Letter
Dear Mr. Hunter:
In its public meeting of 17 October conducted by videoconference, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed a concept submission for a replacement building and landscape modifications at the Fort Davis Recreation Center, located at 1400 41st Street, SE. The Commission did not take an action and provided the following comments to guide the development of the design.
The Commission members expressed strong general support for the program, which will be a significant investment in this vital community asset. They found the existing 1969 building to be an exemplary work of mid-century modern architecture, and they requested further exploration of the adaptive reuse of the building, which has been unsympathetically modified over several decades; this effort would include documenting the existing building, developing test fits of the proposed program, and generating design studies for its reuse. In addition, they advised that retaining and renovating the building could further the District of Columbia’s environmental goals, given the substantial embodied carbon in the original building.
For the design of the site, the Commission members expressed appreciation for the intent to provide equitable entry sequences for visitors of differing abilities; however, they commented that the proposal should more fully consider the values of inclusivity and connectivity in addressing improvements to park safety, accessibility, and outdoor amenities. For example, while a high perimeter fence and fewer entrance gates as proposed would limit after-hours use of the grounds, these interventions would also serve to create barriers between the recreation center and adjacent neighborhoods and would compromise the open quality of this important public space. They also cited the inhospitable character of other landscape elements—such as the long entry ramp from 41st Street and the broad, treeless plaza proposed across the length of the new building—that need further design development.
In general, the Commission members acknowledged the D.C. Government’s intent to provide a new facility that meets the community’s high expectations, and they suggested that the existing building and site—if thoughtfully rehabilitated and augmented—might be able to achieve this goal. However, if the existing building cannot be rehabilitated and a new building is to be pursued, they raised several concerns about the proposed design. For example, they observed that the southern facade along the alley would present a mostly blank and solid wall with little architectural relief and requires further articulation; they also commented that the entrance canopy has an overly heavy appearance.
The Commission looks forward to further review of this important project. Please continue to consult on the development of the proposal and the requested studies with the staff which, as always, is available to assist you.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Delano Hunter, Director
D.C. Department of General Services
3924 Minnesota Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20019
cc: Ben Scarbro, Perkins Eastman DC
Holt Jordan, Jordan Honeyman Landscape Architecture
Peter Nohrden, D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation