Hine School Plan 2: The Plan Without a Plan
Last night, four developers—finalists whittled down from a group of ten—presented plans for projects on the site of Hine Junior High School, down the street from Eastern Market.
The Plan Without a Plan (Presentation PDF):
National Leadership Campus/Western Development Group
"We're not developers, and we don't have architectural plans," announced Paul Yandura, representing National Leadership Campus.
Instead, Yandura offered an interesting charitable concept and a heavyweight financial backer: Peter Lewis of "That's Progressive!" Progressive Insurance fame. Yandura and his partner Marsha Scott-–former Clinton administration officials, according to their bios—run a consulting company, and were hired to help conceive this proposal and present it to the public.
With supposedly 80 percent of the financing already secure—that's what Scott stated last night—the National Leadership Campus would provide subsidized non-profit office space and housing for groups struggling to pay high rent costs to exist in Washington D.C.
The group already has some parameters, presumably very flexible, in mind: 125,000 square feet of office space, 65,000 square feet of residences/extended stay residences, 25,000 square feet of training, multimedia and conference facilities, 75,000 square feet of retail and restaurant spaces, 75,000 square feet for a hotel, and 250-500 parking spaces (All of this was written on a board outside the meeting space). If chosen, the community would help build the concept step by step.
1:01 pm
Ummm... interesting. Not bad, just interesting. I think they might need to provide a LITTLE more guidance rather than having the "community" (who all has different interest and ideas on what should be there) craft the plan.
1:56 pm
This is a great idea! DC is the center for the nonprofit world, but the high costs of operating them here and working at them is a real challenge. This is exciting.
3:43 pm
I just want to know what those Green Blobs are supposed to represent? Surely not the buildings. If so, it looks eerily like Tysons Corner office parks!
3:53 pm
SG, I think the Green Blobs represent the fact that the tenants (the non-profits that would put office space and possibly house workers on the site) and the community would identify what they want, and the actually shape of the buildings on development would arise from those discussions. The Green Blobs DO indicate, in a very general way, heights and massing of buildings.
The impression you are to get from the Green Blob drawing is that it will be an open, campus-like block, amenable to wandering through from 8th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue to Eastern Market, with plenty of open space for both weekend flea markets and community events.
12:02 pm
I'd like to know more about the actual organizations that propose to participate in the project. Are they a reflection of the community or the residents of DC? Who will mandate their agenda or curriculum? I think this idea would do a huge disservice to DC overall and the local community.
2:17 am
Oh, David, no, no, no, no, no. This is NOT about LOCAL non-profits, this is about national and international non-profits...think Tides Foundation, John Podesta's Center for American Progress (not necessarily those two exactly, but like that). The main money guys, who could not attend, are the Lewis family who made their money from Progressive Insurance--maybe you've seen their advertisements with the women in the white nurse's dress and red lips operating the "check out lane" at the insurance company. And it's not a university with a curriculum, it's called National Leadership Campus because it's designed more like a college campus than like a traditional city block. Now whaddaya think?
12:05 pm
@trulee pist I still think its a bunch a crap! National nonprofits rather than community organizations from millionaires for free land. Give me a break! Going back to Marion Barrry days with that load of crap.