Posts about Planning
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Why is that house or storefront vacant?
In an area like DC where the population is growing, one question often vexes neighbors: why is that house or storefront vacant? It just doesn’t seem to make sense. Why do landlords leave properties empty when they could be getting rent? Keep reading…
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McDuffie: To help you stay, we need to build homes for new residents
At a June hearing about a controversial development in DC’s Ivy City neighborhood, Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyon McDuffie engaged in a series of meaningful exchanges with neighbors, and in the process made a clear case for why officials must keep pushing for new homes. Keep reading…
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The South Capitol Street Trail would transform DC’s bicycle network, but when will it happen?
DC is working to build out its bicycle infrastructure, including building protected bicycle lanes in Northwest and Northeast and adding them in the C St NE Rehabilitation Project. However, portions of the city east of the Anacostia River are increasingly getting left behind. The planned South Capitol Street Trail would help fill that gap. Keep reading…
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At this abandoned school, can YIMBYs support fewer homes and more parkland?
The historic, long-abandoned Crummell School and the surrounding area in the Ivy City neighborhood in Northeast DC are planned for redevelopment. Out of the three proposals put forward, the city recently chose the proposal that builds the most new homes, including a significant number of affordable homes. Keep reading…
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U Street almost became strip malls and office parks — here’s how
Planners in the 1950s wanted to replace large swaths of central Washington with freeways. Canceling those plans saved the city not just from the freeways themselves, but also from an equally stunning plan to demolish thousands more blocks alongside said freeways and “renew” them with a suburban landscape of strip malls, office campuses, and apartment towers. Keep reading…
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Why do Barry Farm and DC General residents fight to stay even in bad conditions?
Residents of DC General and Barry Farms share a lot of common concerns. Their homes are crumbling. Their environments are toxic. And they don’t trust DC’s plan to fix it. Keep reading…
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Prince George’s new mixed-use zones need one thing: more homes
As part of its effort to create a new, modern zoning ordinance to replace its bloated and antiquated half-century-old code, Prince George’s County is proposing a series of new mixed-use zones for its suburban town centers to encourage more development around transit. That’s good news — but if these new zones are going to thrive, they need to include more homes. Keep reading…
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What does a regional trail network in Washington actually look like?
Trails like Four-Mile Run in Arlington; the Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis in Prince George’s County; and the Marvin Gaye Trail in Washington all help people stay active, connect neighborhoods and workplaces, and support sustainable modes of transportation. Unfortunately, most of the time jurisdictions build their own trails without considering the greater network they feed into. Keep reading…
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Skateboarding is good for cities. So why is it a crime in DC?
People of all backgrounds, ethnicities, and incomes skateboard in DC, especially young people. That’s a good thing: studies show skating is an effective youth development strategy that lowers crime, fosters creativity, and reduces childhood obesity. Skating is good for cities too. The presence of skaters adds life and interest to ill- or underused public spaces. Keep reading…
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Bloomingdale is now a historic district, despite the ANC and neighborhood votes
The Historic Preservation Review Board voted unanimously to designate Bloomingdale a historic district two weeks ago at its July 26 meeting. This went against the opinion of the Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) and a neighborhood poll paid for by the Bloomingdale Civic Association where 55% of the respondents were against becoming a historic district. Keep reading…