ANC Report: Hyde-Addison Plans Look to Be Approved; Latham; EastBanc Condos

The Hyde-Addison Elementary School at 3219 O St., NW, has revised plans to expand its school and play areas, as it presents designs before community reviews groups like the Georgetown Advisory Neighborhood Commission.

The addition of a third building – with a playground on top – on the O Street side of the school property will house a cafeteria, gymnasium and extra classrooms, leading to an additional 25,000 square feet. The new building would be partly underground. While another plan adds a section to the back of Addison School, most favored is the O Street building with its greater use of light and smart connection to the old school. Hyde’s School Improvement Team expressed its frustration with approval delays for the start of construction at the overcrowded and popular school.

At the March 31 ANC meeting, commissioners approved the O Street concept. The Old Georgetown Board will look again at the concept.

During the March 31 ANC meeting, other decisions included:

• While the ANC supports 150 new apartments at the old Latham Hotel, 3000 M St., NW, it disapproved of the facade’s designs, especially the reconstruction of the retail building in front of the hotel.

• Concerning condos planned by EastBanc at 3601-3607 M St., NW, the ANC disliked the stark boxy look and also wanted the developer to lower rooftop fixtures. It asked that the stability of the hillside property of Prospect Street homeowners above be checked out.

•The ANC wants the D.C. Department of Public Works to work out a better way of picking up old trash cans when new trash and recycling containers are given out during the summer.

• Flexi-Pave material that overlies tree box space on crowded sidewalks along the commercial corridor of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street was approved. The special plastic protects the trees’ roots, while allowing water to penetrate and flow through the dirt to roots.