House of the Day

Linc Park SE

What happens when you soak it in water

ustreeter

Oh, I feel bad for the neighbors.

Anon

Do these types of housing require a sorority-mom-type to be on premises overnight? Or do they allow the kids to roam free?
textdoc

Agreed with ustreeter.

neighbor

How are they allowed Windows on the wall that’s directly along the property line?

Mike

They don’t look to be along the property line. There is a porch/patio on the side which the stairs lead up to. that being said, if they were along the property line, its likely a case of “enjoy these windows until the neighbor bricks over them.”
Tsar of Truxton

The windows aren’t on the property line. It looks like there is a deck on that side of the condos below the windows. It is a weird optical illusion that makes it look like the Oslo is sticking out so far. Look at the stairs between it and the blue house.
- neighbor
  
  Absolutely right. Crazy optical illusion.
- Adam on Hanover
  
  It’s a pretty cool optical illusion, tbh.
textdoc

I was wondering the same thing, but then I realized that there’s a gap (the width of the metal stairs/patio) between the property line and the house.
- textdoc
  
  Google Street View confirms that there’s a patio-width gap. (The address is 1734 6th St NW.)
ET

I suspect that is because the setback (don’t know if that is the right word) was set and so no structure can be built in front of those smaller houses. It may be that the actual property line for those houses is at the front of the house – that is not unusual in DC though not always the case – so they may not own any/much/all of the land in front of their house. Why that building is different is the real question though that may depend on what was there before. Based on the angle and what little can be seen, it seems in line with the building to its right.

http://chrs.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/06_CHRS_PublicSpace.pdf

https://www.popville.com/2011/10/dear-popville-ownership-of-water-pipes/
- DC Tropics
  
  It’s an optical illusion that the building sticks out further than the rest. The houses actually line up in the front–check out Google satellite view and it will make more sense.

Emmaleigh504

Pretty cool looking.

Mike

I like the look of it too! Love those big windows in front.

DC Tropics

I like the house, but not in that space, and I sure wouldn’t want big windows like that facing the street. And yeah, poor neighbors.

DC Tropics

Oops, I see the optical illusion now. Google satellite view shows that all the houses line up in the front.

LedroitTigah

theres also a new structure a couple of houses to the north that has a similar look to the Oslo. Its on the market now (2 units)

LionofLedroit

Hello LedroitTigah. Nice to meet you. Roar. – Lion of LeDroit

LionofLedroit

I think this remains (at least, in terms of its aesthetic appeal) my favorite Ditto development, along with his rowhouse conversion on the 1300 block of T Street (in which he also resides), and one of the better “new construction” builds in the area to date. For an example of the absolute worst new construction in Shaw, please see 441 Rhode Island Ave NW, which actually hurts my (Lion)heart each time I walk by it. Roar.

jkauf23

@Lion none of Ditto’s buildings are appealing in any sense of the word. Guy makes monstrosities that don’t fit into the overall look of Shaw or surrounding neighborhoods. The above isn’t even top 5 ugly. Let’s have huge windows on a very small residential street. Privacy is a plus!
- JMR
  
  You state that like it’s a fact. In my opinion, this isn’t the coolest of Ditto’s designs, but I do think they’ve built some pretty cool looking homes that add a to the attractiveness of so many DC streets. To each his own.
- Truxtoner
  
  If the buyer’s don’t care about the large windows, why do you? I actually think it is nice to break up the monotony of the streetscapes in Shaw. I think they are generally hugely overpriced, but I love the huge windows and would kill for all the natural light flooding into my condo/townhouse. They do make these things that you can buy to put on the windows if you want privacy. I think they refer to them as shades.
  - jkauf23
    
    All I know is that someone is moving out of the condo’s they built on 5th and Q already (prob lived there less than 6 mos). I spoke with the seller who claimed having the open windows was more curse than blessing. At least the 5th and Q ones are on the end of a block, not in the middle. Cute how you refer to it as “monotony” rather than having a harmonious sight-line. Don’t move to historic neighborhoods if you want modern buildings. The pic above looks like it belongs in an industrial park.
    - Anonymous
      
      I have huge windows in my place and I love it. So much light! And my place is hyper modern in a historic neighborhood. Good thing I moved here!
- Anon
  
  I disagree with you. I like what Ditto’s doing MUCH more so than all these half-baked developers making hideous pop-ups.
  - textdoc
    
    “I like what Ditto’s doing MUCH more so than all these half-baked developers making hideous pop-ups.” I do too… but these buildings still don’t fit into their context.
    - Anonymous
      
      Sure they do. Variety is great!

quincycyclist

Discussion here makes me think that people should take a look at what was on this lot before this building was built. No gem.

andy2

Love the design – diversity of architecture is a welcome addition to DC.

Bryan

I didn’t know “air conditioner chic” was the new architectural fad. Woof.
I also agree with the “poor neighbors” sentiment.

jkauf23

/bump!

PetworthArch

Ditto is doing a great thing for DC, to bring contemporary and GOOD design to the District. I am so sick of NIMBYs that think the only things that are aesthetically pleasing are Victorian rowhouses and stone buildings with white columns. I think the scale of this is in line with the neighborhood and the design complements it’s surroundings without copying it. There is so much bad “new” buildings in DC that are trying to look older, like those new rowhouses at Vermont and T which are so fake looking.

I agree that a lot of Martin Ditto’s houses are extremely expensive, but someone is paying for these. If you have ever been in one of the projects, everything is absolutely custom, including beautiful millwork and cabinetry. Also, this particular building is a rental with four bedrooms per units, which had an aim to make close-in neighborhoods accessible for younger people with smaller incomes who might need to live with roommates.

jkauf23

Stone buildings with white columns, who is mentioning those? Sounds like you’re on the payroll PetworthArch. Love the false equivalency argument that this growth of a building is somehow alright when compared to bad new buildings. No one is saying they are alright either. The fact you can look at the picture above and say the scale is in line with the neighborhood make me very impressed that someone with that bad of eyesight can enjoy all that the internet has to offer.
- Anon
  
  You’re ignoring the building just out of view to the right re: scale.
textdoc

“[A]ccessible for younger people with smaller incomes who might need to live with roommates”? I can’t find the rental rates on the Oslo’s website, but I bet that new construction by a highly regarded designer doesn’t come cheap.
.
This makes close-in neighborhoods “accessible” the same way that pop-ups do — i.e., it doesn’t. It just makes things more expensive.
ustreeter

Some of their custom millwork is kooky — like the powder room door hidden in cabinets right opposite the dining room table. We toured the house at 1202 T Street NW and my husband went into the powder room and passed me a note out the door — it was hilarious. Somebody liked it well enough though to pay $1.49 million. Go figure.

Anonymous

Nine large units, sounds like someone didn’t want to have inclusionary zoning obligations, which kick in at ten units.

Anonymous

Yeah, he probably wanted to make money for working.

Shaw Resident

I am one of the homeowner neighbors on this block with the Oslo and all those “poor neighbor” comments smack of NIMBYism. This is an architecturally interesting building in the midst of an architecturally diverse section of Shaw. The residents are renters, not condo owners, and full of young professionals and students. They have been very good neighbors thus far and having higher density in the area means more activity and people on the street, which makes the area feel safer. I never would have shipped packages to my house before, but do so now knowing the street activity makes it less likely someone would steal the package. And this is not a small residential street that is overwhelmed by the building; this is 6th street, which sees a decent amount of traffic and just one block in either direction from restaurants and bars. Though the construction period on this place (2 years ago now) was not without annoyances, Ditto managed it well and has been a good manager since.

I wish DC allowed more higher density building, especially in currently empty lots or where there is decaying housing. Though the Oslo is not priced for lower income residents, the more supply we have, the less price pressure there will be on low income residents of the city. I am happy to live on a block where we have homes owned by longtime, middle class residents, newer homebuyers, and higher density housing for both low income and high income renters. That’s how cities have to develop to be inclusive for all.

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