Dear Mr. Tangherlini:
The Commission appreciates the District Department of Transportation’s extending of the display of the mock-ups for the Commission to make a site inspection of the street furniture samples.
The Commission continues to support the incorporation of contemporary design of the street furniture and lighting systems in situations where it is appropriate, with a blurring of design languages rather than the proposed "traditional" and "contemporary" categories. With this in mind, the Commission encourages the selection of one bench and trash receptacle that can receive a variety of finishes to integrate them with their existing context. The Commission recommends the selection of Plainwell Aluminum Bench and Petoskey Group Litter Receptacle because of their detailing, ease of use and variety of finishes. When reviewing the options of standards for sidewalk materials, the Commission found neither proposal seemed entirely appropriate.
The Commission suggests further development of the London paver option in the cooler palette, with a slightly darker color and a very subtle texture of exposed aggregate. Finally, the Commission is strongly supportive of the proposed new lighting fixture, including the LED light source and the proposed metal finish for the pole, and looks forward to a more developed design mock-up in the future.
The Commission looks forward to reviewing further developments as the project progresses. As always, the staff is available to assist you.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas Luebke, AIA
Secretary
Dan Tangherlini, Director
District Department of Transportation
2000 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
cc: Kathleen Penney, DDOT