Construction Maison

The proposed return of a neighborhood grocery in the Lower Garden District got stuck in a zoning quagmire Tuesday (Aug. 22) with nearby residents generally welcoming the idea of a corner store but divided over how much leeway to give developers. Liz and Robby Blum bought the former Zara's grocery at 2042 Prytania St. in 2015 for $614,000 and have been trying to bring it back as an upscale grocery including a total renovation of the building.  Zara's operated as a grocery with alcohol sales, in conflict with the underlying residential zoning of the property. The store stayed open with a legal grandfathered status as a commercial use.  But the new owners lost the so-called "legal non-conforming" status while renovating the store and the property shifted to a residential zoning. The grandfathered status can be lost when a property stays vacant for six months.  Nicole Webre, a consultant for the property owners, told the City Planning Commission on Tuesday that ...

The proposed Eckington Park development . Image by Foulger-Pratt. A planned new development in Eckington faces opposition on an unlikely front: its request to change the current industrial zoning to build a mixed-use residential building. Amending the zoning would keep with nearby developments, but begs the question of where Washington DC  should preserve its limited industrial land , and how much it should save. The planned Eckington Park development is located at the northwestern corner of the empty lot at the corner of R Street and Harry Thomas Way NE next to the Metropolitan Branch Trail . This is the same lot where, on the southern half of the site, the NoMa Parks Foundation plans to build its new large park. Map showing Foulger-Pratt's proposed Eckington Park development and the new large NoMa park . Image by Foulger-Pratt. Developer Foulger-Pratt is seeking an amendment from the DC Zoning Commission to change the zoning of the site from PDR-2 and PDR-4, which allows li...

Nearly 1,100 new apartment units could be coming to Pentagon City as part of a major planned development of the 37- acre RiverHouse apartment complex . RiverHouse owner Vornado presented the initial development plans to largely skeptical members of the Arlington Ridge Civic Association last night. The plans call for 934 new market rate apartment units , to be added to the existing 1,670 units on the site across three buildings, which date back to the 1950s and 60s. Vornado is also proposing a 150 unit, stand-alone affordable apartment building , to be developed with a nonprofit affordable housing partner . The new market rate units will be built across three buildings, each about seven stories tall — half the height of the existing buildings — to preserve the views of condominium residents on Arlington Ridge . The first two buildings are to be built on what is currently a surface parking lot across from the Pentagon Row courtyard . Between the buildings will run a pedestrian co...

Fieldstone residents demand rejection of 208-unit complex in their subdivision POST FALLS — Nearly 50 people attended Tuesday 's city council meeting , many to ask the city to reconsider a 208- unit apartment complex in the Fieldstone subdivision . “I am fairly certain I know why many of you are here tonight,” said Mayor Ron Jacobson at the beginning of the public comment period , adding he welcomed their input. “However, the council cannot act on the issue because it is not on the agenda.” Fieldstone resident Taj Wilkerson , who was elected to speak on behalf of the Save Our Subdivision organization, told the council his neighbors understand that change and growth in Post falls is inevitable, but they felt it is the council’s role to make sure growth is well thought out. “Many of the people who bought houses were led to believe that there would be no apartments,” he said, adding he didn’t believe the public was well notified before the developer was granted city permission to b...

CLOSE A quick history of how Asheville's "RAD" went from post-industrial grittiness to tourist haven. Joel Burgess/Citizen-Times The Stoneyard Apartments are proposed for 175 Lyman St. in the River Arts District . (Photo: Form & Function Architecture)   ASHEVILLE - Approval of a proposed $19 million River Arts District apartment complex has been delayed a second time after City Council concerns about high rent prices . The 133- unit Stoneyard Apartments were slated to be reviewed at Tuesday's council meeting, but Mayor Esther Manheimer asked that the public hearing be delayed to "a date uncertain." The council unanimously approved the change with no discussion. No one from the Saluda- based AltInvest development group spoke at the meeting. On Wednesday morning Sasha Vrtunksi , with the city's planning and urban design department , said the delay happened at the request of AltInvest. Chief developer David LaFave couldn 't be reached by text...