Politics & Government

Georgetown Athletic Facility Needs More Work, Waterfront Project Ekes By

The Old Georgetown Board took up several large design and development projects at its October meeting, Thursday.

The Old Georgetown Board, a generally deliberative body, passed through several large development projects Thursday, offering both exacting critique and quick approval, depending on the project. The Capella brand hotel planned for 31st Street made it through with high marks, but the Georgetown University athletic facility was sent back to rethink the design a bit more. Then there was MRP Realty's plans for the Washington Harbour, which was back for a second review and painfully eked by with piecemeal approvals for various elements of the design.

GU Athletic Facility

Georgetown University was back four years after its first attempts at designing a new athletic facility to sit next to McDonough. The new design is smaller by 35,000 sqaure feet, shorter by two stories and 35 feet and has a much small floor area ratio. Previously the OGB had expressed concerns about the height and overall design.

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The design continues to be a probem. "I think you’ve got a lot of tough probems to solve that aren’t being solved yet," said board member David Cox.

He objected to the way the building spoke to McDonough, which up until this point had been the main entrance to the athletic facilities and would take on a secondary role behing the proposed structure.

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Often prone to frowning on height, in this instance the OGB members said they could stand to see a little more and perhaps a bit more density.

"Why is this a two-story building?" asked Anne Lewis and cutting right to the chase, queried, "how does this fit in with the master plan?"

The building is currently planned to be 47 feet, two stories above grade, one below grade.

"It strikes me that this is a lost opportunity to get more density on campus," she said. A concern neighbors in opposition to the campus plan would certainly share.

Lewis also expressed concern over several oak trees, one of which is 200 years old, that would be cut down to make room for the new building.

Her counterpart Stephen Vanze was less concerned, "I don't want you to come back with some loopy design because you’re saving a tree."

"I think we’re all in agreement that this is a lot better than previous" said Vanze.

1050 31st St. Capella Hotel

Capella Hotel group is planning a 48-room hotel with 70-seat restaurant and rooftop plunge pool along the C&O Canal. The design by architect Michael Winstanley won swift Advisory Neighborhood Commission approval and faced few setback before the OGB.

"I think you’ve done a great job on transforming this building," said Cox, adding, "I think the restaint you’ve used is really quite admirable."

Board members raised concerns about the lighting, which relies heavily on cornices under the windows to keep it minimal.

"I was horrified when I heard of the lighting plan after the ANC, but I’m convinced, it just has to be really subtle," opined Lewis.

Board members also raised concerns about a proposed rooftop railing, suggesting it not be included on the Canal side.

Except one joke by Vanze about drunk Georgetown students at a football party throwing up over the balcony, the proposed active rooftop area raised few concerns.

The project received concept approval.

Washington Harbour

MRP Realty's Charles McGrath stumbled through a presentation on the proposed changes to their designs for the Washington Harbour, leaving board members frustrated and confused. One month prior, the board sent MRP away with a laundry lists of design concerns and fixes.

"It’s too rapid communication," said Lewis, visibly overwhelmed as she compared the updated designs and tried to relate that to what McGrath had presented.

After griping about the lack of organization in the plans provided to the board, they proceeded to work through the project piece by piece.

Not before hearing from the Washington Harbour's original designer, Arthur Cotton Moore.

Moore said he was glad that had been addressed by MRP's adjustments or decision not to make changes to the existing design. But, he warned the OGB, “They can make a real hash out of the Harbour.”

Bit by bit the OGB gave their approval for elements of the design.

The lighting on the upper plaza and proposals to replace current storefronts with stainless steel were approved.

The tower and fountain feature, which were a focus of the project's previous review, were approved.

The other major element the board focused on last time included the location and design of the outdoor bars. Lewis offered suggestions for moving one of the bars to the side so it did not block the view of the Potomac River.

The projet receive a tentative approval- board members will stop by the Harbour in the upcoming weeks to see materials and examine a few features whose proposed changes were not clear enough in the written materials.


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