Monday, November 21, 2011

Developers to Dictate Crystal City Mega-Development

Hello Yupette,

Out-of-state developers (e.g., Vornado) and their out-of-state law firms (e.g., Venable) got together with non-resident County Staff (e.g., CPHD Director Robert Brosnan) to re-codify the Crystal City zoning ordinance amendments to provide for block-by-block redevelopment of Crystal City, rather than through a previously agreed upon phased development site plan. Maximum density will vary from block to block, with no maximum density established by the County Board. This Christmas gift for Vornado is going to the Planning Commission on November 28th and to the County Board on December 10th for rubber-stamp approval. Check out agenda Item 38 on the County Bord's November 19th agenda, including a video discussion via the County's Web site.

BTW, no one from Crystal City, Aurora Hills, or Arlington Ridge bothered to show up on Saturday when this item was discussed by the County Board.

2100

11 comments:

fairgrrl said...

Phased development site plans are bad enough. Shirlington, which was redeveloped via a PDSP, is a mess...no affordable housing and massive traffic through adjacent neighborhoods, most single-occupant vehicles. Thank you, Planning Commissioner Hunt.

Anonymous said...

Reitsfuhrer Zimmerman on Saturday: "Don't worry, be happy, the out-of-state REITs know what's best for your neighborhood".

Anonymous said...

Crystal City will be far worse than the Shirlington and Potomac Yards PDSPs, but out of Zimmerman's same playbook. What happened was in both Shirlington and Potomac Yards affordable housing was promised at each phase of the site plan but never happened. What happened was a few plazas surrounded by retail and massive parking.

Anonymous said...

Meanwhile, the park across the street from Zimmerman's home is preserved as a wilderness area.

Cindy 22206 said...

Fairgrrl, in case you haven't noticed the speed tables installed by Commissioner Nanny Hunt and her ward heeler cronies are crumbling from all the traffic cutting through Fairlington from Shirlington.

Anonymous said...

What I head on Saturday were the same kinds of promises the County Board made about Potomac Yards redevelopment ten years ago. County Board is lying again in 2011 to Crystal City area residents.

Anonymous said...

Fairgrrl, the Fairlington Community Center on South Stafford Street is approaching standing-room-only with non-residents because Federal Realty was not required to contribute a penny to public infrastructure for the redeveloped Shirlington Village.

Anonymous said...

Aided and abetted by Chamber of Commerce Realtor-Editor-Booster Scott McCaffrey who has already endorsed fellow Kiwanian Kim Klinger for County Board.

Anonymous said...

$cottie could give a rat's a$$ about his own neighborhood, which leads me to $trongly $uspect he's planning to retire to the McCaffrey Family Compound in Yup$cale $ara$ota-Bradenton when the bubble bursts.

Jeff said...

Bubble Bursting? No S---, Sherlock. Freezing Federal GS salaries for 3-5 years will make it happen sooner rather than later.

fed up Dem said...

Jeff, that's why we need fiscal sanity on the County Board. That's why we have NO CHOICE but to vote for Audrey Clement.