Art Gallery, Restaurants and 400,000 Square Feet of Residences For Randall School

• February 12, 2013
• 2 Comments

by Shilpi Paul

Model of Randall School redevelopment. Photo courtesy of David Garber.

Details for the vacant Randall School building at Half Street and I Street SW (map) were revealed at a meeting on Tuesday morning. The team behind the redevelopment released a few bits of information about the project, and displayed an early model of the modern-looking plans.

Developers Telesis Corp. and CACB Holdings LLC plan on putting an art gallery and restaurants into the old school space, and building a significant residential section adjacent to the existing building, ANC 6D’s David Garber told UrbanTurf. The Rubell Family, CACB’s owners, have a contemporary museum in Miami, and the new gallery will serve as a satellite. Bing Thom Architects, the firm behind the re-design of Arena Stage, will serve as the project architect.

In addition to the project model, the big news of today’s meeting is the sheer size of the new residential portion. Reportedly, north of 400,000 square feet of new residences will be built adjacent to the old school. The residences haven’t been strictly defined yet, but Garber says that the developer plans for townhouse units to line the base of the new building.

The model reveals a series of light, airy structures around what looks like an open space behind the old school buildings. Bing Thom’s projects often involve sweeping curved lines, dramatic window openings and open spaces.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/randall_school_redevelopment_includes_gallery_restaurants_residential/6650

2 Comments

1. Mike said at 9:31 pm on Tuesday February 12, 2013:
   A lot better design than the UFO/flying saucer they had planned to build over the school.

1. sbc said at 3:43 pm on Monday February 18, 2013:
   I live right near here and eagerly await something being done with the property. A few things I'd like incorporated would be non-restaurant retail space (a small hardware/housewares/bike repair shop like District Hardware in Foggy Bottom or the True Value at City Vista? a Greatclips/hair cuttery type of cheap salon?), community garden plots (the ones on M between 3rd and Delaware will disappear when the church that owns the land starts building), and a day care or charter school. I've heard that Appletree plans to leave Amidon and I wonder if this is a way to keep them in the neighborhood. I've also heard that KIPP is interested in opening a high school at Randall Rec center so maybe the projects could be joined.