Chapter 24

Upper Northeast Area Element

CHAPTER 24: UPPER NORTHEAST

⬚ figure

Upper Northeast Area Element

Overview ¹

THE UPPER NORTHEAST PLANNING AREA ENCOMPASSES 8.7 SQUARE miles and includes about two-thirds of the District’s northeastern quadrant. The Planning Area’s western boundary is formed by North Capitol Street (north of Rhode Island Avenue) and the CSX railroad tracks (south of Rhode Island Avenue), and its southern boundary is formed by Florida Avenue, Benning Road, and the Anacostia waterfront area. The northern/eastern border is Eastern Avenue at the District of Columbia line. These boundaries are shown in the map at left. Historically, most of Upper Northeast has been in Ward 5.²

Northeast is principally known as a residential community, with single-family neighborhoods, including Arboretum, Woodridge, Queens Chapel, and Michigan Park. It also includes row house neighborhoods, such as Stronghold and Trinidad, and apartments and higher-density housing in communities, such as Fort Lincoln, Edgewood, and Carver Terrace. Some communities—Brookland, Ivy City, Fort Totten, and Riggs Park, for example—offer a traditional base of single-family housing and an emerging cluster of transit-oriented development around Metrorail (Metro) stations. ³

The mix of uses in Upper Northeast is particularly diverse compared to other parts of Washington, DC. The Planning Area contains the largest concentration of industrial land uses in the District, following the CSX rail lines north and east from Union Station. It includes three major institutions of higher education—the Catholic University of America (CUA), Trinity University, and Gallaudet University—and numerous other institutions serving other missions. For many years, the CUA planned to repurpose land along Michigan Avenue once occupied by residence halls. In 2014, approximately 11 acres were transformed into Monroe Street Market, a cluster of residences, restaurants, and shops located next to the Brookland/CUA Metro Station. Upper Northeast includes one hospital—the Hospital for Sick Children. It also includes several large federal properties, including the Brentwood Postal Facility and the U.S. National Arboretum, a Federal Express distribution center and the now-revived Hecht’s Warehouse site. ⁴

Upper Northeast is also home to the historic Union Market located within the Florida Avenue Market, which is the District’s fresh produce district, as well as dozens of small shops and local businesses along neighborhood commercial streets, such as 12^th Street, 18^th Street, and Rhode Island Avenue. At one time, Upper Northeast had had many more neighborhood shopping districts like these, but the number of shopping districts has been reduced, or in some cases disappeared entirely due to competition from larger auto-oriented and suburban-style shopping centers, including shopping centers in the District. ⁵

⬚ figure

The area is especially well known for its large concentration of religious institutions, including the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

AREA ELEMENTS

The Planning Area is especially well known for its large concentration of religious institutions, including the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center. It contains numerous seminaries and ministries, some occupying park-like settings with rolling lawns and impressive buildings. The Franciscan Monastery and the homes of the Josephites, the Carmelites, and many other religious orders are located here. Most of these properties meet the qualifications for historic designations, but few are officially recognized. In addition to these historic institutions, the Planning Area also includes portions of several important public landscapes, all of which are historic: multiple Civil War Defenses of Washington, otherwise known as the Fort Circle Parks, Langston Golf Course, and the National Arboretum. 2400.5¹

Several major arterial streets, including New York Avenue, Rhode Island Avenue, South Dakota Avenue, Bladensburg Road, Michigan Avenue, and Riggs Road, cross the Planning Area. The area also includes the Fort Totten, Brookland/CUA, and Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood Metro stations, as well as NoMa-Gallaudet U Metro station, which is on the border with the Central Washington and Capitol Hill Area Elements. All four of these stations are served by Metro’s Red Line. The Metropolitan Branch Trail is being developed through this area, linking Upper Northeast neighborhoods to Downtown Washington, DC. 2400.6²

Upper Northeast has experienced significant growth along the Red Line over the past 10 years. This growth is anticipated to continue as underused land, such as surface parking lots and underperforming strip malls near the Metro stations and along the neighboring corridors, redevelop. 2400.7³

Upper Northeast neighborhoods are home to many lifelong Washingtonians and have a history of strong civic. Civic associations, Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs), churches, and community organizations are actively involved in discussions about the community’s future. Nonprofit organizations, such as the North Capitol and Brookland-Edgewood Family Support Collaboratives and the United Planning Organization, also play an important role in community life. 2400.8⁴

Upper Northeast shares some of the same challenges facing other parts of the District. The area’s poverty and unemployment rates are all above the District average. Many parts of the area lack access to open space, parks, and retail services. The area has a large population of older adults, many with special transportation, housing, and health care needs. The Planning Area also faces the challenge of an increasingly unaffordable housing market. A new generation of homeowners has invested in Upper Northeast, which has led to increased prices and housing demand. The greatest future challenge will be to respond to change in a way that keeps Upper Northeast a socially, culturally, and economically diverse community. 2400.9⁵

AREA ELEMENTS

History [^2401]

Upper Northeast began as a series of land grants made by British King Charles I to George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore. During the 1700s and early 1800s, early settlers enjoyed meadows, woodlands, farms, and open countryside. Tracks for the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad were laid out in the 1830s, but the area remained sparsely populated until the turn of the 20th century. In the 1840s, Colonel Brooks, a veteran of the War of 1812, built the Greek Revival mansion that still stands today at 901 Newton Street. Several Civil War strongholds were developed in the area during the 1860s, including Fort Bunker Hill, Fort Slemmer, Fort Totten, and Fort Lincoln. [^2401.1]

One of the first settlements in the area was Ivy City, developed around 1872 along the B&O Railroad tracks. Ivy City later became a brick manufacturing center and was home to the National Fair Grounds in the late 1800s. In 1879, the B&O Railroad developed additional rail lines through Upper Northeast, connecting Washington to Pittsburgh, Chicago, and points west. Industrial uses followed the railroads, locating along the sidings. Trolley lines were extended out Rhode Island Avenue in 1897, beginning the area’s residential growth, as well as the growth of nearby communities in Maryland. [^2401.2]

Beginning in the late 1880s, the Brooks estate was subdivided, and the Brookland neighborhood was born. The deep lots and spacious porches created the ambiance of small-town living just a few miles from central Washington, DC. The houses were affordable for moderate-income residents. By 1900, the neighborhood boasted plank sidewalks and a streetcar line. Much of the neighborhood’s architectural heritage, including Victorians, bungalows, and colonial homes, remains intact today and is part of the neighborhood’s appeal. [^2401.3]

CUA was established in the area in 1887. Several other religious organizations settled nearby. The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur founded Trinity University in 1901, and the Dominicans built their House of Studies the same year. The Paulists, the Marists, and Holy Cross Fathers soon followed. By the 1920s, the area had gained the nickname Little Rome. By this time, Gallaudet University was already well established for half a century on a campus near Ivy City, quickly becoming the nation’s premier college for deaf and hard-of-hearing students after opening in the 1860s. [^2401.4]

Much of Upper Northeast was developed between 1920 and 1950. Major industrial and commercial development occurred during this period, and the rail corridors became a well-established regional distribution center. New York Avenue became the major route into Washington from the northeast, attracting hotels, motels, and visitor services. Large-scale housing construction took place during the 1920s in Ivy City and Trinidad, and the 1930s saw construction of historic Langston Dwellings, one of the nation’s first public housing complexes, and one of the District’s first examples of

⬚ figure

Gallaudet University, the nation’s premier college for the deaf and hearing-impaired, has been an important Upper Northeast institution since the 1860s.

AREA ELEMENTS

modern architecture. Housing developments like Brentwood Village and Riggs Park were constructed during the 1930s and '40s, and smaller-scale development took place during the 1950s in the Lamond-Riggs and Fort Totten areas. 2401.5¹

By the 1960s, most of the area was fully developed. Fort Lincoln, the last remaining large tract of vacant land, was conceived as a New Town as part of the Johnson Administration’s Great Society Program. The 360-acre site was intended to be an innovative experiment in participatory democracy and racial and economic integration, with residents involved in the community’s development and profits. A private company was selected to build the project, which initially included 550 condominiums, 666 apartments for older adults, and 157 garden apartments. During the 1970s, the National Park Service (NPS) built a playground and park area, and the District built an elementary school and indoor swimming pool. Only about half of the original plan was actually carried out, however. In the early 2000s, the next phases of Fort Lincoln New Town were developed. They include townhomes and retail, such as Costco, Lowe’s Home Improvement, and Dick’s Sporting Goods. 2401.6²

⬚ figure

Land Use ³

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, water bodies, etc. 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, not actual changes in land use. Upper Northeast is made up of approximately 5,739 acres, or about 13 percent of the District’s land area. The composition of uses is shown in Figure 24.1. The area’s land use mix is among the most diverse in Washington, DC. 2402.1⁴

Residential development is the single largest land use, representing about 26 percent of the total area. Of the residential land area, about 44 percent is developed with single-family detached homes and about 41 percent with row houses and two-family houses. Apartments make up only about

AREA ELEMENTS

15 percent of the residential land area. Denser housing is located at Carver Terrace, Montana Terrace, Langston Terrace, Edgewood, Fort Lincoln, and Brentwood. 2402.3¹

Commercial and industrial uses make up about nine percent of Upper Northeast’s land area. Upper Northeast contains almost two-thirds of the District’s industrial acreage. Much of the space consists of warehouse and distribution facilities, light manufacturing, automotive services, and service businesses, such as construction suppliers and printers. These uses are concentrated along New York Avenue, Bladensburg Road, Brentwood Road, Florida Avenue, V Street, and West Virginia Avenue, as well as in the area between the Rhode Island and Fort Totten Metro stations, and elsewhere along the heavy rail/Metro corridor. Commercial uses include neighborhood-oriented shopping districts and larger shopping centers like the Rhode Island Place Shopping Center on Brentwood Road and Hechinger Mall. 2402.4²

Institutional and local public facilities land make up 11 percent of the Planning Area. Most of this total is associated with colleges, universities, and religious institutions. The area also contains more than 1,106 acres of parks, recreation, and open space, representing 19.6 percent of its total area. However, much of the open space is Mount Olivet and Glenwood Cemeteries, or is located on the far eastern edge of the area within the confines of the National Arboretum. Large parks are generally associated with the Fort Circle chain parks and are located on the area’s northern and eastern perimeter. 2402.5³

Demographics 2403⁴

The Upper Northeast area has grown at a moderate pace since 2000. Currently, the population is 70,613 residents, an increase of more than 10,000 people in 17 years. The population is expected to grow over the next several decades to a population exceeding 112,000 by 2045. Figure 24.2 presents a snapshot of the Upper Northeast area and change since 2000. 2403.1⁵

As indicated in Figure 24.2, approximately 70 percent of the area’s residents are Black, which is higher than the District-wide total of 48 percent. Since 2000, the Black population has decreased from 51,705 residents to 49,614 residents Approximately ten percent of the area’s residents are of Hispanic/Latino origin, which is an increase compared to three percent in 2000. The area has also experienced an increase in the foreign-born population, increasing from five percent in 2000 to 12 percent in 2017. The foreign-born population is lower than the District-wide total of 14 percent. 2403.2⁶

AREA ELEMENTS

Figure 24.2:

Upper Northeast at a Glance ¹

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

AREA ELEMENTS

Relative to the District, the area has a higher percentage of seniors. Almost one in seven residents of Upper Northeast is 65 and over, and the percentage is higher in neighborhoods like North Michigan Park and Woodridge. The percentage of older adults has decreased since 2000 by almost three percent, and the percentage of residents under the age of 18 has decreased slightly since 2000 but is higher than the District-wide total (19 percent compared to 18 percent District-wide). 2403.3

Housing Characteristics 2404

Half the housing units in Upper Northeast are single-family homes. According to the 2017 Census, about 19 percent of the units were single-family detached homes, and 31 percent were row houses and townhomes. Both of these figures exceed the District-wide total. Duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes made up about 16 percent, which is higher than the District-wide total. Seventeen percent of the area’s housing stock consists of multi-family buildings of 20 units or more, compared to 35 percent in the District as a whole. 2404.1

The 2017 Census also reported that the number of renter households was slightly higher than the number of owner households in Upper Northeast (54 percent and 46 percent, respectively). The percent of renter households has increased by about three percent since 2000. 2404.2

Income and Employment 2405

According to the 2017 Census, median household income in Upper Northeast was $62,605 compared to a District-wide median of $77,649. Approximately 18 percent of the area’s residents lived below the federal poverty level. This is slightly higher than the poverty level District-wide, at 17 percent. 2405.1

Data from the District Department of Employment Services and the Office of Planning indicate that Upper Northeast had 30,731 jobs in 2017, primarily in institutional uses and in the production, distribution, and repair sector. This represents four percent of the city’s job base. The Planning Area has about 1.1 jobs per household. 2405.2

Projections 2406

Based on an analysis of approved development, available land, regional growth trends, and local planning policies, the population decline experienced in Upper Northeast from the 1950s to the early 2000s has come to an end. In fact, the Planning Area is projected to add approximately

⬚ figure

More than half of the housing units in Upper Northeast are single family homes.

AREA ELEMENTS

Based on an analysis of approved development, available land, regional growth trends, and local planning policies, the population decline experienced in Upper Northeast from the 1950s to the early 2000s has come to an end. In fact, the Planning Area is projected to add approximately 22,565 households by 2045, and its population is projected to rise about 60 percent to 112,756 residents.

22,565[^] households by 2045, and its population is projected to rise about 60 percent to 112,756[^] residents. The primary areas of population growth are around the Metro stations at Fort Totten, Brookland, NoMa-Gallaudet U, and Rhode Island Avenue; along major corridors like New York Avenue, Rhode Island Avenue, and North Capitol Street; at Fort Lincoln; and in the vicinity of Hechinger Mall/Benning Road. 2406.1[^]

More than half of the additional households are associated with specific sites that are in various stages of planning and development. These include the remaining vacant parcels at the Fort Lincoln New Town, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)-owned land at three Metro stations, and private development projects, such as the approximately 257-unit Arboretum Place built north of Hechinger Mall, Union Market, Brookland Manor, and CUA. 2406.2[^]

The number of jobs is expected to increase from 29,395[^] in 2015[^] to 52,846[^], an increase of about 78[^] percent over the next 30[^] years. Most of the increase is associated with redevelopment of key parcels along the New York Avenue and Bladensburg corridors, and mixed-use development around the Metro stations. Expansion of industrially zoned acreage in the area is not expected. In fact, most of the employment growth will be the result of the planned conversion of former industrial land to new uses, especially near Metro stations, as identified in Small Area Plans such as the Brookland/CUA Small Area Plan and Florida Avenue Market Small Area Plan. 2406.3[^]

Planning and Development Priorities 2407[^]

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. 2407.1[^]

Workshops over the course of the Comprehensive Plan Revision provided an opportunity for residents of Upper Northeast to share their views on important planning issues. Input from these workshops was supplemented with feedback from Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners (ANCs), community groups, and individual residents. Many other meetings were held on long-range planning issues in the Upper Northeast Planning area, including workshops for the Northeast Gateway Small Area Plan; Ward 5[^] summits on transportation and economic development; transportation

AREA ELEMENTS

meetings on the Rhode Island Avenue, New York Avenue, and South Dakota Avenue corridors; and meetings on specific development proposals. 2407.2¹

Several important messages and priorities were expressed at these meetings:

Upper Northeast neighborhoods take pride as middle-income, family-oriented communities. Although the community’s population declined by 20 percent during the 1980s and 1990s, there is still a strong sense of identity and civic pride in places like Arboretum, North Michigan Park, and Woodridge. Conservation of the existing housing stock is a high priority although there are differences of opinion on the best way to achieve this. Neighborhoods such as Brookland, where about two-thirds of the homes pre-date World War II, have debated the possibility of historic district designation, but have yet to reach a consensus on the best way to preserve the historic character of the community.

• Residents of Upper Northeast are feeling the pressure of escalating housing costs. Displacement is a concern in neighborhoods like Ivy City and Trinidad, where one-quarter of the residents live below the poverty line and home prices have tripled in the last five years. Upper Northeast includes many lower-income households, residents on public assistance, and hard working people trapped in low wage jobs. There is anxiety about expiring federal housing subsidies, and the future of large public housing complexes like Langston Dwellings. Residents want assurance that they will not be dislocated if and when these complexes are renovated or replaced. The recent redevelopment of Montana Terrace provides a good example of meeting affordable housing needs while creating opportunities for home ownership for existing residents.
• Residents are concerned that they are the location of choice for unwanted municipal land uses, such as trash transfer stations, bus garages, youth detention centers, vehicle maintenance facilities, and halfway houses. While there is an appreciation for the importance of these uses to the District, there are concerns about their continued concentration in Upper Northeast simply because the area has a large supply of industrially zoned land.
• Upper Northeast neighborhoods have lived with the heavy truck traffic, noise, and unappealing views that comes with industrial land uses for decades. This is particularly true in Ivy City, Langdon, Brentwood, and the 7th-8th Street NE area southwest of the Brookland Metro station. Residents are especially concerned about large trucks, vibration, dust, air pollution, and the transport of hazardous materials on the railroads. There is also a desire to clean up brownfield sites in the community and return them to productive use. These sites provide an opportunity to apply green

AREA ELEMENTS

development principles, turning environmental liabilities into environmental assets.

• Retail choices in Upper Northeast need to be expanded. For 20 years, Hechinger Mall was the only large shopping center in the area. Options have improved with the opening of Home
• Depot/Giant, and will get better still with a planned new shopping center at Fort Lincoln, but these centers are auto-oriented and are not convenient to everyone in the community. Many of the commercial areas in Upper Northeast are dominated by used car lots, carry-outs, liquor stores, automotive uses, and other activities that are not conducive to neighborhood shopping. More retail districts like Brookland’s 12th Street are desired to meet the day-to-day needs of residents. Rhode Island Avenue, Benning Road, Florida Avenue, Bladensburg Road, and the areas around the Metro stations have the potential to become pedestrian-oriented shopping districts. The Florida Market also has the potential to become a more vital shopping district, serving not only as a wholesale venue but also as a retail center for Ivy City, Trinidad, Eckington, and nearby neighborhoods.
• Although seminaries, cemeteries, and institutions provide much greenery, and the community is ringed by the National Arboretum, the Anacostia River, and the Fort Circle Parks, much of Upper Northeast is starved for public parkland. More active recreational areas, playgrounds, athletic fields, and traditional neighborhood parks are needed. Better connections to the Arboretum and Anacostia River are needed. There are also concerns that the large institutional open spaces—particularly the great lawns and wooded glades of the area’s religious orders—may someday be lost to development. These properties are important to the health of the community and should be considered as opportunities for new neighborhood and community parks (as well as housing) if they become available. They are the lungs of the neighborhood.
• The area’s major thoroughfares need to be improved. New York Avenue is the gateway to the nation’s capital for over 100,000 vehicles a day and provides the first impression of Upper Northeast (and the District) for many residents, commuters, and visitors. Its motels and fast food joints, used car lots, chop shops, strip clubs, salvage yards, and warehouses do not project a positive image. Moreover, the street is often clogged with traffic, especially around its interchanges with South Dakota Avenue and Florida Avenue. The same is true of Bladensburg Road, and some of the other arterial streets in the area. The community wishes to see these corridors

AREA ELEMENTS

upgraded, without diverting traffic to other thoroughfares and residential streets nearby.

• Upper Northeast did not experience the kind of large-scale development experienced elsewhere in Washington, DC between 2000 and 2005, but that is likely to change in the next few years. Proposals to redevelop the Capital City Market as a “new town are being discussed, and a large mixed-use development is also under consideration at the Bladensburg/New York Avenue intersection. Residents are also very interested in proposals for the McMillan Reservoir Sand Filtration Site and the Armed Forces Retirement Home, as development on these sites would challenge the roads, infrastructure, and public services in Upper Northeast. Growth and development should be carefully managed to avoid negative impacts, and should be leveraged to provide benefits for the community.
• There is general—though not universal—agreement that the Rhode Island Avenue, Brookland/CUA, and Fort Totten Metrorail stations are logical locations for future development. The stations are currently adjoined by parking lots and industrial uses that do not take advantage of their proximity to Metro. These areas may provide opportunities for apartments, condominiums, townhomes, and other types of moderate and medium-density housing, provided that measures are taken to buffer adjacent lower-density neighborhoods, address parking and traffic issues, and mitigate other community concerns. There are differences of opinion as to the appropriate density of development and the precise mix of uses at each station. Small Area Plans are needed for each area to continue the community dialogue on their future.
• More should be done to connect Upper Northeast residents with jobs in the Planning Area. Right now, only 10 percent of those who live in Upper Northeast actually work in Upper Northeast. With 40,000 jobs in the community, that figure should be much higher. The area’s nine percent unemployment rate is high. Trade schools, vocational schools, and apprenticeship programs are needed to strengthen labor force skills and provide more pathways to employment for local residents.
• Schools and other public facilities in Upper Northeast should be retained in public ownership, even if they are closed due to under enrollment. Residents attending Comprehensive Plan meetings felt strongly that these facilities should not be sold for development, but should be kept in public ownership and used for the delivery of other community services, such as health care and care for older adults. The need for services for older adults is particularly high, given the high percentage of older adults (over 25 percent of the

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

⬚ figure

Recent transit-oriented development in Brookland

population in neighborhoods like Woodridge and North Michigan Park). Many of the schools, libraries, recreation centers, and other public facilities in the area are in need of modernization. Crummell School is an example. The modernization of Noyes Elementary and Luke Moore Academy are promising, but there is much more to accomplish. 2407.3¹

Policies and Actions

UNE-1 General Policies

UNE-1.1 Guiding Growth and Neighborhood Conservation 2408²

The following general policies and actions should guide growth and neighborhood conservation decisions in Upper Northeast. These policies and actions should be considered in tandem with those in the Citywide Elements of the Comprehensive Plan. 2408.1³

Policy UNE-1.1.1: Neighborhood Conservation

Encourage growth while enhancing the neighborhoods of Upper Northeast, such as Michigan Park, North Michigan Park, University Heights, Woodridge, Brookland, Queens Chapel, South Central, Lamond-Riggs, and Arboretum. The residential character of these areas should be preserved while allowing new housing opportunities for all incomes. Places of historic significance, gateways, parks, and important cultural and social places should likewise be preserved and enhanced. 2408.2⁴

Policy UNE-1.1.2: Compatible Infill

Encourage compatible residential infill development throughout Upper Northeast neighborhoods, especially in Brentwood, Ivy City, and Trinidad, where numerous scattered vacant residentially- zoned properties exist. New and rehabilitated housing in these areas should meet the needs of a diverse community that includes renters and owners; seniors, young adults, and families; and persons of low and very low-income, as well as those of moderate and higher incomes. 2408.3⁵

Policy UNE-1.1.3: Metro Station Development

Capitalize on the presence of the Metro stations at Rhode Island Avenue, Brookland-CUA, and Fort Totten, to provide new transit-oriented housing, community services, and jobs. New development around each of these three stations is strongly supported. Locating higher-density housing near Metro stations minimizes the impact of cars and traffic that would be expected if the residents lived farther from high-capacity transit. The District will coordinate with WMATA to make the design, density, and type of housing or other proposed development at these stations is compatible with surrounding neighborhoods; respects community concerns and feedback;

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

and serves a variety of household incomes. Development shall comply with other provisions of the Comprehensive Plan regarding the compatibility of new land uses with established development, such as existing production, distribution, and repair (PDR) uses. Development shall also comply with other Comprehensive Plan guidance regarding the provision of appropriate open space, management of mobility, and public services. 2408.4¹

Policy UNE-1.1.4: Reinvestment in Public Housing

Continue to reinvest in Upper Northeast’s public housing stock. As public housing complexes are modernized or reconstructed, actions should be taken to minimize displacement and to create homeownership opportunities for current residents. 2408.5²

Policy UNE-1.1.5: Vacant and Abandoned Structures

Reduce the number of vacant, abandoned, and boarded up structures in Upper Northeast, particularly in the Ivy City and Trinidad areas. 2408.6³

Policy UNE-1.1.6: Neighborhood Shopping

Improve neighborhood shopping areas throughout Upper Northeast. Continue to enhance 12th[^th] Street NE in Brookland as a walkable neighborhood shopping street and encourage similar pedestrian-oriented retail development along Rhode Island Avenue, Bladensburg Road, South Dakota Avenue, West Virginia Avenue, Florida Avenue, and Benning Road. New pedestrian-oriented retail activity should also be encouraged around the area’s Metro stations. 2408.7⁴

Policy UNE-1.1.7: Larger-Scale Retail Development

Encourage additional community-serving retail development at the existing Brentwood Shopping Center (Home Depot-Giant), the Rhode Island Avenue Shopping Center (4th[^th] and Rhode Island NE), and Hechinger Mall. Encourage new large-scale retail development at Fort Lincoln. Design such development to complement, rather than compete with, the neighborhood-oriented business districts in the area. 2408.8⁵

Policy UNE-1.1.8: Untapped Economic Development Potential

Recognize the significant potential of the area’s commercially and industrially zoned lands, particularly along the New York Avenue corridor, V Street NE, West Virginia Avenue, and Bladensburg Road, and around the Florida Avenue Market, to generate jobs, provide new shopping opportunities, enhance existing businesses, create new business ownership opportunities, and promote the vitality and economic well-being of the Upper Northeast community. The uses, height, and bulk permitted under the existing PDR zones are expected to remain for the foreseeable future. 2408.9⁶

⬚ figure

12th Street NE retail district in Brookland

AREA ELEMENTS

Policy UNE-1.1.9: Production, Distribution, and Repair Uses

Encourage existing PDR uses in Upper Northeast to incorporate higher design standards, landscaping, and improved screening and buffering. Emphasize a mixture of new uses to be co-located with the PDR uses, including retail and office space, that create jobs for Upper Northeast area residents, and that minimize off-site impacts on the surrounding residential areas. 2408.10

Policy UNE-1.1.10: High-Impact Industrial Uses

Strongly discourage the further proliferation of junkyards, scrap yards, and other high-impact industrial uses within the area, since these activities do not enhance the quality of life for residents of the District. Take appropriate action to reduce the potential for these uses to encroach into established residential and commercial areas within Upper Northeast, and to address environmental health and safety issues for those who live or work nearby. 2408.11

Policy UNE-1.1.11: Buffering

Improve the interface between residential neighborhoods, industrial/ commercial areas, and the railroad and Metro rail lines. Buffer neighborhoods such as Gateway, South Central, Ivy City, North Michigan Park, Riggs Park, and Brentwood from noise, truck traffic, commuter traffic, odor, and compromised infrastructure, and take steps to reduce the damaging effects of excessive noise and vibration from Metro and commercial train traffic for homes along the CSX and Metro lines in Brookland, Queens Chapel, North Michigan Park, Brentwood, and Gateway. 2408.12

Policy UNE-1.1.12: Truck Traffic

Continue to work with the community and area businesses to reduce heavy truck traffic on residential streets, particularly along W Street, West Virginia Avenue, Taylor Street NE, and 8th Street NE. Assess the circulation needs of businesses in these areas to determine if there are alternate means of access that would reduce impacts on adjacent neighborhoods. 2408.13

Action UNE-1.1.A: Industrial/Residential Buffers

Develop additional solutions to buffer residential and industrial areas from one another, such as the recommendations in the 2014 Ward 5 Works Industrial Land Transformation Study and design guidelines. 2408.14

Action UNE-1.1.B: Industrial Land Transformation Study

Implement the recommendations of the 2014 Ward 5 Works Industrial Land Transformation Study. 2408.15

See the Land Use and Economic Development Elements for a description of this study.

AREA ELEMENTS

Action UNE-1.1.C: Traffic Safety Improvements

Improve traffic safety throughout the Upper Northeast area, particularly along Eastern Avenue, Franklin Street, Monroe Street, Brentwood Road, Bladensburg Road, Rhode Island Avenue, South Dakota Avenue, and New York Avenue. ¹

UNE-1.2 Conserving and Enhancing Community Resources ²

Policy UNE-1.2.1: Streetscape Improvements

Improve the visual quality of streets in Upper Northeast, especially along North Capitol Street, Rhode Island Avenue, Bladensburg Road, New York Avenue, Eastern Avenue, Michigan Avenue, Maryland Avenue, Florida Avenue, West Virginia Avenue, and Benning Road. Landscaping, street tree planting, street lighting, and other improvements should make these streets more attractive community gateways. ³

Policy UNE-1.2.2: Preserving Local Historic Resources

Preserve historic resources in Upper Northeast, including Gallaudet University, the Brooks Mansion, Crummell School, the homes of Ralph Bunche and Samuel Gompers, the Franciscan Monastery, Langston Terrace housing development, Langston Golf Course, Union Market Terminal, the Hospital for Sick Children, Glenwood Cemetery, and the Fort Circle Parks. ⁴

Policy UNE-1.2.3: Highlighting Local Cultural Resources

Develop new means to highlight the historic and cultural resources in Upper Northeast, such as improved signage and trails connecting the Fort Circle Parks, organized tours of the area’s religious landmarks, and tours of historic homes in Brookland and other parts of the community. ⁵

Policy UNE-1.2.4: Linking Residents to Jobs

Improve linkages between residents and jobs within Upper Northeast so that more of the area’s working-age adults fill the jobs located within the Planning Area. Achieve this linkage by developing additional vocational and trade schools within Upper Northeast, such as the streetcar maintenance facility, encouraging apprenticeships and internships, and creating new partnerships between the area’s major employers, the District, the public and charter schools, local churches, and major institutions. ⁶

Policy UNE-1.2.5: Increasing Economic Opportunity

Create new opportunities for small, local, and minority businesses within the Planning Area, and additional community equity investment opportunities as development takes place along New York Avenue, Bladensburg Road, Benning Road, West Virginia Avenue, and around the Metro stations. ⁷

⬚ figure

Brooks Mansion

AREA ELEMENTS

Recognize the Anacostia River and the land along its banks as an essential and integral part of the Upper Northeast community. Improve the connections between Upper Northeast neighborhoods and the Anacostia River through trail, path, transit, and road improvements, linking the Gallaudet University campus as an institutional open space with the adjacent open spaces to the east, including the Mt. Olivet Cemetery and the National Arboretum.

Policy UNE-1.2.6: Connecting to the River

Recognize the Anacostia River and the land along its banks as an essential and integral part of the Upper Northeast community. Improve the connections between Upper Northeast neighborhoods and the Anacostia River through trail, path, transit, and road improvements, linking the Gallaudet University campus as an institutional open space with the adjacent open spaces to the east, including the Mt. Olivet Cemetery and the National Arboretum, and extending to the Anacostia River and Riverwalk. Provide amenities and facilities in the planned waterfront parks that meet the needs and promote the resilience of Upper Northeast residents. ¹

Policy UNE-1.2.7: Institutional Open Space

Recognize the particular importance of institutional open space to the character of Upper Northeast, particularly in and around Brookland, Woodridge, and Gallaudet University/Trinidad. Opportunities also exist for connections between the Gallaudet campus and the network of open spaces to the west, including the Metropolitan Branch Trail and the Burnham Spine, which lead to Union Station and the National Mall. In the event that large institutional uses are redeveloped in the future, pursue opportunities to dedicate substantial areas as new neighborhood parks and open spaces. Connections between Upper Northeast open spaces and the network of open space between McMillan Reservoir and Fort Totten should also be pursued. ²

Policy UNE-1.2.8: Woodridge Open Space

Encourage the preservation and improvement of existing green space in the Woodridge community and identify opportunities to coordinate with the National Park Service to enhance neighborhood access to green space. ³

See also Land Use Element and the Park and Open Space Element for policies on institutional uses.

Policy UNE-1.2.9: Environmental Quality

Improve environmental quality in Upper Northeast, with particular attention given to the reduction of emissions and particulates from trucks and industrial uses in the area. Increase the tree canopy in Ivy City and other areas where tree cover is limited. ⁴

Action UNE-1.2.A: Parkland Acquisition

Address the shortage of parkland in the Planning Area, placing a priority on the areas with the most severe deficiencies. According to the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, these areas include Edgewood, Ivy City, the Carver/Langston area, and the southwest part of Brookland. ⁵

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

Action UNE-1.2.B: Hazardous Materials Transport

Continue to advocate for safeguards and restrictions on the transport of hazardous cargo through the Upper Northeast Planning Area, particularly on the rail lines that abut the community’s residential neighborhoods. 2409.11¹

Action UNE-1.2.C: Main Streets/Great Streets

Consider the designation of additional commercial areas as DC Main Streets, including portions of Bladensburg Road. 2409.12²

Action UNE-1.2.D: Arboretum Bridge

Continue to work with NPS on the development of the Arboretum Bridge and Trail Project that will create a pedestrian connection between the Arboretum and Kenilworth Park North on the east side of the Anacostia River. 2409.13³

UNE-2 Policy Focus Areas 2410⁴

This Area Element includes more detailed policy direction for seven specific areas (see Map 24.1 and Figure 24.3). Each area requires direction and

⬚ figure

AREA ELEMENTS

Map 24.1:

Upper Northeast Policy Focus Areas ¹

⬚ figure

AREA ELEMENTS

guidance beyond that provided by the Citywide Elements and the earlier part of this Area Element. These areas include:

• Northeast Gateway Lower Bladensburg Road/Hechinger Mal
• New York Avenue Corridor and Brentwood
• Upper Bladensburg Road /Fort Lincoln
• Rhode Island Avenue Metro
• Brookland Metro Station Area
• Fort Totten Metro Station Area.¹

UNE-2.1 Northeast Gateway²

Northeast Gateway includes the neighborhoods of Ivy City and Trinidad, as well as the Florida Avenue Market, Gallaudet University, and the West Virginia Avenue Public Works Campus (Carver Terrace, Langston Terrace, Arboretum, and Hechinger Mall are also in the Northeast Gateway area but are addressed in Section UNE-2.2).³

The residents of Northeast Gateway benefit from proximity to amenities like the Langston Golf Course, the National Arboretum, and the NoMa-Gallaudet U Metro station. However, the community also significantly impacted by the effects of concentrated poverty, community service needs, and affordability concerns underscored by surrounding large-scale development. Trinidad has one of the highest numbers of returning citizens in the District. Residents old and new seek the same quality public services and facilities that other residents of the District receive.⁴

The Florida Avenue Market (also known as the Union Terminal Market or the Union Market) is one of the most well-known features of the Northeast Gateway area. The market was initially constructed to house businesses displaced from downtown by construction of the Federal Triangle. Today, it continues to offer one-stop shopping for wholesalers and restaurant suppliers, selling goods ranging from produce, meats, seeds, and seafood to ethnic specialty foods. While the Market is a one-of-a-kind institution, it has been experiencing rapid redevelopment and is transforming from a traditional industrial distribution center into a mixed-use neighborhood. This change has put some current businesses at risk for displacement, particularly wholesalers and restaurant suppliers, even as new businesses spring up. Conversely, changes in Northeast Gateway are also advancing other elements of the Comprehensive Plan, as well as the DC Cultural Plan, by enlivening the area through outdoor movie showings and other cultural gatherings.⁵

A Master Plan for the West Virginia Avenue Public Works Campus, located on the eastern edge of this area, was completed in 2016. The plan

⬚ figure

Row houses in Ivy City

AREA ELEMENTS

⬚ figure

New development at Florida Avenue Market

focuses on a 19.4-acre District-owned site bordered on the east by Mount Olivet Cemetery and on the northwest by West Virginia Avenue. The site is currently used for a variety of public works activities, including fleet operations, solid waste management, parking enforcement, a tire shop and car wash, and equipment storage. The District intends to consolidate operations from scattered sites to this property, while modernizing the entire complex to be a state-of-the-art public works campus. Nearly 300,000 square feet of new floor space is planned, including 123,000 square feet of new offices and a 165,000-square-foot maintenance facility. 2411.4¹

One of the major themes of the West Virginia Avenue Public Works Campus Master Plan is to improve connections between the campus and surrounding neighborhoods, including streetscape investments, pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements, and a more welcoming street presence along West Virginia Avenue. New amenities such as a park, plaza, and local-serving retail space are planned, providing essential assets to a community that presently lacks public gathering space and parkland. The West Virginia Avenue campus is envisioned as a showcase for sustainability, with renewable energy, water conservation, zero waste, and green building measures used to reduce its environmental footprint. 2411.5²

Policy UNE-2.1.1: Ivy City Infill Development

Prepare a small area plan or other appropriate planning studies for Ivy City, with community engagement, to consider the reuse of Crummell School, community facilities, green space, and housing among other items. Support the development of additional infill housing in Ivy City, including loft-style and live-work housing that blends with the industrial character of the neighborhood. Support a range of housing designs that fosters affordability and accommodates a mix of household types, including families. Rehabilitation and renovation of the existing housing stock should also be strongly encouraged. 2411.6³

Policy UNE-2.1.2: Florida Avenue Market

Redevelop the Florida Avenue Market into a regional destination that may include residential, dining, entertainment, office, hotel, maker, and wholesale food uses. The wholesale market and the adjacent DC Farmers Market are historic amenities that should be preserved, upgraded, and more effectively marketed. 2411.7⁴

Policy UNE-2.1.3: Consolidating District Government Operations

Make more efficient use of the District government-owned properties in the Northeast Gateway area and undertake improvements that make these properties a more attractive, integral, and positive part of adjacent neighborhoods. 2411.8⁵

AREA ELEMENTS

Policy UNE-2.1.4: Northeast Gateway Urban Design Improvements

Improve the image and appearance of the Northeast Gateway area by creating landscaped gateways into the community, creating new parks and open spaces, upgrading key streets, and improving conditions for pedestrians along Florida Avenue and other neighborhood streets. 2411.9¹

Policy UNE-2.1.5 Green Spaces in Ivy City

Encourage the preservation and improvement of existing green space in the Ivy City community and identify opportunities to coordinate between public and private landowners to enhance neighborhood access to green space. 2411.10²

Action UNE-2.1.A: Florida Avenue Market

Implement recommendations in the Florida Avenue Market Small Area Plan for the revitalization and development of the Florida Avenue Market into a mixed-use residential, commercial, and wholesale industrial destination, centered around a low-rise core of historic buildings. Implementation of redevelopment plans for the site shall be achieved through a collaborative process that involves the landowners and tenants, the project developers, the District government, and the community. 2411.11³

Action UNE-2.1.B: Northeast Gateway Open Space

Develop additional and interconnected public open spaces in the Ivy City and Trinidad areas, including a public plaza and park on the West Virginia Avenue Public Works Campus, and improved open space at the Trinidad Recreation Center, Lewis Crowe Park and the Crummell School and its ground 2411.12⁴

Action UNE-2.1.C: Crummell School Reuse

A high priority should be given to the rehabilitation of the historic Crummell School as a community or recreation center, with a mix of uses for community benefit, such as affordable and moderate-income housing, jobs training, or meeting space. Crummell School was built in 1911 and educated Black children from that time until 1972. The structure, which is a designated historic landmark, has been vacant for more than 40 years. 2411.13⁵

Action UNE-2.1.D: Transformation of West Virginia Avenue Public Works Campus

Encourage the advancement of the recommendations of the 2014 Ward 5 Works Industrial Land Transformation Study related to the 2015 Department of Public Works Campus Master Plan to transform the District government operations and properties at West Virginia Avenue and Okie Street into a world-class, mixed- use campus that includes public open space, public amenities, and maker/production space. The campus should be a model of sustainable design and public works operations and a catalyst for local community development. 2411.14⁶

AREA ELEMENTS

The Hechinger Mall and Benning Road corridor is experiencing significant change, driven in part by the revival of northeast Capitol Hill, the H Street corridor, and the Anacostia waterfront area. Approximately 257 units of housing were delivered at Arboretum Place just north of Hechinger Mall.

UNE-2.2 Lower Bladensburg Road/Hechinger Mall 2412¹

Bladensburg Road extends from the starburst intersection at H Street and Benning Road approximately 2.7 miles northeast to the District/Maryland border. The road is an important community gateway, providing access to the National Arboretum and residential neighborhoods in Upper Northeast, as well as a commuter route for suburban communities in Prince Georges County. The road contains two distinct segments: the lower portion (addressed here) is south of New York Avenue. The upper portion (addressed in Section 2.4) is north of New York Avenue and is part of the South Central/Gateway and Fort Lincoln neighborhoods. 2412.1²

Hechinger Mall anchors the lower end of the Bladensburg corridor. The mall was developed in 1982, in part to help bring retail back to Northeast Washington, DC following the period of economic hardship of H Street NE after the unrest in 1968. At one time, the 190,000-square-foot mall had one of the largest stores in the Hechinger chain, but today it serves as a community shopping center anchored by a supermarket, a pharmacy, and several national discount retailers. The adjacent Benning Road NE and Bladensburg Road NE are part of the H Street Main Street service area. 2412.2³

The area immediately to the east includes the Langston Terrace and Carver Terrace public housing developments, historic Langston Golf Course, and the Schools on the Hill campus comprised of the former Spingarn Senior High School, Brown Junior High School, and Charles Young Elementary. The area has played an important role in the history of the District’s Black community. Langston Terrace Dwellings was the District’s first public housing complex and was designed by renowned Black architect Hilyard Robinson. When it opened in 1938, prospective residents had to be gainfully employed Black residents with children. The federally owned Langston Golf Course shares a similar history: when it opened in 1939, it was the only golf course in the city open to Black residents. The nearby 42-acre Schools on the Hill campus offers a scenic academic environment above the Anacostia River and is one of the largest complexes of public-school buildings in Washington, DC. 2412.3⁴

The Hechinger Mall and Benning Road corridor is experiencing significant change, driven in part by the revival of northeast Capitol Hill, the H Street corridor, and the Anacostia waterfront area. Approximately 257 units of housing were delivered at Arboretum Place just north of Hechinger Mall. The mall itself offers long-term opportunities for redevelopment as a more pedestrian-friendly and urban mixed-use center, with additional square footage and possibly new uses, such as housing. Pedestrian-oriented retail storefronts along Bladensburg Road hold the potential for revival and restoration. The historic 42-acre Schools on the Hill campus has also been considered as the showpiece for a dedicated academic environment, with new educational facilities, mixed-use development, and services that are

AREA ELEMENTS

integrated with the adjacent neighborhood. The H Street/Benning Road NE streetcar line started passenger service in 2016. The Spingarn streetcar and training facility was also completed at that time and includes space for light vehicle maintenance and a community room. 2412.4¹

Policy UNE-2.2.1: Mixed-Use Development Along Benning and Bladensburg

Improve the overall appearance of Benning and Bladensburg Roads in the vicinity of Hechinger Mall. Pursue opportunities for additional pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use development fronting on these streets, including ground-floor retail uses and upper-floor housing. Housing opportunities should accommodate a mix of incomes, families, and other household units. Such development should be linked to transportation investments along these streets, including the streetcar along H Street/Benning Road NE. 2412.5²

Policy UNE-2.2.2: Hechinger Mall

Promote continued reinvestment in Hechinger Mall as a community shopping center. Support additional development on the Hechinger site, creating a more urban and safer pedestrian-oriented streetscape and adding new uses, such as housing. Housing opportunities should accommodate a mix of incomes, families, and other household units. 2412.6³

Policy UNE-2.2.3: Arboretum Gateway

Improve the visual quality of Bladensburg Road and enhance its function as a gateway to the National Arboretum. 2412.7⁴

Policy UNE-2.2.4: Langston and Carver Terrace

Sustain the Langston Terrace and Carver Terrace developments as essential housing resources for lower-income families. Historic Langston Terrace should be preserved. 2412.8⁵

Policy UNE-2.2.5: Schools on the Hill Campus

Improve the integration of the Schools on the Hill Campus (former Spingarn, Brown, Phelps, and Young Schools) with the adjacent Carver/Langston neighborhood. 2412.9⁶

Policy UNE-2.2.6: Extension of H Street NE Arts District

Work with area stakeholders to develop a strategy for promoting development of an arts district along the eastern end of Florida Avenue NE by considering linkages with the H Street NE arts and entertainment district and planned development on lower Bladensburg Road. Support additional development and visual improvements on the corridor. 2412.10⁷

Action UNE-2.2.A: Crime Prevention

Implement the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) plans outlined in the Benning Road Corridor Redevelopment Framework. 2412.11⁸

⬚ figure

New housing development near Hechinger Mall

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

⬚ figure

The New York Avenue corridor faces land use, transportation, and urban design challenges. Some of the industrial uses are considered underused by today’s market standards and are being considered for additional uses such as retail development.

⬚ figure

The Gateway Wings sculpture signifies this important entrance to the center of the District.

Action UNE-2.2.B: Bladensburg Road Corridor

Explore a tailored planning effort for the Bladensburg Road corridor that provides analysis and guidance for land use and urban design. 2412.12

Action UNE-2.2.C: Langston Golf Course

Continue to work with the federal government to transform the Langston Golf Course into an appealing amenity for the surrounding neighborhoods. 2412.13

Action UNE-2.2.D: Connectivity

Leverage the existing streetcar and continue to explore transit options to improve connectivity to RFK Stadium to the south and the Anacostia River to the east. 2412.14

See the Capitol Hill Area Element for additional information.

UNE-2.3 New York Avenue Corridor/Brentwood ¹

The New York Avenue corridor/Brentwood area includes the expansive industrial and commercial area on both sides of New York Avenue between Florida Avenue and the Maryland state line. On the north, the corridor abuts the Brentwood and Langdon communities. On the south, it abuts Ivy City and the National Arboretum. Brentwood is home to the 633,000-square-foot U.S. Postal facility. Other large uses in the area include a Metro maintenance facility, the Ivy City railyards, the WMATA Bladensburg Bus Division, and the historic art deco Hecht’s warehouse, now converted to apartments. New York Avenue itself is lined by strip commercial uses, such as hotels, fast food restaurants, and gas stations. 2413.1

The corridor faces land use, transportation, and urban design challenges. Some of the industrial uses are considered underused by today’s market standards and are being considered for additional uses, such as retail development. The physical environment along the New York Avenue corridor is indicative of auto-oriented uses, with tall pole-mounted signs and complex intersection configurations. New York Avenue itself is a major commuter corridor and truck route poised for a multimodal transformation. In August 2013, the Gateway Wings sculpture was integrated into the New York Avenue Bridge, just east of Florida Avenue. The 50-foot high steel structure, which is illuminated at night, signifies this important entrance to the center of the District. 2413.2

In 2014 the District’s Department of Transportation completed moveDC, the District’s multimodal long-range transportation plan, which includes multiple recommendations for New York Avenue. The plan recognizes the significant transportation pressures New York Avenue faces from daily commuters and as a primary freight corridor. It recommends improvements

AREA ELEMENTS

to New York Avenue to help meet these needs, including managed lanes from I-395 to the District line, as well as freight capacity improvements. The plan also recognizes that safety enhancements are needed along the corridor at major intersections with North Capitol Street, Florida Avenue, 4th Street, and Bladensburg Road. In addition, the plan suggests building a trail and associated streetscape improvements along New York Avenue from Mt. Vernon Square connecting to the Arboretum, Fort Lincoln, and the Anacostia River. 2413[^.3]

Additional land use recommendations for the New York Avenue industrial area are contained in the 2014 Ward 5 Works Industrial Land Transformation Study. These recommendations include strengthening and enhancing light industrial PDR activities along the north side of the avenue between Montana and South Dakota Avenues, retaining the area’s municipal-industrial functions (bus garages, road maintenance facilities, etc.), and considering the addition of other uses (such as retail) on strategic sites. 2413[^.4]

Policy UNE-2.3.1: New York Avenue Corridor

Improve the appearance of New York Avenue as a gateway to Washington, DC. Support road design changes and streetscape improvements, that improve traffic flow and enhance the road’s operation as a multimodal corridor that meets both regional and local needs. 2413[^.5]

Policy UNE-2.3.2: Production, Distribution, and Repair Land Uses

Retain the concentration of PDR land uses in the New York Avenue corridor. While some industrial land was converted to other uses on select sites, such as the Bladensburg/Montana/New York triangle, these changes should not diminish the area’s ability to function as an industrial district meeting the needs of government and District businesses and residents. Mixed-use redevelopment should complement PDR uses within the building envelope as a primary use when PDR zoned. 2413[^.6]

Policy UNE-2.3.3: Infill Development

Support infill development and redevelopment on underused commercial sites along New York Avenue. Particularly encourage retail development that would provide better access to goods and services for residents, and sales tax dollars for the District. 2413[^.7]

AREA ELEMENTS

The Upper Bladensburg corridor has experienced disinvestment for many years. While still dominated by automotive repair shops, auto parts shops, car lots, and vacant businesses, there has been some retail activity in recent years, including one of the first craft breweries to open in Upper Northeast.

⬚ figure

Continued development of Fort Lincoln provides opportunities for family-oriented housing, largescale retail development, and additional employment.

Policy UNE-2.3.4: Consolidate and Formalize Auto-Related Uses

Use zoning, enforcement, and other regulatory mechanisms to address nuisance and operational issues of some existing auto-related businesses on Bladensburg Road. Create a more pedestrian friendly environment along Bladensburg Road, possibly placing the dealerships within an enclosed showroom. ¹

Action UNE-2.3.A: Business Improvement District

Consider the creation of a Business Improvement District (BID) serving the New York Avenue corridor. ²

UNE-2.4 Upper Bladensburg Road/Fort Lincoln ³

The Upper Bladensburg corridor has experienced disinvestment for many years. While still dominated by automotive repair shops, auto parts shops, car lots, and vacant businesses, there has been some retail activity in recent years, including one of the first craft breweries to open in Upper Northeast. ⁴

The opportunity to improve Upper Bladensburg Road is tied to plans for Fort Lincoln, which is located northeast of the Bladensburg/South Dakota Avenue intersection. Plans to build out the remaining vacant land at Fort Lincoln are now approved and under construction, with more than two phases of construction completed. Additional townhomes, a shopping center, and offices or distribution facilities should follow in the coming years. The increased population presents an opportunity to revitalize the adjacent Bladensburg corridor, and bring back some of the neighborhood-oriented shopping that disappeared from the corridor years ago. ⁵

Policy UNE-2.4.1: Fort Lincoln New Town

Support the continued development of Fort Lincoln New Town compatible with approved plans for the site. Fort Lincoln should be recognized as an important opportunity for family-oriented, owner-occupied housing, large-scale retail development, and additional employment. ⁶

Policy UNE-2.4.2: Upper Bladensburg Corridor

Support additional neighborhood-serving retail uses along the Upper Bladensburg Road corridor (from South Dakota Avenue to Eastern Avenue). Encourage the gradual transformation of this area from an auto-oriented industrial strip to a more pedestrian-oriented mixed-use area, providing services to the adjacent Woodridge, South Central, and Fort Lincoln neighborhoods, while retaining PDR uses. ⁷

Action UNE-2.4.A: Streetscape and Façade Improvements

Develop programs to improve the streetscape and commercial facades along Bladensburg Road from Eastern Avenue to South Dakota Avenue. ⁸

AREA ELEMENTS

UNE-2.5 Rhode Island Avenue Metro Station ¹

This focus area includes the Metro station vicinity and the 2.7-mile corridor extending from North Capitol Street east to the Maryland line. The Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood Metro station opened in 1976 and was one of the first stations in the system. Despite the fact that the station is just one mile from Downtown Washington, DC, its current configuration has a suburban design. The station is adjoined by one of the largest surface parking lots in the District on its southeast and by an aging shopping center on the northwest. Other uses in the vicinity include the big box retail center on Brentwood Road, light industrial uses, and strip commercial uses on Rhode Island Avenue. ²

Land around the Rhode Island Avenue Metro station is underused, but there are development plans and infrastructure investments to create a community focal point. The WMATA parking lot was redeveloped into Rhode Island Row, a mixed-use development at the foot of the Metro station, east of the tracks. Over time, additional properties may transition to new uses. Medium- to high-density housing is strongly encouraged in this area, and traffic improvements are recommended to make the station more accessible for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users. Improvements to the Metropolitan Branch Trail have been made through this area, including a pedestrian bridge over the railroad, and there are opportunities for trail-oriented development at the Rhode Island Shopping Center west of the tracks. The Rhode Island Shopping Center offers another opportunity for improved pedestrian connectivity and transit-oriented development. ³

Extending east from the station, Rhode Island Avenue is a wide tree-lined street with maintained homes and apartments, scattered commercial businesses and churches, and public uses like fire stations and parks. A walkable shopping district between 20^th and 24^th Streets NE serves as the retail heart of the Woodridge community and the home of the Rhode Island Avenue Main Street. ⁴

The general character of the avenue is expected to change as infill development occurs near the Metro station and in several locations along the corridor. Filling in gaps in the street wall would be desirable in the commercial areas, creating a more pedestrian-friendly environment. While most of the street is zoned for commercial uses, development that includes ground-floor retail uses or maker spaces, including space for artists and creatives, and upper-story housing would be desirable. The surrounding area is underserved by retail uses and would benefit from new restaurants, local-serving stores, and other services. ⁵

Policy UNE-2.5.1: Brookland’s 12^th Street Corridor

In consultation with property owners, community groups, and residents, use zoning, incentives, and other tools to facilitate mixed-use projects. Create

Improvements to the Metropolitan Branch Trail have been made through this area, including a pedestrian bridge over the railroad, and there are opportunities for trail-oriented development at the Rhode Island Shopping Center west of the tracks. The Rhode Island Shopping Center offers another opportunity for improved pedestrian connectivity and transit-oriented development.

⬚ figure

Metropolitan Branch Trail bridge over the railroad

AREA ELEMENTS

productive synergies between 12th Street and planned adjacent economic development projects, assist with connectivity and parking policies, encourage quality project designs, and encourage voluntary preservation of buildings on 12th Street, which is most emblematic of Brookland’s history and character. 2415.5¹

Policy UNE-2.5.2: Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood Metro Station

Encourage the development of additional medium- to high-density mixed-use, pedestrian and multimodal-friendly development around the Rhode Island Avenue Metro station, particularly on the surface parking lots in the station vicinity. Review the Rhode Island properties west of and proximate to the Rhode Island Avenue Metro station for transit connections and appropriate land use recommendations. 2415.6²

Policy UNE-2.5.3: Redevelopment of Older Commercial and Industrial Sites

Encourage the long-term reuse of older commercial and industrial sites in the Rhode Island Avenue Metro station vicinity with mixed uses, including housing and PDR uses. Future mixed-use development should be pedestrian-oriented, with design features that encourage walking to the Metro station and nearby shopping. 2415.7³

Policy UNE-2.5.4: Pedestrian Improvements

Enhance pedestrian connections between the neighborhoods around the Rhode Island Avenue Metro station and the station itself. This should include improvements to the public realm along Rhode Island Avenue, with safer pedestrian crossings, street trees, and other amenities that make the street more attractive. 2415.8⁴

Policy UNE-2.5.5: Rhode Island Avenue Corridor

Strengthen the Rhode Island Avenue corridor from 13th to 24th Street NE as a pedestrian-oriented mixed-use district that better meets the needs of residents in the Brentwood, Brookland, Woodridge, and South Central neighborhoods. Infill development that combines ground-floor retail and upper-story office and/or housing should be encouraged, along with retention of historic significant structures and the Main Street character. 2415.9⁵

Action UNE-2.5.A: Rhode Island Avenue Station Area Planning

Work with WMATA, the local ANC, local businesses, and the community to encourage plans for the Rhode Island Avenue Metro area to enhance the surrounding neighborhoods and address issues such as traffic, parking, and station access. Acknowledge the site’s former use and history as the Colombian Harmony Cemetery in the station area design through art, displays, or other features. 2415.10⁶

AREA ELEMENTS

Action UNE-2.5.B: Further Density Requests at Brookland Manor

Requests for increased zoning and/or density that create residential units and result from the higher FLUM designation at the area bounded by Rhode Island Avenue, Montana Avenue and Saratoga Streets NE (Brookland Manor) shall include the following: a minimum of 30 percent of all units created through this additional increase in density must be affordable, with all of these units available to households earning no more than 60 percent of the regional MFI and available for vouchers with rent caps. In addition, at least 20 percent of all affordable units shall be family sized units with a mix of three, four and five bedrooms. 2415.11

UNE-2.6 Brookland Metro Station Area ¹

The Brookland-CUA Metro station is located between the Brookland commercial district (12th Street NE) on the east and the CUA/Trinity University campuses on the west. The station is abutted by low-density residential uses on the east and a mix of light industrial, commercial, and institutional uses on the north, south, and west. Despite the presence of the Metro station, much of the vacant land in the station vicinity is zoned for industrial uses and is currently underused. Major property owners include WMATA and CUA. ²

The D.C. Council approved the Brookland-CUA Metro Station Small Area Plan in 2009. The plan assessed land use and zoning, the retail environment, transit/traffic safety, urban design, cultural tourism, and heritage development. The goal was to guide future development in the station vicinity in a manner that respects the nearby residential area (particularly the area along 10th Street NE and east of 10th Street NE), mitigates parking and traffic impacts, and improves connections to nearby institutions and shopping areas. The plan also laid the groundwork for the vibrant, transit-oriented town center on the west side of the metro station abutting the CUA campus. ³

Policy UNE-2.6.1: Brookland/CUA Metro Station Area

Encourage mixed-use development on vacant and underused property in the vicinity of the Brookland-CUA Metro station, including the parking lot east of the station. Special care should be taken to preserve the existing low-scale residential uses along and east of 10thStreet NE, retain the number of bus bays at the station, and develop strategies to deal with overflow parking and cut-through traffic in the station vicinity. ⁴

Policy UNE-2.6.2: Pedestrian and Bicyclist Access

Improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety and access to the Metropolitan Branch Trail and the Brookland-CUA Metro station, particularly eastward along Monroe Street (linking to the 12th Street NE shopping area) and Michigan Avenue (linking to CUA). ⁵

⬚ figure

Brookland Metro Station

AREA ELEMENTS

The Fort Totten Station is served by the Metro's Yellow, Green, and Red lines. As the transfer point between two intersecting lines, the station area has strategic importance in plans for the District's growth.

⬚ figure

New development near the Fort Totten Metro station

Policy UNE-2.6.3: Long-Term Land Use Changes

Support long-term land use changes on industrially zoned land in the station vicinity, particularly in the area immediately north of Michigan Avenue and in the area to the southwest along 8th Street, consistent with the recommendations in the Brookland-CUA Metro Station Small Area Plan. Consistent with the 2014 Ward 5 Works Industrial Land Transformation Study, the industrially zoned areas within a quarter of a mile of the Metro station may be considered appropriate for long-term transition to more intense uses, including housing, live-work lofts, artists’ studios, and similar uses. 2416.5¹

Action UNE-2.6.A: Brookland-CUA Metro Small Area Plan

Implement the recommendations of the Brookland/CUA Metro Small Area Plan. 2416.6²

Action UNE-2.6.B: Parking Strategy

Develop a strategy for shared parking and carsharing programs in new development so that it addresses the area’s transit and pedestrian orientation, the need for adequate parking to serve area businesses and residents, and to prevent spillover into the surrounding neighborhoods. 2416.7³

UNE 2.7 Fort Totten Metro Station Area 2417⁴

The Fort Totten Station is served by the Metro’s Yellow, Green, and Red lines. As the transfer point between two intersecting lines, the station area has strategic importance in plans for the District’s growth. Presently, Fort Totten is adjoined by large surface parking lots, industrial uses, and garden apartments. New residential development is taking place east of the station, and several development projects are in different phases of review or construction. The station itself sits within the boundary of the Fort Circle Parks. Fort Totten Park, immediately west of the station, is an important District historic site and contains the remnants of one of the most important Civil War fortifications in the Fort Circle chain. 2417.1⁵

The large parcels owned by WMATA, located on the east and west sides of the station, present an opportunity for transit-oriented, mixed-use development. A strong emphasis should be placed on housing and local-serving retail uses on these sites, with an orientation to the station and connecting bus lines. 2417.2⁶

The intersection of Riggs Road and South Dakota Avenue is located about a quarter of a mile northeast of the station. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has reconstructed the intersection to improve safety conditions for pedestrians and vehicles and made more efficient use

AREA ELEMENTS

of the very large right-of-way. The reconfigured intersection has facilitated the redevelopment of adjacent commercial and residential uses along Riggs Road, including the Walmart Supercenter between 3rd Street NE and Chillum Place. 2417.3¹

Policy UNE-2.7.1: Fort Totten Metro Station

Encourage the reuse of WMATA-owned land and other underused property in the immediate vicinity of the Fort Totten Metro station, focusing on the area bounded by the Fort Circle Parks on the west and south, Riggs Road on the north, and South Dakota Avenue on the east. This area is envisioned as a transit village, combining housing, ground-floor retail, local-serving office space, new parkland and civic uses, and structured parking. Redevelopment should occur in a way that conserves the lower density residences in the nearby Manor South, Michigan Park, and Queens Chapel neighborhoods, and addresses traffic congestion and other development impacts. 2417.4²

Policy UNE-2.7.2: Traffic Patterns and Pedestrian Safety

Improve pedestrian access to the Fort Totten Metro station, with a particular emphasis on pedestrian and vehicle safety improvements at the South Dakota/Riggs intersection. 2417.5³

Policy UNE-2.7.3: Municipal/Industrial Uses

Retain the established municipal/industrial land uses located to the south of the Fort Totten station (including the Trash Transfer Station on the west side of the tracks and salt dome on the east side). Guide future development in the vicinity of these activities in a way that does not impede their ability to function. 2417.6⁴

Action UNE-2.7.A: Riggs Road and South Dakota Avenue Area Final Development Plan

Implement the recommendations of the Riggs Road and South Dakota Avenue Area Final Development Plan. 2417.7⁵

See the Rock Creek East Area Element for additional information.