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North Capitol Street Study continuing; CUA/Abdo PUD Application moving forward

MORE PUBLIC MEETINGS ON THE CUA SOUTH CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT ARE DUE LATER IN 2009 --

CUA HOSTING PUBLIC MEETINGS FOR NORTH CAPITOL STREET AND IRVING STREET CLOVERLEAF STUDY -- NEXT MEETING NOT YET SCHEDULED

Two related processes regarding development on the CUA South Campus property near the Brookland/CUA Metro Station have been underway this spring, namely Abdo Development's PUD application for the South Campus area and the Brookland CUA Metro Station Small Area Plan review.  Now a third process has emerged, an Office of Planning study of the cloverleaf intersection at North Capitol Street and Irving Street.  The OP website for this North Capitol Street study project is http://planning.dc.gov/planning/cwp/view,a,1354,q,645949.asp.

Abdo Development and The Catholic University of America filed their PUD application with the D.C. Zoning Commission on September 5, 2008.  CUA and Abdo anticipate that the zoning review process will stretch well into and probably nearly all the way through 2009.  The preliminary "set down" hearing in front of the Zoning Commission is presently scheduled for April 27, 2009.  After that initial review by the Commission, Abdo plans to continue meeting with neighbors, community organizations and others as they move through their regular meeting schedules during the Spring and Summer 2009 and into Fall 2009.

Meanwhile, the D.C. Office of Planning's final version of the Brookland/CUA Metro Station Small Area Plan, available online at the OP website http://planning.dc.gov/planning/cwp/view,A,1285,Q,640097.asp, was approved by City Council following a long hearing at the Wilson Building from 3:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 10, 2009.  Even though there are a few aspects of the plan document that do not reflect what the university hoped for, the approved plan in most important respects supports the university's vision for development of the South Campus area.  There were witnesses, about evenly split in numbers, in support of the plan and in strong opposition to the plan.  The main deficiencies in the plan identified by the witnesses against the plan, as they were summarized several times by Council Chair Vincent Gray, were (1) the need to protect the Brookland Green near the Metro Station, (2) a need to re-visit the "decking" or "deck and fill" options explored by the Small Area Plan process but not included in the final plan and (3) the need for a more comprehensive transportation study by the city of the larger Brookland area, for example extending from the Hospital Center on the west to the Brookland Metro station on the east.  An additional concern expressed by some neighbors was the original proposed height of two of the Abdo South Campus buildings, up to 8 stories, and responding to those concerns Abdo and the university have lowered the maximum height of buildings in the PUD to 6 stories, the limit recommended in the Small Area Plan. 

Regarding the North Capitol Street Cloverleaf study, the process has focused on what kinds of changes to the North Capitol Street / Irving Street interchange might benefit the neighborhoods around the cloverleaf.  Proposals being discussed by the Office of Planning and many neighbors include redesigning the intersection to reduce speed of traffic but preserve relatively good traffic flow; enhancing the pedestrian appeal of the area; using existing spaces in the structure to increase community green space or monument space; and increased density of buildings for increased retail or residential uses.  The land area encompassed by the interchange is approximately 13 acres.

In the Small Area Plan review process, witnesses in support of the Small Area Plan, including businesses as well as individual residents and representatives from "smart growth," arts and other non-profit organizations, identified benefits to the community from "transit oriented development" including safer streets, more retail opportunities, better pedestrian areas and better traffic flow. 

Since beginning the public phases of the CUA South Campus project, Abdo has conducted more than 30 meetings with neighbors, ANCs and civic organizations in Brookland and Edgewood.   

In the meantime, if anyone has a question or wishes to meet with Jim Abdo and the Abdo development group or with the Catholic University team working on the South Campus development, please contact Toby Millman, Vice President at Abdo Development, (202) 265-9393, or Craig Parker at the university, at (202 319-5142.

WASHINGTON — The Catholic University of America announced May 21, 2008 that it has finalized an agreement with Abdo Development to develop the university’s nearly 9-acre South Campus site located adjacent to the Brookland / CUA Metro station on Michigan Avenue in Northeast Washington, D.C.  The concept drawing above is looking east over toward Monroe Street NE where it intersects with Michigan Ave., NE, in the foreground.

Abdo will lead the process to obtain a Planned Unit Development (PUD) approval from the DC Zoning Commission for a mixed-use development. The PUD process is expected to take about a year, during which Abdo will work closely with the Brookland neighborhood, city officials and the university to determine the best vision for the property.
“Jim Abdo has a reputation for being a community builder, which is exactly what we wanted as we selected a partner in bringing this new development to the Brookland community,” said Very Rev. David M. O’Connell, C.M., president of Catholic University. “Jim has a refreshing perspective and a ‘can do’ attitude,” Father O’Connell said. “He works well with community residents and produces excellent projects.  We are excited to be able to join with him and his team in this project of major importance to the future of the university and the Brookland community.” 

“The South Campus represents a tremendous opportunity to connect Catholic University with the surrounding Brookland neighborhood and bring community-oriented retail and arts amenities that the neighborhood has been seeking” said Jim Abdo. “We are extremely excited to be working in this beautiful and diverse part of the city.”

Abdo founded his company more than 10 years ago and is well known in the District of Columbia for successful retail and residential development throughout the city. Notable recent projects include the development of 476 condominium and rental apartment units on the site of the former Capital Children’s Museum on H Street, NE and 87 new loft condominiums in two warehouse-inspired buildings on Clarendon Boulevard in Arlington.

Julie I. Englund, vice president for finance and administration at CUA, has led the process at the university resulting in Abdo’s selection. “Our goal is to have a project that meets the university’s needs and also provides amenities needed in the neighborhood,” said Englund.  She added that key principles guiding the university’s process include achieving development that enhances the attractiveness of the university to current and prospective students as well as benefiting the Brookland neighborhood. 

“We want to work with the community to have a neighborhood project that will be a good long-term complement to the university while fitting into the area aesthetically, especially as it will open onto our campus front door along Michigan Avenue,” Englund noted. “CUA wants a high-quality project that takes advantage of its unique location next to the Metro, creates a unique sense of place within the Brookland neighborhood and improves safety for the whole area.”

CUA, the largest land-area university campus in the District, has worked with its neighbors and the District’s Office of Planning since 2006 in the “Brookland/CUA Metro Station Small Area Plan” to develop planning principles and concepts for the area around the Metro stop. The South Campus site is bounded roughly by Michigan Avenue on the north; the Dominican House of Studies on the west; Lawrence Street on the south; and the Metrorail tracks on the east. CUA has already reached out to immediate neighbors to inform them about the future project.

“We conducted an extremely thorough process in selecting Abdo Development,” said Englund. CUA screened more than 40 major development organizations and chose Abdo from the final four teams after an extensive process that included touring built projects, interviews and financial due diligence. CUA is advised in its development process by John Gibb, Kurt Haglund and Peter Larkin from The Staubach Companies; development consultant Jody F. Winter; and Michael Goodwin and Alex Hallett of the law firm of Arnold & Porter.

Media: Questions should be directed to Victor Nakas at Catholic University (202) 319-5600 or  Toby Millman at Abdo Development (202) 265-9393.

 

 

The Catholic University of America's Office of Community and Government Relations is responsible for coordinating contacts with the university’s neighbors, relationships with Advisory Neighborhood Commissions 5A and 5C, and the Government of the District of Columbia including the office of Ward 5 Councilman Harry Thomas, Jr., as well as local civic associations such as the Michigan Park Civic Association, the Brookland Civic Association, the Edgewood Civic Association and others.

This web page focuses on providing a snapshot of a few of the many community service activities of our students, faculty and staff as well as providing current information on the university's building and property development projects that are of interest to the surrounding neighborhoods.  The page also provides information about the university's policies and procedures regarding conduct of students who live off campus in the Brookland community and links to other pertinent web pages at CUA. 

The community relations function is under the supervision of Craig Parker, the university's General Counsel and Associate Vice President of University Relations for Community and Government Relations. 

 

Please feel free to contact us with any comments, concerns and suggestions at (202) 319-5142 or by email at parker@cua.edu.  The office is located in Room 280 Leahy Hall on campus.