5th and Eye Construction begins… for a parking lot

Written by FourthandEye on February 6, 2010 - 11 Comments
Categories: Development

It appears construction has begun at 5th and Eye site, but it is not for the Arts at 5th and I project.

From the MVTCID website:

Construction has started in the lot at 5th and Eye, but it is not for development. The lot is being turned into a parking lot temporarily until development for the Arts at 5th and Eye begins. From the Deputy Mayor’s Office:

“The parking use is temporary and will not replace the planned hotel development.… David Jannarone and I informed the community leadership about the parking project in a November meeting at the Wilson Building. The community leaders who attended the meeting included ANC Karen Wirt, ANC Charley Docter, ANC Keith Silver, and a Neighborhood Association Leader, Miles Grove. The community leaders expressed the community’s interest in a dog park. David and I explained that the District opted to choose an income-producing temporary use.” -Clint Jackson

ANC 6C01 commissioner Keith Silver is not pleased and has released a press release regarding picketing the paving over the lot with asphalt.

Related Posts

SociBook del.icio.us Digg Facebook Google Yahoo Buzz StumbleUpon
Tags: ,

11 Responses to “5th and Eye Construction begins… for a parking lot”

Comments

Read below or add a comment...

  1. yellowtavern1
    February 6, 2010 at 2:57 pm

    It seems like this parking lot will be competing with private parking lots like the Dumont garage that don’t seem to be full. It doesn’t seem like sound public policy to raise revenue by taking it from the existing business tax base that is manifestly struggling. Maybe there is a parking lot shortage in the Triangle that I don’t know about though.

  2. 555er
    February 6, 2010 at 11:09 pm

    Many of us at 555 are not pleased either. The Mayor did not inform us of this new use and it does not do anything to improve this neighborhood. So much for the Mayor’s commitment to his citizens.

  3. pqresident
    February 7, 2010 at 10:35 am

    I don’t know what the city’s income is going to be from the taxes of this temporary use but I’d point out that the city is not running a surplus. that said, a truly integrated citizen oriented government might have done some more triangulation (no pun intended) before announcing a use. is the Dumont parking garage open for public use? I have not seen any signs to that effect.

  4. FourthandEye
    February 7, 2010 at 11:11 am

    I think YellowTavern1 is confusing the 455 Mass parkage garage with the DuMont. The entrances to the two garages are immediately adjacent. But the 455 Mass is the only one open to the public.

  5. FourthandEye
    February 7, 2010 at 11:27 am

    The Donohoe/Holland team has made a comment on this issue.

    As noted in the Triangle blog, the Deputy Mayor’s office has decided to allow a temporary parking lot use at 5th & I in order to produce short term revenue for the city. A parking lot RFP was issued for this site and 2-3 other government properties approximately one year ago. While the Arts team is not a part of this temporary use, we understand the city’s need to search out new revenue sources. This provisional use won’t interfere with our timeline, and we continue to work toward delivering MVT’s next great landmark.

  6. yellowtavern1
    February 7, 2010 at 12:04 pm

    I was confusing the two buildings’ lots. That said, it is never good economic policy for public sector investment to crowd out private. If the city is going to own and run this lot, that’s exactly what is going on. Government shouldn’t try to balance their books by using their implicit subsidies to compete with their own tax base. If they are just constructing it and then offering it out to private companies to bid on for provision of parking services, that’s better, but only really reasonable if demand exists for more parking at approximately the price that is already being charged in the area. Maybe there is that demand. I don’t know.

  7. Ryu
    February 7, 2010 at 12:30 pm

    Boo. Don’t like this at all.

  8. pqresident
    February 7, 2010 at 7:48 pm

    @yellowtavern1 – excellent point on the crowding out effect. what I didn’t mention is that government all too often doesn’t work on the costs side of the balance sheet so the “need” for more income is sometimes a phantom.

  9. Chris in Eckington
    February 8, 2010 at 4:15 pm

    Temporary parking lot = no development anytime soon

  10. Dan Maceda
    February 13, 2010 at 3:37 pm

    Will this be asphalt covered. How does this fit with the effort to green the city since right now it is grass covered? What do Wells, Brown and Graham have to say about this. Why not a dog park? how much does it cost to create a parking lot? Has anybody given any thought to the pedestrian traffic from City Vista , Yale Lofts and north of NY ave to the Circulator stop at 5th and Mass or the bus stop at 5th and Eye.

Trackbacks

  1. DC Metrocentric » Arts Out, Parking In… For Now says:
    February 17, 2010 at 11:35 am

    [...] [...]



Leave A Comment...