The meeting was called to order by President Jennifer Zeien at 7:30 PM. Board members Jennifer Zeien, Terrence Brown, Paul Derby, Mort Friedman, and Landis Jones were present. Landis Jones moved that the minutes of the previous Board meeting on April 25 be approved. The motion was seconded by Terrence Brown and passed without dissent.
Paul Derby has posted the Treasurer’s Report to the Board internal forum of the NRCA Forum. Mr. Derby is urging all of the homeowners associations in the area that the NRCA represents to join our civic association. Current homeowners association members include Georgetown Vista, Highview and Turnberry Tower.
Mr. Jones described the Pierce-Queen apartments, to be developed by the Wesley Housing Group at the eponymous intersection south of Wilson Boulevard and outside the NRCA’s boundary. The project will include new and renovated low-rise apartments and a new twelve-story apartment building. Thirty of the low-rise apartments will be new. Forty percent of the apartments will be affordable housing.
Landis Jones reported that the redevelopment plans for Rosslyn Gateway are scheduled to be presented to the Planning and Transportation Commissions, and to the County Board.
Mr. Jones reported that it remains likely that the first building to be completed at the Central Place site will be the residential tower. The county approved JBG’s request to restructure the timing of the associated community benefits (which were predicated on beginning construction of the office tower first) to allow for this possibility.
Ms. Zeien reported on the recent SPRC meeting regarding the redevelopment of Rosslyn Plaza. County staff wants a more conventional, vehicle-friendly, design for the site, including the addition of one or more cross streets connecting Kent Street to Arlington Ridge Road. The Planning Commission members and County staff strongly opposed Vornado’s plan to create a raised plaza extending from Wilson Boulevard to 19th Street. It was noted at the SPRC meeting that the NRCA supported Vornado on this issue because of the enhanced pedestrian experience, increased acreage available for public parks and plazas, and greater flexibility it allows the developer in site design. The meeting was quite contentious, to the extent that an SPRC member suggested that Vornado should replace its representatives prior to the next site plan review meeting. The SPRC has scheduled a one-hour walk-around on the site for 7 PM on June 28, to be followed by the third SPRC meeting regarding the redevelopment.
Only one trailer remains on the Wilson School property. The County will clean up the site afterwards, though the extent of the cleanup remains unclear. Mr. Derby will monitor the removal of debris and noxious weeds from the site, and prompt the County if necessary.
Ms. Zeien reported that the Rosslyn Sector Plan Update (RSPU) is in a holding pattern, pending the selection and hiring of a consultant to guide the update process. Proposals have been submitted, but there have been repeated delays in bringing the consultant on board. Accordingly, there was nothing new to report regarding the RSPU Process Panel, of which she is a member.
Mr. Derby discussed his recent meeting with representatives of Turnberry Tower. He reviewed the status of the yet unleased Turnberry Tower retail space. Notwithstanding the initial commitment of the developer to devote that space to a “restaurant or similar use” as a community benefit, no additional ventilation was included in the design, excluding its use as a restaurant, and after-the-fact modifications to allow that use are difficult to implement. The space remains difficult to rent. The developers have replaced the HVAC screen on the roof of the building, but evidently with material that is unlikely to last more than several years. The Turnberry Homeowners Association, which has taken over much of the building management from the developer, is also pressing the developer for more durable screening on the roof.
The meeting adjourned at 8:20 PM. Respectfully submitted, Morton H. Friedman
