West End Library Redevelopment
Posted 06/20/11

For much of 2009, the West End neighborhood discussed and debated plans for the redevelopment of both the West End Branch Library and the West End Fire Station.

On March 11, 2010, Mayor Adrian Fenty announced that the Georgetown firm of EastBanc was selected over its only competitor, Toll Brothers. There was no other bid to redevelop the West End Fire Station. EastBanc's proposal to the District was to develop both properties. West End Friends took no position in favor or in opposition to the developer, preferring to support whatever position the elected Advisory Neighborhood Commission might take. 

The ANC voted in favor of the EastBanc proposals, but with several reservations, as described in its resolution of January 20, 2010. (See resolution in PDF format.)

On April 25, 2011, EastBanc finally unveiled architectural drawings for the proposed projects, and announced several changes from those previously presented to the West End community. The new library drawing is shown at right. Click to see a larger and wider view which shows the library in context. This view is of the northwest corner of L and 23rd Streets.

For the library, EastBanc originally told the neighborhood that the number of residential units to be built above the lirbary would be 153, and all of them would be condominiums. Recently,  EastBanc has been saying that some units, and perhaps as many as half, might have to be rental units. In addition, the maximum number of units requested in its recent filing with the zoning commission is 172.

The fire station plan contemplates 55 "affordable" workforce-housing rental units on the upper floors of the building.

The big surprise when the drawing were shown this April was the addition of a squash club between the fire station and the rental units. Click to see a larger and wider view. This view is of the northeast corner of 23rd and M Streets.

Some questions have recently been raised as to exactly how these affordable units would be funded, and a significant funding gap appears to exist according to the Washington Business Journal, which reported in on June 17 the District government is "currently working to provide funding to ensure that the affordable units are delivered" according to the PUD filing. But the Journal added the comment, "it is unclear how the District can afford to do that."

The library project will require filing a zoning case for a Planned Unit Development, which will require a public hearing, at which neighbors are given the opportunity to comment, and to apply as formal parties in the case if they our their groups qualify. West End Friends has voted to apply for party status in the library zoning case, largely to ensure that groups whose members reside outside the West End do not dominate the process or outweigh the testimony of the near neighbors.

The architect for both projects is Enrique Norton of Mexico City and New York.