Plans for the re-opening of Ziegfields, the popular gay nightclub displaced by the construction of the baseball stadium, moved a step closer to reality with a unanimous vote by the Commission to support the granting of a liquor license for the establishment and the execution of a voluntary agreement between Allen Carroll, Ziegfield’s owner, and the Commission, which will be on file at the Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA). The ABRA hearing on approving Ziegfield’s liquor license is scheduled for May.

According to ABRA and the MPD, Ziegfield’s, during its many years in the gay club area on O Street SE, did not have a single complaint on its record. The club’s new location will be at 1824½ Half Street SW, a building previously occupied by Lime, a club that had been shut down after numerous illegal incidents at the club.

The Voluntary Agreement, negotiated by Commissioner Rhonda Hamilton, in whose district the club is located and the ANC’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee Chair Coralie Farlee, contains several unique provisions beyond assuring security, cleanliness and order in and around the club, including the establishment of a “cool down” room for customers who may have had too much to drink, the installation of a breathalyzer machine at which patrons can check their alcohol levels before they leave the club, and a commitment by Mr. Carroll to attend local PSA meetings.

Benefits Agreement Reached On Building at The Yards
Forest City /Washington, developer of The Yards project, came before the ANC’s March meeting seeking support of their application for five waivers from the Southeast Federal Center Zoning Overlay plan for a residential and commercial building, the first structure in the 44-acre Southwest Federal Center. The waivers include a reduction in the number of loading bays in the building; a waiver from the rear yard requirement; the construction of three mechanical penthouses rather than two; building to the height of 110 feet; and a reduction in the amount of clear glass on the ground level to enable an expected grocery store tenant to use darker, low-emission glass on its space, the zoning Commission hearing is scheduled for April 24th.

At the March meeting, the ANC voted to oppose the application with the hope that negotiations would occur to improve the benefits being offered to the community In the intervening month, the Commission and the developer worked to negotiate a Memorandum of Understanding that strengthens the package of amenities originally provided by Forest City Washington.

The Agreements falls into three categories, including employment and subcontracting; affordable housing; and the environment. It includes the recruitment of construction workers from ANC 6D through ads, a 20 percent “first source” employment goal for qualified ANC 6D residents, and tie-breaking preferences for 6D residents.

The MOU includes the goal that at last 35 percent of the affordable housing units built in the building will be initially occupied by residents of ANC 6D and provides for a lottery that is preferential to 6D residents if more people apply for the affordable housing units than are available. The provision will be in effect for the fifteen years that the Affordable Housing Covenant with the DC government is in effect.

Environmental considerations include that the office building in the project will be LEED certified, and that Forest City Washington will also seek LEED certification for the residential and retail components of the project to the extent that such certification is awarded by the US Green Building Council.

The developer also plans to include a grocery store in the development, a $40 million investment in a waterfront park, and is investing $1 million in pre-construction apprenticeship programs. The ANC voted 4-2 to support the application for zoning modifications.

250 M Street SE Modification of Building Plan
The William Smith Company asked the ANC for support of a modification of their plans to construct an office building at 240 M Street SE by increasing the building height to 130 feet from its current planned 110 feet. Because of the design of the mechanical penthouses, the actual increase in height would only be 8 feet, The building is part of the Capper/Carrollsburg Hope VI project, in which the Smith Company is a 30 percent partner. A Zoning Commission hearing on the matter will be held in late May.

The building will have four levels of underground parking, will be LEED certified Silver, and the developer has made a major investment in the creation of Canal Park, which will be constructed on New Jersey Avenue, just to the east of the building.

A motion was made, and passed 5-1, to postpone consideration of the request until the May meeting with the hope that the developer will meet with members of the Commission to discuss improvements in the community amenities being offered.

Ballpark Vending
Sam Williams, Manager of Special Events and Vending, for DCRA, updated the Commission on plans to implement legislation just passed by the DC City Council to allow 40 vendors to set up in the ballpark area. The law. passed on an emergency basis, will go into effect within the next two weeks, prior to the publishing of any regulations governing the vending operations or any public comment. The boundaries of the area where the vendors will be permitted mirrors the boundaries of the Waterfront BID, although most vendors will want to be close to the ballpark. The permits, to be issued on a first-come, first-served basis to already licensed vendors, will be good for daily vending, although most activity will take place on game days. DCRA is charged with coming up with a plan on the kind of vendors that will be permitted, and will not be able to sell non-DCRA approved items, such as cigarettes and liquor. Mr. Williams said that the community would have input into a vending plan, when it is developed. No Commission action was taken.

Other Actions
In other actions, the ANC:

• Discussed the parking and traffic situation since the implementation of the new pilot Ward 6 parking program and the Traffic Operations Parking Plan (TOPP) designed for stadium events, and determined that while the TOPP seems to be operating smoothly, there is confusion among residents between the two, that there is anecdotal evidence of individual problems, and the visitor parking permit program is a “work in progress,” with permits being sent so far only to people with Ward 6 zone parking permits. Councilmember Wells will be holding a community meeting with DDOT on the parking program on May 7th at the United Methodist Church at 5th Street and Seward Square.
• Voted unanimously to approve a contract with an attorney to assist in the ANC’s protest of Zanzibar’s liquor license, scheduled for ABC review in early May; heard that a Voluntary Agreement has been successfully negotiated with the Capitol Yacht Club, in exchange for support of its request for an extension of its hours; and received a progress report on efforts to reach a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nationals on their sale of liquor.
• Voted to support the Dent House, a 19th century building at 156 Q Street SW, for designation as a DC historic landmark.
• Voted to support the Army Ten-Miler race, scheduled for October 5th.
• Voted to seek a postponement of a Public Space request for outdoor seating at the Five Guys eatery at 2nd and M Street SE because the application was received late and there was insufficient time to contact its management.
• Voted unanimously to write a letter to the City Council urging that the budget line for a DCRA liaison to the ANCs be restored. The position was temporarily vacant because the most recent occupant received a promotion, but the ANC feels the position is vitally important.

Commissioners present: Treasurer Max Skolnik (6D01); David Sobelsohn (6D02), Ron McBee (6D03), Chair Roger Moffatt (6D05), Secretary Rhonda Hamilton (6D06), Bob Siegel (6D07). Absent: Vice Chair Andy Litsky (6D04),

The next regular business meeting of the ANC will be on Monday, May 12, at 7:00 p.m. at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, 6th Street and Maine Avenue SW.

The ANC continues to solicit applications for grants of up to $1000 from non-profit organizations in Southwest/Near Southeast that provide programs and/or services for local residents. For criteria and more information on how to apply, visit the Library section of the ANC website, anc6d.org.