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Image of the Old Convention Center site redevelopment schematic model courtesy Hines|Archstone
The Washington Post is reporting on Mayor Adrian Fenty's announcement today that the city has scrapped any plans to build a new main library at the old convention center site, and instead has reached an agreement with a developer to construct a four-star, 400-room hotel.
The agreement dooms forever former Mayor Anthony Williams' proposal to close the current Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library and construct a brand new main library facility on the parcel of land just a couple of blocks away. While the current main library is often criticized for being ugly, not fitting in with the style of the neighborhood, and being seriously rundown and in need of major rehabilitation, Williams' idea stirred up controversy thanks to the efforts of architectural preservationists, who have argued that the Mies van der Rohe-designed building should be saved.
Development company Hines-Archstone-Smith has branded the new 10-acre development, scheduled to break ground in January, as CityCenter DC. Plans to build an $850 million residential, office and retail project were announced in December. The luxury hotel development will sit north of the mixed-use development, theoretically close enough to serve the new Washington Convention Center.
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CityCenter used to be the center of the scene. Now CityCenter's over. No one really goes there.
Please tell me that's not a parking garage toward the front there.
I'm kind of glad the city decided not to build a new library there, but I'm disappointed that there will not be any municipal buildings on the site at all. You need a mix of buildings, including civic buildings, to make a vibrant neighborhood.
As for the name, I just hope it doesn't stick. I hate the no space aerodynamic thing, and even if it's just called "center city", that's a rip off of Philly. What did that used to be called, before the convention center?
But where will Cirque du Soleil put up their big yellow tent?
Here's a CRAZY idea... what about a park? After all, isn't this public land?
Who will join with me in pushing for that area to be named New Swampoodle?
To the barricades!
Um, after it stops raining.
Parks dont bring in money, less money bring in fewer big businesses, fewer of those, then of course fewer people, fewer people less restaurants, performing acts, more potholes, etc, etc. The only good thing about the reverse would be something pretty to look at, and a bit less traffic. I support this wholeheartedly.
Queue the people to talk endless trash about the MLK Library, who have never been there before, and/or think they know a thing or two about Modern architecture.
New Swampoodle! Yeah!
the least they could do is get mies van der rohe's brother curly joe to do the design of "New Swampoodle Arms."
I have been to the MLK Jr. library many times, but just recently learned that it was a library and not a monument to urine and its associated smells. I guess that's what all those books were there for!
Queue the people who don't care what the population thinks about a building, and who stick their fingers in their ears shouting "I can't hear you say that it's ugly, the learned few know that you're all wrong!!"
When the public hates a building, and has always hated the building, it is a failed building, regardless of the building's significance to a textbook.
silly rabbit,
there is no public land in d.c., just land waiting to be "developed".
Does anyone know definitively whether 10th street will be restored in this new plan? It is hard to tell from the photo of the site model.
As far as the park suggestion, I like it in theory, but hate it in reality. Look at McPherson Square or Franklin Square as examples of ruined urban parks...they're overrun with homeless and largely unpleasant for anyone else.
Rather than a park, I'd prefer to see the city build a shelter on the old convention center site, if there is room for public amenities.
I agree with ishmael a park would be a good idea. And it's not like there isn't plenty of development in that neighborhood already. While it wouldn't bring in money it would go miles to create a central area for people to congregate in that neighborhood.
And yes that Mies van der Rohe building has got to go. The design doesn't work all that well when it's not that tall. Chicago has great example's of his work. Humanity should be happy with that.
The MLK Library sucks. Once the New Swampoodle Citizen Militia is formed, it will destroy the Main Library. And build what DC really needs - a coffee shop.
"As far as the park suggestion, I like it in theory, but hate it in reality. Look at McPherson Square or Franklin Square as examples of ruined urban parks...they're overrun with homeless and largely unpleasant for anyone else."
Part of that has to do with the presence of the Franklin School shelter across the street from Franklin Square park (which is actually a very well laid out park), and part of it has to do with the fact that the NPS isn't interested in doing trash pickup or basic lawn maintenance that would make McPherson and Franklin more hospitable. Franklin Square is a disgrace on the weekends, with the amount of trash and litter blowing around.
Wow, so much to gripe about. First, parks obviously do not bring in first order tax dollars, but Ms. Jane Jacob's objections aside, parks have been shown to significantly boost tax income. (FYI, NPS manages McPherson, Farragut, and Franklin, they prefer to avoid innovative programming thus we get parks like McPherson, Farragut, and Franklin.)
MLK, would/could be a great building but the cash required to rehab it far outstrips anything DC (with its looming deficits) can handle.
Finally, that design is all kinds of ugly, boring architecture.
agreed, heckle. although parks have been shown to increase property values, they become liabilities when maintenance goes downhill.
i heard the mayor of scranton, pa speak not too long ago - and although his budget was extremely stretched, he refused to cut the parks budget. it led to increased property values and apparently joy and sunshine all around.
i've heard that nps tends to neglect urban parks. wonder if part of this is because there's no entrance fees unlike nps' bigger, non-urban parks. i know there's just not much in the way of budget to go around.
I was checking out the photo of the model, but I was so bored I fell asleep.
Glad there is a(n) hotel there though.
Does anyone know if the mayor/city council have proposed putting in serious $$$$ to renovate and upgrade MLK?
Personally, I hate the place ... primarily because it is so sub-standard as a city library. I could live with the existing builidng if it was a good library ... and that is going to take some real money. Is anyone working on this?
Golly!
Will any of this newfound retail/hotel revenue actually benefit a library or a school?
Ever?
onearm: Unfortunately, Fenty needs a new triathlon bike.
as i assume you will be electing me the president of the new swampoodle citizen militia, let me just say that our first order of business will be to ensure that the irish are kept out of our new neighborhood. they were obviously the downfall of the last swampoodle, and we're not going to let them muck this one up!
I may not know anything about modern architecture, but I know a thing or two about libraries and I can't imagine trying to work there. I don't care what they do with the building, but a new headquarters is long overdue.
Faith, I'm wi Goph, eh? As tha duly elected Chancellor of the Exchequer for the Know Nothing Party (Swampoodle Contingent), I says "Amerikee fur Amerikuns, bejabers!" Isn't it bad enough the area's littered wi Paddys loitering about the Irish Times and The Dubliner, stinking the place up with their drunken Irishmen's pickled egg farts? Will no one rid us of their potato-breathed treachery?
Hold on...I thought the new new Nationals Stadium was going there. With a new library in the President's club seats.
Post of the week please: "the least they could do is get mies van der rohe's brother curly joe to do the design of "New Swampoodle Arms." -- by monkey
Yay! More monolithic greyish-yellow square slabs of boring! We never get enough of them! I can't wait until Subway, CVS, and the ever fascinating and mythical 'Cosi' moves in. That will be a must-see desination for sures.
Will thems street-levels be vibrant? Sure they will.