DC Metrocentric

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]

To say that the planned Eisenhower Memorial has been surrounded by controversy would definitely be an understatement, with everyone from the family of the 34th President, the National Capital Planning Commission, and Congress weighing in on the proposed designs from STARchitect Frank Gehry. Not much has really changed from the original design to these latest renderings released by NCPC, and they still include the controversial mesh tapestries.

Even with all the controversy, the hope is still to open the completed memorial on Memorial Day 2015, but it remains to be seen what it ends up looking like.

Check out some more renderings after the jump including what those mesh tapestries may end up looking like…

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After years of back and forth and a historic designation along the way, construction is now in progress on the adaptive reuse of the old 1920s Wonder Bread Bakery. The plan is now for office space on the upper levels with street level retail including a possible bakery, which would be fitting given the history of the building!

[Photo: Phaesia2012]

Back in 1941 there was a huge construction boom going on downtown fueled by the need for more government offices. The buildings were never designed to last but as you can see still took a huge effort to build. Thankfully the “temporary buildings” were all eventually torn down, reestablishing the continuity of the National Mall that we all know and love! Isn’t it cool how buildings were put together back in the day?

[Credit: Library of Congress via Dullshick]

Though definitely not the first in the District, once complete the new Justice Park development in Columbia Heights will be one of only a handful of specifically designed buildings for the hearing impaired. The 28 unit building designed by Grimm + Parker Architects, will have many specific features for the deaf including open floor plans to facilitate visual communication and signing as well as lots of natural lighting.

The plans also include video entrance systems for the points of entry to “buzz people in” and the fire alarm system will feature powerful strobe lights. Interestingly the building was designed to rent out to individuals and families who meet affordable housing requirements, and so will be available to anyone, however, the developers will be heavily marketing to those who will benefit most from the very specifically designed spaces.

[Rendering: Grimm + Parker Architects]

Over the last few years, the District has been on a major streak of designing a string of amazing and innovative new Libraries all across town, and the latest brick box library from the 60s to get the redesign treatment is in Woodridge along Rhodes Island Ave. The first preliminary designs have been released by the architects Bing Thom and Wienceck + Associates and they feature a lot of feedback from the community including massive open spaces,natural light, as well as the potential for a cafe and business center.

The most prominent feature is a roof deck terrace with a glowing roof that will hover over the large multistory atrium. We were struck by how open and iconic the library design is, it almost looks like something that would be a major civic buildings or a performance space rather than a library.

We’re interested to see what materials and finishes will be included in the next iteration of the design process, which might give us a little better idea of how this thing is going to end up looking in the end.

More renderings after the jump…

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The long planned Davis Carter Scott designed Arlington Mill community center project along Columbia Pike has now reached its full structural height a full year after breaking ground last summer. Once complete late next year, the center will include a gym, dance facilities, and meeting rooms surrounding a 15k sq-ft public plaza.

This is going to be a good resource for this Arlington neighborhood, which has lately been overlooked for some other large public projects in favor spending county dollars in areas like Crystal City and Roslyn, it will be great to see how the public plaza can be put to use and be engaging for the community as an ice rink, farmers market, or maybe even a music venue?

[Photo: DCMetrocentric]

Check out these great shots from 1958, showing what Southwest DC looked like as the city made preperations to build the SE/SW Freeway (click for larger view). As you can see, much of the demolition had already taken place and other than the federal buildings on the other side of the track, the only building that survived was the Church in the lower corner along H Street Southwest which still stands today.

Another angle looking East towards Capitol Hill.

[Photos: DDOT]

Hope you are out there enjoying the long weekend, taking in the sights and the wonderful architecture our city has on display everyday. It seems like just yesterday that we were celebrating Labor Day 2011 and this picture perfectly captures how much of a blur time can be as it flies by. Happy Labor Day from everyone at DCMetrocentric!

[Photo: NJ Dodge]

SW Waterfront - Awesome article about how DC can lead the way to a 21st century waterfront. [Atlantic Cities]

Federal Center SW - Washington Design Center tenants scramble to find a new home, while plans are finalized to turn their building into another Museum. [WPost]

3rd & I Street SW - New playground project designs move forward for the park space across from the SW Library. [Southwest Quadrant]

[Rendering of planed SW Waterfront: Hoffman-Struever]

With construction now underway on the new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture for the last six months, the project is finally almost done with excavation and securing the retaining walls, so it wont be long before we start to get a glimpse of the structure for the very modern Freelon Adjaye designed addition to the National Mall. Apparently the project is still progressing right on track for an expected 2015 opening!

[Photo: DCMetrocentric]

Amazingly after almost seven years of delays, starts, and stops, the ZOM in Clarendon is finally under construction. We had to send out our spys to see for ourselves and sure enough, there was construction equipment moving and a new financing sign from USAA on the prime lot just across from Liberty Tavern and the Clarendon Metro station. We are really interested to see how the design translates into the neighborhood, considering the renderings show that they are keeping the disheveled restaurant buildings currently on the corner including Sam’s.

[Photo: DCMetrocentric]

Check out this cool map circa 1935 of the proposed “municipal air port” for Washington. Interestingly you will notice that the Jefferson Memorial is absent from around the tidal basin because construction didn’t begin on it until 1939. If only they knew what would become of all the farm land on the Virginia side of the river over the next 80 years.

[Credit: DCPL]

We did a little bit of an early check in on Garfield Park in Clarendon which is nearing completion and it is shaping up to be very true to form from the original renderings. Having just broken ground last year, and topped off last November, the exterior brick facades are mostly complete now and look really nice.

Notably the pavilion domed structure on the corner (something you see often in Europe) was preserved from the plan and it will be interesting to see how it is used once complete, as well as what retail is going to occupy the large two story arched window bays.

[Photo: DCMetrocentric]

With very little work done over the first 70 years of the Supreme Court Buildings existence, the last few years have seen the undertaking of a massive modernization effort both inside and out to bring the building up to modern standards. With the interior work complete, the last few touches including landscaping and exterior restoration (as you can see) should be complete this coming February, and hopefully the building won’t need a major tuneup for another 70 years!

[Photos: Tony DeFilippo]