WMATA (Metro) intends to sell for development all of their Kiss ‘n Ride parking lots throughout the Metro system. Their stated purpose is to increase revenues and ridership. Metro officials have stated that their main interest in the King Street Station is increased ridership. The King Street Station is one of the first to be earmarked for development. WMATA received one bid for the King Street Station lot from a local developer, A & A Partnerships, and they have accepted it. The site plans and model for this proposed development can be seen at the City’s Planning Division.

The developer intends to build a nine-story, 142,647 net sq.ft. apartment building with a total of 143 luxury rental units with first floor retail space. Technically, this building is the maximum allowable height of 82 ft., but because of the slope of the Kiss ‘n Ride lot the building is actually 106 ft. at one point, excluding the “penthouse.” This development, called “The Plaza at King St. Station,” proposes thirty-two two-bedroom apartments and the rest are one-bedroom. There are 144 underground parking spaces for the apartment dwellers. This one level of underground parking also has 50 spaces for retail. The site concept will be to continue full bus, taxi and pedestrian access to the Metro. The present Kiss ‘n Ride function and the metered parking spaces will be relocated to a smaller area on the King St end of the present lot The parking lot is to have a brick surface. All buses are to use the King St. entrance. Except for two trees near the Duke St end of the lot, all trees will be removed and replaced by a new landscape design.

For those familiar with the old plan the building on the King St. end has been removed, but the remaining building has grown in size. Three levels of underground parking have been replaced by one. The pedestrian walk from the Metro entrance to the present crosswalk on Daingerfield has been enhanced. The public plaza area of the old plan has been severly reduced.

The Kiss ‘n Ride lot is presently zoned: transportation/utility. In order to build what is proposed, a major zoning change is needed. Public hearings will be held to decide this issue. The developers come before the Planning Commission on Tuesday, December 1st at 7:30 pm, and on Saturday, December 12th at 9:30 am. Both of these meetings are at City Hall.