Did you know that back in 1888 there was a castle at the intersection of Florida Avenue and 16th Street NW? Originally built by Senator John Brooks Henderson, famous for drafting the 13th Amendment, the house was unfortunately demolished in 1949. However the stone entrance gate still stands to this day at the northwest corner.
[Photo: DCPL]
Sorry for the radio silence over the last few weeks (we’ve been out welcoming a few new little DCMetrocentric’s to the world), but we are back and ready to bring you the latest in DC architecture, construction, real estate, and developments in a bigger and better way than ever before, so stay tuned and thanks for your patience and sticking around. As always if you have any questions, comments or tips, shoot us a message @ DCMetrocentric (at) gmail.
[Photo: MBell1975]
Ever since we first saw the great looking plans for Canal Park in Near Southeast, we have been looking forward to the day those ambitious plans were realized, and that day is finally here! Designed by STUDIOS architects the three acre site includes a rain garden, living machine sculpture, restaurant, indoor and outdoor dinning space, and a green roof with the intention of being a “zero energy” structure.
The park is now officially open, so go check it out!
Mt Vernon Triangle is going to be getting some new condos soon courtesy of a WDG designed modern 8 story addition on top of a current three story warehouse on NY Ave which dates back to the beginning of the 1900s. Interesting to see the preservation of the warehouse which is right across from CityVista, it’s not particularly distinctive or interesting but it will definitely preserve some of the original character of what this area, in a very recent past, once was.
The developers are shooting for a June 2014 completion date.
[Renderings: WDG]
The new mixed use project from Abdo at 14th and Rhodes Island Ave had early ANC approvals earlier this year and plans are apparently moving forward to finalize plans and get the Historic review board approvals which feature the preservation of the current facades along 14th, and then start construction on the 30 unit building.
That top floor penthouse looks like fun, doesn’t it? [Rendering: Abdo]
Keep safe and dry out there, some links to get you through the storm:
As part of the larger National Mall restoration effort the iconic lawn between 3rd and 7th street has been undergoing a major upgrade. Close to completion this December, there is now a completely new upgraded drainage and irrigation system and turf technology to keep the grass looking green. Given how in recent years many grass sections have often looked sad and patchy, this is going to be a big upgrade for one of the most visible parts of the historic capital core!
Also the gravel foot paths are being upgraded and granite edging is installed around the lawn section which from what we have seen so far is a major upgrade just from an ascetic perspective and will also help with erosion.
[Photos: DCMetrocentric]
One of the last undeveloped large block parcels in Clarendon is now a full fledged construction site. What once was (among other things) the site of a bank, a used car lot, and a gravestone store, will soon be 3001 & 3003 Washington Blvd as two separate but connected buildings.
The Noritake Associates designed development includes a 10-story, 200,000 sq-ft office building with complementary architecture incorporating an existing art deco façade and an 8-story, 80,000 sq-fte building adjacent fitting into the triangle lot footprint. The ground level of both buildings will bring 28,000 square feet of retail.
Check out the renderings of how the development will look…
The adaptive reuse and restoration project of the old telephone switching station building along 14th is nearing completion and some of the buildings new “loft style” condo units are ready for prime time! The a 36 unit Eric Colbert designed “Northern Exchange” plans full delivery early next year from PN Hoffman, and in an area replete with lots of larger scale apartment buildings, the market is certainly ready for some new condos in this hot neighborhood.
A quick render versus reality comparison shows a close adherence to the original building dating all the way back to 1903… looks good!
Rendering: [PN Hoffman]
When plans for the revitalization and adaptive reuse of the old St Elizabeths east campus hospital were announced there was a big question over how some of the new development would be able to fit into the older buildings while promoting an active and engaging use of the open spaces. The newly released rendering below from Davis Brody Bond gives us a little more of an idea with the Gateway Pavilion design.
The $5 million pavilion makes the most of the open space, with sloping green terraces and ramps, as well as planned space for food trucks and other food vendors to be able to draw people out of the new US Coast Guard HQ opening up next year. We’re excited to see this concept put into practice, and can definitely see this concept being effective in other parts of town as well.
[Rendering: Davis Brody Bond]
Ground broke earlier this year and now we are really starting to see progress at the newly minted Louis at 14th. Not much has changed other than the name from the original plans going back a few years and once complete will be one of the larger mixed use developments in the area with 267-units and 42,000 sq ft of mixed use.
Won’t it be nice once all the construction along 14th street is complete?
You can see from the plans rendering below that they call for a bit of a set back to reflect the lower density retail along this stretch, it will be interesting to see how it ends up translating to the final design.
[Photos: DCMetrocentric]
It is just absolutely amazing what was hiding behind the old Q Street Cleaners facade at the corner of 14th street. Now that restoration work is underway to build the new Steven Star restaurant, the original bones of the building are being exposed, and there is some great details.
As you can see though, the structure is still a long ways from being ready to open, but it is fun to see how its progressing.
It has been over a year since Matchbox took over the space of their newest location along 14th street, and while there is still a lot of work to be done inside, today marked a big milestone with the brand spanking new corner signage going up.
The history of the building is a long one having been everything from a bowling alley and jazz club, to an automobile showroom and even was home to the Arena Stage. Scheduled opening is looking like November.
[Photos: DCMetrocentric]
Before the spies had their very own museum at F and 9th Street, the area was more of a shopping destination filled with many smaller independent stores like George’s Radio and Television pictured from 1969. The facade dates all the way back to 1876 and remains today restored to serve as the entrance to the International Spy Museum. The detail and craftsmanship in old buildings like this are just great to see preserved!
[Photo: Marcfoto]
Now that the Florida Rock site adjacent to Nats stadium is all cleared and developers have had the chance to present their plans for the River Front on the Anacostia to the DC Zoning Commission, the local ANC has also thrown its support behind the project which is still on track to break ground next year (only five years after initial plans started circulating).
Another reason and place for people to go before and after games will be great.
[Renderings: MRP Realty]
