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Dear PoP – Buildings at 8th St. NW between D and E near Navy Archives
“Dear PoP,
What’s the deal with those buildings on the West side of 8th St. between D and E St.? The facades are still there (kinda), but it looks like they were filled in and now make up the back of another building?
Any idea if it was a zoning issue that they couldn’t change the facade, so they just made it an abomination? Or is something eventually going to happen there?”
There is actually some serious functionality going on behind the facade. The facade was a just a beautification project. Looks like it’s some sort of Pepco substation – anyone know for sure?
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Yes, it’s a Pepco substation. It’s not Great looking but better than a big block of concrete.
i’m probably wrong but this is what i heard:
these facades were buildings that used to exist on penn ave nw around the corner. when the fbi building was built they were torn down and installed here, a mini power plant.
MIB substation. You can see Tommy Lee Jones go in and out occasionally.
I think there was an article about this on Greater Greater Washington, but I can’t seem to find it. Something about how it was a historic facade, but I can’t remember the details.
I believe the facade is from a building that used to be where the FBI building is. But behind the facade is a Pepco substation.
And yes, there was a Greater Greater Washington post about it. I won’t try to find it.
Wow, I never noticed that these facades cover up a Pepco station – I did some Googling and there’s info on them towards the end of this post (plus an albeit anonymous comment at the very end identifying where each of the facades came from): http://streetsofwashington.blogspot.com/2010/08/little-shop-that-survived-sort-of.html
Beat me too it! I love that weird story
“Navy Archives”? Apparently another side effect of long Metro names!
I think @gonzo’s answer gets the prize.
yes PoP. it’s a Pepco substation.