A Vision for the River RoadWestbard Area

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A Vision for the River Road-Westbard Area

• Presented by the
• Citizens Coordinating Committee on Friendship
  Heights, Inc.

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Agenda

• Vision Overview
• Role of CCCFH and the Urban Institute Studio at
  The Catholic University of America
• Timeline
• Proposal Recommendations
• Next Steps
• Association Roles
• Timing

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2. Westbard Vision Overview

• Common Ground
• 1982 and 2006 perspectives remained the same
• Affirm and strengthen the residential character
  of the Westbard neighborhoods
• Commercial property should operate as a local
  convenience/retail shopping area

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2. Roles

• CCCFH Joint Committee on the Westbard Plan
• Chair Bob Cope
• Subcommittees
• The Catholic University of America
• School of Architecture and Planning
• Urban Institute Studio
• Study Director Iris Miller, ASLA
• David Hathcock
• Paola Moya

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3. Timeline

• 2004
• Developer (Capital Properties Associates, LP)
  purchases Westbard properties from theTauber
  family
• 2005
• Park and Planning announce plans to review
  Westbard Sector Plan starting in June, 2006
• CCCFH organizes Joint Committee on Westbard
  (12/05)
• 2006
• Neighborhood survey conducted and results
  published (4/06 - 8/06)
• 2007
• Contract signed with UIS of CUA to flesh out
  vision
• Other budget priorities results in sector plan
  review delayed to 2009
• 2008
• CUA vision proposal completed (7/08)
• Sector plan review rescheduled for 2010

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Advantages of Having a Community Plan

• Our plan, not the developers
• Weve developed a proactive position to define
  our vision of our community
• Frames the discussion of Westbard development
  with the developer
• Counters the developers high-density, tall
  buildings with a plan to preserve the character
  of our communities

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Westbard Vision OverviewAdditional
considerations(based on the CCCFH survey)

• Broaden the retail business offerings
• Some lower density development is acceptable
• Cars are the overwhelmingly preferred mode of
  transportation
• River Road is a major choke point, even on
  weekends

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4. Catholic University Proposal

• Three major sections
• Westbard
• River Road
• Capital Crescent Trail
• Based on
• CCCFH survey
• Interviews with government officials and
  consultants
• Site visits

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Westbard Village (Paola Moya)
Current Views of Westbard
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Future Vision of Westwood Village
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New roads
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Westbard Avenue
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Parking
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Proposed Streetscape on Westbard Avenue
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Some business statistics

• Current Westwood
• 110,000 sq. ft. of retail
• Townhouses none
• Condos none
• Parking - 708

• New Westwood village
• 138,000 of sq. ft. of retail space
• Townhouses 34 with 61,000 sq. ft.
• Condo units 147 with approx. 85,000 sq. ft.
• Parking
• Giant ground 152
• Off street 210
• Structured 168
• Condos/Townhouses underground
• Space across from Westwood contains approx.
  70,000 sq. ft. of live/work space

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River Road (David Hathcock)
Proposed Intersection Upgrade
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Proposed Intersection Upgrade at the Crescent
Trail Crossing
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Proposed Streetscape Design Along River Road
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Crescent Trail (Constance Stubbs)
Proposed Enhancements at Trail Crossing
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Proposed Enhancements at Trail Crossing Volvo
side
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Environmental improvements

• Open stream to sunlight
• Control water runoff
• Expand buffer for stream through dedications
• Purchase additional parkland adjacent to the
  Crescent Trail

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5. Next Steps

• Zoning definitions must be developed for mixed
  use
• Impact on school enrollments must be assessed
• A traffic study must either be undertaken or
  analyzed
• Develop community positions on other sites

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6. Association Roles

• Support the vision
• Maintain residential character of area
• Local retail/convenience shopping
• Become familiar and address issues regarding
• Height of housing units
• Mixed use zoning definitions
• Other issues e.g. parking, traffic
• Work with CCCFH

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7. Timing

• Early 2009 for final positions from Communities
  for Sector Plan development
• February 2010 Sector Plan development begins
• End of 2011 County Council action on Sector
  Plan expected