Development Proposed for Vacant Lot at 429 Newton Place, NW
The empty lot at 429 Newton Place as it appears today.
Here’s some development news that I’ve recently been informed about that will be of interest to many. The empty lot on the north side of the 400 block of Newton Place, NW, finally has someone interested in developing it. Based on everything I’ve learned about this so far, this looks like a good project. I’m also sure that residents in the area will appreciate that development of the property will mean that they will no longer need to worry about overgrown weeds or rat burrows on the property.
The development, as outlined, will be 100% by right with the exception of one zoning variance. That variance is a request to subdivide the lot for three building units that are approximately 16.66 feet in with. The current minimum width proscribed by zoning is 18 feet, or about 1.33 feet greater than what is being requested.
Outside of the variance request, the owner seeks to construct three row structures, each to contain two family dwelling units. Based on the plans, each living unit is configured to consist of two floors and contain three bedrooms and three bathrooms. As you can see from the color rendering below, the row structures as proposed are designed to respect the height and architectural vocabulary of the neighboring row houses.
Tags: Development, housing, Park View
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Park View, D.C. 
January 18, 2013 at 9:29 am
There is a similar project underway a bit south of your usual stomping grounds. The vacant lot at the end of Hobart Pl, NW (next to the reservoir) is getting three two-unit houses. I haven’t seen any plans, but the foundation is poured. They are really skinny – I’d guess even more narrow than the Newton plan. That’s the way all of the lots on Hobart are, though, so I don’t think the project required any variance at all.
It’s 514, 516, and 518 Hobart PL NW if you’re curious.
January 18, 2013 at 12:13 pm
wish they were going with porches instead of stoops. that would be more in line with the style of the block.
January 21, 2013 at 8:23 am
16.66? This variance should not be granted. 18 feet is barely enough to make a functional room. If they need a variance then it is not 100% by right. Codes are not put in place just for the heck of it, safety is a factor. Skinny slivers in a row of townhouses is just as odd as a popup.
January 21, 2013 at 9:35 am
there are 12-foot rowhouses all over the city. i don’t see what the big deal would be to have something over 4 feet wider than that.
January 21, 2013 at 11:38 am
My perfectly normal row house on Columbia is 16.25 feet wide. I don’t think 16.66 qualifies as a skinny sliver.
January 23, 2013 at 8:20 am
My main concern would be if there were a fire. Building width under code is too much of a safety concern for me, let alone the need for space.
February 1, 2013 at 3:02 pm
IMGoph: I understand your point about the front porches. But I guess since they’re not single family row houses like the ones to the left and right there was no need to include front porches. But I agree with you. Too bad that they won’t have them. Sometimes I think it’s not really a good idea to convert a rowhouse into a two family dwelling. It’s too much density and makes it really hard for a family to purchase a single family row house. Progress, I guess.
March 25, 2013 at 7:01 am
[…] 1 foot, 1/3 inch narrower than prescribed by code. Each building would contain two living units. I posted details about this project back in January along with the plans for the […]
December 26, 2013 at 10:46 am
[…] begun include the 20-unit building designed for the southeast corner of Georgia and Otis Place, the 6-unit project proposed for the 400 b/o Newton Place, and the 6-unit Blue Water proposal for the blighted 3612-3614 Park Place […]
April 7, 2017 at 7:03 am
[…] first posted about this project back in January 2013, at which time I outlined how the plans were for three 2-unit buildings that each would have one […]
July 10, 2017 at 7:03 am
[…] in April, the long-stalled infill development first proposed for 429 Newton Place, NW, in 2012 and approved in 2013 is moving forward following a change in ownership. Over the weekend I observed that the foundations […]