Union Station Air Rights Development Plan Unveiled (neighborhood, construction)

[BajanYankee]

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

From everyone in the know on the streetcar project in DC, China will be paying for them now and the private sector will be taking over the project. Most of the lines are still projected to be complete by 2020. Stay tuned for more details over the coming year.

How are they going to finish the H Street line if they tear down the Hopskotch bridge and start building over the tracks underneath? Is the new streetcar just going to shuttle people back and forth from Senate Square to the Atlas Theater?

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by BajanYankee

How are they going to finish the H Street line if they tear down the Hopskotch bridge and start building over the tracks underneath? Is the new streetcar just going to shuttle people back and forth from Senate Square to the Atlas Theater?

The hopscotch bridge is not being torn down from what I understand. The buildings are being measured by the bridges height actually. That's why the buildings are allowed to pass the 130' foot limit. They will be measured from the top of the bridge. The streetcar will most likely run over the bridge before this project even begins to rise. Akridge expects to start infrastructure meaning the platform for this development next year. The city approved a special zoning district for the air rights called union station north or something like that.

[BajanYankee]

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

The hopscotch bridge is not being torn down from what I understand. The buildings are being measured by the bridges height actually. That's why the buildings are allowed to pass the 130' foot limit. They will be measured from the top of the bridge. The streetcar will most likely run over the bridge before this project even begins to rise. Akridge expects to start infrastructure meaning the platform for this development next year. The city approved a special zoning district for the air rights called union station north or something like that.

That doesn't make any sense to me. The bridge is really what destroys the flow from the H Street corridor to Greater Downtown. I always thought H Street would be enhanced by tearing down the bridge and making the whole street level (with buildings with retail at ground level).

Didn't Amtrak tell DDOT "no" on the streetcars? I thought the reason the tracks awkardly terminate just short of the bridge was because Amtrak refused to grant them an easement.

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by BajanYankee

That doesn't make any sense to me. The bridge is really what destroys the flow from the H Street corridor to Greater Downtown. I always thought H Street would be enhanced by tearing down the bridge and making the whole street level (with buildings with retail at ground level).

Didn't Amtrak tell DDOT "no" on the streetcars? I thought the reason the tracks awkardly terminate just short of the bridge was because Amtrak refused to grant them an easement.

No, Amtrak refused DDOT because the maintenance facility DDOT was going to use is underneath the hopscotch bridge in space Amtrak is using for their expanded train concourses space. H Street and the current tracks are at the same grade. The road has to go over a bridge. There are only two ways to get past the tracks. Over them or under them. The plan has always been to build the streetcar tracks over the hopscotch bridge and eventually onto K Street.

[BajanYankee]

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

No, Amtrak refused DDOT because the maintenance facility DDOT was going to use is underneath the hopscotch bridge in space Amtrak is using for their expanded train concourses space. H Street and the current tracks are at the same grade. The road has to go over a bridge. There are only two ways to get past the tracks. Over them or under them. The plan has always been to build the streetcar tracks over the hopscotch bridge and eventually onto K Street.

I guess I'm missing the point of this project. I thought they were going to completely build over the tracks so that they're completely out of sight (i.e., Penn Station). With $7 billion, they're not going to reconfigure H Street so that the tracks are completely underground (by building tunnels, I suppose)? I'd be pissed if I bought in Senate Square and had a third floor unit with a view of steel and speeding traffic along H Street.

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by BajanYankee

I guess I'm missing the point of this project. I thought they were going to completely build over the tracks so that they're completely out of sight (i.e., Penn Station). With $7 billion, they're not going to reconfigure H Street so that the tracks are completely underground (by building tunnels, I suppose)? I'd be pissed if I bought in Senate Square and had a third floor unit with a view of steel and speeding traffic along H Street.

No, this development is going to be on a platform over the tracks. The tracks are being decked over. This project is just like the I-395 air rights project that breaks ground in 2013. They both will be major platform developments using air rights. Any buildings around This development will lose their view to these buildings. These buildings will be the tallest in all DC proper. They will reach the same height of 25-30 story buildings since the first floor will be at the top of the bridge and the buildings will still be able to rise the typical 14-15 stories. If you look at the picture closely, that's why all the buildings are higher than their surrounding buildings which are all about 12-14 stories high. By the way, buildings tunnels in this development would raise the price close to 15 million+. That is major infrastructure.

[Nexis4Jersey]

Between this , and the New Stations planned for NY , Hartford , Boston , Providence , Baltimore , Philly , Harrisburg , and 50 other Northeastern cities we will truly have a 21st Century Train Experience...that and the 3-4,000 miles of added Intercity / High Speed Rail networks..

[BajanYankee]

It looks like a greenhouse.

And is that supposed to be H Street in the 4th pic you posted? If so, then it does look like they're planning to do away with the hopscotch bridge.

[Nexis4Jersey]

Originally Posted by BajanYankee

It looks like a greenhouse.

And is that supposed to be H Street in the 4th pic you posted? If so, then it does look like they're planning to do away with the hopscotch bridge.

Yes , I would assume they would be lowering the tracks , eliminating the need for the Hump bridges.

[BajanYankee]

Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey

Yes , I would assume they would be lowering the tracks , eliminating the need for the Hump bridges.

Okay. So then that means the H Street streetcar project is doomed. Who's going to want to ride something that can only take you from 25th and Benning to Senate Square?