A New Look for Tenleytown’s Fannie Mae Redevelopment

• May 11, 2018

by Nena Perry-Brown

In advance of a historic preservation review later this month, the redevelopment team behind the soon-to-be-former Fannie Mae campus on Wisconsin Avenue has submitted a somewhat simpler design for portions of the development.

Partners Roadside Development and Sekisui House are proposing a nine-building mixed-use redevelopment that will bring up to 700 residential units, a Wegmans grocery store, a boutique movie theater, offices, retail, hotel and cultural space, and up to 1,400 below-grade parking spaces to the ten-acre site at 3900 Wisconsin Avenue NW (map). 

In response to comments from the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) last fall, elements of the design have been tweaked.

As designed by Shalom Baranes, the "sliding trays" of Building 3 have slid into a slightly more linear formation in order to improve the sight lines to the now-historic landmark Equitable Life building at the center of the site.

The materiality has also been darkened, with the bulk of the building comprised of slate grey reflective metal panels broken up with "porches" and glass-rail balconies and punctuated by perforated metal screens.

The landscaped berm that conceals the garage and loading entrance off Wisconsin Avenue has been redesigned, with a lower roof, "softened" meadow-like shape and a smaller scale overall. The berm also will no longer house a pool nor be used as an amenity terrace.

The development team is hoping to break ground late this year after Fannie Mae completes their move-out from the campus. HPRB will review the new concept on May 24th.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/a-new-look-for-the-fannie-mae-redevelopment/13961