Photo via EL Haynes

From a press release:

On Thursday, March 7, E.L. Haynes Public Charter School celebrates a tremendous milestone for our city: The Grand Opening of E.L. Haynes High School. Taking place at the newly-completed campus located at 4501 Kansas Avenue, NW, the event includes welcoming remarks from DC Mayor Vincent Gray, words from Councilmember Muriel Bowser, the perspectives of one of our E.L. Haynes High School students, and a keynote address from Maria Gomez, Founder and President of Mary’s Center and a recent winner of the Presidential Citizen’s Medal.

Washington, DC faces an education crisis. In our city, fewer than half of high school students graduate within five years. Fewer than one third of our students attend college within 18 months of graduation, and fewer than ten percent graduate from college within five years. E.L. Haynes High School presents an exciting opportunity to change this trajectory and create a brighter educational future for our students.

Founded in 2004 and designated a Tier One High-Performing School by the DC Public Charter School Board, E.L. Haynes Public Charter School currently serves 950 students from grades pre-school through ten and is recognized locally and nationally for advancing student achievement.

E.L. Haynes High School fulfills the school’s college preparation promise and meets a critical need for Washington, DC – a non-selective public high school designed so that every student will successfully complete a rigorous program that is typically provided to an elite few in the US. The 33,000-square-foot addition adjoins 12,000 existing square feet of space, enabling E.L. Haynes High School to grow to serve 400 students. The facility includes science labs, a high school regulation size gymnasium, specialized spaces for the arts, a technology lab for video game design and programming courses, and an indoor/outdoor cafeteria.

The project team included architects Shinberg Levinas and general contractor Forrester Construction. Grants from the Office of the State Superintendent of Education, Qualified School Construction Bond (QSCB), and support from The Campaign for E.L. Haynes Public Charter School funded the project.

Photo via EL Haynes

When we spoke about the new Lima condos earlier in the week, some readers asked for updated shots of the row house popping way up on V Street just east of 11th. Here it is in all its glory:

11th and V Street, NW

You can see the old rendering and demo picks from June 2012 here. The sign out front says Lima Condos will be luxury 1 and 2 bedrooms from $400′s to 1.1M.

In Jan. we learned that condo sales had begun at CityCenterDC. CityCenterDC’s boundaries are New York Avenue NW, 9th Street NW, H Street NW, and 11th Street NW. Last week I took a tour of a model unit and got to see this unbelievably cool 3-D model of the development by LIDCM Corporation. I think I have underestimated how transformative this development is gonna be. To say I was blown away is an understatement. I can’t wait until we get confirmation on the retail and restaurants (“With over 295,000 sq ft of retail space, CityCenterDC will feature nearly 60 stores, restaurants and cafes”) but in the meantime – check out some more photos of the model:

More photos after the jump. (more…)

This new rental building is called Aria on L Street. We last checked on its progress back in Oct. 2012. Like the way it turned out?

13th and U Street, NW

A few folks have written about the Zoning placards posted at 13th and U Street, NW:

There is a website with tons of info devoted to this development:

13th&U is envisioned as an eight-story residential building with ground-floor retail and underground parking. The building will accommodate approximately 135 residential units and 16,000 square feet of convenient neighborhood retail. It will be 90 feet tall, with the majority of the massing set back from the front and rear property lines. The exterior design takes its cues from many of Washington DC’s iconic residential buildings.

13th&U construction is expected to commence in June 2013, with completion expected by early 2015.

Updates as construction begins.

Rendering Courtesy of JBG

Rendering via The Eisen Group

We last spoke about the old Ontario Theater back in Nov. 2011. Thanks to a reader for sending the rendering and other zoning documents:

What do you think of the rendering?

1700 Columbia Rd, NW

Rendering via Steven Holl

From a press release:

David M. Rubenstein, Chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, today announced an expansion project to be constructed south of the existing facility. The project will include rehearsal space as well as dedicated classroom space and multipurpose rooms for the Center’s extensive arts education and arts management education programs. Public access spaces will include gardens, an outdoor video wall upon which simulcast performances and other multimedia events may be projected, and an outdoor performance space on the river. The expansion will be designed by Steven Holl and senior partner Chris McVoy of Steven Holl Architects.

“I am proud to announce the selection of acclaimed Steven Holl Architects for the Kennedy Center expansion project and look forward to working with one of the foremost architects of our time,” stated Mr. Rubenstein. “Steven’s wonderful concept will create a strong visual presence that bolsters the Center’s prominence as the national cultural center, while maintaining its unique presence among Washington’s iconic landmarks.”

Steven Holl Architects was unanimously selected by the Kennedy Center board of trustees to design the project. Mr. Holl remarked, “It is a great honor to design the extension to the Kennedy Center, a ‘Living Memorial.’ In that spirit ours is part of a vital architecture, providing much needed rehearsal space, and classrooms with natural light and ventilation.”

Mr. Holl’s initial concept for the project includes three connected pavilions that will house classrooms, rehearsal rooms, lecture space, multipurpose rooms, and limited office space. In the initial concept, one pavilion will float on the Potomac River and offer an outdoor stage. Public gardens will fill out the space, fusing the Kennedy Center with the landscape and river. The exteriors will utilize translucent Okalux, glass, and Carrara marble, the same Italian marble which clads the original facility. The silhouette of the current building will be preserved by connecting the new structure underground and via the main plaza. A formal design will be created and announced in the coming months.

Kennedy Center President Michael M. Kaiser stated, “The Kennedy Center has the largest arts education program in the country without having any dedicated facilities to serve these growing programs. I’m so pleased the Kennedy Center will have spaces specifically designed for these functions to help fulfill our mission of bringing arts education to students across Washington and to millions of people across the country.”

The project is expected to cost approximately $100 million. Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein will donate $50 million toward the design and construction of the new building. This generous pledge is among the largest ever given to a federally-connected nonprofit organization. The design and construction costs for the expansion project will be paid for entirely with private funds.

Continues after the jump. (more…)

Stadium style in Columbia Heights:

In early Dec. we noted the start of a row house popping way up on V Street, NW. Check it out now:

For those curious about the new building in the background at the corner of 11th and V St, NW – check a photo after the jump. (more…)

Also from 16th Street Heights. Is it Indian?

14th and R St, NW

We’ve been monitoring the progress at the new Aston Condo building on the corner of 14th and R St, NW. Looks like they’re about done. Like how it turned out? You can see the floor plans of the units here.

1409 T St, NW

Like the way the pop up is turning out? You can see how it looked in October here and in April here.

Dear PoPville,

I thought I would share a photo from the addition we are currently undertaking to our building in Eastern Market on 7th St SE. We are connecting an existing office building to 13,000 sf of new office space above the restaurant Montmartre.

We are filling in an alley with an copper clad connection building (see photo above). The face of the addition above Montmartre will feature Italian laser cut tiles and zinc. Expected delivery February 2013.

As a sucker for copper I think that’s awesome. Looking forward to seeing how the Italian laser cut tiles and zinc turns out. Here’s a rendering from Stanton Development Corp.:

Southwest corner of 14th and T St, NW in 2009

I often stumble upon old (not even that old really) photos of what certain buildings used to look like in the archives here. It always amazes me. Given the rapid developments going on all over the city I thought I’d start an occasional series when I accidentally come across a photo that looks completely different today.

If anyone has a photo of an area/building/lot that has changed please send me an email at princeofpetworth(at)gmail with ‘Remember When?’ in the subject line. Thanks!

So here goes Vol. 1 – the building now home to Room and Board.