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BZA approves CitizenM Georgetown hotel without on-site parking, requires off-site spaces and TDM
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Summary
The Board of Zoning Adjustment granted special-exception relief allowing a 230-room CitizenM hotel at 3401 K Street NW to proceed without on-site parking, subject to conditions including 17 secured off-site parking spaces within a half-mile, a transportation demand management plan and a loading management plan.
The Board of Zoning Adjustment on July 23 approved a special-exception request that allows a 230-room CitizenM hotel at 3401 K Street NW to be built without the 27 on-site parking spaces the zoning rules normally require. The board voted 4–0–1 to grant the relief with conditions, including securing 17 off-site spaces within a half-mile, implementing a transportation demand management plan and a loading management plan, and entering a memorandum of agreement with ANC 2E.
Why it matters: The site is in the MU‑13 zone in the Georgetown area and includes a contributing historic warehouse. The applicant argued that the hotel’s business model (small, tech‑forward rooms, limited in‑house amenities) and proximity to transit and abundant off-site parking make the full parking requirement impractical, while opponents and some board members pressed for concrete mitigation to address neighborhood impacts.
The applicant, Washington Georgetown Properties LLC, represented by Christine Schicker of Holland & Knight, said the hotel will be a 7‑story, 230‑room CitizenM property that adaptively reuses the existing warehouse and adds a five‑story addition. Joseph Adeo, director of investment management for CitizenM, described the brand’s typical guest—frequent business and leisure travelers who use transit and local services—and said CitizenM’s other Washington locations operate without on‑site parking. Traffic consultant Jamie Milenovich (Wells & Associates) told the board the property is about 0.55 miles from the Rosslyn Metro and near priority Metrobus routes; her firm cataloged more than 1,700 off‑street spaces within a roughly ten‑minute walk and proposed a TDM plan and off‑site parking arrangement.
The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) said it had no objection provided the applicant implements the TDM and loading plans; DDOT also requested a Capital Bikeshare expansion if the off‑site parking was not secured. The Office of Planning recommended approval, citing the site’s size, the historic structure, and access to transit and pedestrian options. The ANC provided unanimous support subject to conditions, and the applicant signed a memorandum of agreement with the ANC committing to the ANC’s requested measures.
Board members said they were persuaded by the combination of transit proximity, the applicant’s business model, the proposed TDM and loading plans, and the ANC MOA. Chair Fred Hill said the project “is not expected to have any adverse traffic impacts on the surrounding area” with the proposed mitigations. Vice Chair Carl Blake and other members emphasized that the off‑site parking commitment and the TDM and loading conditions were central to their votes.
Formal action: Chairman Hill moved to approve the application as captioned with conditions that included securing 17 off‑site parking spaces within a half‑mile (which may be served by valet or contractual parking), implementing the DDOT‑recommended TDM and loading management plans (Exhibit 19A), and complying with the ANC memorandum of agreement; Vice Chair Blake seconded. The board voted 4–0–1 to approve. Staff recorded the vote as 4–0–1 in favor.
Background/next steps: The applicant told the board it expects to deliver the hotel in the first quarter of 2026. The zoning administrator will confirm that any required off‑site parking agreements are in place before a certificate of occupancy is issued, per the board’s conditions. DDOT and the applicant will continue to coordinate on loading, streetscape and curb management details.
