A project on Wisconsin Avenue that involved a moved house and a 20-unit condo building is pivoting to a bigger project with more homes, a big jump in affordable homes. The developer, Beck Vissat of 10square, took the opportunity to put the other house on the block under contract in the hopes he can up-zone the property from RA-1 to RA-2, allowing a one-story (10′) increase in height and a doubling of the buildable density. In doing so, the project grows from a 20 unit building including one two-bedroom affordable unit, to a 50-ish unit building and 10-15 affordable units, a mix of one and two-bedroom units. That’s a massive increase in income-restricted condos. Both houses will be rotated 90 degrees and moved to their adjacent side street. Credit goes to Commissioner Janell Pagats for pushing the developer to seek to build more homes and get more affordable housing.
Vissat also mentioned he’s going to take a fresh look at the design of the building, which will span the entire block of Wisconsin between Ordway St and Norton Place. Listening to the neighbors will be key in the new design. No zoning relief, other than the zoning change itself, is expected. The project will provide double the required parking spots.
Cleveland Park Smart Growth and Ward 3 Vision took some time today to interview the developer about the change in the project. The recording of that session can be viewed below.
The map amendment process will be public and open for community engagement, both before the ANC and before the Zoning Commission. We encourage CPSG and W3V members to engage as the project goes before the ANC and the Zoning Commission, and later when the new design goes before the ANC and HPRB.
Cleveland Park Smart Growth 
I live in Cathedral Heights. The development of the old Fannie May complex and other new apartments built in the past 2 years will already impact the traffic in this area. How on earth can we add another complex to further add to the congestion? I am not in favor of this.
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