Letter
Dear Mr. Jakus:
In its meeting of 18 June, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed a concept design submission for the renovation of and additions to an existing office building located at 1445 New York Avenue, NW (case number SL 26-107). The Commission did not take an action and provided the following comments for the development of the design.
The Commission members expressed appreciation for the effort to improve this office complex in a prominent location in Washington, D.C., comprising a Queen Anne-style bank building with a taller 1980s addition. However, they commented that the design solution as presented recalls the unfortunate architectural practice of treating the lower existing facade of the building as a shallow vestige screening a larger modern block, due to the shallow setback and the contrast between the existing masonry and proposed glass facade. For the recladding of the 1980s brick addition, they questioned the rationale for retaining the brick masonry facade only at the street level, instead of continuing the expression of a historic street wall up to the 6th floor, with the upper levels clad in a more open and differentiated cladding system. They therefore requested further studies of the material palette and articulation of the facades to be reclad, including illustrative renderings. For the office building entrance on the New York Avenue facade, they suggested moving the primary doors to the center of the three-bay arcade, while infilling the flanking bays of the arcade with glazing to respond to the established building hierarchy and facade composition.
The Commission looks forward to further review of this project at the concept level. As always, the staff is available to assist you with the development of the design.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Frank Jakus, Technical Director
Ponte Gadea LLC
200 S. Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 3250
Miami, FL 33131
cc: Laurent Lisimachio, Gensler