BZA reinstates approval for 80‑unit townhouse project on Buchanan St. NE, imposes DOT TDM condition

Representatives for the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Washington presented a revised submission to reinstate an earlier BZA approval for 80 townhouses on a 4.7‑acre parcel on Buchanan Street NE. The project is organized into 12 ‘sticks’ of 16‑ and 20‑foot‑wide townhouses (theoretical lots) with garages, internal private streets, and about an acre of publicly accessible open space.

Laya Batis (counsel) and landscape architect Brian Rule described the site plan, which was coordinated with the Conway Educational Center that has already been built on adjacent property. The applicant said required utilities and roadway infrastructure are in place and that the project complies with RA‑1 height (max 40 ft), rear‑yard and lot‑occupancy rules. The Office of Planning and the District Department of Transportation issued reports supporting the special‑exception requests for a new residential development and the theoretical subdivision; ANC 5A signaled continued support from the community.

ANC Commissioner Emily Singer Lucio told the board the ANC supports reinstating the 2022 approval and that the developer has committed to community benefits the ANC negotiated previously — including publicly accessible green space, contributions to housing‑support funds, and seismic monitoring during construction. The developer said proceeds from the townhouse parcel will finance the Conway Education Center and noted an urgency tied to closing and construction.

The board deliberated on technical filing requirements, private‑road/public‑access easements, and community conditions from the 2022 case. Members found the record satisfied the legal standard for both the theoretical subdivision and the new residential development and voted 5–0 to approve the application, subject to the DOT Transportation Demand Management measures recorded in the case file.

What’s next: Applicant may move to permitting; the board’s order will reflect the approved plans in the record and the DOT‑recommended TDM condition.