INDUSTRIAL LAND IN A POST-INDUSTRIAL CITY District of ...

District of Columbia Industrial Areas Study DC Office of Planning
Prepared by Phillips Preiss Shapiro Associates, Inc.
Other Planning Issues The big box site is the most prominent feature of this sub-area. It
can accommodate at least three big box retailers, and currently only serves two (Kmart would
have been the third, but the company pulled out). The residential areas to the west of 10 th Street
NE and to the east of 4 th Street NE appear to be stable areas and should be taken into account
in any development activities.
The October 19, 2005 DRAFT Land Use Change Map notes area J near the Rhode Island
Avenue Metro station has several development projects in the pipeline and is designated a
Development Opportunity Area under the existing Comprehensive Plan.
KEY FINDINGS
Reed Street north of Rhode Island Avenue is in need of significant investment and
repair.
The Rhode Island Metro area is experiencing some development pressure. It is a
prime area to capture commercial and retail development, but residential
development on the industrial land in this sub-area is not desirable. Mixed-use
development around the Metro should be encouraged.
Efforts should be made to complete the build-out and occupancy of the final big box
site near Home Depot. Possible historic buildings on the western side should be
preserved in their industrial states as warehouse or other commercial (even office)
buildings.
6.2.5 NEW YORK AVENUE/FLORIDA
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Location and Land Area This area is roughly bounded by T Street on the north, 9 th Street to
the east, Florida Avenue to the south, and 1 st Street, Eckington Place, and 3 rd Street to the west.
It is the nexus of the CSX, Amtrak, and B&O rail lines which enter the District from the north and
east. The area encompasses 196.73 acres, which is 7.47 percent of the District’s industrial
study areas.
Building Typologies Building sizes and types vary greatly in this area. The buildings to the
west of the railroads are generally mid-rise brick and concrete commercial buildings, many of
which are former railroad-oriented warehouses. The southwest of the site, at the convergence of
New York and Florida Avenues is new construction rehabilitation of concrete and brick multistory
office buildings, now the site of XM Satellite Radio and FedEx. South of New York Avenue
and north of Florida Avenue is dominated by the Capitol City Market’s low-rise, one- and twostory
concrete and brick wholesale buildings with loading docks and large truck bays.
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