Boston-based architects
Höweler + Yoon sent me an updated rendering of their project at 2345 MLK Ave:
"I updated the older rendering. Its not a polished rendering, but it gives you a sense of the scale and materials. Cement board panels on the ground floor. Corrugated metal panel on the upper volume. The concrete masonry units are only on the partition wall that abuts the neighbor, for fire code reasons."
I like some parts of it and think it misses the mark elsewhere. I loved the
old rendering, pre-community meetings where people apparently hated it. What do you think?
Posts
15 comments:
I think it's pretty ugly. Is it supposed to be a storage unit or what? But it is new and radiates some vitality that way.
This building could certainly be more attractive! I hope this isn't an exact rendering. :(
I'm with Whateva in wanting to know what its supposed to be.
So is the second floor strictly medical offices now and no residential? The other rendering had 3 floors, right?..I'm trying to understand what got value engineered out...I'm not loving this, but maybe with some lighting outside, it won't be a total letdown? Do we know what retail tenant is going downstairs?
Totally off the subject, but I saw contractors going in and out of the ground floor space at the Salvation Army across the street...have they finally picked a ground floor tenant for that space?
the building will be commercial (retail or office, depending on who leases it) on the ground floor, and residential on the 2nd floor.
they do not know who will lease the ground floor.
re: Salvation Army. I heard a while back that a Pepco customer service center was moving in. I am currently awaiting confirmation on that.
if I were the developer and really wanted someone to lease the ground floor, I'd try to make it a little more marketable (i.e. more windows along MLK ... more welcoming storefront. Then again, that is all subjective.
I agree. I liked the first rendering more... Both aren't my favorite. I also agree about windows comment - it would clearly attract more customers.
As soon as I saw that huge windowless cinder block wall go up on the Morgan Family Fish Fry side, I was like Uh oh. I don't really like this design. Not very community- or people-friendly.
to be fair, that cinder lock wall has to be that way because it is the fire wall. technically the Morgan Fish Fry landlords could build a building right up to the sidewalk and against this new building ... so you can't have windows.
that's a beautiful FEMA trailer they have there on top of that one-story foundation.
winner of the ugliest new construction in DC by far.
This is just another example of why we need to expand the Anacostia Historic District.
If this is a commercial building why are they constructing it out of wood? I thought commercial buildings in the District could not be built out of wood like this one is. Am I wrong?
Eden is right, it is not very community-friendly! In fact this is brutalist architecture at it's worst.
@imgoph the FEMA trailer reference is a good one along wtih @whateva's storage unit. could they not have made windows on the second floor with a balcony? the use of corrugated metal is disconcerting to say the least. it just looks so boxed in. the first rendering wasn't that fab either. this lot shape really limited them (at least i hope & not their thoughts about the community).
Both look awful to me, but at least the first rendering had some character. I live very close to that site, so for my own sake, I hope it's not that awful.
Post a Comment