Planet Word Museum “Groundbreaking” in the old Franklin School to be May 4th!!

The following was written by PoPville contributor David McAuley, founder of Short Articles about Long Meetings.

13th and K Street, NW

At a regularly-scheduled February 28 meeting, architect Gretchen K Pfaehler of Beyer Blinder Belle told
a committee of Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 2F/Logan Circle that the “groundbreaking” for the Planet Word Museum would be May 4. The word “groundbreaking” was used metaphorically, as Pfeahler had just finished briefing the committee about the efforts to keep the building as unchanged as possible while still allowing it to fulfill its future function as a museum of linguistics.

Planet Word Museum will be housed in the Franklin School building (13th and K Streets NW). In the recent past, the building has functioned as a homeless shelter and was taken over by Occupy protesters. It has stood vacant for many years. The administration of former Mayor Vincent Gray had approved a plan to turn the site into an art museum, but the project was cancelled when Mayor Bowser assumed office.

The presenters had appeared before ANC2F’s Community Development Committee in September 2017, and the new presentation reported on the progress of incorporating the committee’s suggestions into the final design. Pfaehler reported that part of the roof terrace had been “pulled back” to minimize visibility from the street, as the committee had recommended.

Lead and asbestos abatement work on the building will start shortly, Pfaehler told the committee.

The report was purely informational and no vote was taken. Committee members thanked Pfaehler for being “pro-active”.

About the re-development of the site, Committee Chair Kevin Deeley (Commissioner for district 08) said: “This is further than we’ve gotten before.”

Read a story from PoPville about the current deal to redevelop the Franklin School here.