Land Use
Greater Greater Washington writes about where we live, work, and play, why we make the location choices we do, and what forces shape these places.
Many people would like to live in safe, diverse, walkable neighborhoods with access to transit, stores, parks, good schools, and other amenities. While our region has more walkable urban places than most, the demand still exceeds available housing, making these places more expensive (and prices keep rising rapidly).
We must ensure that there are enough housing choices so everyone who wants to live in such a neighborhood can choose to do so. We should ensure that housing in desirable areas is available to people at many points along the income spectrum, and take action to fight segregation. And we can improve the vitality of all neighborhoods by encouraging new retail and amenities to improve the quality of life for all residents.
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Superblocks near Metro, Part 1: Prince George’s
Sprawl development comes with many impersonal, mobility-limiting, traffic inducing accouterments. Seven lane roads, grass berms, curb cuts, enormous setbacks, corporate drive-thru fast food restaurants, strip malls… the list is long and ugly. But perhaps the most basic symptom of poorly thought-out suburban planning is in the street grid: the superblock. Superblocks… Keep reading…
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Is MoCo DOT stacking the BRAC deck for an underpass?
The Montgomery DOT is kicking off a NEPA study of the Medical Center Metro area, and at a meeting last week, officials insisted that all options are on the table, including underpasses, overpasses, elevators, pedestrian-only crossings, pedestrian and vehicle crossings, and more. The end goal is to modify the Rockville Pike/MD 355 area between NIH and Navy Med (soon to be Walter… Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Fight for your rights in the states
Vienna sides with pedestrians; 3 feet today in VA; Maryland’s bills; What Metro needs; How to fight the state DOT; Design the next Golden Triangle bike rack; Not so sure on Wheaton Costco; Who’d win in a fight, Montgomery or Fairfax?. Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: More questions than answers
Should our Metro advertise?; “Human error,” but whose?; What would Jefferson say?; More walkability or the end of the world?; Is Fairfax really chicken or just a little bit?; Should MLK Ave get a Circulator?; The biggest subway ever. Keep reading…
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Perceptions of density often miss the mark
Density is one of the most important elements of any city, but also one of the most misunderstood. The density of a site is often not what it initially seems. People will key on things like height, design, maintenance, and context rather than actually looking at what density means to them. It’s a natural, emotional reaction, but often misses the underpinning… Keep reading…
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Live chat with Kirk Savage,“Monument Wars”
Welcome to our live chat with Kirk Savage, author of Monument Wars: Washington, the National Mall, and the Transformation of the Memorial Landscape. Keep reading…
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Lost Washington: Benning Race Track
While the idea of a racetrack was originally formulated by the Washington Jockey Club in the late 1880s, it was not until the Benning Race Track opened on Tuesday, April 1, 1890, that the club was able to fulfill this goal. Washington Jockey Club ad (from the Times, March 29, 1900) Opening day attendance consisted of about 2,000 racing fans. In general, the opening did not… Keep reading…
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Live chat: Kirk Savage, tomorrow at 1 pm
Tomorrow at 1 pm, we welcome our next live chat guest, Kirk Savage, author of Monument Wars: Washington, the National Mall, and the Transformation of the Memorial Landscape. Keep reading…
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Then and Now: 2615-2625 13th Street, NW
This row of homes on the east side of 13th street began when builders Kennedy & Davis applied for permits on May 20, 1903. Edgar S. Kennedy is listed as his own architect and each home had an estimated value of $6,000. They were newly completed the following year as can be seen in the historic image above. Three years later 2625 13th Street sold for $9,000. According to DC’s… Keep reading…
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Slow and steady creates Virginia’s Urban Development Areas
Over the last couple of years the state government of Virginia has been rolling out a land use planning category for localities known as Urban Development Areas (UDAs), where higher density development can be concentrated. The concept started off slowly in 2007 with HB 3202 as an advisory element to be placed in the Comprehensive Plans of “high growth” localities,… Keep reading…