WHO ISN'T A BIG FAN of Nationals Park? Post architecture critic Phil Kennicott, for one.
He, frankly, likes RFK Stadium better. As an architectural experience, anyway.
An excerpt:
The old and much-maligned RFK Stadium, where the Nationals played the past three seasons, might be a better building -- more visual interest, more presence on its prominent site, and a better mix of modern style with the city's vernacular gravitas -- but it was a lousy experience. Today, we have a great experience but, alas, a lousy building.Indeed, when people say it's a better experience, the building almost disappears in their judgment, which is exactly what the new stadium does in its location. Although it is positioned on one of the most symbolically significant and potentially beautiful axes of the city, aligned with the Capitol and next to the Anacostia River, it all but fades into the landscape. Two disastrously situated parking garages -- reserved for high-paying ticketholders -- obscure the front entrance, and its other three sides present a bland face to the world.
Continue Reading "Critics, Neighbors Warily Eye Ballpark's Effects" »
PARTS OF THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS' new South Capitol Street ballpark have views of the Capitol's dome. But will those who have the premium views be gazing at the city's skyline during the games or will they be looking at the stadium's new giant scoreboard?
The Post's Daniel LeDuc describes the massive board as "a high-definition TV on steroids." Let's take a look at the specs, by the numbers ...
» 101: The length of the new scoreboard in feet.
» 47: The height of the new scoreboard in feet.
» 5: The number of times larger the new scoreboard is than the one at RFK Stadium.
» 102: The length, in feet, of a second scoreboard, located on the outfield wall, that will show constantly updated results for out-of-town games.
» "Giving You the Score, Plus a Whole Lot More" [WaPo]
Photo by James M. Thresher/The Washington Post
ERIC RIPERT'S WESTEND BISTRO, located inside the Ritz-Carlton hotel at M and 22nd streets NW, has had all the makings of a D.C. hot spot since opening last November. There's a celebrity chef, trendy $13 cocktails, locally sourced dishes — and views of an Exxon gas station?
To date, reviews of the restaurant have generally been positive. But there was some initial online buzz about the Exxon gas station across the street — its glaring billboard was shining directly into the bistro's dining room annoying some diners.
Then, magically, a couple of weeks ago, blinds were installed that blocked the view. Gonzague Muchery, the restaurant's general manager, said the decision was made after Exxon rebuffed his request to dim the nighttime lights. "But now, we don't see it anymore," he said, allowing diners to enjoy their tuna carpaccio appetizer ($14), roasted chicken with cornbread stuffing entree ($23) and perhaps most importantly, the bistro's ambient lighting.
Shades are not the only quirk being worked out at the busy intersection, where urban luxury meets suburban blandness. The area is abuzz with activity as construction crews are completing some projects as others are awaiting approval.
Continue Reading "Food, Fuel at Easy Reach at New West End Eatery" »
PEDESTRIANS IN many of the District's growing neighborhoods are used to keeping their eyes peeled for changes in their regular routes, since it's common to encounter a sidewalk closing near a major construction site. But new rules developed by the D.C. Department of Transportation and the D.C. Building Industry Association will make shuttered sidewalks a rarity.
According to a DDOT announcement, developers will be required to maintain either covered walkways or protected open walkways during construction. The only exceptions to the new rules will be large building demolitions, where public safety on the sidewalks would be compromised.
» "DDOT Announces Implementation of Work Zone Standards for Pedestrian Safety" [DDOT]
» "Pedestrian Safety and Work Zone Standards" [DDOT]
Photo by Michael Grass/Express
A $3 MILLION donation from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation announced by officials yesterday has put the effort to build a national memorial to slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. just $10 million away from reaching its $100 million goal.
As The Post's Michael E. Ruane reports, construction on the memorial, located on the Tidal Basin about halfway between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials, could begin this year and might wrap up next year.
» "$3 Million Added to Project Fund" [WaPo]
Image courtesy Martin Luther King National Memorial Project Foundation
THE PLAN TO REPLACE the Tomb of the Unknowns' deteriorated Colorado marble has been put on hold, blocked by an amendment pushed by Sens. Daniel Akaka and Jim Webb attached to the defense authorization bill signed by President Bush on Monday.
As The Post's Michael E. Ruane reports:
The amendment blocks replacement, but not repair, of the monument, pending a review of its condition and the feasibility of replacing it.Arlington Cemetery officials have wanted to replace the monument's cracked marble, which was installed in 1931, but that controversial plan has come under fire by those who say the hallowed tomb should be repaired and preserved instead.
» "Bid to Replace Tomb Monument Stalls" [WaPo]
» "Quoted: Unknown Fate for Arlington's Tomb" [Free Ride/Express]
Photo by James A. Parcell/The Washington Post"
TOWERING ABOVE THE INTERSECTION of Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road, the Discovery Communications headquarters is perhaps Silver Spring's most recognizable structure. Now, the building is Maryland's first existing structure to secure Platinum-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification. It's one of only nine buildings across the United States that have such certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Green-building certification is awarded to structures that have sustainable site development, use water and energy efficiently, make use of environmentally friendly building materials and have high levels of indoor environmental quality.
According to Discovery, the company saves more than 24,000 gallons of water annually and reduces carbon emissions by more than 260 tons each year because of the building.
IN THE END, some sort of tall building will tower above the corner of Woodmont and Bethesda avenues on the southern edge of Bethesda's central business district. But there will likely be more open space around it, thanks to a letter-writing campaign by local residents.
After JBG Associates presented plans for the proposed 540,000 square-foot Woodmont East hotel and condominium high-rise building last year, neighbors were shocked to learn that plans included paving over the modest-sized green space adjacent to the Capital Crescent Trail's tunnel portal near the Landmark Bethesda Row theater complex.
Now, as The Post's Miranda S. Spivack reports, the developers have gone back to the drawing board and refined their plans:
The developer's original concept would have eliminated a green space across from Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema and Gifford's ice cream shop, which has become an informal gathering spot. The development was to include a plaza between two high-rise buildings, which would have been connected overhead. The new concept puts the open space directly across the street from Barnes & Noble, which has its own small plaza and fountain in front. The two buildings still would be connected by an overhead bridge.
Continue Reading "After Outcry in Bethesda, Developer Changes Plans" »
HILL EAST. Poplar Point. The Anacostia Riverwalk. The replacements of the 11th Street and Frederick Douglass bridges. If you can't keep all of the various redevelopment projects for the greater Anacostia waterfront area straight, you might want to stop by the upcoming Anacostia Waterfront Community Fair, slated for this weekend.
The gathering, sponsored by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and the District Department of Transportation will allow city officials, developers and nonprofit organizations to interact with the public and discuss proposals for the Anacostia waterfront, a part of the city that was long neglected, but is seeing a surge in interest.
The fair will take place Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at St. Coletta of Greater Washington at 19th Street SE and Independence Avenue. It comes as the city is expected to officially pick a developer to transform Poplar Point into a mixed-used destination near the Anacostia neighborhood's historic core.
Continue Reading "Event to Discuss Plans for Anacostia Waterfront" »
WHEN THE REYNOLDS CENTER FOR AMERICAN ART AND PORTRAITURE opened to the public in July 2006, it offered a chance for Washingtonians to not only get reacquainted with two old institutions — the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery — but also with one of the city's most historic buildings.
The Old Patent Office Building, which had been painstakingly renovated over six years, is the city's third-oldest federal building and anchors a spot downtown — bounded by 7th, 9th, F and G streets NW — that Pierre L'Enfant's original plan for the capital had designated for a grand government building. As a home to the U.S. Patent Office, the Greek Revival structure became the nation's "Temple to Invention." An exhibit by the same name that chronicles the building's great history is closing on Jan. 21.
Continue Reading "Closing Soon: America's 'Temple to Invention'" »
Addison Road