What makes watching the fireworks in DC so special is the architectural backdrop against which it’s set. If you still haven’t found a place to watch from this year, check out these great places. From everyone here at DCMetrocentric, have a happy Independence Day!
[Photo: philliefan99]
A bi-weekly take on the area from our friends at UrbanTurf.com
Thursday’s “If I Had a $1 Million” Listing
Our regular Friday feature is a day early this week. Today’s “If I Had $1 Million” listing is a four-bedroom rowhouse in Glover Park with a great back deck and a possible rental unit on the ground floor.
It’s been almost a week now since Eastern Market reopened and the place has been packed ever since. Our photography editor Sean was on the scene to capture all the opening festivities. The interior spaces look incredible and it’s great to see that every single vendor from before the fire is back and open for business in their original spots.
More photos after the jump…
Everyone has an opinion on architecture, what’s yours?
By Spencer Lepler
Artomatic ends this Sunday, July 5, 2009. If you haven’t been yet, go. It is a rare chance to see scores of artists from all over the metro area in one place and at one time for free, and its also an amazing architectural experience.
The new high rise office building that houses Artomatic, designed by Davis Carter Scott, is a shell without any tenant fit outs, which would normally be an unusual situation but since this past fall has become an increasingly common sight as the recession to slows and stalls growth within our city. The area of Navy Yard has been hit especially hard, with many of the projects having been put on hold or cancelled due to lack of financial support and potential commercial tenants. 55 M Street SE is in the heart of the Navy Yard development right above the metro station and at first glance seems unaffected by the economic slowdown.
When you enter the building from M Street at first glance it seems as if you are in a normal high end office building. The lobby is fully finished with white ceramic tile with stainless steel flush reveals and frosted glass accents. Yet there are small signs even here that something is amiss. The entry doors are missing handles on the inside, and there are no signs for any tenants. Yet, this is easy to miss on your way through the lobby to the elevators, whose tile floors and stainless steel accents are still gleaming. Once the elevator doors open you on any of the second through ninth floors you instantly understand that this building is completely empty. You step out of the elevator on to raw concrete subfloors and gaze at unpainted wall board, exposed ductwork and bare curtain-wall windows.
This week the DC Council voted to expanded public financing for the 1000+ room Marriott Marquis across from the Convention Center. The first of two necessary votes would commit $272M in public money to the project, which is up from the $187M subsidy originally approved. Looks like they have overcome the little hurdle earlier this month and should be able to get started by this Fall.
[Photo: Benoit6]
Been wondering what the corner of North Capitol Street and Hanover Place NW is going to look like? The five story Dunbar Place designed by PNG Architects replaces six razed row houses and is certainly one of the smaller residential projects in NoMa. We think the alternating colors and tempering of the top floor roof makes the scale more approachable considering the size of the surrounding properties.
The developer still plans to have the project done by the end of the year.
[Rendering: PNG Architects]
A bi-weekly take on the area from our friends at UrbanTurf.com
The Best New Listings in the DC Area
This week’s best new listings include a one-bedroom in Capitol Hill with tons of windows and panoramic views, a renovated two-bedroom in the heart of Dupont Circle and a five-bedroom home in Takoma Park set among the trees.
Way back in 1865, the Surratt house at 604 H Street, NW, was a boarding house run by Mary Surratt and was where John Wilkes Booth was alleged to have met with co-conspirators to plan President Lincoln’s assassination. Now it’s a pretty good Chinese restaurant. We think they should put back on the shutters, it would add back some lost charm! What do you think?
[Right Photo: JNG003]
Do you like to write? Are you interested in writing about the issues and have an extreme addiction to everything architecture and new developments around town? We are looking for a weekly feature writer with a sense of humor who wants to join the DCMetrocentric team. Sound interesting? Details and requirements after the jump…
We just got word that in order to provide funding for phase II of the Capitol Quarters project, the DC Housing Authority is applying for $9.5M in HUD stimulus money to get the ball rolling. Considering that the credit markets aren’t exactly an open source right now, this should serve as a nice funding bridge.
The funding will help with both the public infrastructure work necessary to begin as well as the private work to start the 163 unit mixed income development (47 are public housing rentals). Sounds like the stimulus money is working.
[Photo: EYA]
The DC Office of Planning and Economic Development recently released for public comment an economic development plan (PDF) for the Rhode Island Avenue NE Great Streets Corridor. The document which is being called “Rhode Island Avenue: Diamond of the District” outlines recommendations which are expected to guide an estimated $1.2 billion in private and public investment through the year 2025.
Is “Diamond of the District” a new nickname that we missed? Anyways, pictured above is one of the main areas the document covers which is 3rd Street NE to 12th Street NE. The public meeting on the plan isn’t until September, so there is still plenty of time to get your comments in.
We got a chance to checkout the new 90 unit Metropole development at the corner of 15th and P street NW and have to say that the modern, high ceiling, glass and brick building has certainly got a lot going for it including great views, and an in-house gym and spa, not to mention its great looking architecture (which even lived up to its rendering).
It’s so fun to check out new buildings because they always have such good interior design ideas. At Metropole all the interior space is designed by the award-winning Cecconi Simone. As for the units, the Metropole offers 1 and 2 bedroom homes, many with dens and 2 floors, in sizes ranging from 630 to 2,400 sq-ft.
Check out our photo tour after the jump, including some great looking units, the courtyard, and first class bicycle parking…
Georgetown - On the agenda for this months ANC meeting… a liquor license, Restorante Piccolo (pictured right), and the Kingdom of Sweden is expanding. [The Metropolitan]
Columbia Heights - DC council member extraordinare Jim Graham is on Twitter! Can we expect bowtie updates? [The Heights Life]
Bethesda - Donohoe’s 457-unit project in Woodmont Triangle is approved only days before the moratorium on residential development starts. [WBJ]
Congratulations are in order for Liz whose comment was randomly chosen by Random.org, but whose comment is certainly worth repeating again.
Liz’s must have design item is “The large black & white photos of my family framed in white teak wood hanging in a collage in the living room. The most important design items make a statement about who you are, and what says who you are better than priceless family photos.” Very nice!
Special thanks to Allmodern.com for providing the prize choices (pictured)!
As of 10:30am today the Eastern Market’s historic 138 year old building is back open for business. Shuttered over two years ago by a tragic fire, the renovation is complete, the vendors are back, and we couldn’t be happier! There are all sorts of events this weekend to celebrate, including an all day street party tomorrow. So come on down to welcome back a DC institution to its home.
[Photo: Regina Romano Reynolds]
