The Planning Commission has approved three development projects that would construct 640 housing units and ground floor retail across vacant land parcels in southern Potomac Yard.
The commission voted last night (Tuesday) to grant development special use permits (DSUP) for the following plans, located adjacent the Potomac Yard Metro station along Potomac Avenue, Main Line Blvd and E. Glebe Road.
- A 432-unit mixed-use residential building with 13,000 square feet of ground floor retail, 281 parking spaces and 20,000 square feet of “town green”
- An 88-unit affordable housing building with 44 parking spaces and a 279-square-foot terrace that does not require any city funding (estimated value of $11 million in savings, per Walsh, Colucci, Lubely & Walsh)
- 120 townhomes, each with a two-car rear-entry garage, and 11,000 square feet of public “open space” with a north-south walkway
The projects are a result of a partnership between developers MTV Holdco, LLC, Wesley Housing Development Corporation and Toll Mid-Atlantic LP Company, Inc.
Each project contains stormwater infrastructure and improvements to streetscapes with trees and sidewalks. The buildings would add an estimated 80 students to the city’s public schools. The proposals also call for an expanded Capital Bikeshare station at the mixed-use building and bus stop improvements at the affordable housing building.
The mixed-use residential building and affordable housing were approved unanimously — Commissioner Vivian Ramirez abstaining from all votes — although the townhome proposal drew pushback over its density and garages.
It ultimately passed in a 4-2 vote, with dissent from Vice Chair Stephen Koenig and Commissioner Holly Lennihan.
“This is my least favorite part of the package, and I think the applicant knows that, and staff knows that,” Chair Melissa McMahon said. “That is because I would have liked to see more residential density at this location so close to Metro.”
McMahon also suggested the Commission “revisit the two-cars-per-townhouse requirement,” as she felt it was inappropriate for the proposed project’s location.
Later in the discussion, Commissioner Robert Dube said although he shared similar critiques, he felt compelled to support the proposal “because of a lot of different reasons around the economics of today and the development of today, and the way things seem to be going regionally — not just regionally, but nationally.”
“To quote my colleague, Commissioner [David] Brown, from the last meeting, we’re not going to let perfect get in the way of the good,” Dube said. “So, that’s why I’m going to support this, because I think the good with one and two, in my opinion, outweigh the negative of the [townhomes].”
The townhome proposal moved forward with an added condition that the developer must provide a “public access easement for the east-west connection, on the northern portion of the block.”
All three projects will next head to the City Council for review at its Dec. 13 meeting.
