Eastbanc’s West End Project is Really, Truly Happening

• April 22, 2014
• 9 Comments

by Lark Turner

Rendering of new Eastbanc residences and library.

An activist effort to stop a long-planned project for DC’s West End ended earlier this month when the DC Court of Appeals denied a request from the group, led by Ralph Nader, to stop the development, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

The decision, issued April 7, ends a three-year battle between the DC Library Renaissance Project and developer Eastbanc. The new project on the 2300 block of L Street NW (map) will feature about 170 luxury units, retail and a new library. As part of an agreement with the city, Eastbanc will build affordable rentals on top of a nearby fire station.

From The Post:

Anthony Lanier, EastBanc’s president, said he plans to break ground “as soon as possible” after finalizing his construction financing. Construction should be well underway on the site at 24th and L streets NW by summer’s end, he said.

Last August, the same court rejected an appeal by the group and ruled the development could move forward, but the Renaissance Project requested a rehearing of the case, which was denied.

UrbanTurf first took a look at the project in 2011. Here’s an initial rendering from that design:

Eastbanc was chosen to redevelop the sites in 2010. Once started, construction is expected to take about 27 months. The project was designed by New York and Mexico-based TEN Arquitectos.

Renderings courtesy of Eastbanc and TEN Arquitectos.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/eastbancs_quirky_west_end_project_is_really_truly_happening/8390

9 Comments

1. Wendy said at 7:38 pm on Tuesday April 22, 2014:
   Such a shame that there is no effort to echo any of the beautiful red brick buildings around Dupont Circle. These glass boxes will cut off sunlight and signal, "We care about nothing but money. No green space, no height restrictions [EastBanc regularly violates height restrictions]--just expensive looking condos." At least the library survives.

1. DCDude said at 7:46 pm on Tuesday April 22, 2014:
   We live in a modern world. We can do many different things with building materials. We do not need to create a Disneyland version of DC. We must evolve and move on. There is still a height restriction in effect in DC and this is a glass box, it lets light in! The setbacks help to scale it down to proportion and allow for light to pass through to the street.

1. Long-Time Washingtonian said at 8:17 pm on Tuesday April 22, 2014:
   I love the designs of these two buildings and I'm hopeful that they will finally begin construction. I'm glad the developer opted for something interesting instead of the usual pseudo-historicist schlock!

1. DCDudette said at 8:48 pm on Tuesday April 22, 2014:
   Love the design of this building! Finally something other than the cookie-cutter BS buildings lining 14th street now. Agree with DCDude too! We don't need to "recreate the beautiful brick buildings of the past." We're in the 21st century, time to move on.

1. Chettworth said at 9:22 pm on Tuesday April 22, 2014:
   I am speechless, mostly because I am ecstatic about this design. Finally a modern façade that reeks (in a good way) of Frank Gehry type of work. The days of replicating DC's mostly boring architecture is over! (I hope)

1. Evan said at 12:04 am on Wednesday April 23, 2014:
   Love it! If this turns out as good as the rendering, it may be the one of the best looking building built in the past couple of decades. Thankfully DC seems to be moving away from the faux-historicist garbage that dominated the 80s-90s. Are they building both at the same time?

1. jd said at 1:10 am on Wednesday April 23, 2014:
   @wendy this project is in the west end - not dupont circle. FYI if this is Wendy Blair, she is the one suing the zoning commission over Hine and holding up the project.

1. JNo said at 1:15 pm on Wednesday April 23, 2014:
   So which is the final design?

1. Circle Thomas said at 2:36 pm on Wednesday April 23, 2014:
   Aren't both designs final? This project is two different buildings on two different corners, one to replace the firehouse, one to replace the library.