Good Evening Ward 5,
So, putting aside my and others feelings towards placing the Trolley Car Barn at Spingarn -- can we read these paragraphs below and tell me if the blue colored words Sounds like BS to you too--
Although the northwest corner of the Spingarn site was originally favored as the
location most likely to minimize the car barn`s overall visual impact, it was
later agreed that the corner of Benning Road and 26th Street was preferable
since it would allow the new facility to better conceal the necessary streetcar
tracks and overhead wires, and because it would more closely relate to the
orientation of the other buildings on campus, thus providing opportunities to
design a more dignified, civic-minded building rather than an industrial
structure that was being hidden from view.
location most likely to minimize the car barn`s overall visual impact, it was
later agreed that the corner of Benning Road and 26th Street was preferable
since it would allow the new facility to better conceal the necessary streetcar
tracks and overhead wires, and because it would more closely relate to the
orientation of the other buildings on campus, thus providing opportunities to
design a more dignified, civic-minded building rather than an industrial
structure that was being hidden from view.
The resulting concept design, and its subtle variations, consists of a large,
brick-faced streetcar maintenance facility oriented on the same alignment as
the rest of the campus buildings and projecting far enough forward to balance
the easternmost projection of Brown Junior High School to the north. The
street-facing façade of this component of the car barn will be articulated with
large louvered openings, clerestories or other elements that will establish a
visual connection to the regular fenestration of the Spingarn and other schools
to the north.
brick-faced streetcar maintenance facility oriented on the same alignment as
the rest of the campus buildings and projecting far enough forward to balance
the easternmost projection of Brown Junior High School to the north. The
street-facing façade of this component of the car barn will be articulated with
large louvered openings, clerestories or other elements that will establish a
visual connection to the regular fenestration of the Spingarn and other schools
to the north.
REALLY!!! Sounds like some BS to me -- at least I would be embarrassed to write/present what was highlighted in Blue for fear that someone might shout BU**SH** from the audience as I read.
Now to this statement:
"A few members expressed opposition to siting the maintenance facility at Spingarn at all; if a majority
of the board wants to block the facility, they can agree to landmark Spingarn
and then interpret any building closer to the street as being historically
incompatible".
of the board wants to block the facility, they can agree to landmark Spingarn
and then interpret any building closer to the street as being historically
incompatible".
Now, the question is why would they express opposition to sitting the facility at Spingarn. Is it simply that to them it just doesn't fit?
Regardless of how I and others feel, it is almost embarrassing the lengths that people will go to justify this!! But heck, what do we know. They are going to do what they want to anyways.
Rob
On Thu, Nov 1, 2012 at 3:25 PM, scott@scott-roberts.net <scott@scott-roberts.net> wrote:
From the Greater Greater Washington blog:
Spingarn car barn design sounds good, but isn`t public
by David Alpert • November 1, 2012 3:04 pm
[http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/16646/spingarn-car-barn-design-sounds-good-but-isnt-public/]
DDOT has apparently been hard at work designing an attractive streetcar maintenance
facility at the corner of Benning Road and 26th Street, NE. They`ve worked
extensively with historic preservation officials on what sounds like a good
design, but still have yet to release it publicly.
Today, DDOT presented the concept design to the Historic Preservation Review Board for
comments. The staff report supports the concept so far (but doesn`t include any
pictures). It says:
Although the northwest corner of the Spingarn site was originally favored as the
location most likely to minimize the car barn`s overall visual impact, it was
later agreed that the corner of Benning Road and 26th Street was preferable
since it would allow the new facility to better conceal the necessary streetcar
tracks and overhead wires, and because it would more closely relate to the
orientation of the other buildings on campus, thus providing opportunities to
design a more dignified, civic-minded building rather than an industrial
structure that was being hidden from view.
The resulting concept design, and its subtle variations, consists of a large,
brick-faced streetcar maintenance facility oriented on the same alignment as
the rest of the campus buildings and projecting far enough forward to balance
the easternmost projection of Brown Junior High School to the north. The
street-facing façade of this component of the car barn will be articulated with
large louvered openings, clerestories or other elements that will establish a
visual connection to the regular fenestration of the Spingarn and other schools
to the north. Solar panels will be incorporated onto the roof of the facility
to maximize its energy efficiency.
To the south of the maintenance facility,
offices, training facilities, public meeting spaces and related functions will
be housed in a lower, sweeping arm of the building that curves to respond to
the alignment of Benning Road and establishes a more pedestrian scaled public
entrance at the prominent corner of 26th and Benning Road. Although the
specific materials that will be used to complete this portion of the car barn
have yet to be identified, they are likely to consist of light colored, solid
cladding materials and curtain walls of translucent glass.
Through a combination of massing and orientation, the currently proposed concept design
establishes a logical and complimentary relationship to the arrangement and
hierarchy of buildings on the campus and to their open setting. The proposed
red brick of the maintenance facility contrasted with the light colored solid
materials and translucent glass of the office portion of the car barn also
relate directly to the schools` predominant red brick and limestone color
palette. In short, the concept as currently proposed appears to be generally
compatible with its historic context. However, some further refinement of the
building design and site features will likely be necessary to better relate the
new facility to the historic schools and other historic properties in the
surrounding area, including the landmarked Langston Terrace Dwellings which are
located just to the west.
Board members had a number of general design comments. A few members expressed
opposition to siting the maintenance facility at Spingarn at all; if a majority
of the board wants to block the facility, they can agree to landmark Spingarn
and then interpret any building closer to the street as being historically
incompatible. This debate will rage at the board`s hearing on the actual
decision whether or not to designate Spingarn as a landmark, scheduled for
November 29.
DDOT did not respond to a request I sent last
night for the latest design. DDOT spokesperson John Lisle previously wrote on September
26 that, ``Additional opportunities for public participation/feedback will be
scheduled over the next 90-120 calendar days.``__._,_.___
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R. Ramson
3744 12th Street, N.E.,
Washington D.C., 20017
202-438-5988
"We must become the change we want to see" - Mohandas Gandhi-
(Together, for a Brighter Tomorrow)
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