THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON DC STUDENT AND AcADEM~c SuPPORT SERVICES November 10, 2006 Carol Mitten, Chairman Zoning Commission 441 4th Street NW, Suite 200 South Washington DC 20001 Re: Square 54 (Case # 06-27) Dear Ms. Mitten, I am writing in support of GW' s proposal for the Square 54 project since I feel that this plan will provide benefits for community members, the District, and the GW campus community. I have worked at The George Washington University for:. eight years as a staff member in the student affairs division and I am a doctoral student in GW's Higher Education Administration program. Personally, I support the plan since I feel that it will make Foggy Bottom an even better place to live and work for GW staff members and a better place to study and live for GW students. The benefits, however, go much farther than that. Everyone who lives and works in Washington, D.C. shares the vision of the plan bolstering the community feeling of the Foggy Bottom neighborhood. GW's plan will create a dynamic urban town center that will be a boon for the District's community life. This plan, combining retail, residential, and office uses, will make Square 54 a hub of positive activity. Perhaps the part of the plan I am most excited about are the expanded retail options planned for Square 54. It will be great for all community members to have additional retail options, including a neighborhood serving grocery store, located at Square 54. Right now, many of us have to walk to Georgetown to go to a well-stocked grocery store or to shop for a holiday or a birthday gift. Other District residents will also, no doubt, benefit from having a grocery store that is a few steps away from the Foggy Bottom Metro stop. I know that the District's tax base will also benefit from having these retail options, adding an economic enhancement in addition to the community building elements of the plan. For the reasons mention above, I wholeheartedly support GW's plans for Square 54. The plan contains benefits for the entire community. Thanks you for your consideration. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 202-994-9192 or at [email protected]. Sincerely, Andrew C. Sonn Director, Customer Service Initiatives f t·!ci L I AON 9rnz f7 :f7 . ~v ZONING COMMISSION ZONING COMMISSIONOistl"ict of Columbia 8NINOZ :iO ;:_}:1:10 ·~ro District of Columbia ZONING COMMISSION Case No.GA.SE 06-27 NO. __J_~~:....:::--~2.~]---District of Columbia 03Ai3838 CASE NO.06-27 27 EXHIBIT NO.27 2121 EYE STREET, NW. WASHINGTON, DC 20052. 202-994·7210. FAX 202-99.f:.:Qif,t~IT N0. ___.~}~7..!- _____ 1126 25"' St. NW Apt 2 Rolando P. Irizarry Washington, DC 20037 Home: 202-293-1340 Work 202-715-4263 rolando_irizarry@hotma1l com November 10, 2006 Carol Mitten, Chairman Zoning Commission 441 4th Street NW, Suite 200 South Washington DC 20001 RE: Support for Square 54 Dear Ms. Mitten: As both a Foggy BottomNVest End resident and employee of GW Hospital I strongly support the proposal presented to DC Zoning on the development of Square 54. As a member of this community, I've experienced how "suffocating" this area is when it comes to the simple need of a grocery store, well-lit landscapes and sidewalks, and opportunities for student housing. The development of Square 54 would benefit the patient experience (and employees) at GW Hospital. Patients and their families could have better options as to meals, parking, and a space to relax get away from the confines of the hospital. It's obvious this well populated community, GWU, Metro, and the high-volume of people generated by GW Hospital, would greatly benefit to the city with tax revenue. Please consider this proposal for the betterment of DC and the Foggy BottomNVest End community. Best regards, Rolando P. Irizarry "'-> .::::::1 t~ 0 :z 0 0 0 < ., =~ ::0 C'J m ......., (J rn rn 0 --rJ r?i ~ 25 0 f:= z :::;:::: C) 0.. ZONING COMMISSION District of Columbia Case No. 06-27 27 RECEIVED D.C. OFFiCE OF ZONING Zffi& NOV I 7 Pt-i Lf: 55 November 9, 2006 Carol Mitten, Chairman Zoning Commission 441 4th Street NW, Suite 200 South Washington DC 20001 Re: GWU Square 54 Case # 06-27 Dear Chairman Mitten: I write today in support of the George Washington University's development plan for Square 54, the site of the old hospital. I understand this plan is a k~y component of the university's integrated development strategy along with the new campus plan and School Without Walls project. For the University, the Square 54 project provides a key source of revenue outside of tuition increases to support its core academic mission. The retail provides necessary neighborhood benefits, including a grocery store. The city gains additional tax revenue, nearly $12 million when you include real estate taxes, and over 2,000 new jobs. I am particularly excited that this Square 54project is planned as an urban town center with mixed-use development including retail, residential and office space. The building designs are exciting and would make Foggy Bottom an even more beautiful neighborhood in which to live, work and visit. The community, the University and the city all gain substantial benefit from this plan and I encourage your full support. Sincerely, Maricar Donato ZONING COMMISSION District of Columbia Case No. 06-27 27 Cupa-Cupa Cafe "~f\1L·~_.tr ~ f"f11J. ,._; v I 7 1n-'1 \ ~": 55 19th 8: G Streets, NW Foggy Bottom November 15, 2006 Ms. Carol Mitten Chair, The Zoning Commission 441 4th Street, NW, Suite 210 Washington, DC 20004 Dear Chair Mitten: I write in support of George Washington University's application to devel<;>p Square 54, the Old GW Hospital Site, on Washington Circle in Foggy Bottom. GW's development of the site is on transit oriented space within the Foggy Bottom Metro area and is the last remaining undeveloped site on Pennsylvania A venue, Northwest. The site is ideal for mixed use purposes of housing, commercial and retail space. These three purposes is exactly what GW intends to do with the 'site .. Accordingly, GW's development of this site will bring added housing to the District furthering the goal of attracting and increasing 100,000 new residents into the city. Further, the site will hold major retail, especially a grocery ~tore, in the community per .the wishes of the community residents. Lastly, the site will increase further commercial space adding more revenue to the city and more business development opportunities to local busines.ses and residents. In short, the. site Is ~win-win-win for the city, the community and the university. The university has engaged the local community in its planning and visioning process for Square 54 for over two years conducting.seven.town hall meetings, meetiJ:?.g with.over 500 residents of the co~ unity and attending at least 15 sinall neighborhood meetings in order to come to this win-win-win situation. The university should be commended for. its efforts to be sensitive and adaptive to many of the community's sugsestions to make this plan work for all parties in the city and community. In short, Square 54 means jobs, revenues and smart growth for our city. I highly recommend and encoura~e approval of the university's application. Thank you. ZONING COMMISSION District of Columbia Case No. 06-27 27 REGENED r:of'r: nt= 7QN1NG DC• • OJ l IIJL \.,.. ~ i- •I Z0J6" t,lOV t 7 Pri q: 55 1211§/isi s r:S@trrber GfJht7fJ 2 I 00 12enn.spiPcrnia ..¢\w., d'«W CW'tfShingtt7n, 0(]}(7 2003? CKt7Vcmber I 3, 2006 oUf cYtrrt7! clfltten cYhair, rche 0(])(7 c;!J.dning cYt7mmisslf:m· lflf I I' Ofltra~ ~ GfJlllte 2 I 0 CW'aYhmgtt7n, 0(]}(7 2000lf @ 117!1/e in supfW! tfcY;tJtJrge CW'aYhingtt7n IUniversitp s ttpp!iCtf!l{Jn tt7 d(JJ7(Jhp GfJ'{t'tfTe SIf t7n CW'aYhingtt7n 67rde m cY"ggp ~ttt7m. (9CW's d(JJ7(Jhpment '?(this Site wiU bring added ht7using tt7 the o:::Pistndforthering the gt7al tfattracting crnd mcreaYing I 00, 000 ntJW residents inld the atp durther, the site wiU ht71d mtJI« retm( espeda!lp a gmcctp stt7re, in the CtJmmunitp per the wishes '?(the CtJmmunitp rtJSidents. eR.:m~ the Site wiU incrMSeforther CtJmmerda! space adding mt7re rtJVenue tt7 the cilp crnd mt7re business d(JJ7(Jhpment "P/'t7rlttnilies lt7 hMI businesses crnd residents. 1:Azis dtJVehpment is in tJVtJQJt7ne s interest m cY"ggp r:S@t7ttt7m Ofltpttrre Slf mMJtS.Jt7bs, rtJJ7tJ11ues crnd smtnt gnwth/« t7ur dip @ highlp rwmmend crnd enetJurage apprt7Va! tfthe uniwrsitp s applicatttJn. rchtmk pdll. Oflinccre~ ZONING COMMISSION District of Columbia Case No. 06-27 27 LAW SCHOOL November 10,2006 Ms. Carol Mitten Chair, Zoning Commission 441 4th Street NW, Suite 200 South Washington DC 20001 Re: Square 54 (Case# 06-27) Dear Ms. Mitten and Members of the Commission: I am writing in support ofthe development of Square 54. As a law professor at the George Washington University Law School, a resident of the District of Columbia, and as former Chair of the University and Urban Affairs Committee, I believe I have a unique perspective on the shared and lasting benefits that will result from the development of Square 54. From the standpoint of a university professor, Square 54 is a good thing as it will provide a key source of non-enrollment revenue to support the University's core academic mission.