Walter Reed Division??

[Annex4421]

I don't know if i'm late reporting this but if not I think you should take a look at this:

http://www.wmata.com/pdfs/planning/walter_reed_bus.pdf

[79MetroExtraMD]

That would be a perfect location for the new Northern and possibly Western. WRAMC is supposed to move up to the Naval Medical Center some time in the future and that plot of land would be a perfect development for mixed use.

After looking at the PDF presentation, I think this might be perfect. The location is pretty convenient to both garages routes. It's only a stones throw away from Silver Spring and Friendship Heights. I wonder what a proposed groundbreaking date would be.

[Tristan]

Not sure if a bus garage constitutes the highest and best use of the site, and I wonder how the DC Council would react.  Lower operating costs because of a consolidated garage might look good on one hand, but diminished tax receipts from zoning that plot of land light industrial instead of commercial might more than make up for that. 

We already have a Target in DC, couple of Best Buys, a Home Depot...don't think Walmart would be a welcome tenant, but imagine the transformation of upper northwest that must be going through the minds of planners and developers.  I wouldn't start assigning this garage a letter just yet (although they could just use "W") because I sense a protracted struggle from NIMBYs and others.

[Tritransit Area]

Hmm....I dunno about this.  Wouldn't enhanced mixed-use retail be better than just a bus garage across the street from residential housing?  I'm primarily familiar with the Georgia Ave side than the 14th Street side, but I can't imagine just putting a bus garage there.

I'm...confused...about that last slide.  They are planning to allow space for stores on that site?  At least with Western closing, Friendship Heights could use the space for other things....they've probably been begging for the space for some time!

[79MetroExtraMD]

Not sure if a bus garage constitutes the highest and best use of the site, and I wonder how the DC Council would react.  Lower operating costs because of a consolidated garage might look good on one hand, but diminished tax receipts from zoning that plot of land light industrial instead of commercial might more than make up for that. 

We already have a Target in DC, couple of Best Buys, a Home Depot...don't think Walmart would be a welcome tenant, but imagine the transformation of upper northwest that must be going through the minds of planners and developers.  I wouldn't start assigning this garage a letter just yet (although they could just use "W") because I sense a protracted struggle from NIMBYs and others.

We just aren't a big city without a Wal-Mart . Personally, inner city Wal-Marts haven't really been successful. Case in point, Baltimore. There are two Super Wal-marts: one in Baltimore County and one in Anne Arundel County. The City one is in a poor location that isn't accessible from I-95 and wayfinding is not best guiding toward it so it's hidden. Also, the quality of this one is not the best as it used to be when it first opened. There was also a Sam's Club right across from it but closed down a few years ago leaving an empty shell. There were plans to have an expanded lot but its just overgrown with weeds and really was a waste of land.

[Scrabbleship]

Not sure if a bus garage constitutes the highest and best use of the site, and I wonder how the DC Council would react.  Lower operating costs because of a consolidated garage might look good on one hand, but diminished tax receipts from zoning that plot of land light industrial instead of commercial might more than make up for that. 

We already have a Target in DC, couple of Best Buys, a Home Depot...don't think Walmart would be a welcome tenant, but imagine the transformation of upper northwest that must be going through the minds of planners and developers.  I wouldn't start assigning this garage a letter just yet (although they could just use "W") because I sense a protracted struggle from NIMBYs and others.

We just aren't a big city without a Wal-Mart . Personally, inner city Wal-Marts haven't really been successful. Case in point, Baltimore. There are two Super Wal-marts: one in Baltimore County and one in Anne Arundel County. The City one is in a poor location that isn't accessible from I-95 and wayfinding is not best guiding toward it so it's hidden. Also, the quality of this one is not the best as it used to be when it first opened. There was also a Sam's Club right across from it but closed down a few years ago leaving an empty shell. There were plans to have an expanded lot but its just overgrown with weeds and really was a waste of land.

The ones in Chicago have been successful, but were built in underdeveloped areas in decline that were lucky to have L access.

If they do make good on the plans to build one in Northeast west of the NY Ave/Bladensburg Road intersecton, it'll be interesting to see if it works, that is if UFCW doesn't pull the same stunts they did in MoCo/Arlington some time back*. I think that with the nearest Walmarts being not-so-good (Landover's a perpetual mess, Fair Lakes is a zoo, Alexandria's creepy), it won't take much and it'd generate loads of tax revenue and new private-sector jobs for DC. Would Metro increase B2 service or launch a new route though...

* Case in point: Doug Duncan's 120k square foot cap to spite Super Walmart/Targt & Wegmans, then Ike Leggett years later letting Wegmans in because MoCo'd lose tons in sales tax revenue to PG/Fairfax/Loudoun/Frederick.