Thursday, July 04, 2019

DCist and Bisnow posts on the 07/03/2019 McMillan court order

Click on the links to read the full articles.

After Years Of Limbo, McMillan Development Gets The Green Light



One of D.C.’s most controversial development plans got the green light from the same court that nixed it back in 2016.

The D.C. Court of Appeals cleared the most recent objections to the $720 million development at the McMillan Sand Filtration Site in a decision today. The project has faced vocal opposition from groups like Friends of McMillan Park, which has vehemently fought it through both the judicial system and the court of public opinion.

“We appreciate the court’s reaffirmation of our use of local zoning tools to create affordable housing, neighborhood-serving amenities, and jobs for District residents,” Sarosh Olpadwala, real estate development director for D.C.’s Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, said in a statement.

The site, which sits on the National Register of Historic Places, is one biggest pieces of undeveloped D.C. land. Built in the early 20th century, McMillan was built as part of the City Beautiful reform movement, and used sand filtration to clean water, helping to eliminate typhoid epidemics in the District. For the first part of that century, there was also a park enjoyed by nearby residents. 
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The D.C. Court of Appeals determined that, this time around, the “critical components of the [D.C. Zoning] Commission’s analysis were reasonable, supported by substantial evidence, and adequately explained.” ... 




Court Rules In Favor Of McMillan Development, Allowing $720M Project To Move Forward

The long-delayed McMillan development in Northwest D.C. appears poised to move forward after the court affirmed the second of two key approvals. The D.C. Court of Appeals Wednesday issued a ruling affirming the Zoning Commission's approval of the planned $720M development at North Capitol Street and Michigan Avenue NW.

"We appreciate the court's reaffirmation of our use of local zoning tools to create affordable housing, neighborhood-serving amenities and jobs for District residents. This clears the way for more Planned Unit Developments, which are a valuable tool for us to meet our affordable housing needs," Sarosh Olpadwala, real estate development director for D.C.'s Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development wrote in a statement emailed to Bisnow. 
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The plans call for 655 residential units, 1M SF of healthcare space, 125K SF of retail anchored by a Harris Teeter, a 17K SF community center and an 8-acre park. The team has not released an updated timeline for the project and did not respond to requests for comment. 
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