Chapter 18

Far Southeast/ Southwest Area Element

CHAPTER 18: FAR SOUTHEAST/SOUTHWEST

⬚ figure

Far Southeast/Southwest Area Element

Overview 1800

THE FAR SOUTHEAST/SOUTHWEST PLANNING AREA ENCOMPASSES 10.1 square miles east of the Anacostia Freeway and south of Good Hope Road SE/Naylor Road SE. The Planning Area includes neighborhoods such as Historic Anacostia, Congress Heights, Hillsdale, Woodland, Fort Stanton, Barry Farm, Bellevue, Washington Highlands, Douglas/Shipley Terrace, Garfield Heights, and Knox Hill/Buena Vista. Most of this area has historically been in Ward 8, but, prior to redistricting in 2002, the northern portion was in Ward 6. Planning Area boundaries are shown in the map to the left. 1800.1¹

Far Southeast/Southwest is a diverse community. It includes the 19th century row houses of Historic Anacostia and brand new communities like Henson Ridge and Wheeler Creek. Its housing ranges from single-family homes in neighborhoods like Congress Heights, to garden apartments in neighborhoods like Washington Highlands and Fort Stanton, to high-rise apartments such as the Vista at Wingate and Capitol Plaza II. 1800.2²

The Far Southeast/Southwest Planning Area is home to seven designated historic landmarks and districts. A designated landmark means the property is listed on the DC Inventory of Historic Sites and on the National Register of Historic Places. The Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) is the mayoral-appointed commission that designates District landmarks and historic districts, while the National Register is administered by the National Park Service (NPS) and lends a federal level of protection to historic sites. A couple of the historic landmarks in this Planning Area are the Frederick Douglass House at Cedar Hill, which was the residence of abolitionist champion Frederick Douglass, and the St. Elizabeths Hospital Campus, which is one of the country’s most renowned institutions for its treatment of behavioral health issues for more than 150 years. The Planning Area’s commercial areas range from a shopping center at Camp Simms to more traditional neighborhood centers along Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE, Good Hope Road SE, and South Capitol Street SE. The Planning Area also includes open spaces and natural areas like Oxun Run and Oxon Cove. 1800.3³

Anacostia and the Far Southeast/Southwest neighborhoods that surround it have stayed strong through difficult times. Many moderate-income residents left the area in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, affecting the stability of the area’s neighborhoods. Between the 2000 Census and the 2013-2017 American Community Survey (ACS), population in this Planning Area increased by 16.3 percent, and the poverty rate declined from 38 percent to 37 percent. The crime and unemployment rates remain chronically high and are well above the District and regional averages. Residents must go outside their neighborhood to shop, enjoy a restaurant, and even find basic services like groceries. 1800.4⁴

⬚ figure

Cedar Hill

AREA ELEMENTS

Today, the priorities laid out in 2006 are still relevant: safer streets, better schools, more jobs, and improved housing choices. The Comprehensive Plan reflects these priorities in its policies and maps. Poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, crime, and other issues must be addressed to improve the quality of life for residents in the Far Southeast/Southwest neighborhoods. While the Planning Area has experienced a significant amount of public and private investment over the last decade, social equity gaps in the District still need to be addressed to ensure that the benefits of the District’s economic and population resurgence are broadly shared. For revitalization to truly succeed, all residents must be given opportunities to advance. 1800.5¹

Additional planning efforts, such as the CHASE Action Agenda, have reinforced these priorities. The Congress Heights, Anacostia, and St. Elizabeths area—collectively called CHASE—is expected to see new housing, major redevelopment projects, and jobs and transportation infrastructure investments in the next five to 10 years. The CHASE Action Agenda takes steps to ensure that these changes bring meaningful economic opportunity to Ward 8 and its residents and businesses. It builds on unique assets in the area, such as historic neighborhood districts, new jobs at St. Elizabeths (East and West Campuses), and increased transportation options, and it prioritizes ways to develop community resources. 1800.6²

The area’s social and economic needs affect its physical environment in many ways. They translate to a need for more facilities for workforce development and job placement like the American Job Center located on Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE and the Infrastructure Academy on Pomeroy Road SE. Many government and nonprofit efforts have focused on employment, including workforce programs to prepare residents for opportunities that come with new development, such as construction jobs at St. Elizabeths Campus or jobs with new commercial and institutional tenants. New opportunities for local entrepreneurs are also needed – providing a chance to start a business, hire local residents, and provide needed services to the community. 1800.7³

The strength of the District’s real estate market is already bringing a wave of change to Far Southeast/Southwest. Thousands of affordable housing units have been constructed or rehabilitated since 2000. The HOPE VI projects have created many first-time homeowners, including former public housing residents. Developments such as Monterrey Park, Livingston Apartments, Danbury Station, Royal Court, and Congress Park are just a few examples of the improved housing choices in the area. 1800.8⁴

AREA ELEMENTS

Investment in public facilities has been a catalyst for housing development in the area. To highlight just a sampling:

• Bald Eagle Recreation Center received major upgrades in 2011;
• Fort Greble Recreation Center is being transformed into a state-of-the-art, green, net-zero facility just as the new Ballou High School was in 2015;
• Fort Stanton Recreation Center is the first LEED Silver Building in Ward 8; and
• The former Ron Brown Middle School was transformed with the creation of the Ron Brown College Preparatory High School. 1800.9¹

Additionally, portions of the Planning Area have also been identified as a priority area for resilience planning because of their vulnerabilities to climate change and flood risk as identified in the Climate Ready DC Plan published in 2016. In particular, the areas near the Potomac River are at increased risk and contain some significant public infrastructure facilities, like Blue Plains. Both flooding and precautionary efforts to advance resilience would also affect nearby communities. 1800.10²

The future of Far Southeast/Southwest depends on active community engagement. The continued involvement of groups such as Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Anacostia Economic Development Corporation, Far SW/SE Community Development Corporation, the United Planning Organization, and the Far SE Family Strengthening Collaborative can help revitalize the community. Moreover, groups such as the Congress Heights and Fort Stanton Civic Associations, the Frederick Douglass Community Improvement Council, the Anacostia Coordinating Council, the Ward 8 Business Council, along with emerging groups, such as the Anacostia Business Improvement District (BID) and Building Bridges Across the River, provide a community resource and are important voices in neighborhood and District-wide affairs. 1800.11³

History 1801⁴

In 1662, the first land grant in the Washington area was made to George Thompson on land along the east bank of the Potomac River, extending from Blue Plains to what is now the St. Elizabeths Campus. The land was farmed as a tobacco plantation until 1862. In 1863, a portion of the tract was leased by the government as an army post called Camp Stoneman. The post became a resort after the Civil War, until it burned down in 1888. Other late 19thcentury uses in Far Southeast/Southwest included a racecourse, a one-room schoolhouse on what is now Congress Heights School, and dairy farms. St. Elizabeths Hospital was founded in 1852, growing into the largest federal behavioral health facility in the country by 1940; more than 7,000 residents lived there at its peak. 1801.1⁵

AREA ELEMENTS

Present-day Anacostia was established as Uniontown in 1854 as a bedroom community for Navy Yard workers. The neighborhood was a Whites-only community until abolitionist Fredrick Douglass purchased his home on Cedar Hill in 1877. Many of the original wood frame and brick homes, along with some of the original commercial structures along Good Hope Road SE and Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE still remain today and are protected through their designation as a 25-block historic district. 1801.2¹

By the turn of the century, the expanding national capital began to spread east of the Anacostia River. A seawall was constructed to protect the Anacostia shoreline, and storm sewers were installed. In 1908, Washington Steel and Ordnance Company—best remembered as the steel plant—arrived at the foot of what is now Portland Street SE. The Army developed an airfield on the still rural land near the shoreline in 1917, with a ferry connection to Hains Point established a year later. The compound would eventually become Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. 1801.3²

Large farms still persisted through the 1920s and 30s. Winding roads follow the natural contours of the land and reflect the area’s development during a time when great suburban growth was occurring beyond District limits. The grid and diagonal road system that characterizes much of the rest of Washington, DC was not followed, resulting in a more organic pattern of development. 1801.4³

The Second World War was a period of great change in Far Southeast/ Southwest. The population grew by over 200 percent during the 1940s, as neighborhoods like Bellevue and Washington Highlands were developed. The wartime growth of Bolling Field and the Naval Research Laboratory fueled demand for housing, with thousands of garden apartments constructed. One of the complexes developed during this period was Barry Farm. Once literally a farm, the site was part of a 375-acre tract established in 1867 to provide freed slaves with an opportunity to become homeowners. 1801.5⁴

After the Second World War, apartments continued to be constructed. The arriving residents included many households displaced from urban renewal activities west of the Anacostia River. The influx of new residents was coupled with the closure of wartime industrial uses, such as the Navy armaments factory in Congress Heights. The combined effects resulted in a long period of economic and population decline, which started in the late 1950s and continued for four decades. By 2000, nearly one in six housing units in the Planning Area were vacant, and more than one in three residents lived in poverty. 1801.6⁵

AREA ELEMENTS

Land Use ¹

Statistics on existing land use are estimated from current lot-by-lot property tax data together with additional information on housing units, employment, District and federal land ownership, parks, roads, and water bodies. They are not comparable to the statistics included in the 2006 Comprehensive Plan, which were based on a much simpler method. Even large differences between the older and newer statistics may reflect differences in the modeling approaches used a decade apart and not to actual changes in land use. ²

Excluding water, the Far Southeast/Southwest Planning Area comprises 6,481 acres, which represents about 6.8 percent of the District’s land area. Figure 18.1 indicates the land use mix in the area. ³

A large portion of the land within the Planning Area is publicly owned. Federal properties such as Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling make up about 12 percent of the total, and parks—most of which are also under federal control—constitute 13 percent of the total. Local public facilities, consisting primarily of Blue Plains, DC Village, and school campuses, make up 13 percent. Roads make up 16 percent of the total area, slightly less than they do in the nine other Planning Areas. ⁴

Residential uses make up 16 percent of the total area, or about 1,057 acres. Of this amount, more than half consists of garden apartments, and about one-quarter consists of row houses and townhomes. Garden apartments predominate in Washington Highlands, Hillsdale, Barry Farm, Fort Stanton, Shipley Terrace, Douglass, and Knox Hill. Only about 137 acres in the Planning Area consist of single-family detached homes, mostly located in Bellevue and Congress Heights. ⁵

The area has very little commercial and mixed uses. These uses make up one percent of the total area and consist primarily of a commercial spine extending along Good Hope Road SE, Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, and South Capitol Street SE. Good Hope Road SE/Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE form a traditional Main Street through Historic Anacostia, with many small storefronts and neighborhood businesses. Further south along this spine are neighborhood commercial centers at Malcolm X Avenue SE, Atlantic Avenue SE, and Southern Avenue SE. Small shopping centers and convenience stores are scattered elsewhere in the Planning Area. ⁶

Figure 18.1:

Land Use Composition in Far Southeast/Southwest ⁷

⬚ figure

AREA ELEMENTS

⬚ figure

Henson Ridge

Far Southeast/Southwest includes about 121 acres of vacant land. This represents just under three percent of the Planning Area total. The Planning Area contains nearly eight percent of the vacant land in the entire District. Most of this acreage is residentially zoned and is privately owned, suggesting the potential for continued change during the coming years. ¹

Demographics ²

Figure 18.2 shows basic demographic data for Far Southeast/Southwest. According to the U.S. Census ACS data from 2017, the Planning Area had a population of 76,047, or 11 percent of the District-wide total. The area lost five to 10 percent of its population in each decennial census between 1960 and 2000. However, the population increased by about 8,500 people between 2000 and 2015 and is estimated to increase to 112,477 people by 2045. ³

As of 2017, 31.6 percent of the area’s residents were under 18, compared to 17.6 percent in the District, while only 7.9 percent are over 65, compared to the District-wide total of 11.9 percent. Since 2000, the percentage of youth has decreased (from 36.8 to 31.6 percent), while those over age 65 has increased (from 6.1 to 7.9 percent). ⁴

Approximately 91 percent of the area’s population is Black, which is significantly higher than the District-wide total of 47.7 percent. Only 1.8 percent of the area’s residents are of Hispanic/Latino origin, and 2.1 percent are foreign born. These percentages have stayed relatively stable since 2000. ⁵

Housing Characteristics ⁶

As of 2017, Far Southeast/Southwest had about 30,266 housing units. About 14 percent of these units were vacant, which is higher than the District-wide total of 9.9 percent. Compared to the rest of Washington, DC, the Planning Area has an abundance of small apartment buildings—31 percent of the housing units were in 5-9 unit buildings, and 9.4 percent were in 10-19 unit buildings. Combined, these percentages are nearly on par with the District-wide figure of 46 percent. There were no housing units in buildings of 20 units or more; yet, District-wide that figure was 34.2 percent. Only 6.8 percent of the housing units were single-family detached homes, less than half the District-wide figure. ⁷

As one might expect given the high percentage of rental multi-family buildings, the homeownership rate in the Planning Area is low: 19 percent in 2017 compared to 41.7 percent District-wide. ⁸

AREA ELEMENTS

Figure 18.2:

Far Southeast/Southwest at a Glance 1803.4[^ ]

* Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.

AREA ELEMENTS

Income and Employment ¹

Information provided by the District Department of Employment Services (DOES) and the Office of Planning (OP) shows that there were 19,819 jobs in Far Southeast/Southwest in 2017. Most are in the educational services and health care fields. As of the 2017 Census, the median household income for the area was $30,734 per year, less than one-half of the District’s median income of $77,649. Given the low incomes, the Planning Area also had the highest percentage of residents below the poverty level at 36.9 percent, more than double the District-wide total of 17.4 percent. ²

In the fourth quarter of 2005, the unemployment rate in Far Southeast/Southwest was 13 percent. This was four times higher than the rate in Rock Creek West neighborhoods and more than three times the average for the Washington region. Data on commuting patterns indicate that 31 percent of the employed residents in the Planning Area commuted to jobs in Central Washington, DC. Some eight percent worked within the Far Southeast/Southwest Planning Area itself, and 34 percent commuted to jobs elsewhere in Washington, DC. The remaining 26 percent commuted to Maryland or Virginia. ³

Projections ⁴

Based on land availability, recent development activity, planning policies, and regional growth trends, significant growth is expected during the next 20 years. The Planning Area is expected to grow from about 26,616 households in 2015 to 36,774 households in 2045, an increase of about 38 percent. By 2045, the area is expected to have a population of almost 112,477. While this is still fewer residents than the area had during the peak years of the 1950s, it marks a major turnaround after five decades of population decline. The projections assume that vacant and abandoned housing units in the Planning Area will be refurbished or replaced, and that new units will be developed on vacant and underused sites. ⁵

A period of sustained growth in the Planning Area has already started. From 2006 to the present, an astonishing 8,000 units of housing have been constructed or rehabilitated, including more than 1,000 new units in HOPE VI projects at the former Stanton Dwellings, Frederick Douglass Homes, and Valley Green public housing developments. Infill development is also expected along Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE, South Capitol Street SE, and on scattered vacant sites. ⁶

In 2017, 23,996 jobs were in the Planning Area. Additional jobs are forecast in the Planning Area by 2045. Future job centers include St. Elizabeths, DC Village, and the Anacostia Metro station and Gateway areas. ⁷

AREA ELEMENTS

Planning and Development Priorities ¹

This section summarizes the opportunities and challenges residents and stakeholders prioritized during the 2006 Comprehensive Plan revision. During large community workshops, residents shared their feedback on District-wide and neighborhood specific issues. Since the 2006 community workshops, however, some of the challenges and opportunities facing the community have evolved. The following summary does not reflect new community priorities or feedback from either amendment cycle but summarizes the most important issues during the 2006 Comprehensive Plan revision.²

Three Comprehensive Plan workshops took place in Far Southeast/ Southwest during 2005 and 2006. Many residents, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners (ANCs), and civic association leaders provided input at these meetings, where they discussed local planning issues and priorities. There have also been many meetings in the community not directly connected to the Comprehensive Plan, but focusing on other long-range planning issues. Topics such as the rebuilding of the 11th Street and South Capitol Street Bridges, development of Poplar Point, the redevelopment of Camp Simms and St. Elizabeths, and streetscape improvements for Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE were addressed at public meetings. ³

Several important messages came across in these meetings, including:

• An improved educational system, job and vocational training system, and social service safety net are essential to the area’s future. A 40 percent high school dropout rate is unacceptable—and the double-digit unemployment that results in part from inadequate education also is unacceptable. Improved job training and adult education are essential to alleviate unemployment, under-employment, and poverty, and additional facilities to house these services are needed. As noted elsewhere in the Comprehensive Plan, establishing a community college or branch campus of the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) east of the Anacostia River could go a long way toward preparing youth and adults for good, quality jobs in the District’s economy. Ample access to transit is essential to connecting residents with jobs in the District and elsewhere in the region.
• Concerns about drug use and violence were voiced, including the impacts caused that were felt by the community. While the root causes of this issue are complex, greater investment in schools, libraries, child care centers, recreation centers, parks, and health clinics would provide an important start toward improved public safety. Many residents advocated for improved public facilities and services; the development that is planned for this area over the next

⬚ figure Oxon Run

AREA ELEMENTS

20years should be leveraged to make this a reality. The Anacostia and Washington Highlands Libraries should be reconstructed. Anacostia High, Ketcham, Birney, Savoy, Ballou, and other schools should be modernized. Public facility improvements should be the cornerstone of any revitalization or neighborhood economic development program in this area.

• Far Southeast/Southwest needs more high-quality housing options that are suitable for families and younger homeowners. Poorly maintained rental apartments and public housing units do not provide enough opportunities for home ownership. The established single-family, row house, and duplex neighborhoods should be preserved and enhanced. Additional low- to moderate-density housing should be encouraged as sites such as St. Elizabeths (East Campus) and Sheridan Terrace as they are redeveloped. In some areas, rezoning may be needed to promote the desired housing types—currently, much of the area is zoned R-5-A, which perpetuates the garden apartment pattern.

• The community recognized that there are opportunities for increased density within the Planning Area, especially around the Metro stations at Anacostia and Congress Heights, at St. Elizabeths, and in neighborhood centers along Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE and South Capitol Street SE. Transit-oriented development in these areas could provide opportunities for older adults, households without cars, younger renters, and others. Residents would like an array of housing choices, but believe that higher-density housing should be limited to the areas listed above. Beyond these areas, many residents expressed the opinion that deteriorating apartment complexes should be replaced with less dense housing over time. This is what has happened at Frederick Douglass, Stanton Dwellings, and Valley Green, with public housing replaced by mixed-income townhomes and detached units. Many residents asked that the remaining vacant sites in the community be planned and zoned for single-family homes rather than more garden apartments.

• Housing maintenance is an issue in the Planning Area and affects the lives of residents in many ways. Residents are concerned about rising costs—especially rising rents and property taxes. The demolition of much of the area’s public housing has displaced some long-time residents and created concerns about future redevelopment. There is an interest in preserving the affordability of some of the area’s rental housing through rehabilitation and renovation. There are also concerns about lax code enforcement, unpermitted construction, and a continued need to clean up vacant and abandoned properties.

AREA ELEMENTS

• More retail services are needed in the community, especially supermarkets and sit-down restaurants. The community also needs basic services like full-service gas stations and hardware stores, so residents do not have to travel to Prince George's County to shop. The Camp Simms Shopping Center is an important step in the right direction; additional investment should be made in the existing retail centers along Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE, Good Hope Road SE, Alabama Road SE, and South Capitol Street SE. Façade improvements, streetscape improvements, and upgraded public transit along these streets can help existing businesses and promote new businesses—with the added benefit of creating new jobs for area residents.

• Traffic congestion is an issue, with much of the traffic generated by non-residents passing through the area or using local streets as shortcuts when I-295 is congested. Traffic calming measures are needed to reduce cut-through traffic, and to slow down speeding traffic and reduce unsafe driving. Public transit improvements also are needed. Approximately half of the area’s households do not own a car and rely on the Metrobus or Metrorail to get around. Residents are concerned that projects like the Anacostia streetcar will reduce bus service, especially across the Anacostia River.

• Despite its proximity to the waterfront, much of Far Southeast/Southwest is cut off from the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers. Access to the Potomac River is limited due to the uses along the shoreline (Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling and the Blue Plains treatment plant). Anacostia River access is difficult due to the I-295 freeway, railroad tracks, and other barriers. Crossing the river on the South Capitol Street or 11th/12th Street bridges is difficult, if not impossible, for pedestrians and bicyclists. Better access to Poplar Point and Anacostia Park on the north, and to Oxon Cove on the south, should be achieved in the future. Historic Anacostia was born as a waterfront community and its identity as a waterfront community should be restored in the future.

• Far Southeast/Southwest contains hilly topography. A prominent ridgeline crosses the area, affording picturesque views of Washington, DC and abundant natural scenery. In some cases, development has been insensitive to topography, not only missing an opportunity for better design, but also causing soil erosion and unnecessary grading and tree removal. The disregard for the natural environment also manifests itself in illegal dumping, which is an issue along Oxon Run, in other streambeds, and on vacant land throughout the area. A cleaner environment, and preservation of the area’s natural beauty, are both high priorities. 1807.3

AREA ELEMENTS

Policies and Actions

FSS-1 General Policies

FSS-1.1 Guiding Growth and Neighborhood Conservation ¹

The following general policies and actions should guide growth and neighborhood conservation decisions in Far Southeast/Southwest. These policies and actions should be considered in tandem with those in the Citywide Elements of the Comprehensive Plan. ²

Policy FSS-1.1.1: Directing Growth

The presence of the Anacostia Metro station and the upcoming redevelopment of the St. Elizabeths Hospital site, including the consolidation of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to the west campus, continue to provide an unprecedented opportunity to catalyze economic development in the Far Southeast/Southwest Planning Area. The Great Streets corridor along Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE from the Anacostia River on the north to just past Malcolm X Avenue SE on the south, including the St. Elizabeths Hospital site, should be developed with medium- to high-density mixed uses, offering supportive retail services to office workers and residents alike, and providing housing opportunities to people who want to live and work in the area. Strongly promote mixed-use development, including retail, service, and residential uses, as well as office uses, on the portions of the St. Elizabeths Hospital site along Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE. Such mixed-use development should face the street and be open to the public, outside security barriers that may otherwise be required. Additional opportunities for future housing development and employment growth in Far Southeast/Southwest should be directed to the area around the Congress Heights Metro station, along the Great Streets corridors of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE and South Capitol Street SE, and on the DC Circulator routes to provide improved transit and automobile access to these areas and improve their visual and urban design qualities. The DC Circulator is a key element for affordably moving people around to jobs and amenities in an environmentally friendly way. Any increase in zoning or density around the Metro Station shall only be available through a Planned Unit Development (PUD). Approvals of zoning variations for height or density through PUDs shall include commensurate benefits for the neighborhood in terms of education and job opportunities, new and affordable housing for homeownership, improved urban design, and public infrastructure improvements. The PUD should include civic and cultural amenities, promote quality in design of buildings and public spaces, support local schools, create opportunities for cultural events and public art, and enhance the public realm by addressing safety and cleanliness issues. ³

A R E A E L E M E N T S

Policy FSS-1.1.2: Preservation of Lower-Density Neighborhoods

Preserve existing single-family housing within Far Southeast/Southwest by appropriately designating such areas as Low-Density Residential (LDR) on the Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map and by zoning such areas for single-family, rather than multi-family, housing. 1808.3¹

Policy FSS-1.1.3: Rehabilitation of Multi-Family Housing

Support rehabilitation and stronger and more consistent code enforcement for the many garden apartments in the Planning Area, particularly in Shipley Terrace, Knox Hill, and Washington Highlands. Support District programs that provide financial assistance to renovate such complexes, with the condition that a significant portion of the units are preserved as affordable after renovation. 1808.4²

Policy FSS-1.1.4: Infill Housing Development

Support infill housing development on vacant sites within Far Southeast/ Southwest, especially in Historic Anacostia and in the Hillsdale, Fort Stanton, Bellevue, Congress Heights, and Washington Highlands neighborhoods. Infill with affordable housing options can help meet the demand of low-income families currently living in the Planning Area, reduce the rates of families living without housing, and decrease the affordable housing waitlist. Infill with housing for persons of low and moderate income can help provide homes for persons and families who might otherwise be displaced from Washington, DC due to high housing costs. 1808.5³

Policy FSS-1.1.5: Transportation Improvements

Undertake transportation improvements and design changes that reduce the amount of cut-through commuter traffic on local streets. These changes should include new bridges over the Anacostia River, redesigned ramps, and better connections between downtown, I-295, and Suitland Parkway. 1808.6⁴

Policy FSS-1.1.6: Retail Development

Support additional retail development within Far Southeast/Southwest, especially in Historic Anacostia and in the neighborhood centers at Malcolm X Avenue SE /Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE and South Capitol Street SE/ Atlantic Avenue SE. Projects that combine upper story housing or offices and ground floor retail are particularly encouraged in these three locations. 1808.7⁵

Policy FSS-1.1.7: Grocery Stores and Services

Attract additional supermarkets; a variety of food retail; sit-down, family-style restaurants; full-service gas stations; and general merchandise stores to Far Southeast/Southwest. The area’s larger commercial sites should be

⬚ figure Wheeler Creek

AREA ELEMENTS

marketed to potential investors, and economic and regulatory incentives should be used to attract business, especially grocery retail, farms, and other fresh food producers to provide for equitable opportunities to access food options. The upgrading and renovation of the area’s existing auto-oriented shopping centers is strongly encouraged to reflect Washington, DC’s community development and sustainability goals. 1808.8¹

Policy FSS-1.1.8: Parking

Support additional dedicated off-street parking and loading areas in the business districts at Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE/Malcolm X Avenue SE, Alabama Avenue SE/23rd Street SE, and Historic Anacostia. Work with local merchants in each area to identify potential sites. 1808.9²

Policy FSS-1.1.9: Minority/Small Disadvantaged Business Development

Provide technical assistance to minority-owned and small businesses in Far Southeast/Southwest to improve the range of goods and services available to the community. Joint venture opportunities, minority business set-asides, business incubator centers, and assistance to community-based development organizations should all be used to jumpstart local business and provide jobs in the community. 1808.10³

Policy FSS-1.1.10: Workforce Development Centers

Support the development of additional job training facilities and workforce development centers, including the Infrastructure Academy. Encourage the retention of existing job training centers and the development of new centers on sites such as the St. Elizabeths Campus and DC Village to increase employment opportunities for local residents. 1808.11⁴

Policy FSS-1.1.11: Increasing Homeownership

Address the low rate of homeownership in Far Southeast/Southwest by providing more owner-occupied housing in new construction, encouraging the construction of single-family homes, and supporting the conversion of rental apartments to owner-occupied housing, with an emphasis on units that are affordable to current tenants. 1808.12⁵

See the Housing Element for additional information, policies, and actions on increasing homeownership opportunities.

Policy FSS-1.1.12: School Modernization

Strongly support the modernization of schools in the Far Southeast/Southwest Planning Area. Plans for additional housing should be accompanied by a commitment to improving educational facilities to meet current and future needs and recognizing that education is among the community’s highest priorities. 1808.13⁶

AREA ELEMENTS

Policy FSS-1.1.13: District Government Incentives for Economic Development

Use the full range of incentives and tools available to the District government, including tax abatements, tax increment financing, payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs), eminent domain, and PUDs to promote and leverage economic development in the Far Southeast/Southwest Planning Area. 1808.14

Policy FSS-1.1.14: Sustainable Development

Provide innovative solutions for sustaining economic growth without harming the environment or exhausting its resources while improving the quality of life for current and future residents. 1808.15

Policy FSS-1.1.15: Neighborhood Resilience

Leverage the District’s ongoing climate preparedness and adaptation work to encourage the implementation of neighborhood-scale and site-specific solutions for a more resilient District. This includes the development of actionable policies and projects that decrease the vulnerability of people, places, and systems in the Planning Area to climate risks despite changing or uncertain future conditions. 1808.16

Policy FSS-R.1.1.16: Resilient Housing

Encourage the use of climate-resilient and energy-efficient design practices for new residential developments, especially in the construction of affordable housing units. These practices include cool and living roofs, solar shading, natural ventilation, and other passive cooling techniques that will reduce the impacts of extreme heat events on the area’s most vulnerable residents. They also include the use of green infrastructure methods that can reduce the urban heat island effect and potential flooding risks by preserving or expanding green space, tree cover, and other natural features. 1808.17

Action FSS-R.1.1.A: Resilient Public Facilities Identify and support greater investments to make the existing public facilities in the Far Southeast/Southwest Planning Area more resilient to the anticipated effects of extreme heat, floods, severe weather, and health events. This includes incorporating necessary upgrades or retrofits to the improvement or reconstruction of schools, libraries, child care centers, recreation centers, health clinics, and other facilities that provide services to residents at a higher health risk and vulnerable to climate risks and social inequities. 1808.18

Action FSS-1.1.B: Sustainable Congress Heights (EcoDistricts) Identify goals and priority projects to achieve them. Topics should include: access and mobility, healthy and active living, housing affordability and

⬚ figure Congress Heights Senior Wellness Center

AREA ELEMENTS

⬚ figure Washington Skyline

stability, economic and workforce development, materials management, watershed and habitat, and energy. 1808.19¹

Action FSS-1.1.C: Pilot Displacement-Free Strategies Explore and develop pilot strategies to protect against displacement in a Ward 8 area facing the threat of resident and local business displacement from rapid economic development. Strategies could include an expanded version (to a greater number of low income residents) of the senior citizen real property tax deferral program, and the deployment of organizers to ensure that tenant associations are formed and to build capacity of existing tenant associations so that they are aware of their rights under District law. Strategies should address low-income homeowners and renters of private, public and subsidized housing. Use the results of the pilot to identify District-wide applications. 1808.20²

FSS-1.2 Conserving and Enhancing Community Resources 1809³

Policy FSS-1.2.1: Health Care Facilities

Sustain and support capacity and equity in existing health care facilities in Far Southeast/Southwest and develop additional health care and social service facilities to respond to the urgent unmet need for primary and urgent care, pre- and post-natal care, child care, youth development, family counseling, and drug and alcohol treatment centers. Pursue co-location or consolidation of these facilities with other public facilities where possible and where the uses are compatible. 1809.1⁴

Policy FSS-1.2.2: Historic Resources

Protect and preserve buildings and places of historic significance in the Far Southeast/Southwest community, such as the Anacostia and St. Elizabeths Hospital historic districts. Identify and increase public awareness of other places of potential significance, and consider appropriate protections, incorporating the community's recommendations as part of the process. Support the designation of additional historic landmarks within the Far Southeast/Southwest neighborhoods. 1809.2⁵

Policy FSS-1.2.3: Connecting to the River

Reconnect the neighborhoods of Far Southeast/Southwest to the Anacostia River, particularly through the redevelopment of Poplar Point, implementation of the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative (AWI) park and trail improvements, and reconstruction of the Anacostia River bridges. Support NPS in its efforts to improve Anacostia Park amenities and access points to better serve the community. 1809.3⁶

AREA ELEMENTS

Policy FSS-1.2.4: Designing with Nature

Protect and enhance the wooded ridges and slopes of Far Southeast/ Southwest, particularly views of Washington, DC’s monumental core from the major north-south ridge that crosses the area. Development should be particularly sensitive to environmental features along Oxon Run Parkway, Shepherd Parkway (along I-295), and on the St. Elizabeths and DC Village sites. 1809.4

Policy FSS-1.2.5: Soil Erosion

Correct existing soil erosion problems in Far Southeast/Southwest, particularly in Congress Heights, Buena Vista, and Washington Highlands, and ensure that new development mitigates potential impacts on soil stability. 1809.6¹

Policy FSS-1.2.6: Far Southeast/Southwest Neighborhood Climate Resilience

Leverage Washington, DC’s climate adaptation and flood risk reduction efforts and implement neighborhood-scale and site-specific solutions for flood resilience in the Potomac River neighborhoods adjacent to Blue Plains and the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. 1809.7

Action: FSS-1.2.A: Far Southeast/Southwest Climate Resilience

Develop actionable strategies and projects that decrease the vulnerability of community members, housing and community facilities, and local businesses and community-serving institutions from both current flooding risks and future risks due to climate change. 1809.8

Action FSS-1.2.B: Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment Plant

Work with DC Water to reduce foul odors at the Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment Plant. Land uses on DC Village and elsewhere in the vicinity of the plant should be regulated in a way that limits the exposure of future residents to odors and other hazards associated with the plant. 1809.9

Action FSS-1.2.C: Shepherd Parkway

Coordinate with local and federal partners to enrich existing park conditions, improve the health of the park system, and address safety and maintenance concerns. 1809.10

AREA ELEMENTS

Action FSS-1.2.D: Parks and Recreation

Coordinate with Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to improve community park and recreation facilities. 1809.11

Action FSS-1.2.E: Fort Circle Parks

Improve the Civil War Defenses of Washington, also known as the Fort Circle Parks, within Far Southeast/Southwest, including upgrades to the Fort Circle Trail and additional recreational facilities and amenities at Fort Stanton Park. 1809.12

FSS-2 Policy Focus Areas ¹

The Comprehensive Plan has identified seven areas in Far Southeast/ Southwest as Policy Focus Areas, indicating that they require a level of direction and guidance above that in the prior section of this Area Element and in the Citywide Elements (see Map 18.1 and Figure 18.3). These areas are:

• Historic Anacostia
• St. Elizabeths Campus
• Barry Farm/Hillsdale/Fort Stanton
• Congress Heights Metro Station
• Congress Heights Commercial District
• Bellevue/Washington Highlands
• DC Village 1810.1

⬚ figure

A R E A E L E M E N T S

Map 18.1:

Far Southeast/Southwest Policy Focus Areas ¹

⬚ figure

AREA ELEMENTS

⬚ figure

Historic Anacostia

FSS-2.1 Historic Anacostia ¹

Since the 1980s, much of the planning activity in Wards 7 and 8 has focused on Historic Anacostia. The area always has had symbolic importance because it is the oldest area of continuous settlement east of the river and the gateway to neighborhoods in Ward 8. Its narrow streets, wood frame row houses, well-defined business district, and hilly terrain create the ambiance of a small historic mill town, yet it is literally minutes away from the U.S. Capitol. The extension of the Metro Green Line in the early 1990s made the area more accessible and has created more economic opportunities. ²

The business district was designated as a District Main Street in 2002, and commercial facade and streetscape improvements have been completed. The abandoned Nichols School has been beautifully refurbished and reopened as Thurgood Marshall Academy. Future development at Poplar Point and St. Elizabeths should also contribute to the vitality of Historic Anacostia. ³

Much of the development and investment that has taken place in the past decade has been guided by the Anacostia Transit Area Strategic Investment and Development Plan, which was approved by the D.C. Council in 2006 to provide guidance on several key sites along the Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE corridor from the four-acre Metro station site on the south to the gateway at Good Hope Road SE on the north. This plan proposes mixed-use development on vacant sites, restoration of historic buildings, better ground floor retail, a return to two-way traffic on Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE, and improved connections to parks and adjacent neighborhoods. The plan identified three distinct centers of activity, which are summarized in Policy FSS-2.1.2. ⁴

Policy FSS-2.1.1: Historic Anacostia Revitalization

Encourage the continued revitalization of Historic Anacostia as a safe, walkable, and attractive neighborhood, with restored historic buildings and compatible well-designed mixed-use projects. New development should serve a variety of income groups and household types and restore needed retail services to the community. ⁵

Policy FSS-2.1.2: Activity Concentrations

Concentrate development activity in Historic Anacostia at the following locations:

• The Metro station, including the station site and the adjacent Bethlehem Baptist Church site, which should be developed with a mix of single- and multi-family homes with ground floor retail, and strongly encourage the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to make its land available for joint development;

AREA ELEMENTS

• The W Street SE /Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE area, where diverse new housing opportunities and ground floor retail should be encouraged on parking lots and underused sites; and
• The Gateway area (at Good Hope Road SE), where a government center has been developed and additional public properties are available for mixed-use development.

Other opportunities exist for residences, shops, offices, and arts uses that use medium- and high-density sites on the Metro station site and in its immediate vicinity. Any increase in zoning or density around the Metro station shall only be available through a PUD with the expectation that commensurate benefits shall accrue to the neighborhood. Those benefits could include providing affordable housing and homeownership opportunities, public infrastructure improvements, and civic and cultural amenities, promoting quality in design of buildings and public spaces, supporting local schools, creating opportunities for cultural events and public art, and enhancing the public realm by addressing safety and cleanliness issues. 1811.5¹

Policy FSS-2.1.3: Pedestrian Connectivity

Improve connections between the Anacostia Metro station, Poplar Point, Anacostia Park, Cedar Hill, the Good Hope Road SE area, and Hillsdale/ Fort Stanton, especially for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. 1811.6²

Policy FSS-2.1.4: Historic Preservation

Encourage continued historic preservation efforts in Anacostia, including the restoration of commercial facades along Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE and Good Hope Road SE and the rehabilitation of older and historic residential and commercial buildings. 1811.7³

FSS-2.2 St. Elizabeths Campus 1812⁴

The St. Elizabeths East Campus contains 336 acres and is one of the most historically significant and strategically located properties in all of Washington, DC. It is divided into a 154-acre East Campus, which is under District control, and a 183-acre West Campus, which is under federal control. The East Campus was transferred to the District by the federal government in 1987. A new behavioral health hospital was built on the East Campus in 2010 and is operated by the District Department of Behavioral Health. 1812.1⁵

⬚ figure

St. Elizabeths

AREA ELEMENTS

Where people live can have a major impact on their health. Issues with access to care, the prevalence of chronic disease, insurance coverage, and access to other resources vary by wards within the District. Residents of Wards 7 and 8 have higher rates of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes compared with other wards. For these reasons, Ward 8 needs an acute care hospital. This new hospital can help address these challenges by making access to a fully integrated health care system easier for thousands of Washingtonians, particularly those residing in Southeast Washington, DC. ¹

A Framework Plan for the East Campus was approved in 2006. The Framework Plan recommended a phased development program with up to 1,035 additional housing units, 540,000 square feet of office and retail space, new academic and cultural facilities, and new District parks and plazas. It proposed adaptive reuse of many of the existing buildings. The Framework Plan took particular care to integrate the East Campus into the adjacent Congress Heights neighborhood and to maximize access to the Congress Heights Metro station. Four development areas were identified, each defined by a unique mix of uses, density, scale, and character. An extensive network of public open space was also proposed, including formal plazas and quadrangles, linear parks, lawns, and forested land. ²

The Framework Plan called for the completion of a Master Plan and Design Guidelines, which were completed in 2012. The St. Elizabeths East Master Plan and Design Guidelines is the result of a decade of assessment, outreach, analysis, and planning to address a historic campus that is one of Washington, DC’s largest underdeveloped sites and the future setting for sustainable development, historic revitalization, and open space. The District has allocated significant capital funding to St. Elizabeths East to design and build the public infrastructure improvements needed to support all planned future development, including roadways, water, gas, electric, telecommunications, streetscapes, and street lighting, in addition to the demolition of certain structures deemed to be non-contributing to the historic status of the campus. ³

Additionally, the renovated chapel on the East Campus is now the R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center. The name was selected by the community and stands for Relate, Innovate, Stimulate, and Elevate. The center serves as a flexible meeting, technology, and demonstration space. It was designed to build interest in the redevelopment of the St. Elizabeths East Campus as an innovation hub by drawing in the surrounding community and creating bonds with Ward 8 residents. ⁴

In 2018, a new state-of-the-art Entertainment and Sports Arena was completed at the St. Elizabeths East Campus in Ward 8. This effort aims to transform an underserved neighborhood by providing more amenities, leading to a new revitalized destination. This venue acts as home court for the District’s WNBA team, the Washington Mystics, and new G-League

A R E A E L E M E N T S

team, the Capital City Go-Go. It also serves as the official practice facility for the NBA’s Washington Wizards and additional entertainment, sports, and eSports programming. The 120,000 square-foot facility is projected to produce $90 million in new tax revenue over 20 years and attract more than 380,000 visitors per year. ¹

The fate of the West Campus has been in flux for more than a decade. Many of the site’s historic buildings are in disrepair and will require costly renovation. In 2005, the federal government announced its intent to develop the site as a secured office complex for the U.S. Coast Guard. Other divisions of the DHS also may relocate there; current estimates call for between 4,000 and 14,000 federal employees. Improvements to the road and transit network will be required as this area redevelops. Great care must be taken to retain the historic proportions of the site and its buildings and landscapes. ²

The federal General Services Administration (GSA) is currently amending the 2009 DHS Consolidation Final Master Plan and the 2012 DHS Consolidation Final Master Plan Amendment to more efficiently house DHS and its operating components on the St. Elizabeths West Campus. The U.S. Coast Guard headquarters building has been completed and is located on the West Campus of St. Elizabeths. This 1.3 million square foot complex marks the first phase of the creation of a headquarters for the entire DHS. ³

Policy FSS-2.2.1: St. Elizabeths East Campus

Redevelop the East Campus of St. Elizabeths Hospital as a new community containing a mix of uses, including mixed-density housing, retail shops, offices, a comprehensive behavioral health care facility, a new hospital, entertainment uses, urban farms (including on rooftops), and parks and open space. Mixed-use development, including retail and service uses, should be promoted along Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE, facing the street and open to the public. Other uses such as satellite college campuses, civic uses, and local public facilities should be incorporated. ⁴

Policy FSS-2.2.2: Relationship to Nearby Uses

Ensure that future development on St. Elizabeths enhance the surrounding neighborhood. It is particularly important that the site’s reuse is coordinated with planning for the nearby Anacostia and Congress Heights Metro stations, Poplar Point, Barry Farm, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE/Malcolm X shopping district. ⁵

Policy FSS-2.2.3: Development Density

Provide development densities and intensities on the site that are compatible with adjacent residential neighborhoods and promote new economic development of the site, with moderate to medium-density residential and commercial on most of the site, and higher densities clustered in the area closest to Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE and the Congress Heights

AREA ELEMENTS

⬚ figure

Barry Farms

Metro station. Areas for high density should include the North Campus subarea and the area surrounding the ravine, taking advantage of the steep topography to accommodate additional height and density without negatively impacting viewsheds. 1812.11

Action FSS-2.2.A: St. Elizabeths West Campus

Work collaboratively with the federal government on the reuse of the West Campus. Priority should be given to preserve historic resources including not only the buildings but also the historic open spaces and massing of buildings on the site. To the greatest extent feasible, redevelopment of the West Campus should create new publicly accessible open space and be coordinated with redevelopment of the East Campus. Integrate DHS consolidation into the surrounding community to the greatest extent possible. 1812.12

Action FSS-2.2.B: Leveraging Neighborhood Economic Development

Coordinate with federal partners to leverage the location of DHS on the West Campus and a portion of the East Campus to bring needed economic development opportunities to Ward 8, especially retail opportunities to serve both existing and new residents, as well as workers and visitors generated by new uses. 1812.13

FSS-2.3 Barry Farm, Hillsdale, and Fort Stanton ¹

The neighborhoods of Barry Farm, Hillsdale, and Fort Stanton are sandwiched between Historic Anacostia on the north and the St. Elizabeths Campus and Suitland Parkway on the south. While these three neighborhoods are currently home to more than 8,000 residents, they also contain some of the largest vacant sites in Ward 8. For example, the nine-acre Sheridan Station site sat vacant between 1996 and 2007, after the apartment complex that once stood there was demolished. Sheridan Station joined Matthews Memorial Church as a development opportunity that has provided high-quality housing options for District residents and expanded mixed-income communities in Ward 8. Phase 1, completed in December 2011, consists of 144 units of multi-family and townhouse rentals. The project has provided 65 replacement housing units for Barry Farms residents, with 25 units delivered in 2011 and 40 units in 2014. This focus area includes one of Washington, DC’s largest public housing complexes at Barry Farm, the historic Fort Stanton Park, and the Smithsonian Institution Anacostia Museum. Topography in the area is hilly, affording panoramic views of Central Washington, DC. 1813.1

This area has been called out in the Area Element for three reasons. First, Barry Farm has been identified as a new community, and policies are in place through a Master Plan to guide future change. Second, policies are needed to encourage development to be sensitive to the hilly terrain and the

AREA ELEMENTS

area’s established moderate- to low- density character, although increased density is anticipated to accommodate redevelopment of a mixed-use, mixed-income community with the one-for-one replacement of existing public housing units. Third, policies should encourage a better connection of this area to the fast-changing areas on the north and south, with improved access to transit, parks, jobs, public facilities, and retail services. Barry Farm, Hillsdale, and Fort Stanton should not be left behind as the areas around them move forward. In 2006, the D.C. Council approved the Barry Farm Redevelopment Plan. Consistent with the New Communities Initiative (NCI), the goal of the redevelopment effort is to transform the affordable housing development into a mixed-income, mixed-use community. In 2020 the Historic Preservation Review Board designated a portion of Barry Farm Dwellings as a historic landmark. It is envisioned that one of the landmarks buildings would house a museum and cultural center to commemorate the legacy of Barry Farm. 1813.2

Policy FSS-2.3.1: Barry Farm New Community

Rebuild Barry Farm in a manner that:

• Ensures one for one replacement of any public housing unit that is removed at unit sizes needed by former residents and residents’ right to return to a replacement unit under the same tenancy qualifications. Provide family sized housing in a manner that meets tenants’ housing needs and the needs of households on the public housing unit waiting list.
• Incorporates measures to assist residents and avoid dislocation and displacement or personal hardship, such as provision of storage.
• Creates additional opportunities for affordable moderate-income and market rate housing on the site, consistent with the requirements of the District’s NCI, and homeownership opportunities for returning residents.
• Provides new amenities, such as community facilities, parks, early childhood development, incubation of resident-owned businesses, and improved access to the Anacostia River and Anacostia Metro station.
• The District of Columbia Housing Authority and site developers must continue to engage, inform and provide equitable community participation with the residents, neighborhood, and other stakeholders throughout the redevelopment of the Barry Farms property, and document site development and community agreements.
• Honors the significant history of the Barry Farm community and its many residents who have contributed to DC’s culture through academic, sports, music and the struggle for the liberation of African

AREA ELEMENTS

Americans through the study of the commemorative reuse of the Barry Farm historic landmark site.

• Respects the self-governance and leadership of subsidized tenants by recognizing and supporting resident-led organizations and initiatives, respecting resident input and influence over decision making, and ensuring that no two-tiered system of residency rights and privileges is created whereby subsidized tenants are treated differently or have lesser access to amenities than their non-subsidized counterparts.

While some increase in density will be required to meet the one-for-one replacement goal, consideration should be given to including nearby vacant land in the new community site so that densities may remain in the moderate to medium range with ample green and open space as anticipated by the 2006 Barry Farm Redevelopment Plan and as measured across the overall new community site. Building heights may exceed those heights typically used in medium-density zones, particularly near larger roads on the edge of the site, to accommodate the moderate to medium density over the entire site. 1813.3¹

Policy FSS-2.3.2: Housing Opportunities

Encourage compatible infill development on vacant and underused land within the Hillsdale and Fort Stanton neighborhoods, emphasizing low-to moderate-density housing designed for families while allowing higher densities where appropriate to increase housing opportunities near transit. Special care should be taken to respect the area’s topography, avoid erosion, improve the street and circulation system, and mitigate any traffic increases caused by new development. 1813.4²

Action FSS-2.3.A: Connections to Adjacent Areas

Improve pedestrian, protected bicycle, and road connections between the Barry Farm, Hillsdale, and Fort Stanton communities, and between these communities and the future developments at Poplar Point and the St. Elizabeths Campus. Residents should be able to safely walk or bicycle to the Anacostia Metro station, Anacostia Park, and Fort Stanton Park. 1813.5³

Action FSS-2.3.B: Barry Farm Historic Landmark

Work with nonprofit partners and residents to restore the Barry Farm Historic Landmark, a grouping of five buildings at the corner of Stevens Road SE and Firth Sterling Avenue SE, to create a public museum, archive and educational space dedicated to the study of Barry Farm neighborhood history, and the connections to the early post-Civil War community, civil rights, public housing, go-go music, and other themes connected to the history of the community. 1813.6⁴

AREA ELEMENTS

FSS-2.4 Congress Heights Metro Station ¹

The Congress Heights Metro station is the last station on the Metro Green Line before leaving Washington, DC. The station is about five acres in size and consists of a surface parking lot and subway entrance. Its location on the southeastern edge of the St. Elizabeths Campus made it a critical part of the hospital redevelopment and suggests it will become an increasingly important gateway to the area in the coming years. Land uses in the immediate vicinity include Malcolm X Elementary School, a police substation, apartment complexes, single-family homes, and a historic Jewish cemetery. Major projects within a half-mile of the station include the 600-unit Henson Ridge development and the Camp Simms shopping center and housing development. ²

The station is one of the newest in the Metro system, having opened in 2001. Passenger volumes are currently among the lowest in Washington, DC. It presents an important joint development opportunity, with the potential for new housing, retail, public, and open space uses, as well as Metro parking and bus transfer points. Future development will need to establish appropriate transitions to nearby uses, which are generally low- to moderate-density. Additional community-based planning has identified the right mix of uses and has addressed a variety of land use, transportation, and urban design issues in the Congress Heights community. ³

Congress Heights is a Ward 8 neighborhood with abundant community character and historic significance. Located on the hilltops that overlook the Anacostia River, Congress Heights takes its name from its undulating topography, which offers exceptional views of the U.S. Capitol and beyond. The neighborhood is a predominantly residential middle-income community developed primarily with a cohesive grouping of late 19th century through mid-20th century residential, commercial, and institutional buildings. ⁴

Congress Heights is currently experiencing some of the most exciting redevelopment activity in Ward 8. In May 2014, OP completed the CHASE Action Agenda and the CHASE Pattern Book. The Action Agenda includes two key pieces. The first is the Implementation Blueprint, which helps identify and prioritize actions, such as job training, entrepreneurship and small business development, housing, retail amenities, preservation and redevelopment, arts and culture, and transportation connections. The second piece is the Resource Guides and tools to help connect residents and businesses to District resources. ⁵

⬚ figure

Congress Heights metro station

AREA ELEMENTS

⬚ figure

Congress Heights mixed-use buildings

The CHASE Pattern Book provides design guidelines based on buildings in the Anacostia Historic District, but it has broad applicability in all the CHASE neighborhoods. It conforms to local zoning, which sets out the legal requirements for development, and it provides additional design guidance to encourage infill that respects existing neighborhood fabric. The combination of unique geographical assets and strong community involvement positions Congress Heights for inclusivity and vibrancy. 1814.5¹

Policy FSS-2.4.1: Congress Heights Metro Station Mixed Use

Encourage reuse of the Congress Heights Metro station site and its vicinity with mixed-use, medium-density residential and commercial development using PUDs that promote new economic development. Development on the site should be cognizant of the adjacent lower-density neighborhood to the west and south, and provide a connection to the future development on the St. Elizabeths Campus. 1814.6²

Action FSS-2.4.A: Congress Heights Gateway

Create a stronger sense of identity and a gateway for the Congress Heights neighborhood. Strongly encourage WMATA to make its land available for joint development around the Congress Heights Metro station. 1814.7³

FSS-2.5 Congress Heights Commercial District 1815⁴

This Policy Focus Area extends along Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE from the edge of the St. Elizabeths Campus south to the intersection of South Capitol Street SE. Land uses are mostly commercial between St. Elizabeths and Alabama Avenue SE and residential between Alabama Avenue SE and South Capitol. A range of other uses along this mile-long corridor including churches, nonprofits, and health clinics. The heart of the area is the intersection of Malcolm X Avenue SE and Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE, which is the main commercial center for the Congress Heights community. 1815.1⁵

Previous Comprehensive Plans for Washington, DC have identified this business district for revitalization, and several District and nonprofit initiatives have been launched to assist in its renewal. In 2005, the corridor was named as part of Washington, DC’s Great Streets Program. Its proximity to the redeveloping St. Elizabeths Campus means that it will continue to be an important center of neighborhood commerce. Efforts to strengthen and revitalize the corridor should continue, with infill development creating opportunities for new business and housing. 1815.2⁶

AREA ELEMENTS

Policy FSS-2.5.1: Martin Luther King, Jr./Malcolm X Business District

Encourage a new major retail commercial node at medium-density in the shopping area at Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X Avenues SE. Strengthen this area as the commercial hub of the Congress Heights neighborhood, and upgrade the mix of uses to better meet neighborhood needs. Enhance the opportunities to grow existing businesses in the area, and offer incentives for new small and local businesses. Any increase in density should be achieved through a PUD, and approval should consider community benefits in terms of education and job opportunities, new and affordable housing for homeownership, improved urban design, and public infrastructure improvements. PUDs shall promote quality in the design of buildings and public spaces, support local schools, create opportunities for cultural events and public art provide civic and cultural amenities, and enhance the public realm by addressing safety and cleanliness issues. 1815.3¹

Policy FSS-2.5.2: Great Street Housing Opportunities

Pursue opportunities for additional multi-family housing, possibly with ground floor retail or office uses at medium density, along the Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE corridor between St. Elizabeths Hospital and Alabama Avenue SE. 1815.4²

Policy FSS-2.5.3: Business Improvement

Support the continued efforts of the Anacostia BID and Congress Heights Main Street to manage and improve the Congress Heights and Anacostia shopping districts, provide adequate off-street parking and loading areas, manage on-street parking more effectively, and enhance building facades and storefronts. 1815.5³

Action FSS-2.5.A: Congress Heights Small Area Plan

Work with residents and community stakeholders on an equitable development strategy for the Congress Heights neighborhood. The Congress Heights Small Area Plan should include more specific details on the market for different uses on the site; the desired scale, mix, and intensity of development; future circulation patterns; and provisions for open space and public facilities. 1815.6⁴

Action: FSS-2.5.B: Pedestrian Safety and Vision Zero

Coordinate with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) on pedestrian safety enhancements and work to address Vision Zero concerns. 1815.7⁵

AREA ELEMENTS

⬚ figure William O. Lockridge-Bellevue Library

⬚ figure Trinity Plaza at Bellevue

FSS-2.6 Bellevue/Washington Highlands ¹

The Bellevue commercial district includes several blocks around the intersection of South Capitol and Atlantic Streets SE. The area is a traditional neighborhood center, including small retailers, a bank, food and liquor stores, a gas station, personal services, and a drugstore/training center for pharmacy technicians. It includes the former Atlantic Theater and the William O. Lockridge Library, constructed in 2012², and is adjacent to the new Patterson Elementary School campus. ²

In 2017, Mayor Bowser broke ground on South Capitol Street Apartments, a new development project that will deliver 195³ apartment units, ranging from efficiencies to three-bedrooms, and 5,000³ square feet of community space to the Bellevue neighborhood in Ward 8. The $59³ million development is being built on the site of the former South Capitol Street Shopping Center. Financing for the development includes $25³ million in gap funding from the District Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Housing Production Trust Fund, $23.19³ million in private equity raised through the sale of federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, and $30³ million in bond financing issued by the DC Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA). ³

The neighborhoods surrounding the commercial district include a large number of garden apartments, many in deteriorating condition. Some of these apartments were quickly constructed during the boom years of the 1940s and may need replacement or substantial renovation during the coming years. The policies below are intended to encourage the enhancement of neighborhood character will be enhanced and the retention of housing choices as these changes take place. ⁴

Policy FSS-2.6.1: Neighborhood Shopping Improvements

Encourage new commercial development and adaptive reuse of existing commercial buildings in the South Capitol/Atlantic Streets SE commercial district. Development should provide improved commercial goods and services to the surrounding Bellevue and Washington Highlands neighborhoods. ⁵

Policy FSS-2.6.2: Business Improvement

Support the continued efforts of local merchants to improve the Bellevue shopping district, provide adequate off-street parking and loading areas, and enhance building facades and storefronts. ⁶

AREA ELEMENTS

Policy FSS-2.6.3: Bellevue/Washington Highlands Infill

Encourage refurbishment or replacement of deteriorating apartment complexes within Bellevue and Washington Highlands. Where buildings are removed, encourage replacement with mixed-income housing, including owner-occupied, single-family homes and townhomes, as well as new apartments. Every effort shall be made to avoid resident displacement when such actions are taken and to provide existing residents with opportunities to purchase their units or find suitable housing in the community. 1816.6¹

FSS-2.7 DC Village ²

The 167-acre District of Columbia Village tract lies between Martin Luther King Jr Avenue and I-295, east of the Blue Plains Wastewater Plant, just south of Bellevue. The site houses an eclectic mix of city operations, including training facilities for the Police and Fire Departments, an impound lots for towed cars, an evidence warehouse, and a District-operated homeless shelter. Other public uses, including the greenhouses of the Architect of the Capitol and the Potomac Job Corps Center are located on the site. The National Park Service controls the forested land on the perimeter of the site, including Oxon Cove to the south. 1817.1³

DC Village, located in the Bellevue neighborhood, provides a vital resource for local government operations, but the site is poorly laid out. It is physically isolated from the rest of Washington, DC, and its internal street pattern is confusing and hard to navigate. Abandoned structures, weed-covered lots, winding streets, and semi-industrial uses create the impression of a forgotten backwater. The District and surrounding Ward 8 community have wrestled with the site's future for years. It was designated a Development Zone in 1986 and a Special Treatment Are by the previous Comprehensive Plan. Various uses have been considered over the years, including a 700-unit housing development, an industrial park, and even a prison (on the land to the south near Oxon Cove). 1817.2⁴

While there may be room for other uses on the site in the long term, the immediate priority is to reorganize existing uses and use the land more efficiently for District operations. DC Village is facing pressure to accommodate uses being displaced from the Anacostia Waterfront and other redeveloping areas. The site should be master planned and reorganized, with circulation improvements, higher design standards, and refurbishment or replacement of vacant buildings. 1817.3⁵

⬚ figure

DC Village

AREA ELEMENTS

Policy FSS-2.7.1: Retention of DC Village for Municipal Uses

Retain DC Village as a municipal facility that accommodates activities and functions that are vital to the operation of District government. The organization of uses on the site should be improved so that it is used more efficiently and can function more effectively. ¹

Policy FSS-2.7.2: Non-Government Activities at DC Village

As existing activities at DC Village are reorganized, consider the potential for other employment uses on the site, such as small business incubators and light industry. Such uses should not be accommodated at the expense of District government operations and only should be allowed if the land is not essential for municipal purposes. Any future private uses on the site should be compatible with the existing quasi-industrial municipal uses. Every effort should be made to link future jobs on the DC Village site to residents in Ward 8 neighborhoods to assist residents in gaining income and work experience. ²

Policy FSS-2.7.3: Open Space around DC Village

Retain NPS land on the perimeter of DC Village as open space. The forested land south of the site around Oxon Cove should not be developed. ³

Policy FSS-2.7.4: Retention of Job Training Activities

Retain job training programs and facilities on the DC Village site, including the Potomac Job Corps Center, and promote participation in these programs by Far Southeast/Southwest residents. ⁴

Action FSS-2.7.A: DC Village Master Plan

Prepare a master plan for the DC Village site, addressing the organization of uses on the site, access and circulation standards, environmental improvements, and urban design. The Plan should be linked to the Public Facilities Master Plan called for elsewhere in the Comprehensive Plan, and should ensure that sufficient land is retained for municipal activities. ⁵