Letter
Dear Mr. Flajser:
In its meeting of 21 May, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed the final design submission for a new hotel building to be located at 800 Water Street, SW, in the Southwest Waterfront development area known as The Wharf (case number SL 15-120). The Commission approved the design with the following comments, to be resolved in consultation with the staff.
The Commission members reiterated their support for the overall massing and design of the building, but they expressed reservations about the proposed exterior building materials, which they also found to be insufficiently documented for a final submission. They commented that the inconsistently presented palette of bright red terracotta, dull reddish brick, and polished black granite appeared inharmonious and may quickly become dated; they therefore recommended further study of the material palette. They requested that sample panels of the actual proposed materials be produced for review prior to the construction of an on-site mockup. In addition, they noted that the scope of work of the present review does not include any signs or retail storefronts, which should be forwarded separately for review.
Please coordinate with the staff for the submission of revised final documents and samples that address the Commission's recommendations.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Austin Flajser, President
Carr Hospitality
1455 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20004
cc: Bahram Kamali, BBGM
Jennifer Steingasser, D.C. Office of Planning