• By Stephen Staudigl
• June 07, 2022

NCPC Approves Armed Forces Retirement Home Master Plan Amendment

The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) approved the second amendment for the Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) Master Plan at its Thursday, June 2 Commission meeting. Located at the intersection of North Capitol and Irving Streets, NW, the 272-acre campus provides residences and related services for approximately 600 eligible retired and former members of the Armed Forces. The previously approved 2008 master plan created two zones: the AFRH Zone (192 acres) which houses the main campus and will continue to be used by the federal government; and Zone A (80 acres), which will be leased for private mixed-use development, including residential, office, and hotel uses.

The amendment proposed minor modifications to the Zone A parcel plan. These include a 500,000 plus total square-foot increase in density (including an increase in residential uses and a decrease in commercial uses); the addition of townhouses; improved entry designs at Irving and First Streets and Scale Gate and Carney Road; transportation improvements, including a new Transit Center, Capital Bikeshare Stations, micro-mobility corrals, and charging stations; intersection improvements at Irving and First Streets, NW; and updated design guidelines.

“This multi-phase development envisioned in the AFRH Master Plan will bring to the North Capitol Street corridor over 3,000 housing units, with at least 20 percent of those being affordable, plus retail uses and 20 acres of parks,” said Commissioner Anita Cozart, Interim Director of the DC Office of Planning. “Through continued coordination with AFRH and NCPC on urban design, zoning, sustainability and circulation, this development can become part of a vibrant, well-connected, mixed-use neighborhood.”

Several members of the public testified about the importance of improved communication with the neighboring communities regarding issues of connectivity and public access. Per the Commission’s request. AFRH committed to re-engage with NCPC staff, the District of Columbia Office of Planning, the National Park Service, and the community to evaluate the feasibility of possible public access through the western portion of the AFRH Zone (golf course and open space). Commissioners also noted that the plan anticipates the future removal of the North Capitol Street cloverleaf intersection.

Next, NCPC provided feedback to the Air Force on its draft master plan (area development plan) for the Sentinels of the Capital, one of the four planning districts at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB), a 966-acre installation located on the Anacostia River in Southeast Washington, DC. The plan provides a detailed long-range guide for the development of the district as the installation’s secure, central tenant area and main workforce hub. It builds on JBAB’s Installation Development Plan (approved by NCPC in in February 2022) by providing more details regarding mission requirements, planning objectives, and command priority changes.

The Sentinels District includes the Defense Intelligence Agency and Commissioners noted that a majority of the area is used by facilities that house national level security missions and that much of its current land use pattern reflects the need for larger setbacks, secondary perimeter security, and restricted access requirements. They recommended that, as much as possible, new higher density development be located close to Chappie James Boulevard on existing surface parking lots; that parking be consolidated on previously developed sites; and that the existing waterfront buffer area be preserved.

Commissioners had several requests for the next review phase, including that the Air Force submit parking ratio information for the Sentinels of the Capital District and adjacent Historic Anacostia and Housing and Community Support Districts, as well as anticipated travel demand and potential future parking capacity reductions. They want to see more information on future transit options, tree priority planting areas, significant viewsheds, and stormwater management.

JBAB currently has 17,000 military and civilian employees. It was formed in 2010 from the merger of two historically separate military installations (the Naval Support Facility and the Anacostia and Bolling Air Force Base). The Air Force 11th Wing began serving as the installation’s planning and general administrative group on October 1, 2020, taking over from the U.S. Navy.

NCPC then approved preliminary site development plans submitted by the National Park Service, on behalf of the District Department of Transportation, to reconstruct two bridges located in Anacostia Park: the Kenilworth Terrace and Anacostia Avenue Bridges. The Kenilworth Terrace Bridge spans Watts Branch between Dean Avenue, NE and Jay Street, NE. The Anacostia Avenue Bridge spans an Anacostia River outlet and provides access to a District Department of Public Works trash transfer station and the National Park Service Kenilworth Maintenance Yard.

Commissioners supported the project which will result in more attractive and environmentally sensitive bridges; eliminate existing operational restrictions; and improve pedestrian safety, connectivity, and multimodal access. They expressed support for the use of real stone in the new bridge designs as this would make them more compatible with adjacent federal parkland. For final review they requested that the applicant provide details on tree removal and replanting; potential riparian and stream bank improvements; and proposed lighting.

Finally, the Commission approved a transfer of jurisdiction for 17 parcels in Southeast Washington, DC from the National Park Service (11 parcels) and General Services Administration (six parcels) to the District of Columbia. The transfer will help new stormwater and green infrastructure areas, as well improve access to a new access road for the St. Elizabeths East Campus and accommodate new signage; tieback; and adjacent shared use paths. Two parcels are located adjacent to Firth Sterling Avenue, SE and the other 15 are adjacent to the I-295 Anacostia Freeway on Shepherd Parkway land. The federal government would retain ownership of the sites and the District government would maintain the stormwater management and green infrastructure areas.

Commission actions and related materials are available online.

This month’s agenda included two consent calendar items (no presentations were given). Unless otherwise noted, all projects are in Washington, DC.
1. Preliminary and final site development plans for an Intersection Improvement Project, Pennsylvania and Potomac Avenues, SE. (7476)
2. Preliminary site development plans for the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge Rehabilitation. (8363)

The Executive Director approved six items under authority delegated by the Commission. Unless otherwise noted, the projects are in Washington, DC.
1. Preliminary site development plans for the Defense Intelligence Agency Headquarters North Entrance Revitalization Project, 200 MacDill Boulevard, SW. (8362)
2. Preliminary and final site development plans for the White House Visitor Center Visibility Enhancements, 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. (8367)
3. Final site and building plans for the Fort Lincoln Park Community Center, 3100 Fort Lincoln Drive, NE. (8224)
4. Final site development plans for the Fort Lincoln Park Renovation and Rehabilitation, Fort Lincoln Drive, NE. (8223)
5. Preliminary site and building plans for Lanham-Seabrook Station Building Expansion, 9801 Lanham Severn Road, Lanham, Maryland. (8364)
6. Preliminary and final site development plans for the Naval Support Activity, Bethesda – Building 63 Antenna Installation, Bethesda, Maryland. (8369)