tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post8903777167264371541..comments2024-03-25T18:50:15.135-04:00Comments on DCmud - The Urban Real Estate Digest of Washington DC: Design Details Released for DC's Highest Rent District in ChinatownKenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08295461340042242438noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-76861329378436834352011-10-25T00:37:17.826-04:002011-10-25T00:37:17.826-04:00Better dull than garrish, the jumbotrons being a c...Better dull than garrish, the jumbotrons being a case in point. Sometimes muted is not such a bad thing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-25440951902013937562011-09-21T12:11:50.187-04:002011-09-21T12:11:50.187-04:00Here is a link to Yeni Wong's old plan for tha...Here is a link to Yeni Wong's old plan for that corner: http://pqliving.com/new-gallery-square-development-drawings-7th-h-st-nw/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-25793349344648750212011-09-16T19:20:09.891-04:002011-09-16T19:20:09.891-04:00I was actually born IN D.C. and I can say with som...I was actually born IN D.C. and I can say with some degree of authority and experience that this city has a deserved reputation for being dull and conformist. I've enjoyed what Douglas has done with some other sites and believe in preservation of things that are worth preserving, but this is just another missed opportunity to inject life into this breathless city. There is an overwhelming sense of mediocrity that seems to always prevail in D.C. and that is why it only retains the most leaden and muted of people. I have stayed, hanging on to the promise of a cultural breakthrough that always seems just around the corner, until you look at proposals like this...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-92174126704316056862011-09-14T12:34:13.236-04:002011-09-14T12:34:13.236-04:00Since when is historic preservation "unambiti...Since when is historic preservation "unambitious"?? Its often much more expensive and prohibits owners from maximizing the amount that can be built. Seems to me a sacrifice to preserve a historic structure in our nations capital and should be applauded.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-58449176803347953422011-09-14T04:25:55.004-04:002011-09-14T04:25:55.004-04:00If modern buildings where designed to be beautiful...If modern buildings where designed to be beautiful and lasting, why you could replace just about all the historic fabric, over time. Being that modern buildings tend to look anti-human and built to last 50 years, no way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-61097901783697626012011-09-13T11:06:50.760-04:002011-09-13T11:06:50.760-04:00This isn't just any corner. It's next to t...This isn't just any corner. It's next to the largest Friendship arch in the US. The scale of this building respects the arch. I'm generally not into this line of thinking of "scale" when someone says a new building has to respect some shitty 2 story townhouse on the same block. But the arch is truly a big deal.<br /><br />Besides, Douglas development is the landowner and they want to keep the historic building. In fact they routinely acquire sites that have historic buildings because they value them and want to incorporate them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-30806828161678786282011-09-13T08:39:43.059-04:002011-09-13T08:39:43.059-04:00Not sure what all the general hate is about . . . ...Not sure what all the general hate is about . . . is this one project really representative of DC? (No).<br /><br />DC happens to be one of most walkable and livable cities in the nation, from it's pleasant neighborhood centers to it's nicely scaled downtown. I find New York fascinating, and always will. And DC will never be New York, but frankly the downtown in DC is just as interesting on a block per block basis. The historic architectural element are impeccable, the sidewalks wide, and the activity level vibrant.<br /><br />In other words, DC has done a lot right, and I think a lot of that creativity has been because of the height limits, not in spite of it. There are few pockets of uselessness because everything is utilized.<br /><br />Having said that, these two historic buildings have to be about the most boring in all the downtown. And the project simply yawns.<br /><br />It's be nice to see the corner redeveloped but it won't be noticed after it's done. But, let's be honest, 7th & H is far from the most important corner in the city. Do any of the folks saying that ever venture out of the Penn Quarter?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-42193541055549502082011-09-13T02:18:01.634-04:002011-09-13T02:18:01.634-04:00This addition really should be allowed to be bigge...This addition really should be allowed to be bigger (I'm not totally sure the constraint was zoning – it might've been finance, but given this city's very robust urban real estate market, I doubt it). Notice that old brick building in the background to the left on the second and third pictures? Notice how it has just a blank wall, and not, say, windows? That's because the person who built it 100 years ago expected that a similarly tall building will be built right next door.<br /><br />Now, given that the smaller buildings that are right next door are now pretty old, I'm not advocating that we allow them to be torn down. However, for the corner parcels in question that're going to be redeveloped either way, the least we can do is allow it to be at least as large as the neighborhood expected a friggin' century ago. (If not – *gasp* – bigger!)Stephen Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12118017106106571684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-52622237550407041162011-09-13T00:05:50.418-04:002011-09-13T00:05:50.418-04:00Sounds like a bunch of transplants wanting to do a...Sounds like a bunch of transplants wanting to do away with the few historic sites that remain in DC. You want hardcore urban feel? Move to New York home of the Goths, and the impatient.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-50606305662454144902011-09-12T19:44:19.872-04:002011-09-12T19:44:19.872-04:00I'm sorry, but this is historic preservation r...I'm sorry, but this is historic preservation run amok! There is nothing contextually appropriate about this design. That corner is right across the street from jumbotrons, not a 16th century English village. The existing buildings are dull as dish water and demand nothing less than total demolition. The reason why this city has such trouble creating a pleasant urban atmosphere and a thriving downtown is because of this kind of low density, NIMBYist urban design. This city already has to overcome the height restrictions. If people want to claim that they live in an aplha, "world class" city then they have to start fighting for better design and against this warped desire to build a faux/historic rural hamlet and call it a big city.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-27561899931002237722011-09-12T17:54:13.093-04:002011-09-12T17:54:13.093-04:00I work in Chinatown and I'm looking forward to...I work in Chinatown and I'm looking forward to the rehabbed historic buildings and very happy to see they are not replacing them with skyscrapers, which would take away from the archway, 4 levels is high enough. Some modern designs are very boringAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-372417414086674082011-09-12T16:17:58.477-04:002011-09-12T16:17:58.477-04:00Looks good. Where is this going DT Frederick?Looks good. Where is this going DT Frederick?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-49427369015492948642011-09-12T13:47:07.543-04:002011-09-12T13:47:07.543-04:00Wow! That historic corner building is more interes...Wow! That historic corner building is more interesting than any of the modern buildings I've seen constructed in this part of the city.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-46658346321940497632011-09-12T12:49:26.935-04:002011-09-12T12:49:26.935-04:00Ridiculous comments regarding "historic struc...Ridiculous comments regarding "historic structures". Those buildings are ALL junk and should come down. Stop with all the "historic" BS and allow real architecture to transcend this DC mediocrity.Chucknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-39563216994358209742011-09-12T08:23:27.658-04:002011-09-12T08:23:27.658-04:00Looks good to me. Lots of haters. But the star of ...Looks good to me. Lots of haters. But the star of the project will be the rehabbed historic buildings - not the modest additions.Paulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-80664372084496874812011-09-12T08:12:54.508-04:002011-09-12T08:12:54.508-04:00What is it with our love of boring architecture?
...What is it with our love of boring architecture?<br /><br />Stunningly dull design.Hillmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-67086066194819848452011-09-11T19:50:30.388-04:002011-09-11T19:50:30.388-04:00For what it's worth, the "tower" sho...For what it's worth, the "tower" should be hidden in this case. It's another banal peice of glass skinned square footage. Nice job.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-92037529406994920852011-09-11T11:03:16.023-04:002011-09-11T11:03:16.023-04:00They bought the parcels up through foreclosure so ...They bought the parcels up through foreclosure so the scaled back plan prob now financially viable for the new ownersAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-65682879412360641842011-09-10T12:36:55.627-04:002011-09-10T12:36:55.627-04:00I agree that this is an unambitious proposal for s...I agree that this is an unambitious proposal for such an important crossroads in the city.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22305958.post-13124765869331449212011-09-10T11:44:51.299-04:002011-09-10T11:44:51.299-04:00Looks pretty unambitious for such a key corner of ...Looks pretty unambitious for such a key corner of the city. In other words, it’s perfectly designed so as minimize opposition from the myriad of concerned citizens than must be placated. If I remember correctly the original proposal was for a taller housing complex in back, with muti-story urban retail in front. Now, the 4-story “tower” is safely hidden out of view so as to not arouse fear of heights. The muti-story retail looks to have been chopped down to the more conventional mix of offices upstairs and 1-story level ground.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com