Potomac Hill Campus Master Plan“Obs erving the Pa s t , Pla nning the Future”

What is Potomac Hill?

• An11.8acresitecomposedoftwoadjoininghistoricparcelsknownasthePotomacAnnexandNavyHilllocatedacross23rdStreetfromDepartmentofStateheadquarters.

• HometoaNationalHistoricLandmarkandtwoNationalRegistereligibleHistoricDistrictsthataresignificantformilitaryandfederalactivitiesincludingastronomy,oceanography,navalmedicalresearchandeducation,andintelligenceoperations.

Why a Master Plan?

• GSAacquiredthePotomacHillsitetocreateacampustohouseDepartmentofStateoperationsneartheDepartment’sheadquarters.

• ThePotomacHillCampusMasterPlan(PHCMP)willensurethatPotomacHillcontinuestoserveandsupportthecountry’sneedsasa21stcenturycenterfordiplomacy.

• ThemasterplanwillidentifyandestablishascheduleandframeworkfortheredevelopmentofthePotomacHillcampus.

Naval Observatory alley of trees, 1855, The Library of Congress

2 | U.S. General Services Administration

What is GSA’s Role?TheGeneralServicesAdministration(GSA),PublicBuildingsService(PBS)supportsthefederalgovernment’sworkplaceneedsandisresponsibleformorethan100millionsquarefeetoffederalworkspaceintheNationalCapitalRegion.

GSAisdevelopingthePotomacHillCampusMasterPlantoaddressDepartmentofState‘s(DOS)needforadditionalfederallyownedofficespaceproximatetoitsheadquarters.ThemasterplanwillprovidetheGSAandDOSwithaframeworkforfutureuseofthesitethatservesDOS’slong-termhousingneeds,takingintoaccountGSA’sstandardsforhistoricallysignificantfederalbuildings.Masterplanningisafederalactionthatrequirescompliancewithseverallaws,includingthefollowing:

• NationalEnvironmentalPolicyAct(NEPA)of1969

• Section106oftheNationalHistoricPreservationAct(NHPA)of1966

Planning and Review are Integrated Processes

HillCampusMasterPlanandisacooperatingagencyforNEPA.ThemasterplanwillprovidetheGSAandDOSwithaframeworkforfutureuseofthesitethatservesDOS’slong-termhousingneeds,takingintoaccountGSA’sstandardsforhistoricallysignificantfederalbuildings.

What is DOS’s Role in this Project?DepartmentofStatehasoccupiedaportionofthesitesinceCIAmovedtheiroperationstoLangleyin1987andiscurrentlyrehabilitatingbuildingsvacatedbytheDepartmentoftheNavyin2012forusewhilethemasterplanisdeveloped.DOSispartneringwithGSAindevelopingthePotomac

How will GSA Comply with NEPA and NHPA?

GSAwillprepareanEnvironmentalImpactStatement(EIS)tocomplywiththeNationalEnvironmentalPolicyAct(NEPA)andconsultonhistoricpreservationissueswithkeystakeholdersasrequiredbySection106oftheNationalHistoricPreservationAct(NHPA).Otherfederalregulationsapplyaswell.

What is the NEPA Process GSA Will Follow for this Project?

• Develop purpose & need

• Baseline study• Agency & public

scoping

Step 1: Project Initiation

Step 2:Data Collection

• Analyze existing conditions.

• Identify needed studies

• Begin preparation of the EIS

Step 3: Alternatives Analysis

• Continued site analysis

• Develop and analyze a range of alternatives

Step 4: Produce Document

• Release draft EIS/draft master plan to public

• 45-day public comment period

• Public meetings• Review all

public/agency comments received on the draft EIS/draft master plan

Step 5:Finalize Document

• Review and develop responses to comments on the EIS

• Prepare final EIS/final master plan responding to public/agency comments

Public Involvement +Comment Analysis

Public/Agency Involvement + Coordination

Distribute FEIS to Public/Agencies

Distribute ROD to Public/Agencies

WE ARE HEREStep 6:Decision

• Prepare and publish Record of Decision

Potomac Hill Campus Master Plan | 3

What is a Master Plan?TheMasterPlanforthisprojectwillbeanintegrateddocumentthatprovidesaframeworktoguidetheredevelopmentofPotomacHillcampus.TheMasterPlanwillincludeguidancefortherehabilitationandrestorationeffortsassociatedwithexistingbuildings,newbuildings,accesspointsandroadways,open/greenspace,utilitysystems,infrastructure,andothersiteelementsinasustainablewaythatmeetsDOS’soperationalneedsandissensitivetothesite’sculturallegacy.

GSAwillestablishplanningprinciplestoguidethedevelopmentofthemasterplanthatreflectitscommitmenttodesignqualityasexpressedbytheGuidingPrinciplesforFederalArchitecturewhichstatesthepolicyshallbetoproviderequisiteandadequatefacilitiesinanarchitecturalstyleandformwhichisdistinguishedandwhichwillreflectthedignity,enterprise,vigor,andstabilityoftheAmericanNationalGovernment.Majoremphasisshouldbeplaced

onthechoiceofdesignsthatembodythefinestcontemporaryAmericanarchitecturalthought.GSAhasincorporateditsDesignExcellenceprocesswhichincludestheselectionofleadingarchitectsandpeerreviews.Theplanwilladdressmajordefiningcharacteristicsofthesiteandprovideaframeworkfordevelopinglanduseanddesignconcepts.

GSA’s Design Excellence Program

TheDesignExcellenceProgramisthecenterforGSA’sadvocacyofqualityinthefederalbuiltenvironment.Itestablishesnationwidepoliciesandproceduresforselectingthebestandmostappropriatearchitects,andintegrateddesignteamsandpeerreviewsforGSAcommissions.Theprogramalsoimplementsrigorousassessmentprocessestoensureenduringvalueinthatwork.

What are the Planning Principles?TheplanningprincipleswillguidethedevelopmentofthePotomacHillCampusMasterPlan.Theplanningprinciplesaddressmajordefiningcharacteristicsofthesiteandprovideaframeworkfordevelopinglanduseanddesignconceptsthatrespondtotheproject’sPurposeandNeed,andGoalsandObjectives.

What Do the Planning Principles Address?

• SiteTopographyandVisibility

• ViewsfromtheSite

• CampusEdges

• Connections

• PlanningRelationshipsandOperationalEfficiency

• PreservationandReuseofHistoricResources

• CampusLandscapes

• CampusIdentity,StructureandCohesiveness

• SiteEnvironment/Sustainability

• AccessandCirculation

• Parking

• Security

• PriorAgreements

What is the Master Plan Process?

• Program information

• Study area information

• Site information

Step 1: Data Collection &Inventory

Step 3: Preliminary AlternativesDevelopment

• Develop a range of preliminary alternatives

• Peer Review

Step 5:Preliminary MasterPlan

• Prepare preliminary master plan in parallel with draft EIS preparation

• Preferred alternative selected by GSA

• NCPC Submission

Agency Coordination & Consultation

Agency Coordination & Consultation

Public Involvement/ Agency Coordination & Consultation

Public Involvement/ Agency Coordination & Consultation

Public Involvement/Agency Coordination & Consultation

WE ARE HEREStep 6:Final Master Plan

What is the Purpose and Need for this Project?ThepurposeoftheproposedPotomacHillCampusMasterPlan(PHCMP)istoprovideGSAandDepartmentofStatewithaframeworktoguidetheredevelopmentofPotomacHillintoaunifiedfederalcampusthataccommodatesDOS’soperationsandsecurityrequirementsandrecognizesthesite’shistoriccharacter.ThePHCMPisneededtomeetDOS’slong-termspaceneedsinamannerconsistentwithprovisionsoftherealpropertytransferfromtheNavytoGSAonbehalfofDOS.ByrealigningitsrealestateportfolioanddevelopingaPotomacHillCampus,DOSwill

improvefunctionaloperationsandaccommodateincreasedspacerequirementswhileprovidingasecureworkplaceforemployeesandvisitors.DOShasdeterminedthatmultipleoperationsinnon-contiguouslocationsresultinsecuritychallenges,increasedtraveltime,decreasedproductivityandadministrativeinefficiencies.DOShasthusidentifiedacriticalneedtorealignitsrealestateportfoliotomeetcontinuingspaceandfunctionalmissionrequirements,provideamoresecureworkplace,andimprovefunctionaloperations.

What is Scoping and How can the Public Participate?

EIS.Thepurposeofscopingistoallowmembersofthecommunity,interestedagencies,andthegeneralpublicanopportunitytoassistGSAinidentifyingissuesandpotentialimpactsassociatedwiththePotomacHillCampusMasterPlan.YourinputatthisearlystageintheplanningandNEPAprocessesisinvaluable.

PublicparticipationisthecornerstoneoftheNEPAandSection106processes.GSAandtheDOSinviteyoutoparticipateinthe“scoping”processfortheEnvironmentalImpactStatement(EIS).Scopingisanearlyandopenpublicinvolvementprocessaimedatdeterminingthescopeofissuestobeaddressedinthe

Naval Observatory, 2014

Hygienic Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, 1919

What is the Proposed Action?

TheU.S.GeneralServicesAdministration(GSA),incoordinationwithDOS,proposesthepreparationofthePHCMPtoguidefutureredevelopment–theProposedAction.

Follow the Project and Provide Comments

Commentsmaybesubmittedat • Pleasevisitourwebsite:• Pleasesendwrittenthismeeting,emailedormailed www.gsa.gov/potomachill commentsto:withapostmarkbyJuly 21, 2014. toregistertoreceiveU.S. General Services

notificationsaboutupdates• Pleaseemailcommentsto: Administration, NCR

andupcomingpublicpotomachill@gsa.gov Attention: Jill Springer

engagementopportunities.Subjectline: 301 7th Street, SW

NEPA Scoping Comment Room 4004

Washington, D.C. 20407