Preservation planning and the Armed Forces Retirement Home

From Reyn Anderson of the Washington Central Parks initiative:

The Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) has extended its hearing time on the AFRH’s development plan in order to ensure that all community members interested in testifying are given an opportunity to do so. PLEASE COME THIS THURSDAY, JANUARY 31st at 1:50 pm to 441 4th Street, NW (#1 Judiciary Square) in Room 220 South to voice your concerns about the adverse impact this plan will have on this historic site and the surrounding neighborhoods. If you cannot attend the January 31st hearing, but wish to submit comments on the AFRH development plans, you can e-mail them to timothy.dennee@dc.gov or david.maloney@dc.gov. The HPRB members will take a site visit to the AFRH this week, prior to the January 31st hearing.

Brief overview of the January 24th hearing:

- The Board voted unanimously to designate the AFRH as a District of Columbia Historic District.

- The State Historic Preservation Officer presented his report and, among other things, suggested that the HPRB should accept a continuing responsibility to review any proposed private development on the AFRH property

- The National Trust for Historic Preservation expressed concerns about a proposed building to be constructed near the National Monument/Lincoln Cottage and stated that they would prefer to see no development on Zone C, as this would adversely impact the Lincoln Cottage’s setting and interpretation.

- The National Park Service stated that it would like to see the AFRH put Zone C out for tender or lease to the NPS or the city of the District of Columbia to be used as a publicly-accessible park space, especially as this part of the city is sorely underserved by parks

- The Commission on Fine Arts reported that at their January 17th hearing on the AFRH’s development plan, they had decided to take no action as they thought that the proposed development on Zone A was not in line with the principles of the McMillan Plan and they wished to see other design alternatives. The CFA representative requested that the HPRB also delay its vote on the AFRH plan.