Local group, D.C. residents reject planned Shakespeare Theatre Co. headquarters in Southwest Waterfront

Negative feedback continues for the planned Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) headquarters, set for the former site of Southeastern University at 501 I Street SW. On PoPville, David McAuley, the founder of the Short Articles about Long Meetings local blog, reports that Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6D unanimously voted to oppose the development, known as “The Bard.”

During the ANC meeting, 13 residents spoke against the project. McAuley writes:

“... one sited a dispute with a local elementary school over the boundary of the proposed development, another addressed issues of lost light and air, another parking, another an inadequate loading dock, yet another the developer’s alleged broken promises, and so on.”

For a thorough breakdown of these “broken promises,” be sure to check out D.C. resident Andrea Pawley’s blog here.

The plan for the headquarters has changed since it was first proposed. In July 2016, the STC and Erkiletian Development withdrew their plans for a 136-unit mixed-use high-rise. In July 2017, the developer once more renewed their proposal, this time reducing the density of the original proposal by a third, while also lowering the height to a four-story building.

In November 2017, Curbed DC reported that the new plans call for a U-shaped, four-story building with a separate five-story annex connected by a below-grade tunnel. If approved, there will be a total of 110 residential units with 11,383 square feet set aside for households earning up to 60 percent of area median income (AMI) and another 987 square feet for households earning up to 50 percent AMI. Five apartments will be for STC’s actors.

There will also be two residential units rented at 40 percent below market rate to Amidon Bowen and Jefferson Academy public school staff members for the first 10 years of the development, as reported by UrbanTurf.

Also planned in the headquarters are 29,425 square feet for STC administrative, rehearsal, and performance space as well as a below-grade garage with 39 vehicular parking spaces and 70 bicycle parking spaces.

Groundbreaking is estimated around 2018 with a delivery by 2020.

• “A well-organized group of thirteen local residents lined up and laid out the case against the development.” [PoPville]

• Shakespeare Theatre’s Agreement with SWNA: A History of Broken Promises [Out, Damned Developer! Out!]

• As You Like It? The Revised Plan For The Bard in Southwest [UrbanTurf]

• Shakespeare Theatre Co.’s planned Southwest Waterfront headquarters revises plans, renderings [Curbed DC]

• Shakespeare Theatre Co. renews plans for Southwest Waterfront HQ [Curbed DC]