Facade preservation is such a fantastic option for new developments, allows for so much more flexibility than traditional historic preservation, older interiors are tricky to rehab effectively so historic designation of interiors should only be reserved for the most culturally important pieces we wish to preserve
Yeah. I think the best practice for anything "sort of" special should be to preserve the façade/sign/distinct design feature, while scrapping or gutting the structure itself. That wouldn't appease a lot of people but it certainly feels like a middle ground to me, that says "We're acknowledging that something else was here that was a landmark, but things change."
Wow, so the website for the old project is still active! I checked it was live thinking that meant it was still active. These projects basically never end up the way they start, do they?
Often not. I can't find info on when Renaissance Centro sold to Quadrum, but Quadrum applied for various things starting 2020, so I am guessing the pandemic may have shifted things for the previous developer.
Facade preservation is such a fantastic option for new developments, allows for so much more flexibility than traditional historic preservation, older interiors are tricky to rehab effectively so historic designation of interiors should only be reserved for the most culturally important pieces we wish to preserve
Yeah. I think the best practice for anything "sort of" special should be to preserve the façade/sign/distinct design feature, while scrapping or gutting the structure itself. That wouldn't appease a lot of people but it certainly feels like a middle ground to me, that says "We're acknowledging that something else was here that was a landmark, but things change."
I like it. And it's without a doubt "the next iteration of intensity" as it should be given the area is so popular.
Couple of corrections:
• 704 3rd NW, the Harrison Apartments, IS listed on the National Register, so the facade must be maintained: https://historicsites.dcpreservation.org/items/show/276
• the hotel/apartment usage is old news; the property is being developed into an Arlo brand hotel, developed by Quadrum, opening 2025:
https://www.chinaconstruction.us/news/arlo-hotel-celebrates-groundbreaking-in-dc
https://www.archinc.com/on-the-boards/arlo-dc
Wow, so the website for the old project is still active! I checked it was live thinking that meant it was still active. These projects basically never end up the way they start, do they?
Often not. I can't find info on when Renaissance Centro sold to Quadrum, but Quadrum applied for various things starting 2020, so I am guessing the pandemic may have shifted things for the previous developer.