Revised plans for a massive development project at Pentagon City’s RiverHouse site are slowly moving forward, but some neighbors still aren’t on board.
At a meeting last month, developer JBG Smith presented a new proposal to place 738 apartment and townhouse units on three parcels, while deferring final action on more than 2,000 other planned units.
This was the third site-plan review committee (SPRC) meeting, a preliminary step before the project goes to the Planning Commission and County Board. However, some panel members raised complaints about the scale of the proposed project and the developer continuing to make changes to the plans.
“We are in a derailed process,” said Rosamunda Ozgo, representing residents of the nearby Ridge House condominiums on the committee.
“Why are these things being discussed in [meeting] number three?” Ozgo wanted to know. “This process should have been in good faith and transparent, and it was not.”
Some critics blamed the county government.
“No offense, but I really don’t trust you — I don’t trust the county,” said Jessica Dee, presenting the Pentagon Ridge Condominium Association on the panel. “I have a real problem with the way we’re doing this.”
Dee criticized a timetable that would take the first phase of development to the County Board for site-plan approval while simultaneously adopting a phased-development site plan (PDSP) for the entire project. The proposal calls for the potential of buildings rising more than 20 stories in later phases of development.
While the PDSP sets maximums, that “doesn’t mean that the applicant in the future couldn’t file a site plan that is, say, 16 or 17 stories instead,” said Daniel Weir, co-chair of the PDSP and a member of the Planning Commission.
Ozgo, however, said even that was far too much. She wants a maximum of five stories for any building, to align the heights with the nearby Pentagon Row.
“We are pro-development and we welcome new neighbors. We are not OK with the new density and not OK with the buildings’ heights,” Ozgo said of residents she represented.
The site at 1400 S. Joyce Street currently consists of three buildings, all slated to remain.
- The 452-unit James House, constructed in 1957
- The 647-unit Potomac House, built in 1960
- The 577-unit Ashley House, constructed in 1962
In the first phase of the future project, JBG Smith plans to build 127 townhomes as well as two seven-story multifamily buildings, one of 102 units and the second containing 509 apartments plus a VHC Health clinic facility.
Future plans call for 2,047 additional apartments, plus 4,000 square feet of non-residential space.
Two of those proposed future buildings would have a maximum height of 22 stories, one of 16 stories and the fourth of between 12 and 22 stories.
Richard Rebh, representing residents of The Representative condominium on the SPRC, suggested reducing or eliminating townhouses planned for the southern portion of the parcel.
“How does it make sense to build townhouses in that area?” he asked.
During a public-comment period at the end of the hearing, points of view about the proposal were split.
Susan English, who lives in the vicinity and has been active in civic life, said that despite having some concerns, she supported the overall concept.
“It’s worth the tradeoffs,” English said. “The positives outweigh the negatives.”
Chris Adams, who spoke at the hearing, said he was excited about the possibility of the three-bedroom and four-bedroom townhomes being proposed in the development plan.
Having them would benefit current residents who “would love to stay in the neighborhood but feel there’s nothing available to buy,” Adams said.
But Rob Fuller, another neighbor of the site, agreed with those who said the cumulative effect of the proposed buildings would be too much.
“I’m not sure if the benefits of additional density provide us anything except more noise, more traffic and more stress,” he said.
Additional SPRC meetings on the project are slated for June 26 and July 28, and more could be scheduled as needed before the proposal goes to the Planning Commission and County Board.
