The Zoning Commission makes the front page (of the sports section)

Not being a maven of the ins and outs of the Zoning regulations, I didn't realize that the Zoning Regulations require that the parking for the stadium be constructed underground.

I say no exception or variance should be granted.

It is a shock to read a quote from a Commission member concerned about the "quality" of the result, rather than a strict adherence to the regulations (which are about everything but design and the post-construction impact on people and places).

From "Garages proposal roundly criticized," in the Washington Times:

Members of the D.C. Zoning Commission last night roundly criticized a proposal to build two parking garages with condominiums and other development at the north side of the Washington Nationals new ballpark, and said it was clear that plans for the project had been rushed.

"I'm a little concerned," commission member Greg Jeffries said after watching an hour-long presentation from city officials and stadium architect Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum. "How much time was put into this plan? It has to be five days or seven days. It just does not seem like it's fully developed." ...

Commission members were not impressed, particularly with renderings of the garages that appeared to show that cars would be visible from inside the stadium. "Having exposed garages is not what we want to see," said commission member Michael Turnbull, Architect of the Capitol. "We have this fear that we're going to build this temporary thing for 50 years that's not going to look good."

Index Keywords: stadiums-arenas