Frequently Asked Questions
Important Disclosure: Information, plans, imagery and renderings are subject to change, for illustrative purposes only, and should not be relied upon as definitive.
Important note: Providence Urgent Care, Diagnostic Imaging, and Pharmacy closed on July 31, 2023. The Providence physician practices remain open and continue to serve the community.
Providence Urgent Care, Diagnostic Imaging & Medical Office Buildings:
Question: Are all medical offices and providers leaving the Providence campus? Which ones will remain? (Updated 7/31/2023)
Answer: Providence Urgent Care, Diagnostic Imaging, and Pharmacy closed on July 31, 2023. The Providence physician practices remain open and continue to serve the community. The Medical Office Buildings at 1140 Varnum Street NE and 1160 Varnum Street NE, and the various medical practices within those buildings, will remain open and operating -- as will the Carroll Manor Nursing Home at 725 Buchanan Street NE and the PFC Associates Police & Fire Clinic at 920 Varnum Street NE.
Providence Reimagined anticipates redesigning the campus around the remaining medical office buildings on-site. Tenants in these buildings which will remain during and after construction include:
- Dental office
- Eye Specialists
- Cardiology
- Family & Internal Medicine
- Diabetic eye & mascular disease specialists
- Pulmonary critical care
- OB/GYN
- Physical Therapy
- ENT
- Center for Vein Restoration
- Convenient Clinic Urgent & Primary Care
Our goal is to create a more inviting and mixed-use campus that will help retain the existing medical practices on the Providence Campus and attract new ones to the area. Construction will be phased to ensure that access to these facilities is maintained throughout the development process.
Question: Does the Providence Reimagined team plan to expand services that are in the medical office buildings?
The existing medical office buildings are not owned by the Providence Reimagined team, they are owned by Ventas. Our goal is to build an attractive and engaging mixed-use community on the campus surrounding the medical office buildings that will encourage existing tenants to stay and make the buildings more attractive to additional medical office tenants over time.
Question: Is the Providence Reimagined team in active discussions with the medical office building owner to potentially redevelop those buildings? (Updated 6/22/2023)
No. Providence Reimagined is not engaged in efforts to potentially redevelop the medical office buildings. We are coordinating with the owner of these buildings as we plan to demolish the adjoining hospital building as part of our redevelopment process. As part of our planning process, we will ensure clear access to the medical office buildings for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic during the pendency of construction.
Question: How many jobs will be lost by Providence’s closure of the urgent care, imaging center, and pharmacy on-site? (Edited 7/31/2023)
Fewer than 40 jobs will be affected by Providence’s closures on-site.
Construction & Community Engagement:
Question: How will Providence Reimagined impact truck traffic in and around Michigan Park?
Ultimately, the Providence Reimagined campus should generate substantially fewer trucks and auto traffic, in general, than when Providence Hospital was operating, as residential uses generate far fewer trucks and auto trips than commercial uses. Our traffic engineer will be able to share more detailed projections of the reduction. In the short run, due to construction, there will likely be new construction related truck traffic. The development team will utilize a designated truck route with trucks entering the site from 12th Street NE as they did for the Townhomes at Michigan Park project. Likewise, we will monitor the drivers and correct problems in real time as they occur.
We know that truck traffic is a serious issue on some of the narrower roads and we take this issue seriously. Please feel free to ask your Single Member Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner, Emily Lucio, about EYA’s efforts to deal with trucks during the construction of the Townhomes at Michigan Park as she was intimately involved in this issue and can attest to our dedication to working with the community to solve the problem.
Question: How long will Providence Reimagined take to implement?
The team anticipates it will take at least four and a half years to fully develop the site. Providence Reimagined will have to go through approximately 9 months of Planned Unit Development (PUD) review in order to get approved by the DC Zoning Commission before any permitting and construction can begin. The team anticipates it will take another year to acquire permits. From there, construction is anticipated to take approximately 30 months to complete.
Question: How will asbestos in the current hospital building be managed during demolition? (updated 6/22/2023)
The Providence Reimagined team will work with professional asbestos abatement teams to ensure that asbestos is removed from the Providence Hospital building prior to full demolition. This will ensure there is no impact on neighbors. This preparation work will begin soon after Providence closes all existing services in the former hospital building (subject to regulatory approval by DC Health).
Question: How will the team ensure that information shared in Zoom meetings is shared widely with the community?
The team will update this FAQ page with new questions asked at community meetings on a regular basis so anyone can visit to our website to get answers to questions raised during the meetings. The presentation deck and other deliverables will also be updated and shared on this website as they change based on feedback from the community.
Question: How will traffic be managed during construction?
The Providence Reimagined team will work with DDOT, our engineering consultants and our general contractor to come up with a construction traffic management plan that will limit the impact of traffic, especially truck traffic on the surrounding neighborhood while providing sufficient site access. One of the benefits of the Providence Reimagined team is that the lead developer, EYA Construction manages site work and land development for all of our projects. This provides a direct link between the development team and the on-site construction personnel.
Question: Has demolition begun already? (Updated 7/31/2023)
No. No demolition associated with Providence Reimagined has begun. We are early in the community engagement process working with residents and stakeholders to determine how best to repurpose this site. As of July 31, 2023 Providence has closed the remaining services located in the Providence Hospital building to facilitate the preparation work necessary to demolish the building once all plans have been approved and permits issued by the District.
Question: How much noise will demolition of the existing Providence hospital generate? What about new construction?
Demolition is typically one of the loudest phases of development. We anticipate that noisiest period lasting approximately two months and like we did with our adjacent Townhomes at Michigan Park development we will have a local resident serve as the liaison to the EYA development team to help manage any unforeseen issues.
Site work is one of the other noisiest phases of development. On this project we anticipate it taking approximately 5-6 months to complete. However, just like with the adjacent Townhomes at Michigan Park development we will have a local resident serve as the liaison to the EYA development team and the local ANC commissioner will also provide weekly construction updates so all residents will have significant notice about what to expect.
Question: How will you manage rats during demolition and construction? (Added 6/23/2023)
Rodents are an unfortunate reality in urban areas including DC. However, our construction team is experienced in dealing with rodents and we proactively treat the areas to be demolished and manage any issues on an ongoing basis using fencing and other barriers to keep pests from intruding into surrounding areas. We will also work with DC’s rat task force to ensure all resources are brought to bear to manage these pests.
Question: 1. Will there be a commitment to do work with Ward 5 contractors during construction? Specifically Brookland and Michigan Park based contractors? (Added 6/23/2023)
Both EYA and the Menkiti Group are very committed to identifying and working with local contractors and vendors during construction processes. Menkiti Group has a track record of hiring local subcontractors and ensuring they go another step forward and hire local residents as well. Historically, the Menkiti Group has worked with DCBIA to identify locally-based vendors early on and then hosted information sessions and conducted other outreach to ensure these vendors know the skills needed for the job and are well-equipped to bid the work. Both EYA and Menkiti are committed to ensuring Ward 5 vendors work on this development.
Development Plan:
Question: What is the anticipated mix of homes between for-sale townhouses, senior affordable apartments, and affordable apartments and how many residential units in total will be built? (Updated 6/23/2023)
It is still early in the process so any estimated number of units is very preliminary. However, the zoning allows a maximum of about 700 residential units to be built on the site. It is highly unlikely the site will be built out to this maximum density. We anticipate building approximately 350-450 units on the site. Roughly two thirds of these would be townhomes while the other third would be a mix of senior affordable apartments and affordable apartments. These estimates are preliminary and likely to change as we further develop the site plan.
Question: How many new people will this development bring to the neighborhood? (Added 6/23/2023)
It is still early in the process so any estimated number of new residents is very preliminary. However, given the above estimate of 350-450 units to be built on the site and assuming each household size is on average 2 people it’s likely that the redeveloped hospital campus could be home to 700-900 residents.
Question: What will it take to bring retail including a grocery store to the Providence Hospital Campus? (Updated 6/23/2023)
The site’s current RA-1 zoning does not allow retail by-right. In addition, the Comprehensive Plan’s Future Land Use Map and Generalized Policy Map designate the site as Institutional, which does not anticipate retail uses. The Providence Reimagined team is eager to try to bring neighborhood friendly retail uses to the site, but it is contingent upon approval of amendments to the Comprehensive Plan by city officials and the DC Council. Community support for such retail would go a long way towards helping us bring retailers like a grocery store, restaurants, or a cafe to the site. Additionally, our team would welcome new health care services, like urgent care, to be located on the site.
Question: How will Providence Reimagined impact views? How tall will the buildings be?
The current zoning for the parcel allows up to 60’ in height or approximately 6 stories. Our current development proposal on the majority of the site is to build four story townhomes with slightly taller five to six story apartments proposed only for the center block where the existing 9 story hospital sits today. Any new development on the site will be shorter than the current hospital building so the redevelopment has the potential to improve not negatively impact views.
Question: Why not build condos? They are a great way to add density and provide affordable owner-occupied housing in the District. (Added 6/23/2023)
Condo development is unfortunately very litigious. The Providence Reimagined team also sees greater need for protected affordable/workforce housing than smaller floorplan market-rate housing. Protected affordable/workforce housing can be provided via subsidized rental housing.
Question: If retail is built here will you incentivize or support the placement of local retailers here?. (Added 6/23/2023)
We support locally-based and smaller retailers in our communities and have a track record of working with such local retailers in the region. We also want to ensure that if retail is allowed on this site, it is able to succeed in a sustainable manner. Often larger-scale retailers have the capital and brand awareness to successfully operate in a new location. We will ensure any potential retail tenants, regardless of size, are well-vetted and positioned to succeed on-site. If retail is permitted, the development team will proactively reach out to local retailers that could be a good fit to ensure they have an opportunity to lease on the Providence Campus.
Transportation:
Question: How will Providence Reimagined impact parking in and around Michigan Park?
One of the great benefits of the conversion of Providence Hospital from a commercial use to a largely residential neighborhood is the reduction in daily transient parkers. For years, the community dealt with hospital employees and patrons parking on neighborhood streets. The development team will work with transportation planners as we design the campus to ensure that adequate parking is provided for new townhome and apartment residents alike and to avoid overflow parking issues spilling into the surrounding neighborhood.
Question: What will the team do to ensure new streets added to the street grid do not push more traffic into existing neighborhood streets and alleys? (Updated 6/23/2023)
Street connections will be largely dictated by the District’s Department of Transportation (DDOT). DDOT aims to rebuild the city’s street fabric when large parcels like this one are being redeveloped. The development team will ensure alley traffic impacts, especially to the South of the site, are studied by our transportation engineer as part of the development process and raise such concerns with DDOT. Given that the site is transitioning from a large hospital to a primarily residential neighborhood overall traffic will go down in comparison to when the hospital was open.
Question: How do we plan to integrate the parking garage with the rest of the redevelopment? (Added 6/23/2023)
The parking garage exists on the Providence Campus today and has a brick and glass façade where it meets the street. Major changes to the garage design are not anticipated but new buildings near the garage will be designed thoughtfully with the garage in mind.
Question: Are there any plans to narrow 12th Street and/or add bicycle infrastructure there? (Added 6/23/2023)
A bike lane is being added to 12th street as part of the Townhomes at Michigan Park development. As of now no other changes to the 12th street streetscape are anticipated as part of Providence Reimagined.
Question: What are the parking ratios anticipated for each piece of the development?
We have not begun the process of setting parking ratios per unit with the District government but we will share those as we are able.
Question: Will there be more Capital Bikeshare stations setup on the Providence Hospital campus? (Added 6/23/2023)
This is a great question that we will dig into as we begin working with our traffic engineer and the District DOT. We do not know at this time whether there will be a new Capital Bikeshare station added or not.
Question: How will Providence Reimagined impact the alley cut through traffic issues to the South of the site? (Added 6/23/2023)
The Providence Reimagined team is aware of the frustration residents of the neighborhood, especially south of Varnum Street, have experienced with drivers using alleys for cut through traffic. Not only is this a nuisance but it can be a safety hazard. We are committed to having our traffic engineering team review this problem proactively and we will share their recommendation with the community. Ultimately, much of this is likely outside of our control as it is outside the scope of the Providence Hospital campus, however our hope is that the new street network through our site may improve circulation overall and reduce the cut through pressure accordingly. It’s worth noting too that the new residents will bring some added traffic to the neighborhood, however the traffic generated from these new townhomes and affordable apartments is far less than what was generated by the hospital previously.
Affordable/Workforce Housing & Gentrification:
Question: How could Providence Reimagined impact gentrification in Michigan Park?
There is a gentrification issue and concern in DC due to rising home prices and rents. Stopping development is not the solution to this problem – stopping development is actually one of the major causes of rising home prices and rents. It’s supply/demand economics – we have higher demand for urban walkable transit and retail accessible neighborhoods in DC and we have added very little new supply. Supply is simply not keeping pace with demand.
Adding new housing supply and especially setting aside a percentage of new housing for lower income residents ensures socio-economic diversity for the foreseeable future. By setting aside a portion of our Michigan Park townhomes as affordable along with setting aside a portion of the potential Providence Hospital townhomes as affordable EYA is actually increasing the supply of protected affordable housing in ANC 5A-03. Prior to EYA’s Michigan Park townhomes development there was no protected affordable housing in ANC 5A-03. With the addition of the Michigan Park Townhomes, the Kennedy School development, and our current plan for the Providence Hospital campus, more than 13% of housing in ANC 5A-03 will be protected affordable housing moving forward. This is aligned with District goals for 15% of housing in all wards to be protected affordable.
Question: Will Providence Reimagined provide affordable/workforce housing?
Yes. The team is early in the planning process but regardless of the final development plan the team is committed to providing a minimum of 20% of all units as affordable/workforce. There will be affordable/workforce for-sale townhomes as well as affordable rental units. Our team will also work with the District to pursue subsidies that will allow us to make 30% of units affordable/workforce.
Question: Why are affordable/workforce apartments part of the planned development for this campus? (Added 6/23/2023)
The Washington, DC metro region, and the District in particular, are facing a severe housing shortage and limited supply of affordable/workforce housing. District leadership has made clear commitments to building more housing, especially on large vacant parcels like the former Providence Hospital, to address the affordable housing crisis. Protected affordable/workforce apartments are key to ensuring this and any neighborhood maintains socio-economic diversity over the long haul.
Question: Who will live in the affordable/workforce apartments? (Added 6/23/2023)
Protected affordable/workforce housing is offered based on median family income (MFI) in a given region. Housing can be rented to residents making different percentages of median family income. We have not yet set the exact percent of MFI threshold for the affordable/workforce Providence Reimagined housing, but it typically ranges between 80% and 50%. Common professions with earnings in this range include: public school teachers, police officers, social workers, firefighters, nurses, EMTs, and delivery truck drivers.
Question: Will teachers be able to afford to live in the affordable/workforce housing planned for Providence Hospital? (Added 6/23/2023)
Yes. The average DC public school teacher earns approximately $68,453 per year. This salary falls within the 50%-80% of median family income range for the DC region in most cases depending on household size and makeup.
Question: How will you ensure the affordable/workforce housing built is provided to those individuals and households who are eligible for it? (Added 6/23/2023)
The affordable/workforce housing to be built on-site is built for households making certain percentages of the median family income in the DC region. When potential residents apply to rent or buy an affordable/workforce residence they must show proof of income to ensure they are not making more than the limit. Furthermore, the for-sale affordable residences are restricted in terms of how much the sales price can increase annually. Therefore, residents of these for-sale affordable residences are not incentivized to stay in the houses if their income increases because their ability to build wealth through their home is limited. This ensures the homes remain affordable in perpetuity.
Parks & Green Space:
Question: How could Providence Reimagined impact green space in Michigan Park?
Our current plans for the former Providence Hospital campus include provision of multiple open spaces for existing and new residents alike to enjoy. Potential open spaces anticipated include: a multi-purpose sports field, dog park, playground, outdoor seating area for seniors, hard surface sports court, walking loop, and outdoor exercise stations. See slides 22-28 of the powerpoint on the Providence Reimagined website for precedent illustrative images of some of the potential green space.
Question: Will the potential new athletic field(s) be lit at night?
Beyond lighting requirements for safety and code purposes we will engage with the community and neighbors to determine the appropriate level of lighting at night for the athletic fields. Further, we will follow Dark Sky requirements to ensure the redevelopment does not contribute to light pollution.
Question: Will any of the green space be usable by adults?
Yes. Multiple types of green space that would appeal to adults are being contemplated for the Providence Hospital campus including a walking loop with distance markings, community gardening plots, fitness equipment stations, futsal courts, and outdoor seating areas.
Question: The current plans show a large park space being located in the southern portion of the site. This is already closer to other parks and community spaces like Turkey Thicket and fewer parks are located near the Northern end of the site. Is this final?
The team is studying the best location(s) for green space in the broader campus and the location as shown is not final. In addition, the separate Kennedy School redevelopment to the north will include a ½ acre linear green park space and the new street network to be built out as part of the Providence redevelopment will connect the campus to this green space.
Question: With more park spaces will come more trash. How will this be handled? What about restrooms? (Added 6/23/2023)
Trash will be managed via the HOA for the new community. We anticipate the addition of some new publicly accessible trash receptacles to support the new park spaces. We have not yet studied the need for restrooms. New retail could provide sufficient restroom capacity for most visitors to the parks and/or portable toilets could be used for park events if necessary.
Question: Are the new parks and amenities designed with the existing surrounding parks and amenities in mind? (Added 6/23/2023)
Yes, the green and open spaces have been thoughtfully designed with the existing nearby resources such as Turkey Thicket and the Townhomes at Michigan Park playground in mind.
Question: Will the park spaces accommodate mobility devices such as wheelchairs and walkers etc.? (Added 6/23/2023)
Yes, the park spaces will be designed and built to meet all relevant codes and requirements for accessibility. In particular the walking/fitness loop path will be extra wide to ensure those with mobility issues can readily use it.
Question: What material will be used for the multipurpose sports field? (Added 6/23/2023)
It is still early in the design process,but we anticipate using artificial turf of some kind. During community meetings residents have requested we use permeable artificial turf made from cork instead of rubber and incorporate shade into the design. We are looking into these options.
