[OldNorth] ONDN development: a bit of history

[Valerie Vann]

angela wrote:
> 
  Eric explained to this person that the building
> would be no larger than the 2 story on the other corner (and BTW did we ever
> get notification as a hood about that site?).
> 

The 2 story pseudo Victorian house on the northwest corner of 6th & G
was permitted, and if I recall correctly, built prior to the changes
in zoning and construction regulations for the district. Notification
was only made to the mandatory distance. I'm in the middle of that
block and I was outside the notification area. The first I knew of it
was coming home from the bus stop after work and seeing the lot torn
up (it was a vacant lot), and regretting that I hadn't known in time
to rescue some delightful bulbs that had migrated into the lot over
the years. 

As far as I know it was a conforming use at the time and
required no variance or discussion plus the city probably thought it
a marvelous implementation of their existing areas "infill" and 
densification idea. I believe that the new house and the little
old business office on the alley behind it are still a single lot,
single owner, making it a mixed use lot, though in reverse of the
usual business in front, residential behind mode of the rest of
the block's mixed uses.

I also note that the G St block between 6th and 7th streets has gone
through a series of different zonings, including a mixed use (under
which the existing mixed business and apartments were all built, with
business in the front, apt in the back.) These were all remodels of
the existing single story residences in front with one or two story
apt. in back. The exception is the 2 story apartment building mid block,
which replaced an original 1920-40's(?) residence that was destroyed
by fire.

The mixed use was followed by general commercial, and then the 
current(?) transitional. But I point out that despite the zoning,
the three most recent remodels and/or new construction on this 
half block have been for residential use, not commercial: the
new Victorian house, a major interior remodel/upgrade as single
family residence of the 1940s house at the corner of 7th & G,
and an enlargement and upgrade of the single story apartment on
the alley (attached to the office in front as a continuous
structure which covers the lot back to the alley) at 633 G.

All of the current businesses are pretty much 8am-5pm operations
compatible with neighboring residential, which also aids the parking
situation to a considerable degree. The only night hour activities are
typically janitorial services although commercial landscaping
(leaf blowers etc) occurs as early as 7am six days a week. Both
of these should be considerations whenever there is a potential
commercial use next door to you, even if next door or across the
street is a different zoning. Noise and traffic fail to recognize
the zoning boundaries. Second story development is also a noise
as well as a privacy issue as noise from 2nd story decks and
open windows can carry farther than ground floor noise.

There is currently underway a new remodel/conversion (single story)
of an original residence on the north side of 7th street between
G and F for a medical (herbal/acupuncture) office with I think
residence in back. 

This last project I believe should be taken note of by ONDNA 
because it represents a leap frogging of office/commercial
conversion north of us. We should perhaps develop a system for
keeping an eye on this kind of development adjacent to our own
neighborhood, especially on the peripheral streets. IMHO there
is a real possibility of pressure to commercialize F Street
south of 8th as well as 8th Street west of the RR and more of 
the north side of 7th, which has and has had in past commercial
uses at the intersection of 7th & F.

Valerie Vann