

Adkins Site proposed development scenario

Existing development Hotel Multifamily housing Townhouses

Office retail

existing parcel new Development current current Site Area existing devm’t allowable far (1) allowable heighT (1) SF acres SF 175,000 (2) 4.0 148,000 0.75 45 feet 1 Current allowable floor area ratio (FAR) and height calculations based on SUP 2 Net site area due to Payne Street road extension

104 ■ | March 2008 KEY REDEVELOPMENT SITES

Adkins Site proposed development scenario

A Vision for the Adkins Block pay for approximately half of the cost The Plan recommends bisection of for the public housing replacement the double block by an extension of units in today’s dollars. The other the Payne Street right-of-way and the half is expected to come from state, complete redevelopment of the entire federal and private sources. The block. Important to note, however, is site should be carefully planned and that the homes along the west end of designed so as not to overwhelm the the block are privately owned and in surrounding context. All four streets most cases, owner-occupied. In order that surround the block are designated to develop the property as depicted in “walking streets” in the Plan and, as the proposed concept, an assemblage such, require new buildings along of the individual properties will be its edges to step back above the necessary. The City does not have third floor.T he resulting “shoulder” plans to assemble the properties. The buildings will ensure a pedestrian-scale remaining portion of the block—over to the redevelopment that fits into 3/4 of the land area—is owned and the surrounding context of 3-4 story managed by ARHA. buildings. Within the central portion of the block, the residential buildings The Plan envisions that the ARHA- could be higher. The design of all owned site will be redeveloped with buildings should emphasize a gradual mixed-income housing at a high increase in height from east to west enough density to include public- with step-backs. housing. The intensification of the block and the total number of market- The Plan’s redevelopment scenario rate units depicted in the concept also includes on-site open space that drawing should create enough profit to would be privately owned but open to the public and accessible directly from the street. The green space in the center of the block is approximately 1/2 acre in size and could contain a play area, seating, walking paths and many trees. Redevelopment of the site should include green edges, with the buildings’ footprints set back at least 10 feet from Fayette and 30 feet from both Madison and Wythe streets. The Example image for the half-acre greenspace in the center of the Adkins Block latter dimension accommodates a

Chapter 9 | PRINCIPLE 7 ■ 105 KEY REDEVELOPMENT SITES

Adkins Site proposed development scenario

wider planting area against the curb, a from an alley between the building and 10 foot sidewalk, and well landscaped the mixed-income housing that may gardens in front of the lower, 3-story be developed on the Adkins public portions of the buildings. The ground- housing. site. The Plan recommends floor units of these buildings should that mature trees on the Adkins site be include porches and stoops so that retained where practicable. the landscaped areas appear as small front yards to individual, rowhouse- The redevelopment of the Adkins block scale units. All of this additional green is, in many ways, the lynchpin of the space along Wythe and Madison Braddock Metro Neighborhood Plan. is intended to further enhance the Located in the approximate center of walking experience to the Metro the planning area, the recreation of the station. block has the potential to create a new gateway to the Metro station, provide The Plan recommends replacing the hundreds of new housing units, a single-family houses along West Street potential hotel and 16,000 square feet with a taller mixed-use building with of neighborhood-serving retail space. It 30-foot “shoulders” along Wythe, West will also deconcentrate public housing and Madison streets. Along with the and bring people of different income pair of 77-foot buildings recommended levels together. on the Metro site, this potential hotel or office building helps to frame the half The Plan recommends the future acre plaza space designation of this site, referred to as in front of Metro. the “Adkins site,” as a Coordinated Like the other Development District (CDD) to ensure two buildings, that the urban design, high quality ground-floor retail architecture, and public amenities will enliven both described in the Plan are achieved. West Street and the plaza space. The building Illustrative view of future development along West Street across from the Metro station would generate developer contributions that could be used for community amenities such as streetscape improvements or park space. Servicing and access to underground parking should come

106 ■ | March 2008 KEY REDEVELOPMENT SITES

Northern Gateway Site Existing Parcel

The Northern Gateway site is comprised office building/warehouse facility. of the eight parcels including the seven Note: The designs on the following acres owned by Jaguar Development, pages are illustrative only and are the half-acre water tower site including not intended to prescribe a specific the adjacent office parcel, as well as site plan or building design. They the half-acre Yates warehouse site. As it are intended to show a conceptual exists today, the site is home to several alternative that complies with the warehouses, a vast amount of surface height, density and public realm parking, a water tower, and a small standards recommended in the Plan.

Fayette Street view Water tower view Fayette Street where it meets Route 1

Chapter 9 | PRINCIPLE 7 ■ 107 KEY REDEVELOPMENT SITES

Northern Gateway Site proposed development scenario

View of the potential development along Fayette Street, based on proposal from Jaguar Development Corp.

existing parcel proposed development current current new Development existing allowable allowable proposed Site Area devm’t far height1 Proposed total proposed far maximum height Total devm’t/ SF acres SF (1) FEET SF Parcel area Feet 356,000 (2) 8.17 122,000 0.5 to 2.5 50 to 90 884,500 (2) 2.5 50 to 150 1. Current allowable Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and height calculations based on SUP 2. Include Jaguar, Yates Warehouse, and Water Tower sites

Vision for the Northern Route 1, or North Henry Street. The Gateway Site Plan recommends that the Northern The vision for the Northern Gateway Gateway site be considered a CDD area Site includes a transformation of an for rezoning purposes. The water tower underutilized warehouse district into a and adjacent office parcel site have new vibrant community with a mix of been included as part of the overall uses including retail, office, hotel, and Northern Gateway recommendations residential development. The proposed in order to ensure a coordinated development marks an important redevelopment of these sites as gateway into the Braddock Metro recommended in this Plan. neighborhood from the north along

108 ■ | March 2008 KEY REDEVELOPMENT SITES

Northern Gateway Site proposed development scenario

Central to the proposed development such as the 150-foot Meridian Tower is a one-acre public square containing to the south, as well as the anticipated an approximately 2/3-acre park space height and scale of proposed that, along with critical improvement development on the adjacent Route of pedestrian connections across 1 Triangle site. Building “shoulders” Route 1 (N. Henry Street), would help at the sidewalk that support taller, to form an important link between the set-back portions of the building proposed development and Powhatan should be provided, as needed, to Park, and the NorthEast neighborhood. create a low-rise transition between taller elements proposed for the site Recommendations for the site’s and the pedestrian scale and lower- proposed office and residential rise conditions recommended along buildings (50-150 feet) reflect and walking streets such as Fayette Street. complement the height and scale of The building shoulders will be further existing development around the site, evaluated as part of the DSUP process.

Potential Revenue Generated for Public Amenities

Development Cost Developer Contributions Retail Cost (10,000sf x $220/sf) $2,200,0000 Total Development 1,124,000sf (excluding parking) Office Cost (214,000sf x $253/sf) $54,207,624 Future Value $439,033,266 Condo- (989,500sf x $248/sf) $223,173,273 minium Cost Available for Community $8,630,6161 Investment Building (excludes parking) $279,580,897 Cost 1 This assumes an 11% unleveraged internal rate-of-return on the total investment determined within a development pro forma

Parking (1,602sp. x $40,000/space) $64,080,000 Cost Land Cost (1,124,000sf x varies) $49,995,000 Open Space (40,000sf x $55/sf) $2,200,000 Cost TOTAL DEVEL- $396,711,497 OPMENT COST

Chapter 9 | PRINCIPLE 7 ■ 109 KEY REDEVELOPMENT SITES

Northern Gateway Site proposed development scenario

Northern Gateway CDD Site Northern Gateway CDD Site Water Tower and Adjacent Site Water Tower and Adjacent Site Yates Warehouse Site

Potomac Yard Potomac Yard Development Development

95’ 95’ 50’ 50’ 84’ 84’

72’ N. 72’ N.

henr henr 96’ 50’ 96’ 50’ treet treet

S S y S S y

treet ne 70’ ne 70’ S 96’ treet 96’ treet y 120’ y 120’ treet a a 50’ 50’ S

N. P ette N. P

y

ette

fa y

fa N.

N.

131’ 92’ PowHatan 131’ 92’ PowHatan 122’ 122’ 50’ park 50’ park 72’ 72’ 50’ 150’ 50’

150’ 120’ 120’ 68’ 90’ 50’ 50’

first S treet first S treet

Scenario 1—Yates Warehouse Site redeveloped separately Scenario 2—Consolidation of Yates Warehouse Site with Jaguar property

110 ■ | March 2008 KEY REDEVELOPMENT SITES

Northern Gateway Site proposed development scenario

CDD Guidelines to connect Route 1 to Payne Street, wrapping around the park site. 1. Uses Allowable uses within the CDD include office, residential and retail uses, as 5. Park and Open Space well as uses similar to and supportive A public park shall be centrally located of a mix of those uses, including a in the Northern Gateway neighborhood hotel. The locations of retail uses shall with a minimum size of 2/3 acre. The be consistent with the retail/gateways majority of the park boundary shall map in the Plan. Ground floor retail have frontage on publicly accessible space that is neighborhood serving and streets. A minimum of 38% of the site pedestrian friendly shall be provided along street frontages, including Site Boundary of Northern Gateway Fayette Street.

2. Height Maximum heights are shown in the Height and Scale Chapter of the Plan. The final building heights will be further evaluated as part of the DSUP process.

3. Density Maximum density shall be: • 1.5 FAR • 2.5 FAR with SUP approval

4. Street Grid Streets shall be extended and created to complete a street grid consisting of four new blocks surrounded by publicly accessible streets. The blocks shall generally be 300 feet by 300 feet. Specifically, and at a minimum, Payne Street and Fayette Street shall be extended to the northernmost portion of proposed Gateway Landbay 3, and an east-west street shall be created

Chapter 9 | PRINCIPLE 7 ■ 111 KEY REDEVELOPMENT SITES

Northern Gateway Site proposed development scenario

shall be maintained as open space at 8. Gateway Element ground level with permanent rooftop The CDD property owners shall work open spaces and terraces provided in with the adjacent Potomac Yard residential buildings. property owners to create a public green landscaped area that functions 6. Building Design as a gateway element at the north end A public park shall be centrally located of the CDD area. in the Northern Gateway neighborhood with a minimum size of 2/3 acre. The 9. Parking majority of the park boundary shall All parking shall be underground have frontage on publicly accessible and provided at the ratios shown streets. A minimum of 38% of the site in the Parking Management shall be maintained as open space at Recommendations section of Chapter ground level with permanent rooftop 8. All streets shall include on-street open spaces and terraces provided in parking except where the City of residential buildings. Alexandria determines such parking is unnecessary. 7. Pedestrian Connections The CDD shall enhance the pedestrian 10. Transportation experience for residents, employees, CDD property owners shall participate and visitors to the neighborhood, with in a district-wide Transportation appropriate streetscape, sidewalk, Management Plan (TMP) to include all lighting, and intersection amenities. future developments in the Braddock In addition, the following specific Metro Neighborhood, including but not improvements are required: limited to these redevelopment sites: James Bland, James Bland Addition, a. Pedestrian connection(s) across Samuel Madden/Uptown, Ramsey, Route 1 shall be provided with Andrew Adkins, 1261 Madison, and the intersection improvements. Metro site. This TMP shall be funded at b. Pedestrian connection to Slaters an annual rate of $0.25/sq. ft of retail Lane from the extension of Fayette space and $200 for each residential Street shall be provided. unit and $0.11/sq. ft for office.T he c. Connections to the Potomac Heritage amount will increase annually by an Trail to incorporate interpretive amount equal to the rise in the U.S. materials of the Heritage Trail shall Department of Labor’s Consumer be provided. Price Index. The TMP shall be reviewed and updated as necessary with all

112 ■ | March 2008 KEY REDEVELOPMENT SITES

Northern Gateway Site proposed development scenario subsequent submissions to the City of private housing within a six-block Alexandria for development approval. radius of the CDD, or to preserve or create affordable or workforce housing 11. Affordable Housing in other parts of the city based on the The CDD is expected to make a City’s housing policies. significant contribution, in accordance with the policies or practices in effect 12. Implementation Contribution at the time each project is approved, The CDD is part of the Braddock toward the preservation of affordable Metro neighborhood and constitutes housing and the goal of a mixed-income a significant proportion of the new community in the Braddock Metro development envisioned by this neighborhood. Currently, a contribution Plan. The Northern Gateway CDD is is expected in the amount of at least therefore expected to contribute to the $2 per gross square foot of residential public improvements throughout the development, $1.50 per gross square neighborhood as a whole, including foot of commercial development and a new major park at the Post Office $4 per square foot on the additional or alternate site; the improvement square footage that is not bonus of Powhatan Park; enhanced density or height density, plus 1/3 streetscapes, and other public of any units made possible by bonus amenities. height or density, consistent with the conclusions of the Developer Housing CDD property owners shall participate Contribution Work Group Report of May in and make a fair-share monetary 2005 and accepted by the City Council contribution to the Braddock on June 14, 2005. If the City’s policy for Metro Neighborhood Streetscape housing contributions is updated in the Improvement Fund for pedestrian future, then the later policy shall apply. and streetscape improvements that This amount should be contributed could include interpretive signage and at the time of development, with other improvements in and around the funds to assist with onsite affordable Parker-Gray Historic District. or workforce housing, the cost of redevelopment of public housing in the Based on an analysis of the current Braddock neighborhood, or financing proposal for the seven-acre Jaguar scattered-site public housing if needed development, it is estimated that the as replacement units for Braddock Northern Gateway proposal will need to area public housing. An alternative contribute approximately $1,000,000 is to preserve as affordable existing to the parks and open space fund and

Chapter 9 | PRINCIPLE 7 ■ 113 KEY REDEVELOPMENT SITES

Northern Gateway Site proposed development scenario

$1,000,000 to streetscape funds. The final monetary contributions for each fund will be determined as part of the Implementation Advisory Group. In addition, the Plan recommends a monetary contribution of $250,000 for park improvements and maintenance. This analysis does not include other parcels in the Northern Gateway.

114 ■ | March 2008

Implementation Strategy

Without a clear and credible strategy to implement the recommendations set 10 forth in the Plan, this document is just another dusty report on a shelf. An implementation

strategy backed by a Community support will be crucial to ensure an strong commitment on effective implementation strategy. the part of the City is crucial to ensuring that the Plan’s objectives will be achieved. The implementation strategy must have solid support from the community, a significant level of transparency, and a clear roadmap regarding financing for public amenities in order to be credible, effective, and lasting. This chapter outlines the following five concrete steps that the City must take to ensure that all the time and effort put forth by the community, the City, and the consultant team will become a reality: • Establish an Implementation Advisory Group (IAG) • Create and adhere to a regular communications strategy with the community • Establish an Interagency City Team for Braddock implementation • Develop a detailed implementation plan • Establish a clear formula for funding public amenities with revenue captured from new development IMPLEMENTATION desired species of trees, streetscape and park programming, and the ADVISORY Group design and placement of historical interpretive signs or markers. It will This Plan represents a significant new have the ability to recommend spe- step toward involving the community cific criteria for types and locations of in managing implementation. While retail businesses to be recruited and Alexandria has long embraced commu- supported with loans or other incen- nity-based planning, this Plan makes tives. It will also review options for the the community a partner with the City Wythe/Braddock/West intersection. in implementation. The Plan provides And to ensure that public amenities a framework for the future, but many are provided, the group will work with details will need to be worked out with City staff to monitor ongoing develop- the community following the Plan’s ment. Finally, the IAG will be expected adoption. Therefore, the Plan recom- to contribute to the annual progress mends establishing a Braddock Metro report made to Council and work with Neighborhood Plan Implementation the City Manager to help earmark Advisory Group (IAG) comprised of funds for amenities within the neigh- area residents, representatives from borhood. the Inner City Civic Association (ICCA), local business owners, public housing residents, and other commit- COMMUNICATIONS ted community members who have been active in the planning effort to To maintain the support of the com- oversee implementation of the Plan. munity, communication will be as im- portant as the Plan itself. To keep the The IAG will directly contribute to the community informed about progress of Plan’s long-term success through their significant participation in prioritizing the list of identified public amenities to promote improvement of the com- munity, and making direct recom- mendations to the City about spending priorities and public project phasing. The Group’s recommendations re- garding funding priorities would then make their way through normal City decision-making channels, such as the preparation and consideration of the City’s six-year capital improvement program.

The IAG will have the discretion to make certain design-related recom- mendations, such as determining the Braddock Bulletin Newsletter

116 ■ | March 2008 the Plan’s implementation, the City of to and get input from the community Alexandria commits to: where appropriate, such as on priorities • Using the Planning and Zoning for the neighborhood or programming Department website, e-News, the of the new park. Some technical or quarterly Braddock Bulletin and code issues cannot be open to debate, other means to keep neighbors but they will also be reported to the informed about any breaking news public. This new process does raise or timely developments. staff resource issues, but is being pro- • Working with the community to help posed as part of the Plan. to write the detailed implementation plan subsequent to the adoption of FUNDING PUBLIC this Plan. AMENITIES • Writing an annual “Status of Implementation” report, beginning Traditionally, most public amenities at the end of 2009, to highlight have been funded by the City through progress. financing from the general fund. Some projects, especially those involv- CITY'S INTERAGENCY ing social services and education, are BRADDOCK funded in part by the Commonwealth IMPLEMENTATION of Virginia while others—particularly TEAM large transportation projects—may be partially funded by the federal govern- One of the major obstacles to a success- ment. While many public improvement ful 2006 Braddock planning process, projects should continue using these as cited by the community, was a lack traditional methods, the Plan takes of cooperation and communication be- into account the challenge the City will tween City agencies. This Plan recom- have in funding many of the recom- mends the creation of an interdepart- mended open space, public housing, mental City staff team to meet regularly streetscape, and public safety improve- to ensure that implementation pro- ments. ceeds as planned. The City team will work with the IAG to coordinate recom- Therefore this Plan takes advantage mendations and requests, and ensure of a new approach to financing and that City departments communicate implementation not available during with the group. previous rounds of planning—tapping into the neighborhood’s growing wealth The City Team will provide quarterly re- and real estate values (stemming both ports to the advisory group and citizens from access to Metro and increased as well as an annual progress report interest in living in close-in and walk- docketed for Council, with all informa- able neighborhoods) to implement tion regarding the process posted on significant community improvements. the web and made public. This process The result will translate market support will be a regular and public opportunity and community benefit dollars gener- to show how the City is implement- ated by new development into a new ing the Plan. The purpose is to report neighborhood retail square, amenities

Chapter 10 | IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY ■ 117 such as walkable streets and a new for existing buildings and sidewalks neighborhood park, and take advantage along Queen Street. The estimated cost of the underlying value of public hous- of the neighborhood retail component ing sites to transform islands of public of the Plan is $4 million to $6 million. housing into mixed-income housing that is part of the larger community. The cost estimates in this chapter are based on current 2008 dollars and re- Private development projects after the flect best practices from around the Plan’s adoption will be expected to fund country. It is recognized that final costs many of the improvements recom- will vary, therefore the Implementation mended in this Plan. Revenue from Advisory Group will play an active role future development will be raised via in prioritizing which public amenities developer contributions and city capital are recommended to receive funding funds that could be financed by addi- once final costs are determined. tional tax revenue created by new devel- opment projects. CAPTURING REVENUE FROM The success of this funding scenario depends on future real estate market NEW DEVELOPMENT conditions and on the neighborhood residents’ acceptance of new develop- In order to build the place the commu- ment projects that will increase the nity desires featuring the public im- pool of funds that can be used to pay provements identified in the Plan, an for the public improvements identified assessment was made of the potential in the Plan. revenue that could be captured from new development and used to fund The public amenities described in community improvements. earlier chapters include a new com- munity park on one of three potential The rising demand for housing in sites; streetscape enhancements on the urban areas like Alexandria increases four designated “walking streets” and values in the real estate market, which elsewhere; improvements at a hand- in turn creates the opportunity to seek ful of intersections, most notably at greater public benefits from residen- Braddock, Wythe and West streets; and tial, office, retail, and mixed-use devel- burial of utilities along selected blocks. opment. Research by the Brookings A breakdown of the cost of these public Institution indicates that offices, retail amenities appears in the table on the space, rental housing, and ownership next page and ranges from $19 million housing in walkable, mixed-use en- to $35 million. For parks, these figures vironments all command significant include approximate costs for site ac- premiums (30%–40%) over their sub- quisition and construction. These fig- urban counterparts. This premium ures also include funds dedicated to re- suggests that developers can derive cruiting and stabilizing locally-owned, substantial profits over the intermedi- neighborhood-oriented businesses as ate and long terms from any volume well as funds needed for the revitaliza- they are allowed to build beyond “as of tion of businesses and enhancements right” levels permitted under current

118 ■ | March 2008 zoning. Such calculations take into ac- purchases and development proposals count requirements for below-grade by speculators immediately after the parking, buried utilities, and land- adoption of the Plan. scaped setbacks and open space. Al- though residential markets may have A real-estate economics firm analyzed plateaued nationally, long-term demo- the Plan’s projected development pro- graphics and other trends lead some gram to determine the level of capital real-estate economists to predict that that could be raised within the Brad- the kinds of premiums cited by Brook- dock Metro neighborhood over a 20- ings will continue to support substan- year period. The analysis included con- tial increases in value for development struction and property acquisition costs in walkable, transit-oriented urban for multiple land uses and calculated areas like the Braddock Metro neigh- a reasonable exaction that could be ex- borhood. pected from these new projects. If, as expected, Alexandria’s residential and In a typical housing market, an extra commercial market remains strong, 100,000 square feet of development and developers remain confident that (because it does not add to land costs they can turn a profit on investments, and it takes advantage of some infra- the City could expect revenues gener- structure costs) could readily add $7.5 ated through developer contributions to million to $10 million to a developer’s resemble these examples (All assume bottom line. It is fully reasonable buried utilities on-site, site landscaping for the City to request a significant and underground parking): portion of this increase as developer • For an apartment building, contributions for public benefits. This sometimes the economics do not strategy will likely decrease the value generate any additional revenue of land proportional to the antici- that could provide for off-site pated value of the contribution. This community benefits, but depending decrease may be advantageous, how- on circumstances, sometimes they ever, by slowing the rush of property may generate additional revenue.

Cost range of recommended public improvements minimum Maximum Walking Streets $3 million $5 million • up to 29 “block faces” along Fayette, Madison, West, and Wythe Streets • Street trees, lighting, paving, signage, etc. bikeways $1 million $2 million traffic calming $1 million $2 million new community park $7 million $15 million pocket parks/plazas $3 million $5 million neighborhood retail $4 million $6 million • Queen street • Retail recruitment, facades, etc. TOTAL $19 million $35 million * Based on calendar year 2008 dollars

Chapter 10 | IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY ■ 119 • For market-rate townhouses, In addition to revenue generated 18 units on an acre of land could through development dollars, the con- generate $150,000 for public sultant looked at the potential that in- improvement projects. creased tax revenues generated by new • For a mid- or high-rise condominium, development could deliver for neigh- a one-acre parcel developed at a 2.0 borhood improvements. The City could FAR could generate $1.5 million use these added tax revenues to finance of capital for public improvement capital projects. The value of the 20- projects. year build-out is estimated at close to • For an office building, a one-acre one billion dollars, which would gen- parcel developed at a 2.0 FAR could erate approximately $8.7 million in generate $1.6 million for public additional property taxes. The Plan rec- improvement projects. ommends for a 10-year period directing 20% of incremental tax revenues from The full, 20-year build-out recom- future development and leveraging 20 mended by the Plan and described in years of projected revenues through ei- the table below, could generate $14–18 ther up-front City cash-capital or bond million in developer contributions to- issuance to support public-amenity ward public amenities. Development projects in the neighborhood. These projects would range from the 770,000- property taxes could help pay for up square-foot Jaguar project to a 22,500- to $19 million in capital projects. (An square-foot infill project on the parking exception to this recommendation ap- lot across Henry Street from the Post plies to redevelopment proposals for Office. the Andrew Adkins and Samuel Mad- den public housing sites, where the as- The actual amount of developer contri- sumption is that 100% of incremental butions will be determined as part of tax revenue—along with the developer the implementation plan process. The contributions—will be used to build amount will be based on each develop- replacement housing at an estimated ment’s pro rata share per square foot of $450,000 per unit, either nearby or at development of the total improvement other sites, as determined during the and amenity package. Contribution Braddock East planning process.) Com- rates may vary depending on such vari- bined with the revenue generated by ables as the amount of open space or development contributions, the total other improvements provided on-site pool of nearly $33–37 million at full and the degree of additional density build-out should be able to finance the requested. projected cost of the recommended

Revenue generated through new development VS. cost of public amenities Private Developer Contributions city capital funding Total funds available Investment- generated $14–18 million $19 million $33–37 million funds Public Capital projects (parks, “Soft” projects (retail Total funds required Amenities streetscape, etc.) recruitment, etc.) $15–29 million $4 - $6 million $19–35 million * Based on calendar year 2008 dollars

120 ■ | March 2008 View of office or a public improvement projects. Financ- crease. Despite this, the Plan builds in hotel development on ing these capital projects will need to fit some flexibility to allow for market fluc- the Metro site viewed within the framework of the City’s poli- tuations. For instance, the two planned from Madison Street. cies and practices in regard to capital buildings on the Metro site and the budgeting and financing. western-most development parcel on the Adkins block are slated for mixed- Under normal circumstances, it would use zoning. Retail will be required on take the City decades to fund such a list the ground floor, but the upper levels of of neighborhood improvement projects these buildings could be office or hotel. through the general fund. The private- sector development projects spelled out in this Plan, however, could lead to the implementation of many of these public amenities far sooner. For this to occur, the market demand for living and working in transit-accessible urban neighborhoods must remain robust. All indications drawn from the last 20 years anticipate that such demand will remain and even increase in the foreseeable future, since gas prices and traffic congestion are expected to in-

Chapter 10 | IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY ■ 121 PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS BY CHAPTER Principle 1—Create a sense of place with neighborhood identity, vitality, and diversity

• Take comprehensive steps to document, memorialize and celebrate the neighborhood’s history through such means as an oral history project, a walking tour/heritage trail, podcasts and interpretive markers/pavers. (p. 25–6) • Develop a range of housing types at differing levels of affordability. (p. 27) • Support qualifying existing retail businesses and recruit new retail businesses with dedicated funding, a portion of which should support Queen Street improvements. (p. 29) • Study the feasibility of reconfiguring Queen Street for two-way traffic, especially between West and Patrick Streets. (p. 29) • Encourage “live-work” uses, particularly in small-scale redevelopment of some properties along Queen Street and elsewhere in the neighborhood. (p. 29) • Ensure that new construction complies with the City’s Green and Sustainable Building Checklist and strong preference for LEED certification. (p. 32) Principle 2—Provide walkable neighborhoods that are secure and feel safe

• Designate the following streets as “walking streets.” (p. 37) > West between Queen and Madison > Fayette between Queen and Route 1 > Madison between West and Washington > Wythe between West and Washington • Incorporate “building shoulders” along the four walking streets that are capped at three stories or 40 feet, with new buildings allowed to rise higher after stepping back some distance from the building front. (p. 37) • Require active uses on the ground floor of any new or significantly renovated building, including retail, restaurants, or residential entrances. (p. 37) • Prohibit surface lots, parking garages and blank walls that compromise the quality of the walking street. (p. 37) • Study the feasibility of creating a primary pedestrian connection between the Metro station and the Northern Gateway through the Braddock Place development, to include a study of ADA accessibility. (p. 38) • As an alternative, study the feasibility of a walking route along the road parallel to the Metro embankment, taking into account possible transit use as well as bicycle use. (p. 38–9) • Work with the community and property owners to locate community oriented uses, artist studio spaces and possibly subsidized retail in the currently vacant spaces in Braddock Place. (p. 38)

122 ■ | March 2008 • Study the feasibility of building a tunnel connection under the freight rail tracks to connect the area west of the tracks to the Metro station and the Braddock neighborhood. (p. 40) • Conduct a study to evaluate and propose improvements to pedestrian safety, traffic management, and accessibility for all modes at the Route 1/Fayette Street, Route 1/First Street and the Braddock/Wythe/West intersections. (p. 41-2) • Provide any missing curb ramps, crosswalks or street lights at intersections throughout the neighborhood. On blocks located on streets not designated as “walking streets,” funds should be prioritized to provide a minimum level of enhancement including street trees, pedestrian-scale sidewalk lighting, and bicycle facilities. (p. 42) Principle 3—Establish a series of community-serving, usable open spaces

• Create a new one-acre public neighborhood park at the Post Office site or alternatively at the Andrew Adkins site, with the 1261 Madison site as a third alternative candidate should conversion of the two preferred spaces prove unfeasible or unreasonably long-term. The portion of the Madison site closest to the street should be set aside as a pocket park when it is developed. (p. 44–6) • Create a well-designed and active plaza space on the Metro site in conjunction with redevelopment. (p. 46) Principle 4—Encourage community-serving retail and services

• Retain existing neighborhood-oriented businesses and recruit new ones with $4-6 million in funds generated through new development. (p. 49) • Ensure that new retail space complies with design guidelines set forth in Appendix B, page 144 and page 49. • Concentrate retail in the four locations designated by the Plan as retail clusters of 10,000 to 45,000 square feet, to include: (p. 50) > A neighborhood square of stores, restaurants, and possibly small-scale entertainment uses at the Metro site; > Queen Street; > The ground floor of new mixed-use building on the non-park portion of the Post Office site; and > Within replacement buildings on the Samuel Madden public housing site, in conjunction with the 23,000 square feet of retail space within the approved Madison project. • Require that the RFP issued for development of the Metro site include a provision for a non-profit retail developer partner and a long term master lease substantially below market as part of the public benefits provided by the developer. (p. 50–2)

Chapter 10 | IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY ■ 123 Principle 5—Promote mixed-income housing and follow an inclusive process to deconcentrate public housing

• Comprehensively plan for the redevelopment of the public housing on the Andrew Adkins, James Bland (and Addition), Samuel Madden, and Ramsey Homes sites into mixed-income communities (p. 55) • Combine the Adkins property with the single-family house lots to the west in order to make the entire block available for redevelopment, and divide the Adkins site into two blocks by extending North Payne Street from Wythe Street to Madison Street (p. 57) • Create true mixed-income housing that includes public, workforce (rental and/ or for sale), affordable (rental and/or for sale), and market-rate housing (p. 59) • Create a detailed planning framework for public housing redevelopment through the Braddock East Plan with recommendations for unit mix, building types, site plan layout, building heights, density, open space, streetscape and parking. Establish a CDD and guidelines for these sites. (p. 65) Principle 6—Manage multimodal transportation, parking and road infrastructure

• Evaluate measures to discourage cut-through traffic and manage the speed of traffic on local streets, including traffic-calming strategies that slow and/or divert traffic back to the system of collector and arterial streets. (p. 73) • Evaluate Madison, Montgomery, and Queen Streets to determine feasibility of conversion from one- to two-way. (p. 79) • Explore the possibility of Montgomery Street as a transit route between the Metro station and other north-south routes. (p. 79) • Establish a district-wide transportation management plan (TMP) and a TMP Coordinator. (p. 79–80) • Revise the current parking requirements for properties located within 2,000 feet of the Metro station, establishing this area as a parking district with its own set of required parking ratios. Parking ratio recommendations can be found on pages 83–85. (Summary table on p. 85) • Prioritize “right-sizing” parking requirements for new development projects. (p. 83) • Establish incentives and restrictions that encourage developers to plan carpool and car-sharing parking during the development process. (p. 85) • Require the provision of bicycle parking (both on and off-street), as described in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Mobility Plan. (p. 85) • Separate the cost of parking from multi-family residential development. (p. 85) • Evaluate existing on-street parking restrictions and parking for existing residents. (p. 85)

124 ■ | March 2008 Principle 7—Achieve varying and transitional heights and scales

• Ensure that the height and scale of new development reflects the existing scale and character of the four Character Areas and provides context appropriate transitions. (p. 88) • Ensure that new development complies with the Plan’s overall urban design concept, including the recommended network of walking streets, open spaces, retail areas and building scale. (p.90–1) • Allow for increased maximum allowable height only at the Northern Gateway CDD and the Metro site, as shown in the Development Table on page 97. Determine maximum heights for the Andrew Adkins public housing site in the Braddock East Plan. (p. 92) • Require building “shoulders” with setbacks of at least 12 feet before additional height is permitted above a 40–50-foot street wall facade, especially along West, Wythe, and Madison streets (three of the Plan’s walking streets), and along the north, east and south edges of the Metro site. (p. 92) • Ensure the urban design, high quality architecture, and public amenities described in the Plan by designating the Metro and Andrew Adkins sites as CDDs. This should occur after further discussion with WMATA and after the Braddock East planning process, respectively, with subsequent development of CDD guidelines. (p. 102) • Bisect the double block within the Andrew Adkins public housing site by extending the Payne Street right-of-way when redeveloping the entire block. (p. 105) • Replace the single-family houses along West Street at the Andrew Adkins site with a taller mixed-use building with 30 foot shoulders along Wythe, West and Madison Streets. (p. 106) • Retain mature trees on the Andrew Adkins public housing site where practicable. (p. 106) • Designate the Northern Gateway area, including the water tower site, adjacent parcel, and the Yates site, as the Northern Gateway Coordinated Development District (CDD) with CDD Guidelines as recommended on page 111–114. (p. 108) Develop an implementation strategy backed by a strong commitment on the part of the City

• Establish a Braddock Metro Neighborhood Plan Implementation Advisory Group (IAG) comprised of area residents, representatives from the Inner City Civic Association (ICCA), local business owners, public housing residents, and other committed community members who have been active in the planning effort. The IAG will oversee implementation of the Plan, including prioritizing public amenities and providing recommendations on the programming of

Chapter 10 | IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY ■ 125 public spaces, street tree types, wayfinding, criteria for retail, intersection improvements, etc. (p. 116) • Create a communications strategy for informing the community about implementation progress using the P&Z website, eNews and the quarterly Braddock Bulletin newsletter. (p. 117) • Produce an annual Status of Implementation report, beginning at the end of 2009. (p. 117) • Create an interdepartmental City staff team to meet regularly and provide quarterly reports to the IAG, the community and City Council. (p. 117) • Fund many of the pubic amenity improvements recommended in this Plan with revenue from future development via developer contributions and city capital funds that could be financed by additional tax revenue created by new development projects. (p. 118) • Determine developer contributions for public amenities as part of the implementation plan process. The amount will be based on each development’s pro rata share per square foot of development of the total improvement and amenity package. Contribution rates may vary depending on such variables as the amount of open space or other improvements provided on-site and the degree of additional density requested (p. 120)

126 ■ | March 2008 Appendix A Design Guidelines DESIGN GUIDELINES • Well-designed urban landscapes reinforce sense of place and identity Introduction through several means. They: > introduce consistent themes and Exemplary urban design is fundamen- special landmarks that make tally important to the success of the an impression on resident and Plan and ensures that new develop- visitor alike. ment is compatible in this historic area. > can highlight the Parker-Gray High quality urban design should per- Historic District and other vade the entire public realm—streets, unique aspects of local culture. parks, plazas, transit facilities, as well > extend the high level of urban as the design of building facades, design for which Alexandria ground-level uses and their interchange is already well-known in with the street, land- neighborhoods like Old Town. scape areas, and building massing. • Well-designed public spaces provide Quality design of the a myriad of public benefits: public realm delivers > Beautiful streets shaped by benefits to individual street trees, smaller-scale places and the larger landscaping, and handsome community in a vari- buildings. As noted in the ety of ways: Alexandria Open Space Plan, streets themselves constitute a Quality pedestrian very significant form of open environments help to • A safe, inviting pedestrian and increase a community’s bicycle network helps sustain an space, owing to the sheer area sense of vitality. accessible community, which in turn they cover, their composition as offers many significant benefits: a network serving the whole city, > greater mobility, especially for those with limited access to automobiles, especially due to the presence of significant transit resources—the Metro station and existing and planned bus service; > reduced auto use, which mitigates locally-generated traffic, pollution and energy use impacts; > public health benefits from increased everyday exercise; and > greater presence of pedestrians on streets, which increases public safety, opportunities for informal interaction among Neighborhoods like Old Town and the area residents, sense of vitality, and surrounding King Street are known for their opportunities for pedestrian- high level of urban design. oriented retail.

128 ■ | March 2008 and the significant plantings and recreational opportunities (including everyday walking and biking) they include. In fact, the Open Space Plan specifically defines Patrick, Henry and Wythe Streets as Streetscape major thoroughfares that should enhancements can be enhanced to become more add value to existing ground-floor retail pedestrian-friendly and attractive along Braddock Road. urban open spaces. > Protecting and increasing the value of existing properties. > Adding value to new development, thereby providing incentive for high-quality new development where it supports community goals. > Preserving valuable views and daylight access through regulation of building form.

Quality recreational resources promote • Perhaps most important, a high- community health, value and vitality. quality public realm is the expressed desire and will of the community. > Bike paths, parks and other recreational resources. > The necessary framework for a balanced mix of well-located uses supporting neighborhood life, including pedestrian- and neighborhood-oriented retail, and a variety of housing types. > Reduced energy use, pollution generation and heat gain, and other environmental benefits, particularly in comparison Ground-level to communities with less retail, seating, and landscaping and higher traffic landscaping all contribute to a high- generation. quality public realm.

• A high-quality public realm also benefits the privately-owned built realm by:

APPENDIX A | DESIGN GUIDELINES ■ 129 The following design guidelines, ap- ter; building scale, extent of pedestrian plied to the entire Small Plan Area, aim facilities and volume, prevalent land to provide more specific direction on a uses and other factors also help define number of issues already introduced in character. Defined character types con- this document in more general terms. sist of: • A1: Principal walking streets. A. Public Street Network These include four streets— West, Fayette, Madison and Wythe—des- 1. Street Character Types ignated as priority pedestrian routes deserving special attention to pedes- Streets within the planning area should trian accessibility. These streets also express a public realm character that present important public faces both falls within one of a limited number to local residents and to others pass- of defined street character types, as il- ing through the area to and from lustrated in the accompanying diagram. the Metro and other destinations. Traffic volume is just one of several Accordingly, land use selection and factors used in classifying street charac- quality of architecture and urban design are subject to high standards Street Character Types in these guidelines to ensure quality and distinction of character.

Fayette Street is proposed as a principle walking street.

• A2: Principal gateway streets. These include streets with the most significant vehicular (as well as pe- destrian) connections to surround- ing areas of Alexandria and the region. Patrick and Henry Streets (U.S. 1) are the most prominent among these, but Braddock Road, Queen and Cameron Streets also fall into this category as principal public faces of the planning area to passers-by. As with A1 streets, land use selection and quality of architec-

130 ■ | March 2008 diversity and individual initiative by property owners on streets with less individual prominence. • C: Service streets. These streets, few in number, primarily serve ve- hicular traffic needs and have more limited standards for building front- age and pedestrian accommodation. They include the drive between First Route 1 is a principal gateway street in the Street and the Metro station, and Braddock Metro neighborhood. the proposed service street between Fayette and Henry Streets aligned ture and urban design are subject to with or offset from Montgomery high standards in these guidelines Street. to ensure quality and distinction of character. • B: Typical residential streets. These include the majority of streets other than types A1 and A2. Their character is predominantly associ- ated with residential development, although institutional and retail uses may occur in specific places. These also include the majority of streets within the Parker-Gray His- This drive between First Street and the Metro toric District, and thus collectively Station primarily serves vehicular traffic needs. should play an important role in reinforcing the presence of the dis- trict. Type B streets are subject to a somewhat looser set of guidelines than A1 and A2 streets in recogni- tion of the practical and urban de- sign value of greater architectural

Oronoco Street is a typical residential street.

APPENDIX A | DESIGN GUIDELINES ■ 131 2. Identity items along sidewalks, in parks and other public areas—from The design of public realm elements pavers and fences to bus shelters should reinforce place identity of the and pedestrian bridges—offer overall planning area and its subdis- possibilities for collaboration with tricts. artists. Public art cannot substitute • Hierarchy. Devise a hierarchy of for active ground-floor building uses identity that defines the overall that engage pedestrians, but it can planning area foremost, as well serve as an important supplement. as subsidiary (See Open Space Framework districts, diagram in Chapter 5) corridors, and activity centers, Sculptures, fountains and other public most importantly art and publicly accessible art in private the Parker-Gray development are important elements Historic District. in the public realm, providing neigh- Identifying borhood focal points and objects of elements may interest, places to meet and gather, and include signage, accessibility to art that some people banners, street might not otherwise have. The plan- High-quality wayfinding signage at pedestrian furniture, tree scale is as important to pedestrians as road species and signage is to drivers. placement pattern, building form and/or other consistent elements that offer opportunity for customization. • Gateways. Landmark gateway elements offer special opportunities to define identity at a variety of levels. Gateway markers could take a variety of forms, from prominent buildings to stone pillars to more subtle changes in landscape such as change in street tree species or sidewalk paving. (See Retail, Views and Gateways diagram in Chapter 6) • Public art, including publicly accessible art in private development, adds visual and cultural interest to the public realm, offering opportunities for community members to express individual and collective identity and help shape their own Many ubiquitous elements of streetscape present good opportunities to incorporate environment. Many everyday public art.

132 ■ | March 2008 ning process took a comprehensive look at this important civic element to determine where art could best serve the neighborhood—celebrating its rich history and creating a sense of place in a coordinated manner.

In addition to the planned public art at the new Charles Houston Recreation Center, the plan designates six locations that will bring the community together and help contribute to the vibrant place envisioned by the plan and the commu- nity. Public art or publicly accessible art in these six key locations will provide a strong visual impact, and strengthen Because the exact placement of the art and create new gathering places in the is undefined, the plan recommends neighborhood with the redevelopment that, consistent with established City of each location. policy, art installed on public land be reviewed and approved by the Commis- The Plan recommends incorporating sion for the Arts. For art that may be art in the neighborhood in the follow- installed on privately owned but pub- ing ways: licly accessible land, the plan recom- (a) Preferred art locations include the mends that the community, developer, redeveloped Metro Station site, the and City work together to identify the Northern Gateway neighborhood, location and type of art to be installed. Metro East (the current Andrew This approach has been successfully Adkins site), the Post Office site if implemented in recent installations of transformed into public open space, publicly accessible art in private devel- and Samuel Madden Uptown and opment projects. the Queen Street Retail Corridor. (b) The blocks anticipated to redevelop 3. Sidewalks shall make a monetary contribution to the City for the commissioning, • Protect pedestrians from traffic. design, and creation of each piece Provide at least a planting strip of art; or provide on-site art, as or tree wells (except along retail determined by the City as part of frontage or other active ground-level the review process. uses where planted areas should be (c) The Plan strongly encourages discontinuous or omitted) and on- creation of art that reflects the street parking wherever possible. In rich industrial, railroad, and planting strips or tree wells, include African American history of the street trees where width allows; in neighborhood, and that local other areas, particularly along streets artisans be commissioned to create with higher traffic levels, planting pubic art. strips should be 4 to 6 feet wide or

APPENDIX A | DESIGN GUIDELINES ■ 133 Enhanced Intersections

Crossings at the targeted intersections identified above are priority locations for enhancements.

134 ■ | March 2008 greater. Low-height planting materials (3) Make each crosswalk at least can be utilized in areas with overhead as wide as the widest sidewalk utilities approaching it. Provide accessible curb cuts linking • Make street crossings prominent, crosswalks to sidewalks. safe and convenient. Good (4) At intersections where crosswalks are highly visible to crosswalks span more than four drivers, make accessible connections traffic lanes—the key instances to sidewalks, have convenient signals occur on Henry Street north of where they occur, and provide median First Street—provide if possible refuges where possible at especially a median refuge at least 6 feet broad streets. Many area crossings wide to the extent possible for lack one or more of these basics. pedestrians. At the Metro Station site, explore installation of masonry pavers or • Keep curb radii as tight as possible similar enhanced surface materials at street corners, preferably 15 feet and added width. where curbside parking occurs (with no bulb-out), and 25 feet where (1) Distinguish crosswalk from curbside parking does not occur and adjacent traffic paving. where bulb-outs do occur. (2) At signaled intersections, provide pedestrian signals that • Provide adequate display a numeric countdown width. All sidewalk of crossing time remaining areas for new and have audible indications of development shall phase. be a minimum of 14 feet from the curb to the face of the building. Where retail or other active uses are provided, wider sidewalks, Provide generous (16 to 20 feet) are required, occupying entrance and visual access between a portion of the development parcel sidewalks and if necessary. A portion of the 14 feet ground-floor uses to may be landscaped for residential make walking more uses if compatible with the character interesting and safe. of the street, but maintain a 6- to 8-foot minimum sidewalk width in these areas. All sidewalk and planter bed edges shall be flush with grade. Countdown crossing signals alert pedestrians to the remaining safe crossing time more • Special Paving. Paving should effectively than simple flashing signals. maintain smooth surfaces, with level changes not exceeding ¼-inch. This standard facilitates ease and safety

APPENDIX A | DESIGN GUIDELINES ■ 135 Running Bond pattern

of access by people in wheelchairs, (4) Other sidewalk and crosswalk by people with other mobility areas noted in the diagram constraints or using child strollers, on page 134 (West Street and and by those on foot. Maintaining this Braddock Road at the Metro standard with bricks requires care station; Patrick at Fayette; and in installation and maintenance. All Henry and Patrick at First, brick sidewalks shall be embedded in Madison and Wythe) indicate a concrete base. Special accent paving prominent areas of high is permitted at all building entrances. pedestrian traffic that deserve More specific requirements per street special attention to pedestrian character type: convenience, safety and (1) Fayette and Wythe streets investment in quality materials. should have exclusively city- In other areas, give priority to standard brick with a running basic connectivity over special bond paving pattern. aesthetic treatments. (2) Other Type A1 and A2 streets should have fully concrete 4. Curb Cuts sidewalks with visual accents such as score lines. Sidewalks Minimize the number of curb cuts must conform to concrete along streets with active sidewalks and other City of Alexandria and higher levels of vehicular traffic. standards, and include “lamp Locate curb cuts on type C streets or black” color additive. alleys whenever possible, and other- (3) Fully concrete sidewalks are wise on type B streets to minimize acceptable on type B and C their presence on type A1, A2 and streets and can be visually retail overlay streets. Where curb cuts accented where desired with do occur, sidewalk paving according to score lines and/or masonry street character type shall be continu- pavers. Sidewalks must conform ous, level and flush across the width to concrete and other City of of the curb cut. At locations with lim- Alexandria standards, and ited sight lines between drivers and include “lamp black” color pedestrians, provide audible signals additive. indicating approaching vehicles. Load-

136 ■ | March 2008 ing areas are limited to C streets and along different off-street locations. streets and/or at special locations 5. Trees and Landscaping such as public parks, plazas and A continuous street tree canopy shall be retail areas. provided wherever possible (street type • Where possible, C and alleys excepted) to serve multiple plant trees in goals, including aesthetic appeal, pe- earth planting destrian- and street-level scale, reduced strips that are solar heat gain, more comfortable as long and microclimate, privacy and buffering continuous as possible to maximize between traffic, pedestrians and occu- stormwater infiltration, help trees pied buildings, and reduced stormwater thrive, and reduce stormwater flows. flows. • Where tree wells are provided, • Ensure a continuous rhythm of observe the following: street trees lining both sides of the (1) Tree wells shall be a street, generally 25-30 feet on center. minimum of 4 x 10 feet for new Tree wells should have contiguous • Choose tree species that are native development. New development tree trenches to to the area, can tolerate drought, shall provide contiguous tree encourage root and contribute to street character. trenches to provide maximum growth and access to water, be flush Consciously select species to soil area for roots to spread with pavement, and reinforce general continuity of and water and air to penetrate. be planted with character along the length of streets, Landscape may be provided groundcover. with contrasting species occurring in primarily residential areas where compatible with the existing character of the street. Provide irrigation (captured from stormwater instead of municipal supply wherever possible) to ensure adequate water to establish and maintain trees. (2) Tree wells shall be flush with the sidewalk pavement and shall be planted with groundcover. Appropriate groundcover selections are ivy, pachysandra, periwinkles, liriope, and mondo grass; seasonal color may be added. Planting strips accommodate a variety of (3) Tree well plantings shall be vegetation that help separate pedestrians from traffic, define the character of the maintained by the adjoining overall street, enhance adjacent buildings and property owner. open space, and allow natural stormwater infiltration.

APPENDIX A | DESIGN GUIDELINES ■ 137 (4) Tree wells shall include tree grates within the retail focus areas if required by the City. Desired type to be O.T. Series grate by Urban Associates, Snohomish, Washington, or equivalent, as approved by the City of Alexandria.

6. Lighting in appropriate locations based • Fixtures shall be single black on the specific ground-floor use Dominion Virginia Power colonial and the location of bus stops and light fixtures with a standard black public open space. finish. (3) Bench seats shall be yellow cedar • All streetlights shall be placed to and the metal frames shall have avoid conflict with street trees. a standard black, powdercoat • Where located next to residential finish. uses, streetlights should include house-side shields as needed to • Bike racks prevent lighting from directly (1) To encourage and facilitate Dominion Virginia entering residential windows. biking as a means of Power colonial light • Use of fixtures that generate their fixtures transportation, bike racks shall own power from solar or wind be provided. sources is encouraged. (2) Bike racks should be 7. Street Furniture placed in groups at Development shall provide street and convenient, on-site furniture and amenities for pub- safe, well- lic use. Street furniture may include lit paved benches, bicycle racks, trash recep- areas in the tacles, and other forms of art where ap- building or propriate. curb zone. (3) Bike racks shall also be provided • Benches in parking garages; and (1) Benches located on public (4) Desired style: consult streets shall be the Timberform Transportation and Restoration Series manufactured Environmental Services by Columbia Cascade or similar Department staff. as approved by the City of Alexandria. The exact bench type • Trash Receptacles within the series may be selected (1) The trash receptacle to be used by the property owner. throughout the area is the Iron (2) A minimum of two benches Site Bethesda Series Receptacle shall be provided in each block

138 ■ | March 2008 (model SD-42) by entrances, that Victor Stanley or equal require protection as approved by the City from automobiles. of Alexandria. Desired style: (2) Trash receptacles simple round shall have a black, concrete-filled powdercoat finish. metal post with (3) Trash receptacles shall be a concrete cap, generally located near the curb. painted in one (4) One trash receptacle shall be color to match the building located at each intersection. architecture. (5) Two additional trash receptacles shall be located mid-block on 8. Public Information streets with retail frontage. Providing information to the • Bollards public conveys the following (1) Bollards may be used as traffic benefits: control and safety/protection • Assisting wayfinding devices. within the neighborhood (2) Decorative bollards shall be to Metro and other key des- used in high-visibility areas, tinations. Signage should where bollards are required and be provided along the approved during site review. principal walking streets (3) Desired style: Princeton enabling pedestrians to Embedded (direct burial) navigate to and from the Cast Iron Bollard by Spring Braddock Road Metro sta- City Electrical Manufacturing tion, Old Town, King Street Company, or approved Metro Station, Charles equivalent; finished in black to Houston Recreation Cen- match streetlight poles. Simple ter and other important bollards may be used in less destinations without use visible areas, such as building of a map. Good wayfinding walls at service and parking information encourages walking, promotes safety, and welcomes those unfa- miliar with the neighbor- hood. • Reinforce identity as de- scribed above; tell stories of place—community his- Pedestrian-scale tory, culture, and values. Stories of signage should explain local place and identity reinforce the com- history and mark munity’s own sense of self and in- important walking troduce it to newcomers. Because of routes or sites in the neighborhood. the significant amount of social and

APPENDIX A | DESIGN GUIDELINES ■ 139 physical change that has occurred and will occur in the Braddock Metro area, public historical information is especially needed to teach current and future generations about what isn’t apparent to the eye. • Announce community events through formal postings (i.e., tem- porary banners) and accommoda- tion of informal postings on kiosks. Prominent designated kiosks for temporary postings serve as sources of ongoing information about events in the community. This not only pro- vides basic useful information, but also a spontaneous window into the community’s vitality and identity. Ki- osks also prevent posting of flyers in inappropriate places such as utility poles and trees. Consistent building edges flanking the street, All wayfinding signage should be coor- together with street trees of consistent height and/or planting pattern, help define the street dinated with the citywide wayfinding as a three-dimensional public space. initiative that will help direct visitors to tourist attractions, Metro stations and Transitions section below for locations other major destinations. where a change in land use may cause a change in façade orientation). B. Building Edge • Orient primary façade elements to be Conditions parallel to the street. • At least 75% of a building’s façade 1. Spatial Definition of Streets and length should meet a consistent Public Spaces setback or build-to line shared with adjacent buildings. The forms of individual buildings • Landscaped areas may intervene should work collectively to define between buildings, but relationships streets, parks, and other open spaces from one building to the next should as spaces clearly bounded on two or remain apparent. more sides. This approach enables • Occasional deep setbacks of each building to contribute its intrinsic buildings to create landscaped form and use to help shape the form front courtyards, street corner and use of the larger neighborhood. plazas and similar open spaces The edges of public streets and parks can be appropriate, but only if should be defined by creating a clearly they represent a distinct, isolated visible alignment of facades from build- condition relative to a well-defined ing to building within use zones (see and predominant build-to line.

140 ■ | March 2008 • Gateway sites and other locations of as “street edge facades”) along special prominence within the street West, Fayette, Madison and network shall feature buildings and/ Wythe streets shall not exceed or public art of high architectural three stories or 40 feet in height quality celebrating their landmark (exception: four stories or 50 to presence. 60 feet in height is acceptable along portions of Fayette and 2. Scale and Proportion Henry Streets. See Building Height and Massing Diagram in Create a human-scaled setting at street Chapter 9 for specific locations). level through careful proportioning of (2) At the same time, street edge architectural massing, bays and details. façades shall be at least 25 feet • Define a walkable street scale with in height (one tall story plus appropriate and consistent building parapet for a retail ground floor, heights. Buildings along principal walking streets shall create a street edge at their lower floors that is tall Building enough to create an urban quality bay

Primary at ground level but not so tall as to Bay make pedestrians feel they are in a “canyon” substantially out of scale with typical context buildings and street trees. Greater heights, where allowed by zoning, are permitted for portions of buildings that are set back from this street edge a suf- ficient dimension and at sufficient height above ground that they are Typical bay includes MAIN RECESSED VERTICAL perceived as only a secondary street multiple floors, vertical WINDOW RESIDENCE ELEMENT BREAKs up proportion SCALE ENTRANCE THE FAçADE plane edge subsidiary to that created at ground and initial floors. At the same time, heights less than two to three stories are discouraged as providing too little spatial street definition and too little continuity with taller context buildings. The Braddock Metro planning process involved substantial public input on appropriate street edge heights that resulted in broad endorsement of the following more specific design criteria. (1) Building façade planes at ground and any subsequent initial floors (referred to below

APPENDIX A | DESIGN GUIDELINES ■ 141 or two stories for other uses) and are encouraged to measure at least half the width of the street (creating a street aspect ratio of at least 1:2, height:width). (3) Greater heights, where allowed by zoning, are permitted for portions of buildings set back with a “shoulder” of approximately 12 feet from the street-edge façade. The shoulder can occur no less than 25 feet above street level. For a typical 66-foot-wide street, this translates into an increase of at least 25% in the distance between upper façades as compared to distance between A series of facades resembling separate street-edge facades (assuming buildings helps reduce the perceived mass maximum 15 foot setbacks of and scale of these building. street edge facades). The upper floor setback offers several value- enhancing benefits beyond those • Buildings shall incorporate elements for human scale at street level: of intermediate scale between hu- (a) enhanced daylight access man scale and that of the whole and sky sphere visibility to building. At minimum, this shall lower building floors and the be accomplished through a “base/ ground plane; middle/top” compositional strategy (b) more space for growth of that defines at least three zones from street trees; and base to top of the building façade. (c) potential for roof terraces at Additional important intermediate- setback level that add to unit scale elements include bay windows amenity and street character extending through multiple floors, building wings, areas of consistent • The unbroken horizontal length material, and other larger elements of any façade plane shall be mini- that are still subsidiary to the overall mized. Intervals of set-back or pro- building form. Facades should in- jected façade area may be used to clude horizontal lines of expression permit longer building lengths. For (such as string courses, cornices and larger projects and developments, window alignments) that correspond consider composing facades as a to the height of adjacent context series of smaller adjacent facades buildings. resembling separate buildings to re- • Buildings shall incorporate elements duce the perceived horizontal mass responding to human scale. Tradi- and scale. tionally these have included windows

142 ■ | March 2008 and doors and their associated bays; the skyline as a whole. Building tops porches and stoops; fences along the should be both designed as attractive sidewalk edge; and smaller façade landmarks with special forms and details such as window shutters, materials, and limited in scale so as flower boxes and traditional brick, not to appear bulky compared to con- clapboard and shingle dimensions. text scale nor to block views exces- • Building tops and other skyline ele- sively. ments that rise above context build- ings deserve special attention as Special treat- prominent elements in the public ment of upper realm. As the Braddock Metro neigh- floors where a borhood accommodates another building meets Building “TOP” period of growth and change, some the sky cre- of the new structures that make this ates a sense of level of development economically drama, helps to feasible will be higher than the fabric make a memo- of the existing surroundings. This rable place, aids Building “middle” will mean the construction of new in wayfinding, buildings that form part of the City and conveys the skyline when seen from adjoining message that neighborhoods, or approaching the the building Braddock neighborhood on Metro was designed or across the new Monroe Avenue with care, keep- Building “Base” Bridge. ing its rela- • As these taller buildings take their tionship to its place in the cityscape, their tops will surroundings begin to play an important role in in mind. The Design Principles for redefining the character and scale the City of Alexandria require that of the area, both as seen from the new buildings be designed using the streets immediately below, and as principles of base/middle/top; create recognizable and memorable parts of scale transitions that are sensitive to the surrounding building fabric; and employ articulated tower tops to create an interesting skyline, allow views between buildings, and help sunshine to reach lower building levels and public open spaces. This strategy will help to reinforce and add to the vitality of the Braddock neighborhood, while taking advan- tage of the opportunities offered by transit-oriented development. • Use of simple geometric shapes in Building elements that rise above the context plan and elevation is encouraged, to of surrounding buildings should be treated as attractive landmarks. simplify perception of buildings and

APPENDIX A | DESIGN GUIDELINES ■ 143 help visually integrate them with built context. • Utilize vertically-proportioned fen- estration; use no strip/ribbon win- dows.

3. Pedestrian Engagement

Ground-floor building use and design should engage pedestrians. Retail, of- fice and institutional uses all can and should provide a high level of engage- ment. In residential buildings, includ- ing multifamily buildings, ground-floor units shall include individual street entrances and yards wherever possible. Industrial and institutional buildings with frontage on public streets should

locate any engaging uses—such as Mixed-use buildings should include a high- entrance doors and lobbies, accessory degree of transparency at ground floor office space, and windows into actively commercial uses and a distinctly different used space—along as façade treatment on upper residential floors, typically expressing bay dimensions much of the public side- of rooms and dwelling units. Examples walk as possible. shown here are in Atlanta. • For retail and other active ground-floor uses, • Ground-level retail storefronts provide transparent are encouraged to have exterior glazing for approximately awnings that are coordinated with 75% or more of façade the design of the storefront and the area. At corner retail overall building. Awnings should sites, ground-level not overwhelm or obscure the storefront windows shall architectural and decorative features extend at least 20 feet of buildings. Awnings should not along the side street, and be backlit. In mixed-use buildings, both the architecture differentiate expression of the ground of the building and the level from that of floors above. storefront design should • The ground floor façade of live/work address and articulate units should be composed of at A well designed retail the corner. The ground floors of all least 50% transparent glazing. At facade should be at least 75% transparent new buildings along street frontage residential uses, transparent glazing and should incorporate designated for potential retail use area shall be limited to 50% of facade awnings as these should have a floor-to-floor height of area where “punched” windows examples in Boston, at least 15 and no more than 20 feet predominate in adjacent context. MA do. to ensure the potential for quality • Ground-floor façade area retail space. uninterrupted by glazing should

144 ■ | March 2008 extend no more than 20 linear feet multifamily uses horizontally. abuts a single- • Provide entrances to retail, office and family or attached other active ground level uses at least residence, the new every 100 feet along the sidewalk building shall be where possible. The primary sensitive in verti- pedestrian entrance should front cal and horizontal directly along the sidewalk or corner scale to existing and, wherever possible, shall provide residential struc- the primary access to parking. In tures. This building makes multiunit residential buildings a transition to an adjacent residential provide individual entrances for The new building must also incorpo- street by terminating ground-level units and prominent rate a significant change or articulation in a smaller building lobby entrances. Single-family in material or plane along the horizon- mass that matches dwellings should have a walk linking tal extent of walls facing the residen- the scale of nearby houses. the front entrance to the sidewalk. tial parcel. Where a new building is Entries should be prominently located closer to the street edge than expressed with canopies, awnings, an adjacent existing one, the portion of bay windows, balconies or similar the new building façade that faces the elements. setback of the existing building shall be designed to be consistent in its materi- 4. The “Green Edge:” Soft Public- als and architectural composition with Private Transitions the main building façade(s) facing pub- lic streets. New development should create a compact “green edge” transition zone 6. Materials between residential buildings and the public sidewalk. The build-to line for All new development must adhere to residential buildings shall be located these material standards: 6 to 15 feet back from the sidewalk to • Utilize high-quality building materi- provide space for individual unit yards, als such as brick, stone, precast or plantings, fences, stoops and similar metal. Locate heavier materials clos- elements creating a privacy buffer be- tween public space and private dwelling interiors. Ground-floor levels should be elevated at least one foot above sidewalk level where accessibility requirements allow.

5. Built Context Transitions

New buildings must make complemen- tary transitions to context buildings of different height or use. Where a This building incorporates high quality brick new building with commercial and/or with heavier masonry materials at ground level.

APPENDIX A | DESIGN GUIDELINES ■ 145 er to the ground and highest-quality • Multifamily and townhouse materials and details at pedestrian residential. Units that do not have level. direct access from a public street are • Utilize stone, metal or similar du- prohibited. Any unit side wall that rable material for trim. abuts a public street shall include • Use materials to help express base, windows and other façade details middle and top sections of build- in size and quantity matching the ings. expression of the front entrance • Balance glass and solid surfaces to façade. create predominantly solid facades • Retail. Retail spaces shall be at least with windows placed within the 60 feet deep and preferably closer wall. Glazing shall not exceed 50% to 80 feet deep and shall have a of the overall façade where this pro- floor-to-floor height of at least 15 portion is typical of existing context and no more than 20 feet to ensure (new retail components excluded). potential for high-quality retail space. • Use no reflective or darkly tinted The design of signage, awnings, glass. storefronts, window displays and • Integrate HVAC and mechanical other elements defining retail equipment unobtrusively into the presence should reinforce local overall building design. neighborhood character. To this end, prominent use of corporate logos 7. Additional Guidance for Specific is discouraged. Signage font, scale, Building Types material and other characteristics should primarily reflect cues from • Civic (1) Civic buildings, such as major state and local government facilities, churches, auditoriums and museums, shall strive to embody the noblest aspirations of their time within the context of Alexandria’s distinguished monumental endowment. (2) Civic buildings shall stand out from all others by undisguised building mass, prominent lot Retail signage placement, scale and importance should reinforce of unique ornament. Civic local character buildings should not necessarily and identity. imitate the architectural scale of their built context; rather, it may be especially appropriate for them to stand out distinctly from the prevailing scale as community landmarks.

146 ■ | March 2008 the local setting – such as the architectural style of their own and adjacent buildings, themes established among local merchants, and public realm signage and public art reinforcing community identity – instead of conventional corporate signage and logo practice. Signage should be especially oriented to pedestrians, such as through use of signs suspended over the sidewalk. • Office and Hotel. A high-quality design expression is encouraged for the anticipated new office and hotel buildings on the Braddock Metro site and facing it on the east side of West Street. Such an expression would help recognize and define the parcels and public spaces immediately adjoining the Metro station as a unique place within the Braddock Metro planning area. It would moreover emphasize its distinction from historic and other traditional architecture in the planning area and thus heighten the prominence of each style or era represented. The design shall embody contemporary interpretations of traditional Alexandria building motifs and shall embrace the relatively tall heights permitted in this area compared to context. At the same time, it is essential that buildings around the Metro station continue to exhibit the range of scales, scaled transitions to context, and other requirements of the Building Edge Conditions. • Architectural Style. The Plan recommends the use of more modern architectural style in the northern part of the neighborhood to reflect the warehouse and industrial history of this area.

APPENDIX A | DESIGN GUIDELINES ■ 147 148 ■ | March 2008 Appendix B Braddock Metro Neighborhood Plan process The intensive five month effort that interviews. Almost every interviewee resulted in the Braddock Metro Neigh- expressed a desire for a plan that would borhood Plan was the successful effort provide the Braddock Metro neighbor- of dedicated City staff and a diverse but hood with a strong sense of place. Key committed citizenry. It was assisted to this sense of community would be by a number of outside consultants. walkability; safe, well-lit streets; out- A review of the steps of the process is ward-focused buildings; streetscapes presented here in order to share and with areas for outdoor events, gather- memorialize it. ings and celebrations; and beautiful settings free from heavy traffic and Neighborhood above-ground utilities and highlighted and Stakeholder by attractive, inspiring architecture. Interviews Opinion varied widely, however, on questions of density, scale, and mass- Over the summer of 2007, the consul- ing for the area. Key concerns about tant team interviewed more than 100 density included creating set-backs people from and involved in the Brad- and step-ups so that scale and mass dock Metro neighborhood. The pur- would fit into existing neighbor- pose of the interviews was to identify hoods; a desire to see building heights key planning themes to address in the drop in locations farther away from charrette and throughout the planning the Metro station; loss of views from process, and to air community frustra- homes; traffic congestion and parking tion over the nature of the previous problems; and loss of open and green planning process in the Braddock space. Many interviewees accepted the area. inevitability of trade-offs and compro- mises related to density and scale but In terms of process, the interviews wanted the Plan to bring in amenities brought to the surface significant is- and create a sense of place without sues of trust and communication aris- overwhelming and devaluing the com- ing from preparation of the 2006 Draft munity. Plan. Many interviewees expressed frustration with the lengthiness of the Transportation emerged as another key process and lack of communication concern. Many people believed that from the City and among city agen- increased congestion would be inevi- cies. In general, participants believed table, as the Braddock area becomes that the City had failed to address pub- increasingly desirable, while others lic requests, suggestions, and ques- believed that new forms of mass transit tions about the Plan, leading to the could help to alleviate future conges- perception that the 2006 Draft Plan tion. Interviewees expressed a strong did not represent a true response to desire for the Plan to address bus traf- public input. fic, the needs of pedestrians, parking, local street use, access to the Metro, As far as plan content, or planning and conditions on Patrick, Henry, and themes, there were areas of both Washington streets. agreement and disagreement in the

150 ■ | March 2008 Nearly every interviewee identified place, and suggested that this be done housing as a major issue needing at- by creating a vibrant community alive tention, especially the neighborhood’s 16 hours a day, rather than a nine-to- public housing. Some feared that the five “roll up the sidewalks” area. The amount of public housing in the Brad- list of desired amenities included cafés dock Metro neighborhood could deter and restaurants, shops, convenience potential new development and called stores, a grocery store, usable open for the Plan to reduce the concentra- spaces, and parks. tion of public housing by distributing it more evenly throughout the city and Respondents demonstrated great dis- to diversify housing sizes and types agreement about the future develop- within the neighborhood. ment of the area around Braddock Road Metro Station. Options discussed Many other interviewees argued that included green space, a parking struc- public housing residents have made ture, a bus transfer station, and a their homes in the area for genera- mixed-use high-rise building. Some tions, and that while they expected to interviewees viewed the station site see the neighborhood improve, they as the neighborhood’s greatest as- worried that rising property values, tax- set, while others viewed its impact as es, and maintenance and utility costs negative. This second group expressed would force many residents to sell concern that development and density their homes and leave the neighbor- would be shifted to the Metro sta- hood. Public housing residents them- tion, imposing on the Braddock area selves asserted the need for identifying in order to keep it out of neighboring a suitable relocation housing plan early communities, and that an increase in in the process, and for providing new ridership would worsen traffic and un- affordable units, replacement units dermine public safety. with sufficient space for larger fami- lies, well-designed housing, and access Armed with input from the stakeholder to good public transportation. Some interviews, planning staff and the con- suggested housing improvements that sultant team embarked on a new Brad- included better coordination among dock Metro Neighborhood Plan pro- ARHA and City agencies, improve- cess in the fall of 2007 with a focus on ments within and around public hous- consistent, systematic public outreach ing, use of revenue from new develop- and engagement, improved communi- ment to purchase properties in other cation with the community and among parts of the city for relocated public City agencies, and a clear sense of the housing residents, and providing work- issues that would need to be tackled in force housing affordable to those mak- the ensuing months. The process be- ing very low incomes. gan with public education workshops in October 2007. Interviewees expressed near-unani- mous interest in new community-serv- ing amenities. Residents want their community to have a strong sense of

APPENDIX B | BRADDOCK METRO NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN PROCESS ■ 151 Public Education redevelopment expert addressed public Workshops housing issues. The second public education workshop More than 160 residents attended (October 20) began with a presentation three educational workshops on Octo- on opportunities for neighborhood- ber 16, 20, and 29, 2007, where region- enhancing retail development and the al and national experts shared current potential programming and tenant thinking about planning issues affect- mix of development within the Brad- ing the Braddock Metro neighborhood. dock Metro neighborhood. This was The sessions introduced ideas and followed by a presentation about the potential tools that could help the com- neighborhood’s history and the pres- munity and the City make decisions ervation issues it faces today. Finally, a and trade-offs to facilitate a mutually leading national expert on the econom- supportable plan for the neighbor- ics and feasibility of commercial and hood. These sessions helped lay the residential development discussed the foundation for a community planning market demand for different housing meeting, or charrette, that took place products—including multifamily apart- on November 3 (described below), and ments, condos, and townhouses—at represented important steps in the the same time, addressing the potential community process for preparing the economic benefits of residential devel- Braddock Plan. opment for the city. At the first workshop (October 16), This workshop included a bus and staff and consultants explained and walking tour of the issue areas, key demonstrated development rights al- redevelopment parcels, and existing lowed by current zoning on typical projects that had drawn both praise blocks in the Braddock Metro neigh- and criticism in the interviews. The borhood. They showed how resulting consultants who had made presenta- development might alter the neighbor- tions earlier in the day led the tour, hood’s sense of place, walkability, and during which they analyzed opportuni- level of urban-design quality. In addi- ties and challenges, discussed relevant tion, a public policy/public housing case studies from other places, and fielded questions from participants.

During the third workshop (October 29), transportation experts discussed the basics of a complete transportation system, gave information about the Braddock transportation context and conditions, and talked about ways to mange transportation resources. They offered several specific recommenda- David Dixon from Goody Clancy speaking tions for the Braddock Metro neigh- during Public Education Workshop #2 borhood, including enhancing the

152 ■ | March 2008 Participants were asked to complete a visual preference survey of photos they took of buildings, streetscapes, housing, and landscapes. They posted green dots on the five elements that they favored most within the neighbor- hood and red dots on the five elements that they favored least. Green spaces and edges that created a transition from buildings to sidewalks garnered positive votes, while blank walls and buildings built flush to the sidewalk without a green edge drew negative responses. The exception within this latter group involved buildings that contained retail, in which case having no transition to the sidewalk was gen- erally accepted.

Participants in the October 20 educational The low scale and distinctive character workshop toured existing projects and key of historic blocks attracted unanimous redevelopment sites. support, but people split almost evenly in their opinions about the Monarch overall transportation system within development currently under construc- the area; improving walkability; and tion on Henry Street. Reaction to Col- integrating new high-capacity transit ecroft was also mixed, with positive re- initiatives into the Braddock Plan. sponses to the lower townhouse scale, and less positive reactions to the taller Community-wide elements of the complex. At the Merid- Charrette ian, the pattern of dots suggested that large scale was not acceptable without The day-long community charrette on better architectural and urban design November 3 focused on development of guidelines. From this it could be con- a shared community vision—expressed cluded that better scale transitions as a set of guiding principles drawn up would be needed between taller build- by the participants—that would inform ings and the historic blocks within the the planning process. More than 75 Braddock Metro Neighborhood. people took part, engaging in a variety of activities designed to help shape the Participants made evident their prefer- Braddock Metro Neighborhood Plan. ence for active-use sites along Queen Knowledge that participants had gained Street over sites with blank walls. Pair- during the workshops informed the ings of photos showing two buildings day’s work, as community stakeholders of similar architecture distinguished worked side by side with the City plan- primarily by the amount of street-level ning staff and consultants. activity around them elicited a clear

APPENDIX B | BRADDOCK METRO NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN PROCESS ■ 153 Some of the visual preference survey boards completed during the November 3 community charrette.

preference for the active-building pho- accurately reflected the neighborhood’s to in each pair. thoughts and hopes; whether changes would be appropriate; and whether Participants then formed five groups other objectives needed to be added to of approximately 15 people each for the list. more in-depth discussion led by char- rette facilitators. They spent an hour The small groups considered: weighing the objectives below, with the • preservation opportunities by goal of determining which objectives completing an exercise in which

154 ■ | March 2008 they ranked buildings and blocks by their significance for potential Draft objectives as stated at the community-wide charrette: preservation: key “must saves,” • Sense of place/Neighborhood identity sites whose preservation would be • Community-serving open spaces desirable, or properties that held • Safe, walkable neighborhood little importance in their current • De-concentration of public housing form for the area and its residents. • Community-serving retail • Participants analyzed the public • Management of traffic and parking realm by determining ideal places • Appropriate height and scale for streetscape enhancements, new open space, and new stores. • Participants expressed preferences for block massing by using pre-cut foam blocks to discuss and agree on and to illustrate appropriate densities and building heights on potential development sites.

Each group created a physical repre- sentation of the planning principles, or objectives, on five base maps using marker, foam bocks, colored paper, and other materials. Within the five individual groups, several common questions, concerns, and themes emerged: • Exploration of the term “livability” to see how it is defined elsewhere and to determine how the Braddock Metro neighborhood wants to define it. • A desire to understand what is possible when negotiating with developers. • Support for the idea of limiting the amount of retail development only to what is economically feasible. • A desire for additional public green spaces. • Support for preservation of the neighborhood’s historic structures, especially around Queen Street, particularly important to the At bottom, four of the five block-massing models created in small group cultural history of the Braddock sessions during the November 3 community charrette. Metro neighborhood.

APPENDIX B | BRADDOCK METRO NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN PROCESS ■ 155 Composite Urban • Recognition of a need for more Design Framework Public Work diagrams developed information about various topics Sessions for Work Session #1. that affect the neighborhood and examples borrowed from other • Work session #1—The Public comparable cities. Realm. The first of five post- • Identification of a need to address charrette work sessions, held with traffic issues; and the community on November 12, • Underlining of the importance of focused participants’ efforts both considering public housing residents on elements of livability within the during any discussions about public public realm and on defining and housing. activating a vibrant public realm. In addition to the public realm The group discussions provided the ba- discussion, participants helped sis for the Plan’s guiding principles, the to finalize the principles (which planning process’s goals, the urban de- appear on page 6) and reviewed sign framework, and ultimately pointed the Composite Urban Design the way to the neighborhood’s future Framework diagrams, both of which character.

156 ■ | March 2008 of potential new open spaces and streetscape enhancements.

Each of the three small groups voted on first and second choices for a major new park within the neighborhood, choosing among sites at 1261 Madison, the Metro station, the Post Office, and Andrew Adkins. Following the open-space Small group discussion during Work Session #1 deliberations, participants recorded preferences about building heights, using red dots to mark summarized the community’s ideas Outcomes of the park from the charrette (shown at top). the places where they options exercise were concerned about First Choice Second Choice Using the composite diagrams height, and blue dots 1261 Madison 8 4 as a starting point, participants to indicate satisfaction Metro discussed public-realm elements with heights shown 1 15 Post Office such as large open spaces, pocket on the proposed 30 8 parks and plazas, and sidewalk Building Heights and Andrew Adkins 10 20 design, which should be defined Massing diagram. The and activated by building walls that photos on page 15 show the maps define streets. from each group following their discussions. Each group reported • Work session #2—Building Height back to the full work session on its and Open Space Options. The decisions and rationale. second community work session took place on November 29 and focused on building height and open space options. Detailed discussions examined elements that had drawn support from the majority of the groups during the community-wide charrette—such as enhancements along Fayette Street—as well as elements that received only partial support, such as open space on the 1261 Madison site.

Dividing into three smaller groups, participants used the urban design framework composites as underlays to help develop a single unified diagram showing final locations Small group discussion sessions during Work Session #2.

APPENDIX B | BRADDOCK METRO NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN PROCESS ■ 157 Work Session #2 A clear majority of participants as at Chatham Square and break-out groups “voted” on proposed favored greater height on the Jaguar in comparable communities; heights with red property as well as building step- and how HOPE VI and similar (negative view) and downs, or “shoulders,” along Fayette, planning processes have brought blue (positive view) Wythe, and Madison streets. People communities together to plan for dots. generally split evenly over height of new development. up to 120´ feet on the Metro site. At Roy Priest from the Alexandria Adkins, while people agreed about Redevelopment and Housing limiting building on the edges to 3 Authority gave a summary stories and allowing taller buildings presentation on the numbers and in the center, there was no consensus types of public housing units in about what the middle heights the city, the percentage of those should be. Many expressed concern units that are currently within the with the maximum 90’ proposed. Braddock Metro neighborhood, ARHA’s land holdings, ARHA • Work session #3— programs, the demographics of Public Housing. public housing residents, and On December funding available to ARHA. Mr. 13, public work Priest and others also discussed session #3 focused ARHA’s most recent mixed-income on public housing housing development, Chatham and exploring ways Square, and the successes and to take advantage challenges of that redevelopment of unique model. opportunities to create value; Participants then broke into smaller lessons learned discussion groups and were asked to from successful determine what factors would most mixed-income contribute to a successful, mixed- housing initiatives income community on the public Small group discussion and dots exercise in Alexandria, such housing sites in the Braddock Metro during Work Session #3.

158 ■ | March 2008 neighborhood. Toward the end of scenario presented in the Draft the individual group discussions, Plan, as well as on overview of participants voted on which three TDM programs in cities similar factors they felt were the highest to Alexandria that have effectively priorities. reduced single-occupancy automobile trips The previous evening, the planning within target team met with public housing neighborhoods. residents to solicit their input and Attendees weighed ideas on the Plan. Leading their in on a range of list of comments was frustration transportation-related with past processes—in which priorities: alignment they felt planned for, rather than of the southern end with—but this was balanced by of the Crystal City/ excitement about the current Potomac Yard Transit planning process. Most residents felt Corridor; improved a strong commitment to remaining pedestrian crossing in the community and pride in the on Route 1; possible neighborhood’s history. The meeting introduction of two- showed some level of interest in a way traffic on streets major new park, neighborhood retail, such as Madison Transportation Work and more walkable streets. Finally, and Montgomery to enhance Session #4 the residents expressed a desire residential redevelopment and for home ownership opportunities improve conditions for Queen Street within the neighborhood. Their retailers; redesign of the Braddock- feelings were summarized and Wythe-West streets intersection; and conveyed to the general public enhanced pedestrian access to Metro. during work session the following night. A majority of community members expressed a strong preference for the • Work session #4—Transportation. Transit Corridor to follow First Street The fourth public work session and the service road running behind took place on January 7, 2008, Braddock Place to reach the Metro and focused on transportation station. Although many people priorities. The session began with expressed objections to the transit a presentation on a traffic impact line’s coming into the neighborhood, assessment prepared for the and a strong opposition to the neighborhood and an overview of possibility of a Route 1 alignment, transportation demand management most expressed a willingness to (TDM) programs. accept this alignment.

Participants were shown the traffic Other transportation improvements impacts that the Braddock Metro that the group agreed merited neighborhood might experience inclusion in transportation as a result of the 20-year build-out improvements for the neighborhood

APPENDIX B | BRADDOCK METRO NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN PROCESS ■ 159 were better managing cut-through public housing, parking, walking traffic, improving DASH service, and streets, and retail elements of the providing marked bicycle lanes. Plan, along with the implementation strategies discussed during the The work session stressed five key previous four work sessions. This points: summary session also focused on > Because of capacity constraints identifying additional issues and on Route 1 and elsewhere, any strategies for consideration during increased local traffic volume preparation of the Draft Plan. generated by new development actually helps displace regional Participants reviewed a breakdown traffic. of the potential cost of public > Most residents will notice only a improvement projects and the small difference between traffic funds that could be raised through conditions today and those in 10 redevelopment. The group then to 20 years. turned its attention to redevelopment > Traffic impacts should not be scenarios for the Metro and Adkins the primary criterion when sites. Participants expressed evaluating development projects. concern about the height of the two > Transportation demand building proposed for the Metro management (TDM) programs site, despite enthusiasm for the will make a difference and centrally located plaza and its ring of contribute—along with the other stores and restaurants. Participants proposed amenities— to creation considered recommendations for of a livable neighborhood and appropriate parking requirements, significant reduction of the an alternative alignment for the number of automobile trips in primary pedestrian-bike route north the Braddock area. from the Braddock Road station, and > The City is committed to a potential connection that would tracking traffic and parking link the Rosemont and Del Ray impacts and ensuring that neighborhoods to the station and the the programs are designed to Braddock neighborhood. reduce auto-oriented trips and encourage other modes. Finally, in order to ensure that the time and effort put forth by the • Work session #5—Where We Are community and the City will become Today. On January 24, participants a reality, the Implementation in the final work session Advisory Group will be created and reviewed the urban design work with an interagency City team framework, transportation, to develop a detailed implementation plan. A communications strategy to provide regular updates to the Faroll Hamer, director of the City’s Department of Planning community about the progress of & Zoning, addresses attendees implementation will also be created. during the final work session on January 24.

160 ■ | March 2008