DC Metrocentric

The folks at Division One Architects are known for pushing the envelop of modern architecture design in the area. They currently have the 27 unit “Lacey” under construction in Shaw but they are not stopping there… they have numerous other projects in the planning stages to help transform the neighborhood. 

Their next project is named The Drost (rendering above) and is typical of the design aesthetics of other Division One projects. The Drost will only have 4 full floor units and the most interesting design choice is a light well which will provide natural lighting to units on all the floors. It’s something we have never seen work well in the past, so it remains to be seen how it will function but we look forward to seeing the project start to go up this year.

Despite the strange name, they should have no problem moving these very distinct homes. The sales team is saying there will be a 2009 delivery.

  HGTV Falls Short in Anacostia? The Child Development Center at MLK Ave and Pleasant Street was supposed to be the recipient of a new play area, but it is still just a pile of playground parts, a pile of mulch, and a fast-weathering sign about the project.  The rain this week didn’t help things along, but we are sure it would have gone much faster if the folks from Extreme Home Makeover were on the Job! [AnacostiaNow]

The building pictured below is the Solea in Colombia Heights and the big thing that the developers have been playing up is the zero-commute” lifestyle. The idea is that residents will use their units to live and to work with a variety of floor-plans designed to accommodate various businesses which could fit into this type of arrangement from clothing designers to telecommuters.

It’s unclear if the sales team will discriminate against non-work-at-homers but to establish a community like this there will have to be some type of restrictions.

We’ve been watching this building go up over the last few months, and we couldn’t help notice that the majority of the structural support is wood. Now we know that not all mid-rise residential projects are built with all concrete shells, but we can’t get over it whenever we see a building going up stick style. It’s not that we’re questioning the structural integrity of the building, it just reminds us of the big bad wolf, and we know how that ended.

In all honesty though, projects like this have such thin walls that in general you can hear everything going on with your neighbors which, for all but the most nosey, is a negative. Maybe the developers can spin this as a positive though… thin walls make it easy to collaborate with fellow  entrepreneurs?

[Photo: DCMetrocentric]

Many people are aware that the original layout of the city of Washington was designed in 1791 by Major Charles L’Enfant and subsequently reestablished in 1901 by the McMillian Commision. For the most part (at least in National Mall area) the vision was realized. However we are really sad the some of the design for the southern half of the mall as pictured, and all those gardens were never realized.

The “Congress house” and the “President’s palace,” as L’enfant termed them, were the cardinal features of L’Enfant’s plan; and these edifices he connected “by a grand avenue four hundred feet in breadth, and about a mile in length, bordered by gardens, ending in a slope from the houses on each side.”

However the “southern pavilion” (shown in the lower right of the drawing) was never built. Currently all you find is the rental facilities for the tital basin paddle boats. Maybe congress will convene a second McMillan Commission 2.0 to re-re-establish the original plans? We can dream right? Then maybe they will build the South Capitol Street Mall toward the new stadium too.

So what part of the old plans would you keep and what should have gone?

Dupont - The stately old Victorian row house that used to be the Childe Harold now has a “Darling” new restaurant.  [Daily Candy]

Shaw - Best use of a corner lot we have seen all year, the mixture of classic brick and modern features is striking.  [Prince of Petworth]

Penn Quarter - Extremely good roundup of the future of downtown’s Homeless situation, including the futures of the Franklin School, Gales School, and the Tubman Shelter. [PennQLiving]

Project architect Nathan Cederoth from Colbert & Associates checks in with an update on Lot 33 in Adams Morgan that we mentioned a few months ago and addresses some of critics of the street facing facade of the new building…

 ”The old building had no relationship to the street at all, perched high on its hill and barricaded from the street by a stone retaining wall and steep, twisting steps. We worked hard to integrate with the context and engage the street as much as possible given our program.  The gray granite [on Lot 33]was meant both to carry on the idea of the granite wall to the west and to echo the one that had previously existed- both of which represent a kind of classic feature of DC residential neighborhoods.  Having put up a big stone wall facing the sidewalk, we tried to relieve the monolithic effect with openings and incisions”

Walking by this building often, we have to agree that given the terrain, it is a great use of the space, and while we always love more street retail, it is understandable that some residents would want off street parking given how bad parking in Adams Morgan is on the weekends! 

We love to hear from you, drop us a line and send us your pictures and renderings at DCMetrocentric@gmail.com

On your left we have the newish Eleven Lofts, a 27 unit contemporary high rise with one and two bedroom units up to 1,600 sq-ft in NoMa NW. However despite the green roof and amazing open native wood staircase, we are more interested in Eleven’s red brick neighbor.  

The classic three story brick building has got new windows and looks to be going through a full refurbishment as part of the Eleven Loft project. The dumpster in front is Eleven Lofts’s but every day we have noticed signs of work still going on.

The problem is we can’t seem to find anything else out about it! Are these separate units or are they part of Loft Eleven? According to the floor plans we’ve seen they arn’t. So we put it out to you fine readers, anyone know what’s going on at the 1100th block of 11th street NW? [Photo: DCmetrocentric]

 National Zoo’s New Master Plan - The future of the National Zoo is set to be unveiled on Thursday that includes a call to build an aerial tram running the length of the 163-acre park.  Could a Skyfari be in our near future? We couldn’t be more excited! [DCist]

The old GWU Hospital site by Washington Circle has sat empty for the last four years, but now the developers are finally ready to start moving dirt. The mixed use development called Square 54 will have housing, offices, and most importantly a grocery store. 

The project, designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects and Sasaki and Associates, is definitely not going to win any awards for architectural excellence. We are especially curious about the street level of the design, which uses a different material than the rest of the building, and looks a little strange to us. 

Though there isn’t any student housing in the project, the kids from GW must be super excited for the planed grocery, though probably only the freshman will get to benefit because the project isn’t scheduled to be complete till 2012. Guess they will have to make due with the lame Watergate Safeway for the time being. [Rendering: Pelli Clarke Pelli]

The self titled “Crown Jewel of Georgetown,” the Residences at Harborside are seven penthouse units on the sixth floor of the new office building behind the Swedish Embassy on the Georgetown waterfront. The build is a modern study in glass and white sandstone and fits right in with it’s embassy neighbor.

As you can see, the building has got a great picturesque location though the units are not exactly waterfront, as we said the Swedes are between the Residences and the Potomac. Only two out of the seven units have been sold so far, and of course those are the ones with the best view. 

Out of the remaining units we like 602 the best (pictured below). The 6,600 sq ft unit has a wrap around terrace and rooftop access with two floors and 3 bedrooms. You still get a bit of the waterfront view as apposed to the other units which have nice views of the Whitehurst freeway. Despite the great Georgetown location, they seem to be having a little trouble making the sell on those units without the views. 

So what do you think? would you pay millions of dollars for an obstructed view of the Potomac?

 SW Waterfront Subsidy - Should D.C. issue the $198 million Southwest waterfront subsidy and an additional $40 million or so for the O Street Market project there will not be much more room for any other projects.  The District’s chief financial officer has been expressing concerns about the impact of the proposed subsidy for redevelopment of the Southwest waterfront on the city’s debt level. [WBJ]

Some murals throughout the city are poignant and have an important message to convey, but some are painted merely to make you smile. Walking by this house on Q Street NW always makes us want to just take a big bite out of the side of the building and then go have a picnic.

We need to remember to go back and revisit this house in the dead of winter, might make for and interesting juxtapose! [Photo: DCMetrocentric]

H Street - Ice Cream Shop and Latin-African Fusion restaurant coming to the 1300 block of H street.  Just don’t ask us what type of food they will be serving, we will leave that to the comments section over at FT. [Frozen Tropics]

Penn Quarter - Nando’s Restaurant has got a liquor license permit up. However the hearing isn’t till July and the interior is still unfinished drywall and exposed brick, so the wait continues. For some reason whenever we see the sign for Nando’s it makes us think of a Nintendo game, maybe it’s the red font color or the crazy cartoon chicken! [PennQuarterLiving]

Shaw - Sign a petition to help keep the City Market at O project moving forward. Whether or not you like the area’s Giant, we say variety is the spice of life, plus as we have said in the past, that building is just too cool looking to let sit around empty for much longer. [LifeinMVS]

After months and months of Presidential campaigning it seems like everyone has taken a side, but maybe you are one of the three people who still hasn’t made up your mind between the two democratic presidential candidates? Well we here at DCMetrocentric want to make the choice a little easier… now you can make this important decision based solely on the candidates architectural fortitude (ie. the better house)! 

Since both Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama are Senators, they both have homes in the State they represent, so we will focus on those houses even though they both have places to crash in DC when Congress is in session.

The beautiful Clinton residence (shown on left) is  an 11 room Dutch Colonial in Chappaqua, NY and is well over 100 years old. While Obama lives in the Kenwood neighborhood of Chicago in a very nice classic 10 room brick house (shown on right) with an enclosed glass solarium.

So vote away and may the best candidate win!