Zoning commission approves design review for DCCorrectional Treatment Facility annex, 5-0

The District of Columbia Zoning Commission voted 5-0 on March 17 to approve final action in case 24-21, the Correctional Treatment Facility Annex (1900 Massachusetts Ave. SE), a design-review application filed by the DC Department of General Services on behalf of the DC Department of Corrections.

The approved plan calls for two new annex buildings connected to the existing Correctional Treatment Facility (CTF), a consolidated underground parking garage and program spaces intended to increase behavioral-health, medical and reentry services for residents. The commission granted a special exception for a large-scale government use, an area variance for primary-street entrance spacing, and two design waivers tied to Hill East zoning rules.

Tom Faust, director of the DC Department of Corrections, said the annex advances “Mayor Bowser’s vision to construct a new correctional facility, which is focused on programming, treatment, and reentry to replace the aging and very outdated central detention facility in Hill East.” Faust framed the project as an attempt to move away from the older DC Jail footprint and create spaces tailored to treatment and reentry.

The applicant’s presentation included a program and capacity summary. Michelle Wilson, Deputy Director of Administration at DOC, told the commission the complex will have a modest net increase in capacity: “we will have a modest increase from the recent count of 2,009 beds to approximately 2,144 beds in the project, and this includes beds in the existing CTF facility.” She also said the project will consolidate on-site parking—rising from about 230 surface spaces today to 409 spaces in underground garages—and add program areas such as a 12-bed behavioral-health…