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Tenants and owner spar over parking and conditions as BZA approves 7‑unit conversion at 1415 Tuckerman
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Summary
The BZA approved a special exception to add seven units inside a 66‑unit building at 1415 Tuckerman Street NW despite strong testimony from tenants about building maintenance, pest problems and loss of garage parking for elderly residents. The owner and architect said surface reconfiguration preserves parking and the owner agreed to meet the tenant association.
WASHINGTON — Tenants of 1415 Tuckerman Street NW urged the Board of Zoning Adjustment on Dec. 2025 to delay a proposed interior conversion that would add seven dwelling units to an existing 66‑unit building, saying building maintenance and a plan to convert garage parking to surface spaces would harm elderly and mobility‑challenged residents.
Renee Barrett, vice president of the building’s tenant association, told the board: “We’re not totally against him doing additional units. We’re totally against him doing it now.” Barrett and other speakers described persistent building problems — incomplete promised repairs, reduced trash service, pest infestations and an unreliable intercom system — and argued management should remedy those issues before any conversion reduces tenants’ access to parking.
The applicant, represented by agent Gregory Curley and architect Eric Groening, said the proposal is an interior renovation that will not change building massing and that the project can meet parking requirements. Groening told the board the plan would preserve 23 parking spaces on the surface after removing garages: “So, we are not gonna lose any parking spaces, when we make this switch.” Owner Cameron Webb committed in the hearing to meet with the tenant association and exchange contact information with tenant leaders to discuss parking and operations.
Office of Planning recommended approval and ANC 4B submitted a letter in support. The board’s deliberations credited OP and DDOT reviews and the ANC’s support; board members also urged the owner to strengthen communications with tenants. Vice Chair Carl Blake noted agency reviews and the fact that the conversion is an interior change, saying it meets the special‑exception criteria, and he moved approval. The motion passed on a recorded vote with the three board members recorded in the transcript as voting yes; staff recorded the result as '3 to 0 to 2.'
Why it matters: Tenants emphasized that many current residents are elderly, have limited mobility, and rely on proximate parking. Their testimony highlighted how management and maintenance issues intersect with zoning changes; the board encouraged direct negotiation between the owner and tenant representatives.
What happens next: The applicant will submit final documentation required for a written order; the owner and tenant association are expected to meet as pledged. Any operational commitments about assigned or reserved spaces will be outside the BZA order unless included in post‑hearing filings or binding agreements.
Transcript references: applicant presentation, extensive tenant testimony (Renee Barrett, Diana Chapman, Rochelle Chapman), architect and owner responses, OP recommendation, and the board’s recorded vote on application 21385.
