Page Through from Before to After
 Earlier this week the Federal Highway Administration and DDOT gave notice that the in-process National Environmental Policy Act study of CSX's Virginia Avenue Tunnel project will be switching mid-stream from an Environmental Assessment to a more detailed Environmental Impact Statement study. Since the outcome of an EA is often the instigation of an EIS, this is probably serving mainly to speed up the process and get started on an EIS that most likely would have been needed anyway. The NEPA web site mentions that "[i]f a federal agency anticipates that an undertaking may significantly impact the environment, or if a project is environmentally controversial, a federal agency may choose to prepare an EIS without having to first prepare an EA," both of which would certainly seem to be ways this project could be described. The information already gathered and feedback already garnered during the EA process will be incorporated into the EIS. CSX representatives tell me that they expect the switch to add about six months to the environmental review process, and the project's web site now has a Spring 2013 date listed for the Final EIS/record of decision. CSX has always wanted the project to be done in 2015, to coincide with the opening of the expanded Panama Canal, but that timeline is starting to look a bit dicey given that construction has been expected to take 2-3 years. The public meeting to unveil the chosen "alternative" designs that the EIS is studying is currently being planned. You can read my write-up from the last meeting to see more about the initial group of concept designs, which ranged from expanding the tunnel to building a separate parallel tunnel to leaving the tunnel untouched to closing it and having CSX reroute all their traffic rerouting the double-stack traffic and through traffic out of the city ( UPDATED to fix my mistake--there is no proposal that would close the tunnel altogether). (It probably isn't hard to guess which alternatives are preferred by the Capitol Quarter Homeowners Association, with CQ's homes on Virginia Avenue standing mere feet away from any construction.) UPDATE: It's been requested that I mention that, while the CQ HoA letter above lists a group of possible signatories, at least three of them (ANC 6B, Barracks Row Main Street, and the Committee of 100) have all already voted against co-signing the letter. For those blissfully unaware of this project (I wish!), CSX is needing to expand the 105-year-old tunnel that runs beneath Virginia Avenue between 2nd and 12th streets, SE so that a second track can be added and double-height cars can be accommodated. With initial plans calling for the extended closure of Virginia Avenue and a temporary track in an open trench to run trains through during construction, residents on both sides of the freeway have been greatly concerned about how the work will be designed and carried out, which then spurred DDOT to request a formal environmental review (despite this being a project being carried out by a private entity on a right-of-way that they own some of). UPDATE: This flyer just posted on the VirginiaAvenueTunnel.com web site says that the next public meeting, announcing which concepts will be looked at in the EIS, is scheduled for May 21 from 6 to 8 pm at Nationals Park.
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Alex B. says: (5/3/12 9:25 AM)
I completely understand the reasoning of the CQ neighbors (to a degree - construction impact, sure; but operational impact of increased train traffic in a tunnel? I don't buy it), but they do realize they're favoring the $4+ billion alternative, right?
MJM says: (5/3/12 9:38 AM)
Let's not forget the tracks have been there for 100+ years and a super majority of CQ residents knew CSX was planning construction but they signed on the ......line
Shogungts says: (5/3/12 12:15 PM)
Forgive me for my ignorance of railways and if this was mentioned elsewhere, but what does DC get out of this? Do they get some type of usage fee/toll for every train that comes through? What is the incentive for DC to allow CSX to build out the tunnel? Higher tolls, just keeping them from leaving DC altogether?
Gladiator says: (5/3/12 8:36 PM)
Yes, there does not appear to be ANYTHING for DC in this deal. While DC appears to have driven a hard bargain (perhaps too hard) with Whole Foods, e.g., there was at least some clear benefit to the city from having a Whole Foods in Near SE. But while everyone would have to acknowledge that there will be many detrimental impacts to DC of a CSX tunnel project -- the question is only just how MASSIVE will be the scale of the damage to DC economically, environmentally, etc. -- the only gains discussed for the District are promises from CSX of how they will plant a few trees or something in the aftermath of the damage left in the wake of this project.
While the alternatives may involve entail significant expense to CSX, its not clear why DC should care, any more than CSX cares about the impact their proposal would have on the District. This is really a question of how much market share of the NE corridor freight CSX will get, relative to its competitors. Why should DC care if CSX competitors are advantaged because CSX is unable to avail itself of the lowest cost/highest damage alternative for moving its freight through the region?
Gladiator says: (5/3/12 8:43 PM)
Interesting that even though EYA has stated that they did not know about the CSX project until the end of 2010, MJM thinks that a "supermajority" of CQ residents knew CSX was planning construction when they bought their homes.......So they knew something that the people selling them the houses did not know (and certainly did not disclose, as they more recently began to do to potential buyers)??
JD says: (5/3/12 8:50 PM)
No, it was late summer 2009: link While some of the Virginia Avenue houses were still being sold. I know because I talked with some people who were wanting to know more about the tunnel project before buying.
JD says: (5/3/12 8:55 PM)
And, if we go to the photo archive, we can see it was February/March 2010 when the Virginia Avenue homes started getting built: link
BillP says: (5/4/12 9:10 AM)
As part of the NEPA process, CSX posed all of those as legitimate alternatives. Therefore, it is my understanding that the CQ HOA chose to support all of the non-invasive alternatives as its initial position. By moving from the EA to the EIS and as part of the NEPA process, this list of alternatives will be narrowed and modified and so the CQ HOA will obviously modify its position in accordance with the new alternatives. While I would not presume to speak for the HOA board or all CQ homeowners, many of us feel that some type of tunnel construction is inevitable and we would simply like to mitigate these circumstances so that the worst case but very real scenario does not come to fruition - freight trains running through a completely open tunnel, only a few feet from some homes, that separates much of the near SE neighborhood from points north for three years or more.
Bob says: (5/4/12 9:36 AM)
CQ residents have told me that CSX told them at the first community meeting about the project that CSX didn't even know there were houses there. This would be a great issue for Tommy Wells to oppose. He could re-do Marion Barry's opposition to freeways running through the middle of DC in the '60s. Instead of "No White man's highways through Black man's bedrooms", Tommy could do "No corporate train tracks through gentrifriers front yards." Not as catchy, but it could work.
Alex B. says: (5/4/12 10:06 AM)
@Shogungts: <i>What is the incentive for DC to allow CSX to build out the tunnel? Higher tolls, just keeping them from leaving DC altogether?</i> There is no incentive. DC has little leverage. While the right of way is public, CSX (as most railroads do) have very strong legal rights of access via perpetual easements. This makes sense, as if you were running a railroad, it wouldn't be possible to operate if suddenly someone decided they wanted to remove your tracks. Railroad rights of way vary, either from easements to outright ownership. I'm not sure exactly where this falls, but what is known is that: a) CSX has the right to operate trains there, b) they have the right to improve that right-of-way, c) they are offering to do it with their own money. Those three things means that, practically, DC has little leverage at all. They can't force CSX to go elsewhere. Perhaps they could provide an incentive to do so, but as I noted, the alternative is a $4+ billion bypass of the DC area. I think CSX's early cost estimates to re-do this tunnel were on the order of $150 million. That's quite a gap to make up. Furthermore, this is a project of national importance. This and the rail bottlenecks in Baltimore are key elements of the entire east coast freight rail network. The required geometry of railcars, combined with the geography of the east coast and the hills of the fall line, plus the water bodies of the Chesapeake Watershed mean that there are only a few viable options for where tracks can go. Building a bypass isn't like directing trucks to just take another highway. GGW posted on this a few years back: link
Andrew in DC says: (5/4/12 12:55 PM)
@Alex B. "a) CSX has the right to operate trains there, b) they have the right to improve that right-of-way, c) they are offering to do it with their own money. " The greatest issue I have is with point "b". While they do have the right to improve their existing tunnel, the law which provided the B&O the right to dig the tunnel in the first place did not allow for trench work beyond the 5th year past the passage of the law. Nor were temporary tracks permitted at all, for that matter. CSX's proposed plans are in violation of each of these. Further, CSX's "preferred" alternative requests a significant expansion of the ROW than B&O utilized. Since B&O did not use it, and was, by law, restricted from digging it back up to use it, a case could clearly be made that they forfeited the "full" ROW established in the law, and therefore CSX only inherits the ROW currently in use. So please, by all means, CSX has the right to improve on their ROW... so long as they abide by the restrictions set out for them.
Gladiator says: (5/5/12 10:01 AM)
JD - Yes, it was indeed the end of 2009 (not 2010) when EYA claims they were first made aware of the project. But that was still after the fact (and yes, there were a couple of stray news reports before then, but EYA itself is on the record in writing saying they only became aware of the project near the very end of 2009). What CSX or EYA is not going to tell you is that most Virginia Ave home-owners had to put down huge deposits well before that time. And of course many other CQ homes as well. What you seem to be ignoring is that the VA Ave homeowners were required to put down very large deposits well in advance of when their homes were actually built. THey then faced a Hobson's choice of losing tens of thousands of dollars by walking away, or having a tunnel dug through their front yard.
MJM says: (5/6/12 2:34 PM)
8 May 2008 - CSX released a vague press release that something was going to happen here in DC in the near future - so I have a feeling EYA is being less than truthful about when they really knew what was happening. Its kinda like moving next to an airport and complaining about the noise or future expansion? link
Alex B. says: (5/8/12 9:21 AM)
Andrew, There have been decades of legal precedent concerning rail rights of way - I don't think DC would be breaking any new ground by opposing this project. I don't know how wide their ROW is, but I doubt it's limited to the tunnel alone. Rail ROWs are often far wider than just the tracks themselves. Those restrictions are all well and good, but again: this is a project of national importance. I don't think the concerns of neighbors give them a right to veto this project. Their concerns should be addressed, of course.
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Anacostia Riverwalk
A bridge between Teague and Yards Parks is part of the planned 20-mile Anacostia Riverwalk multi-use trail along the east and west banks of the Anacostia River.
Virginia Ave. Tunnel Expansion
Construction underway in 2015 to expand the 106-year-old tunnel to allow for a second track and double-height cars. Expected completion 2018.
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Canal Park
Three-block park on the site of the old Washington Canal. Construction begun in spring 2011, opened Nov. 16, 2012.
Nationals Park
21-acre site, 41,000-seat ballpark, construction begun May 2006, Opening Day March 30, 2008.
Washington Navy Yard
Headquarters of the Naval District Washington, established in 1799.
Yards Park
5.5-acre park on the banks of the Anacostia. First phase completed September 2010.
Van Ness Elementary School
DC Public School, closed in 2006, but reopening in stages beginning in 2015.
Agora/Whole Foods
336-unit apartment building at 800 New Jersey Ave., SE. Construction begun June 2014, move-ins underway early 2018. Whole Foods expected to open in late 2018.
New Douglass Bridge
Construction underway in early 2018 on the replacement for the current South Capitol Street Bridge. Completion expected in 2021.
1221 Van
290-unit residential building with 26,000 sf retail. Underway late 2015, completed early 2018.
NAB HQ/Avidian
New headquarters for National Association of Broadcasters, along with a 163-unit condo building. Construction underway early 2017.
Yards/Parcel O Residential Projects
The Bower, a 138-unit condo building by PN Hoffman, and The Guild, a 190-unit rental building by Forest City on the southeast corner of 4th and Tingey. Underway fall 2016, delivery 2018.
New DC Water HQ
A wrap-around six-story addition to the existing O Street Pumping Station. Construction underway in 2016, with completion in 2018.
The Harlow/Square 769N Apts
Mixed-income rental building with 176 units, including 36 public housing units. Underway early 2017, delivery 2019.
West Half Residential
420-unit project with 65,000 sf retail. Construction underway spring 2017.
Novel South Capitol/2 I St.
530ish-unit apartment building in two phases, on old McDonald's site. Construction underway early 2017, completed summer 2019.
1250 Half/Envy
310 rental units at 1250, 123 condos at Envy, 60,000 square feet of retail. Underway spring 2017.
Parc Riverside Phase II
314ish-unit residential building at 1010 Half St., SE, by Toll Bros. Construction underway summer 2017.
99 M Street
A 224,000-square-foot office building by Skanska for the corner of 1st and M. Underway fall 2015, substantially complete summer 2018. Circa and an unnamed sibling restaurant announced tenants.
The Garrett
375-unit rental building at 2nd and I with 13,000 sq ft retail. Construction underway late fall 2017.
Yards/The Estate Apts. and Thompson Hotel
270-unit rental building and 227-room Thompson Hotel, with 20,000 sq ft retail total. Construction underway fall 2017.
Meridian on First
275-unit residential building, by Paradigm. Construction underway early 2018.
The Maren/71 Potomac
264-unit residential building with 12,500 sq ft retail, underway spring 2018. Phase 2 of RiverFront on the Anacostia development.
DC Crossing/Square 696
Block bought in 2016 by Tishman Speyer, with plans for 800 apartment units and 44,000 square feet of retail in two phases. Digging underway April 2018.
One Hill South Phase 2
300ish-unit unnamed sibling building at South Capitol and I. Work underway summer 2018.
New DDOT HQ/250 M
New headquarters for the District Department of Transportation. Underway early 2019.
37 L Street Condos
11-story, 74-unit condo building west of Half St. Underway early 2019.
CSX East Residential/Hotel
225ish-unit AC Marriott and two residential buildings planned. Digging underway late summer 2019.
1000 South Capitol Residential
224-unit apartment building by Lerner. Underway fall 2019.
Capper Seniors 2.0
Reconstruction of the 160-unit building for low-income seniors that was destroyed by fire in 2018.
Chemonics HQ
New 285,000-sq-ft office building with 14,000 sq ft of retail. Expected delivery 2021.
Records added or updated recently displayed here; click the "archive" links to see additional detail and older records. All data from DC Government databases and RSS feeds. JDLand takes no responsibility for errors, omissions, etc. (read CapStat disclaimer). Data is retrieved daily.
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Recent Issued Building Permits
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1402 1ST ST SE
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11/25/19
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / DAVID C POSTLEWAITE
SB1900412 /
CONSTRUCTION
Parcel G2:WSP will complete four borings up to the deepest potential subgrade elevation (approx. 32 ft. bgs). The proposed boring locations would be in the four quadrants of Parcel G2 to check for spatial variability in contaminant concentrations. WSP will collect and analyze three soil samples from each boring from depths corresponding to potential subgrade elevations (i.e. 10-12 ft. bgs, 20-22 ...
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1212 4TH ST SE
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11/25/19
FC 1212 LLC / TAMIKA STATON; OTIS
ER2000409 /
SHOP DRAWING
Replace governor car #2 - Part #: TBA20641H6
Replace hoist belts #1 and #4 - Part #: SB0003119
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1300 4TH ST SE
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12/06/19
ASANA PARTNERS / S.A. COMUNALE; S.A. COMUNALE
P2001954 /
SUPPLEMENTAL
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1346 4TH ST SE
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12/06/19
KAITLYNN MATTEO / W. SAKIE - BHAR; W. SAKIE - BHAR; NA
SG2000117 /
CONSTRUCTION
Install one set of non illuminated sign on to existing store front building
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12/12/19
FC 1346 HOLDCO I L L C / ;
P2002122 /
SUPPLEMENTAL
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82 I ST SE
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12/13/19
GDVC EYE STREET LLC / ALYSSA CARRABIS; IRON FISH CONSTRUCTION IRON FISH CONSTRUCTION
B2002764 /
CONSTRUCTION
SCOPE OF WORK:
CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW 120 SQSF CLOSET SPACE WITHIN AN EXISTING PARKING GARAGE.
NO CHANGE IN EGRESS OR PATH OF TRAVEL. MAINTAIN UNOBSTRUCTED PATH OF EGRESS AS REQUIRED BY CODE THROUGH CONSTRUCTION.
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408 L ST SE
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12/11/19
JOSEPH LEBLANC / KYLE YOST
SOL2000412 /
CONSTRUCTION
rooftop solar pv system, less than 4' above roof
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12/13/19
JOSEPH F LEBLANC / null
E2002722 /
SUPPLEMENTAL
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861 NEW JERSEY AVE SE
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11/26/19
GREYSTAR GP I I, LLC / KIM MITCHELL; KIM MITCHELL
FD1900040 /
CONSTRUCTION
TWO BELOW GRADE PRKING LEVELS, CONCRETE FOUNDATION WALLS, SLAB ON GRADE, COLUMNS ELEVATED DECKS UP TO GRADE WITH UNDERGROUND UTILITIES (MECHANICAL, PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL)
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12/05/19
MIKE ALLEN / JANE MCCRAY
AH2000244 /
CONSTRUCTION
WO# 1611441 - Mike Allen / P. Helgeson. Pepco to install network transformer
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12/12/19
CXS PROPERTIES GROUP / CHARLES C. BAKER; CHARLES C. BAKER
P2002143 /
SUPPLEMENTAL
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125 O ST SE
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11/25/19
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA / DAVID C POSTLEWAITE
SB1900411 /
CONSTRUCTION
WSP will complete three borings up to the deepest potential subgrade elevation (approx. 32 ft. bgs). WSP assumes that borings will not be installed inside the fleet maintenance facility due to access restrictions imposed by DC Water. The proposed boring locations form an ‘L’ shape around the eastern and southern sides of the fleet maintenance facility. WSP will collect and analyze three soil samp...
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71 POTOMAC AVE SE
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12/06/19
MPR REALTY / BOB BIROONAK; BOB BIROONAK; ART DISPLAY CO
SG2000099 /
CONSTRUCTION
One building name MAREN
Two set of address numbers all signs are non-illuminated
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227 TINGEY ST SE
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12/02/19
FC 227 LLC / KAYLA SHATTUCK; BROOKFIELD PROPERTIES MANAGEMENT LLC.
RW1900122 /
CONSTRUCTION
Construction of new retaining wall located between Canal Street St and Third Street, SE.
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300 TINGEY ST SE
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12/04/19
FC BOILERMAKER LLC / ROBERT S. WATTS; ROBERT S. WATTS
E2002289 /
SUPPLEMENTAL
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AH = After Hours; B = Alteration & Repair; D = Demolition; E = Electrical; FB = Boiler; M = Mechanical; P = Plumbing and Gas; PC = Post Card; R = Raze; SG = Sign; TL = Tenant Layout; TN = Tent; RW = Retaining Wall;
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