D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 10-A, § 1711
1711.1 The Minnesota/Benning Business District includes the Minnesota Avenue Metro station and the shopping district to the south, extending along both sides of Minnesota Avenue to East Capitol Street. Sometimes referred to as Downtown Ward 7, it includes the 150,000 square foot East River Park Shopping Center, the Senator Square Shopping Center (anchored by the former Senator Theater) where redevelopment plans are being vetted, and a variety of small retail and service businesses serving Far Northeast and Southeast. While this area functions as an important community shopping district, some of its properties are underused and consist of empty parking lots, open storage, and undeveloped land. The shopping district itself lacks the variety of retail stores needed to serve the community. Another challenge the shopping district faces is the lack of high-quality design, confusing access and parking, and—with the exception of the historic Senator Theater—a lack of distinctive facades and storefronts. A Small Area Plan for the Benning Road corridor was completed in early 2008 and approved by the D.C. Council in July 2008. The Benning Road corridor Redevelopment Framework Plan gives a clear outline for how development can and should happen on Benning Road and in Downtown Ward 7. The study area begins at the starburst intersection, where Florida Avenue, Bladensburg Road Maryland Avenue, H Street and Benning Road meet, and continues along Benning Road to the Maryland border at Southern Avenue. The Planning Area passes through Wards 5, 6, and 7. Opportunity Redevelopment Sites, totaling 1,492,506 square feet along the corridor, have been identified within four subareas.
1711.2 The Small Area Plan includes an implementation matrix, which contains recommendations, agency leads, funding needs, and potential time frames for each subarea. Additionally, the Small Area Plan provides a development framework for the Benning Road corridor and strategies to leverage community assets and public investment to bring desired housing, retail, and transit choices. The Small Area Plan recommends strategies for how District government agencies working in cooperation with community stakeholders can begin to address a variety of themes, such as housing, shopping, business parks, open space, cultural assets, community health and safety, transportation and infrastructure, urban design, and the public realm.
1711.3 A complex of office buildings, including a four-story Metro parking garage and a new headquarters for DOES and the Department of Human Services, was completed in 2009. The development also includes new commercial office and retail space. Additionally, the Park 7 Apartment complex, now open and thriving, is a six story, mixed-use development with 376 apartment units and 20,000 square feet of ground-level retail space. These developments have been a catalyst for revitalization in Downtown Ward 7, bringing new revenue and a larger customer base to the adjacent shopping area. Complementary uses, such as a civic
space/urban plaza, public art, and cultural facilities, should be strongly encouraged, and additional infill development should be supported on vacant lots and underused land to the south and east.
1711.4 The Park 7 Apartments project is a newly constructed apartment building. The completed project is a six-story, mixed-use development with 376 apartment units and 20,000 square feet of ground-level retail space. Any additional development in this area should maximize Metro access while taking care to provide appropriate buffers and transitions to adjacent uses.
Support revitalization and further development of the area around the Minnesota Avenue Metro station, including the adjacent business district to the south along Minnesota Avenue. Upgrade and expand existing businesses in this area and encourage new small business development, educational facilities, healthy food retail, green spaces, and community-based human services, such as job training, health care, and child-care facilities. Any new public facility or private development in this area should contribute to its image as an attractive and vibrant community hub and should be responsive to the needs of surrounding neighborhoods.
Improve the East River Park and Senator Square shopping areas at Minnesota Avenue and Benning Road as vibrant shopping areas. This area should function as a single, cohesive, walkable business and mixed-use district rather than a series of disconnected, auto-centric shopping centers.
Encourage additional mixed-use, mixed-income development, including medium-density, multi-family housing around the Minnesota Avenue Metro station, recognizing the opportunity for transit-oriented development that boosts neighborhood businesses, reduces the need for auto commuting, and enhances the quality of the pedestrian environment along Minnesota Avenue.
Target the Senator Square and East River Park Shopping centers for District financial assistance, grants, and loans for façade improvements and small business development.
SOURCE: District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; 31 DCR 1049 (March 9, 1984)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Element Amendment Act of 1984, effective March 16, 1985 (D.C. Law 5-187; 32 DCR 873 (February 15, 1985)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-129; 37 DCR 55 (January 5, 1990)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act
of 1989 NCPC-Recommended Amendments, and Closing of Public Alleys in Square 669, S.O. 88-452, Act of 1990, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-132; 37 DCR 2213 (April 6, 1990)); as amended by District Government Land Use Temporary Amendment Act of 1994, effective October 1, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-190; 41 DCR 5360 (August 12, 1994)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1994, effective October 6, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-193; 41 DCR 5536 (August 19, 1994)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Amendment Act of 1994, effective March 21, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-235; 42 DCR 30 (January 6, 1995)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1996, effective April 18, 1996 (D.C. Law 11-110; 43 DCR 530 (February 9, 1996)); as amended by Second Technical Amendments Act of 1996, effective April 9, 1997 (D.C. Law 11-255; 44 DCR 1271 (March 7, 1997)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 1998, effective April 27, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-275; 46 DCR 1441 (February 19, 1999)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1999, effective April 12, 2000 (D.C. Law 13-91; 47 DCR 520 (January 28, 2000)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2006, effective March 8, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-300; 54 DCR 924 (February 2, 2007)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 2008, effective March 25, 2009 (D.C. Law 17-353; 56 DCR 1117 (February 6, 2009)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2010, effective April 8, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-361; 58 DCR 908 (February 4, 2011)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2021, effective August 21, 2021 (D.C. Law 24-20; 68 DCR 006918 (July 16, 2021)).