Tuesday, December 9, 2008

1357 Good Hope Needs Your Help



For my detailed post on this endangered building, Click Here

Historic Anacostia's ANC Commissioner Greta Fuller is requesting public opinion on the preservation of 1357 Good Hope before voicing her support in the matter. She is hosting a meeting tonight to discuss whether to add the building to the existing Historic District, to designate it as a landmark, or to allow for its demolition.

Clearly the building isn't a grand civic structure or a ridiculously unique work of architecture. Instead, it is a beacon of the Historic District at 14th Street, one of the primary gateways into the neighborhood; it is the last existing building of an Anacostia architect; and it does not need to be demolished in order for development of the adjacent lots to take place.

Think of the neighborhoods that have the most charm: they are the ones with old buildings, good craftsmanship, and are built to a human scale. Friends, development will happen in Anacostia. It's our responsibility to make sure it is done right, and destroying the few examples of commercial architecture will only serve to make our neighborhood a less interesting and desirable place to live, work, and play.

Click Here to email your support of 1357 Good Hope to Commissioner Fuller

Tonight's meeting:

Tuesday, December 9, 2008 at 6:30 P.M.
UPO - Anacostia
1649 Good Hope Rd SE
photo by DG-rad

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Change is hard because people overestimate the value of what they have—and underestimate the value of what they may gain by giving that up.

David Garber said...

the opposite is also true:

people underestimate the value of what they have, and overestimate the value of what they may gain by giving that up.

Anonymous said...

This may be a different perspective from another point of view, asking people to endure hardships without taking into account the social services safety net East of the River and other parts of town is not sensible.