Posts tagged Cat:preservation
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Saving the planet is a good idea, say preservation board members, but don’t do it here
A scientists’ organization wants to generate enough solar energy atop their building for all its needs. Despite enthusiastic support from neighbors and the DC government, a historic preservation board rejected the plan. One member suggested large solar panels are appropriate in “some remote part of Seattle” but not Dupont Circle. Keep reading…
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Baltimore will tear down whole blocks of row houses to fight blight. Is that wise?
In DC, housing is so scarce that prices are skyrocketing, especially for charming, historic row houses. Just up in Baltimore, however, they can’t give many dilapidated row houses away, and Larry Hogan recently announced a plan to tear many of them down. Is that a good idea? Keep reading…
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An art deco industrial building in Georgetown could have a new use
Developers want to build a contemporary mid-rise residential tower on a prime site in Georgetown, but it’d mean tearing down a distinctive old heating plant. There might be ways to reuse the old building and build something new as well. Keep reading…
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Is a big building “incompatible” with a historic area?
Dupont Circle has a mix of large buildings, medium ones, and smaller rowhouses. If a property owner wants to build something as high as zoning allows, which is lower than some buildings but taller than most, is that “incompatible” with the historic character of the neighborhood? That’s one debate around a proposed project at 18th and Church streets, NW. Keep reading…
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To preserve or redevelop? One man will soon decide for a key Anacostia site
DC’s housing agency wants to develop a long-vacant site in Anacostia with affordable housing and retail, but residents and the city’s preservation officials say it is incompatible with the neighborhood. The choice between the two hangs on one last appeal. Keep reading…
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Plans to redevelop Anacostia’s Big K site hinge on two historic houses
For three years, DC has been trying to redevelop the prominent “Big K” lot in Anacostia, and plans are finally moving forward. This week, city officials expect to host a public meeting about the project, including what will happen to two historic homes on site today. Keep reading…
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Nader-backed group opposes creative reuse of MLK Library
Even before proposals have been made, the District Dynamos, an off-shoot of Ralph Nader’s Library Renaissance Project, says they’ll oppose any attempt to modernize, renovate or substantially change the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library in downtown DC with a private partner. Discussions about the the library’s future began in 2006. The building,… Keep reading…
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Georgetown Heating Plant: Monument or eyesore?
Last month, a consortium of investors, including the Levy Group and Four Seasons, won the auction to purchase the historic West Heating Plant on 29th Street in Georgetown. The future of the building is now in doubt, but is it worth saving as is? Keep reading…
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A building can look smaller without losing a floor
The architects of an 8-story apartment building at 13th and U streets, NW have tweaked their design after the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) came close to asking to remove a whole floor. Instead, they’ve aptly demonstration how it’s possible to make a building feel less large without actually making it much smaller at all. In December, HPRB heard from… Keep reading…
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Glenmont Arcade shows Montgomery’s commercial history
With its distinctive sign, the Glenmont Arcade was a local landmark and an emblem of Montgomery County’s suburbanization after World War II. But as the county prepares to redevelop Glenmont, will it still have a place in the community? Located in the Glenmont Shopping Center at Georgia Avenue and Randolph Road, the Glenmont Arcade is like a little mall-within-a-strip… Keep reading…