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Capitol Hill History & Database of Historic Building Permits, Squares 1000–1125 © Copyright 2001-2008, Capitol Hill Restoration Society. All rights reserved. Last updated March 1, 2008. Website hosted by DC Access. |
School Closure Announced
by Gary Peterson
CHRS has joined ANC6B in attempting to insure that the future use of the Hine School site is compatible with the neighborhood and that those responsible for making that decision take into account the concerns of the community.
On February 1, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and Chancellor Michelle Rhee announced the final school closure recommendations. In Ward 6, three schools are on the final list of recommended closures; Hine Junior High School is the only Capitol Hill school slated to be closed. On the same day, Councilmember Tommy Wells announced his support for the school closures and asked community organizations to make recommendations as to the future use of the Hine site. ANC6B quickly passed a resolution stating that any future use of the site should match the scale and character of the surrounding neighborhood and include community amenities.
At the February 19 board meeting, the CHRS Board passed the following resolution:
“CHRS supports the closing and then demolition of Hine School and development of the site in coordination with the Town Center development of the Eastern Market Metro Plaza. Making Eastern Market Metro the town square connecting Seventh and Eighth Streets will link the Natatorium and the Eastern Market on the North with the Navy Yard on the South. Any development of the Hine site must be consistent with the character of the Capitol Hill Historic District and must respect existing heights, density and uses. Any development proposal should:
- Comply with the recently enacted comprehensive plan,
- Be the best example of smart growth and sustainable development,
- Reflect the importance of the location,
- Be compatible with the surrounding zoning and existing building scale,
- Restore the original L’Enfant Plan by reopening C Street between Seventh and Eighth Streets,
- Provide for commercial uses on Seventh Street compatible with the existing commercial uses,
- Set aside Pennsylvania Avenue for mixed use with retail on the first floor and office above,
- Design the Eighth Street frontage as residential and include a substantial percentage of workforce housing,
- Consider live/work studios on C Street,
- Accommodate one to two underground levels of parking over 100 percent of the site, so there is parking for the residential, commercial, and weekend parking for the Eastern Market,
- Provide for green space as well as an outdoors area for craft vendors, food vendors and the flea market.”