Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
This has been a recurring topic on many DC blogs over the last couple of months. The bickering on neighborhood listsevrs has reached an all-time high.
This site has been slated for demolition and mixed-use development in the District of Columbia. It's a 25-acre site that sits right in the heart of Northwest DC. It has been declared an historic landmark by the DC Preservation League and it's application to the National Register of Historic Places is pending.
Here's a little history about the site. It was a sand filtration plant built during the turn of the century. To disguise its practical function, the District commissioned Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr to design a park on top of it. The "cavern" you see in that last photo is an underground silo used to clean sand.
Here is the proposed development:
This is all the info I'll provide for now. Based on what you've seen, the little that you now know about the site, and your personal leanings towards development/preservation, what approach would you take to this site?
Alas, it looks like the park is not well maintained? That, too, is a sin.
Oh, I omitted a few key details.
The site was fenced off during WWII out of fears that German (or Japanese or Italian) terrorists would contaminate the city's water supply. The fence never came down.
The Army Corps of Engineers declared the property surplus in 1987 and offered it to the District for $1 if it agreed to convert the site into a park. The Marion Barry Administration instead offered $7.6 million for the rights to develop it. At that time, I believe, the District wanted to put a shopping mall there.
The Army Corps of Engineers declared the property surplus in 1987 and offered it to the District for $1 if it agreed to convert the site into a park. The Marion Barry Administration instead offered $7.6 million for the rights to develop it.
Now why doesn't that surprise me ... If Marion Barry thinks it was a good idea to develop it, then it's not a good idea! LOL
I like the idea of building around it, it would bring more visibility to it and usefulness tot he land. It looks kind of sad now...unless it is being used actively for activities (kids soccer, etc), then I would reconsider.
1. The underground structures are made of unreinforced concrete and are therefore too weak to support large buildings. In order to build anything there, all of the structures must be demolished, with the exception of perhaps one or two.
2. DC needs housing. This is one of the last few remaining parcels in the city where a large-scale, mixed-use development can be built.
3. It's an eyesore in its current state and needs to be developed. If it was important, it would have never been neglected in the first place.
4. Development generates revenue for the city and creates jobs.
Last edited by BajanYankee; 06-05-2012 at 10:53 AM..
1. The site is historically significant. Thus, the emphasis should be more on preservation, not development.
2. The plan calls for too much density. The proposed park space is squeezed in between large office and condo buildings.
3. Not enough park space. Of the 25 acres on the site, only 4 acres will be a contiguous park. The other greenspace will be courtyards inside of buildings, which developers are required to provide by law.
It's stuff like that which makes a place interesting and "special". An entire city of only new urbanist-style condos would be a boring place to live. Build the condo's elsewhere.
It's stuff like that which makes a place interesting and "special". An entire city of only new urbanist-style condos would be a boring place to live. Build the condo's elsewhere.
Yeah, but some people say that the city needs to be denser. The need for housing in the central city, they say, outweighs the benefits of large-scale preservation.
Demolition of most of the site would also open up the opportunity for a Trader Joe's to be built (as well as other retail).
Yeah, but some people say that the city needs to be denser. The need for housing in the central city, they say, outweighs the benefits of large-scale preservation.
Demolition of most of the site would also open up the opportunity for a Trader Joe's to be built (as well as other retail).
You have many different potential sites to build new condos and retail... but you can't just rebuild a unique underground factory with a park on top. If it was cleaned up, it would be of far greater benefit to the community.
Of course, city leaders usually see thing based on what tax revenues would be before the next elections, so they would naturally push for development.
And why shouldn't they? They probably wouldn't work or live or shop there no matter what the outcom was... and mounds of dollar bills are so pretty!!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
If Marion Barry thinks it was a good idea to develop it, then it's not a good idea! LOL
