Serving Burleith, Foxhall, Georgetown, Georgetown Reservoir & Glover Park
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Vol. XXV, No. 20
The Georgetown Current
New heating plant designs unveiled
LIT LOVERS
■ Georgetown: Two options
presented for condo project
By BRADY HOLT Current Staff Writer
Developers planning to remake Georgetown’s West Heating Plant site into a luxury condo building last week shared a dramatically redesigned proposal, which retains much less of the existing industrial facility
than in earlier concepts. The project team has been working since 2011 to convert the former federal facility into Four Seasons residences — 60 to 70 condominiums associated with the nearby hotel. On the prominent site bordered by 29th and K streets NW, Rock Creek and the C&O Canal, the Levy Group and the Georgetown Co. propose to demolish most of the existing monolithic heating plant, rebuild it as housing and construct a
public park in the adjacent open space. During reviews by the Georgetown advisory neighborhood commission and the Old Georgetown Board this past year, some critics have asked the project team to retain more of the existing 1940s building, which is protected as part of the neighborhood’s historic district. But others, who consider the large industrial facility to be a blight on the See Plant/Page 22
Panel to weigh rule change for EastBanc By BRADY HOLT Current Staff Writer
Brian Kapur/The Current
The Georgetown GLOW art light event, organized by the area’s business improvement district, began last week and runs through Dec. 20. One piece, “Wired People Project: The Lovers,” hangs under Wisconsin Avenue’s C&O Canal bridge.
Plans for a mixed-use building on the site of Georgetown’s Valero gas station faced some skepticism from the Zoning Commission on Monday, given the developer’s request that the commission change D.C. land-use rules so the project can proceed more easily. But by a 3-2 vote, commissioners agreed on Monday to hold a public hearing next year on EastBanc’s proposal. The company hopes to construct eight large apartments above a ground-floor restaurant on the 2715 Pennsylvania Ave. NW site. But EastBanc has run into repeated challenges with the small parcel, and the firm has now asked both the D.C. Council and the Zoning Commission for separate citywide changes that would benefit this project. EastBanc is hoping to use the planned-unit development process to increase the height and density that
Brian Kapur/Current file photo
EastBanc is seeking a change in city zoning rules that would help it redevelop the prominent site.
would be allowed on the property, and to waive a requirement for three on-site parking spaces. In that process, a developer provides community benefits to offset the impacts of its project. In this case EastBanc would See EastBanc/Page 22
Dog photos with Santa ring in holiday season
Wilson High response to gun on campus gets mixed grades
By MARK LIEBERMAN
■ Safety: School tightens
Current Staff Writer
The holiday season is a time for celebrating the ones you love, whether human or not. This month, the Washington Humane Society is offering opportunities for dog owners to get pictures of their canine friends with Santa Claus. On Saturday, a stream of dogs and dutiful owners stopped in at the pet supply store Pro Feed D.C. in the Palisades and waited in a short line to get some face time with the big man in the red suit. Visitors came from across the city and even outside of it for this occasion. Lucian Mattia — an Arlington resident who’s fostered eight dogs from the Washington Humane Society over the last year — brought one of his foster companions, Niffler, an American Staffordshire
SHERWOOD
After U.S. attorney vindication, Gray mulls council bid — Page 6
security after recent incident
By MARK LIEBERMAN Current Staff Writer
Brian Kapur/The Current
Area canines came to the Palisades on Saturday to meet St. Nicholas at Pro Feed D.C.
terrier. Mattia has hosted charity events and donated $10,000 to the society over the last decade. He attributes his love of dogs to a simple truism: “They’re better than people.” On a more serious note, Mattia said the Washington Humane Society does important work and needs all the See Photos/Page 11
SPOR TS
St. Albans hoops shows off defense at holiday tourney — Page 9
Two weeks after a student was arrested for bringing a gun into Wilson High School, community members have shared mixed opinions on how the school responded and what the response should be going forward. In the days following the Dec. 1 incident, D.C. Public Schools has tightened security at the high-per-
HOLIDAYS
‘Shop with a cop’ lets local kids meet MPD’s friendly side — Page 11
forming Tenleytown school. Students are required to leave the building immediately after the school day ends at 3:15 p.m., and they have been instructed not to use any side doors when entering or exiting. The school continues to use metal detectors at its front entrance, and school officials have also been checking alarms, ordering repairs for broken locks on doors and assessing security cameras, according to D.C. Public Schools press secretary Michelle Lerner. An additional special police officer has been assigned to Wilson as well, she said. See Wilson/Page 3
INDEX Calendar/14 Classifieds/21 District Digest/5 Exhibits/15 In Your Neighborhood/12 Opinion/6
Police Report/4 Real Estate/13 School Dispatches/8 Service Directory/19 Sports/9 Week Ahead/3
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