That block is NOT historic and does NOT require approval from HPO. So that is not the reason for the design. The only people that would have input on the matter would be the ANC – only if – the developer is looking for variances from the current zoning regulations to build beyond height limits, setbacks, FAR, # of units etc. The zoning is ARTS/C-2-B so that does allow a lot of flexibility.

Again, the developer only needs approval from the various agencies only IF they want to get variances.

So although HPO can be difficult to deal with your reply in this matter is just a irrelevant rant.

Where the heck are all of these people supposed to park?

I agree but challenge you to get involved in solving this pattern. Armchair whining on PoP doesn’t solve this and NO ONE besides the builders and developers ever truly bothers to challenge the status quo for DC.

The problem in general (not necessarily with this particular project, which I know little about) is that architects have to appease the various historic boards and difficult-to-please ANC zoning hoops they have to jump through.

The architect could go all Mies van der Rohe in design and make a world class building but then slowly but surely all the soul and uniqueness of the place would be destroyed in negotiations over setbacks, building materials, “fit” for the block, etc.

The historic board is the biggest culprit in all of this. At every step of every building negotiation in any neighborhood with even a remote historic designation they gouge out the beauty of anything unique and leave us with bland, basic, unimposing, inoffensive architecture.

Want to change it? Let your elected officials know that. The mayor, the city council, the ANCs – TELL THEM THAT THIS IS SOMETHING YOU CARE ABOUT. The internet reply boards of PoP, while a fantastic resource, only does so much. If you don’t ever speak up then you don’t get to complain when what surrounds you is cookie cutter bland stuff.

/Amateur architecture enthusiast/

(Also for those interested in following these debates there are two great blogs: Greater Greater Washington and the Washington City Paper’s Housting Complex blog).

And I agree with the comment about franken-building….the architectural plan is horrendous.

probably because an unattractive building will stay in their neighborhood the rest of our natural lives? reason enough to complain, everyone prefers to live in a neighborhood with buildings pleasing to their eye, no? sure it’s in the “eye of the beholder”, but everyone in that community has at least an aesthetic stake…hope they accept community comment on design, I don’t live there but I think the multicolored Lego block style of that building is WAY less than optimal aesthetically…