Citizen Comments from Second Workshop
Group Number One - Commercial
Facilitator: Seneca Bock Recorder: Molly McKay
Combined Comments for Sessions 1, 2 and 3
Question: In
Alternative I (the linear alternative), the commercial uses are in linear corridors along the 7th and 9th streets. Strengths? Downsides?
Strengths:
- Leads to nice social spaces
- Critical mass for retail
- Less transportation challenges
- Does not expand into existing residential (as in nodal)
- Creates “destination” corridor
- Connects Downtown to U Street
- More practical for business patrons and owners (foot traffic)
- More conducive to diverse modes of transportation
- Creates neighborhood identity
- Connect with historic destinations
- Makes good use of existing resources, vacant lots
- May draw in new large/small businesses (diversity)
- Builds upon existing axes of movement (foot, public transportation, traffic flows) (foot traffic does not support businesses [?])
- Opportunity to create grand avenue
- Opportunity to create neighborhood identity
- Connect with Howard University
- No holes; something for whole neighborhood
- Builds on strengths of Washington, D.C., success stories
- Two Metro stops on 7th; therefore better public transport access
- Support for public transportation
- Concentration and connectivity
- 7th Street corridor can help support businesses – more accessible to residents
Downsides:
- Not practical with current uses (9th Street “holes”)
- Market driven approach to retail development needs assessment
- Neglects existing fabric (more focus on new development as opposed to redevelopment)
- Multi-family needs to include commercial uses
- Ignores existing development in planning stages on 9th Street
- Big gap on 7th Street (residential) – use can’t change
- Not consistent with city design/planning
- 7th Street mixed use may not be feasible due to existing barriers (housing and vacant/underutilized land)
- Creates divisive “tunnel” in neighborhood (east-west/north-south)
General Comments:
- Affordable municipal parking regardless of Alternative I, II or III
Question: In Alternative II (the nodal alternative) commercial nodes of citywide importance are located in the Uptown Destination district and at the Convention Enter. Neighborhood retail centers are lcoated on 11th Street, on the Giant?O Street Market Block and on New Jersey Avenue. Strengths? Downsides?
Strengths:
- Retail acts as anchor to help support residential uses
- Provides needed commercial (neighborhood serving)
- Disperses commercial development throughout
- Provides more support for the “fringes” of project area
- Can create pockets of community (neighborhood within neighborhood)
- Inclusion of New Jersey Avenue
- Concentration of commercial on 11th may draw services back to neighborhood (doctors, attorneys, etc.)
Downsides:
- Too dispersed; difficult to anchor
- Too much focus on downtown
- Not enough diversity and business activity
- Difficult to link to downtown (push/pull)
- Disjointed
- Northern portion of 9th has holes
- No “there” there
- Parking is not sufficient in fringe areas
- Mass transit access only
- Does not include plan for northern portion of 9th Street
- Too much clustered around Convention Center
- No housing at New Jersey and Rhode Island Avenues
- Too much commercial on 11th street may create traffic congestion problems
Question: In
Alternative III (the dispersed alternative) commercial uses are dispersed throughout the study area. Strengths? Downsides?
Strengths:
- Good linkage with historic development (fabric)
- Builds on existing uses (10 minute radius from home to service)
- Good neighborhood retail services
- Makes neighborhood more safe by dispersing redevelopment
- Consistent with current design of district
Downsides:
- Concern about critical mass for businesses to survive
- Traffic
- Does not direct conventioneer to any destination
- Does not strengthen the commercial as much
- Does not create new jobs
- Randomness perpetuates what is happening now
- Does not build momentum for commercial
- Does not create new employment opportunities
- No planning/destination; concentration leads to “undesirable” retail
- Too dispersed; lack of common theme (branding concept, neighborhood identity)
- Too much commercial on 11th may create traffic congestion problem
Question: From the retail shopping perspective, which of the alternatives do you prefer?
- Alternative I – 10 + 5 = 15
- Alternative II – 2 + 0 = 2
- Alternative III – 0 + 2 = 2
General Comment:
- Combined Alternative preferred by nine participants
