FAQ

Vision

What will be built there?

A rendered view of the south service court entrance looking northeast from First Street NW

The Vision McMillan Partners (VMP) Development Program includes:

146 townhouses (9 affordable to 50% of AMI; 13 affordable to 80% of AMI)
Over 500 apartments (85 senior units affordable to 50%–60% of AMI; 27 affordable to 80% of AMI)
1M SF healthcare facilities
46,000 SF grocery
30,000 SF neighborhood-serving retail
8-acre park (6.2 acres of open green space, plus the Community Center and South Service Court)
Over two additional acres of open space in total, including Cell 14, Healing Gardens, and the Olmsted Walk
17,000 SF Community Center with pool, fitness center, multipurpose rooms, gallery space, and connection to a preserved underground cell

Download site plan

The Vision McMillan Partners (VMP) Development Program includes:

‍

146 townhouses (9 affordable to 50% of AMI; 13 affordable to 80% of AMI)
Over 500 apartments (85 senior units affordable to 50%–60% of AMI; 27 affordable to 80% of AMI)
1M SF healthcare facilities
46,000 SF grocery
30,000 SF neighborhood-serving retail
8-acre central park
Over two additional acres of open space in total, including Cell 14, Healing Gardens, and the Olmsted Walk
17,000 SF Community Center with pool, fitness center, multipurpose rooms, gallery space, and connection to a preserved underground cell

Download site plan

How much space will be left open?

Parcel 6 is a park that will include 6.2 acres of green space, the Community Center building, and the South Service Court, comprising historic structures to be retained and restored
22% of the site will be open to facilitate circulation, including the North Service Court, rain gardens, and planting rows

Are you saving the historic buildings?

Yes, we are preserving all of the historic structures that you can see on site, including all 20 sand bins (silos) and all four regulator houses. We are also saving many other historic resources, including underground filter beds (cells), filter bed portals, the majority of the walls in the South Service Court, the sand washers, many manholes and covers, and the constructed plain and its berms. We are restoring three of the historic corner stairs and the Olmsted Walk around the entire site perimeter.

How will you tell the story of the site?

We will create a “Walking Museum” that begins with an exhibit space in the Community Center connected to the preserved underground cell in the park. The self-guided walking tour will continue around the site, visiting a restored sand bin, regulator house, sand washer, and key points of interest.

Will any of the housing be affordable?

Yes, at least 20% of the total housing units will be affordable to households earning between 50% and 80% of area median income (AMI). There will be a mix of both affordable rental and affordable home-ownership opportunities, including:

85 rental units will be set aside as affordable senior housing (55 years of age or older) for households earning between 50% and 60% of AMI
22 affordable for-sale townhomes priced for households earning between 50% and 80% of AMI
Approximately 27 apartment units in future phase 2 will be set aside for households earning up to 80% of AMI

Community Impact

What amenities will there be for existing residents?

Area residents will have full access to:

Community Center
Landscaped grounds and park space
Restored historic structures
Walking paths and public plaza

Will it be environmentally sustainable?

The site will meet the District’s Green Area Ratio requirements. Currently void of meaningful tree canopy, the project will ultimately contain about 288,000 square feet of landscaped areas, about 12,000 square feet of bio retention, around 690–750 new trees, and around 11,000 square feet of green roof.

How will traffic be impacted?

Improvements will be made to the surrounding streets (First Street, Michigan Avenue, and North Capitol Street) to help offset traffic impacts. There will also be a Transportation Management Plan in place that will outline shuttle use, Bikeshare, and other remedies to help with traffic demand.

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