Letter
Dear Mr. Dormsjo:
In its meeting of 21 April, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed the final design for the proposed reconstruction of Oregon Avenue, NW, between Military Road and Western Avenue. The Commission approved the submission with the following comments.
The Commission members expressed appreciation for the comprehensive presentation, and for the extensive coordination of the design with neighborhood residents and the National Park Service. They acknowledged the challenge of maintaining the road's appealing rustic character while modernizing the dimensions and elements necessary for environmental performance and pedestrian safety. They observed that the institutional and residential landscapes along the west side of Oregon Avenue have typically been perceived as visual extensions of the forested character of Rock Creek Park on the east, and they supported the proposed reforestation program that would renew this aesthetic. They recommended special care in documenting trees that are to remain, and in protecting them throughout the construction process. They questioned the proposal to install railings between the sidewalk and bioretention areas, which they found to be visually intrusive, and they recommended further design refinement to simplify, minimize, or eliminate the railings. They also recommended a more textured finish for the stone cladding on the Pinehurst Bridge for consistency with the rustic character of the setting.
The Commission expressed appreciation for the careful development of this roadway improvement project along Rock Creek Park. Please coordinate with the Commission staff in responding to the above comments as the final documentation of the design is completed.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Leif Dormsjo, Director
D.C. Department of Transportation
55 M Street, SE, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20003
cc: Tara Morrison, Rock Creek Park, National Park Service
Oliver Boehm, Volkert Inc.