The D.C. Court of Appeals heard an appeal of the Board of Zoning Adjustment’s decision to allow construction of the new GW Hospital Wednesday. The Foggy Bottom Association filed the appeal even though construction on the new facility is already underway. Considering the foundation for the hospital is already in place, the FBA’s appeal appears spurious.

The FBA alleges in its complaint that the BZA erred by not requiring GW to complete an environmental impact study before beginning construction on the hospital. The neighborhood association wants the court to halt construction and perhaps even order the structure torn down. This proposal is silly. Could building a hospital on land that was used for years as a paved parking lot disrupt some unique ecosystem or destroy some endangered species? Almost certainly not.

The second major claim made by the FBA is that construction of the hospital will ruin the quality of life in Foggy Bottom so much so that the facility should not be built. The BZA’s conditionally approved GW’s application to build the hospital, attaching19 specific restrictions to lessen the detrimental impact the building will have. In their suit, residents cite these restrictions as evidence the BZA should not have approved the application at all. But this, too, is a ridiculous argument. The BZA considered residents’ concerns and instituted the restrictions to protect their interests. Residents are simply re-visiting issues already addressed by the BZA.

Residents also complain that once the hospital is completed, its operation will be a nuisance by increasing traffic and pollution to the neighborhood. Again, they have launched another ill-considered argument. A hospital already stands across the street from the construction site. Building a new hospital to replace the old one will not add so much traffic and pollution to the extent as to make the neighborhood unlivable. At most, the destination of the traffic shifts one block to the new hospital.

The District government, its citizens and visitors all have a compelling interest in seeing a new GW hospital built as soon as possible. Replacing a facility that is more than 50 years old only helps the community. While residents do have the right to appeal BZA decisions if they feel their rights have been violated, this lawsuit should be dismissed as a ridiculous attempt to prevent construction of a much-needed public project.