Letter
Dear Mr. O’Dell:
In its meeting of 20 April, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed a revised concept design for a new entertainment and sports arena complex on the St. Elizabeths East Campus. The Commission approved the concept, providing the following comments for the development of the design.
The Commission members expressed appreciation for the attentiveness to their previous comments, characterizing the design as elegant. In particular, they commented favorably on the proposal to provide a single players’ entrance for the two professional teams, and they encouraged continued refinement of the entry sequence from the parking lot into the building. They expressed regret that the landscape buffer along Oak Street has been removed from the scope of the project due to the adjustment of the property line, finding that this results in an unappealing view from the sidewalk directly into the arena’s cramped, suburban-style parking lot. They encouraged collaboration with the other organizations involved in developing the historic campus to ensure that the parking lot is adequately screened, perhaps with additional trees. For the proposed second-story band of white panels on the Oak Street facade—intended to provide a transition between the expansive metal cladding of the arena and the glassy storefront—they observed that this new element further complicates the design; since glazing in this area has proven infeasible, they therefore recommended returning to the previous, simpler version.
The Commission looks forward to reviewing a final design submission that addresses its comments. As always, the staff is available to assist you.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Gregory A. O'Dell, President & CEO
Events DC
801 Mount Vernon Place, NW
Washington, DC 20001
cc: Michael Marshall, Marshall Moya Design
Craig Atkins, WMC Landscape Architecture Studio