In our continuing effort to make you informed citizens, our inquiring camera (with a certain publisher behind the lens) took some random shots of construction underway this week. For today’s parlor game on a Friday afternoon, cover the captions and see what you recognize.
In progress: With resources of the Johns Hopkins Health System Corp. now behind it, Sibley Hospital in NW DC is building a new hospital: 470k SF, 200 all-private rooms, shell space for 48 more, 18 labor and delivery suites, a new emergency department, and much more.
After: With Turner constructing a Wilmot Sanz design, completion is expected March 2016. (The outside may look nearly finished two pictures above, but as a hospital there’s a lot that goes into the buildout.)
In progress: This will be the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African-American History and Culture, for which Barack Obama and Laura Bush broke ground on the Mall in February of 2012.
After: Designed by Freelon Adjaye Bond and SmithGroup, construction is being done by Clark Smoot and Russell. The 322k SF will be a modern representation in bronze and glass of traditional African architecture, and is scheduled to open in 2016.
In progress: Remember Van Ness Square, at 4455 Connecticut Ave (technically at Yuma and more than a block from Van Ness—but at least that’s the name of the Metro stop across the street)? Kind of a dilapidated office building with an Office Depot, pet store and the like, but a spectacular forest in the deep ravine behind it?
After: Presto, Saul Centers will transform the 1.2 acres into 271 apartments and 9k SF of retail—due early 2016. Torti Gallas designed, Clark is contractor.
In progress: Perhaps better known as "all that construction around the corner from BLT," officially this is 900 16th Street, 141k SF of office being developed by JBG for The Third Church of Christ Scientist whose anchor tenant will be Miller & Chevalier law firm.
After: Cooper Cary and Robert A.M. Stern designed; Davis Construction is contractor. Because I.M. Pei designed the original church, the effort has been decades in the approval process, and will include Indiana limestone, Cherokee marble, and bronze windows to make an architectural statement consistent with its prominent location in the city’s monumental core.
In progress: We snapped this moments ago of the much buzzed-about (or controversial, depending on your point of view) 5333 Connecticut Ave, at Military Road, which Calvin Cafritz is developing to feature 263 luxury apartments. Neighbors have been hotly debating the nine story, 300k SF structure occupying what used to be a vacant square block of grass, foreseeing new traffic and parking challenges.
After: Eric Colbert is the architect, and Grunley Construction the contractor. The all-glass façade will be a dramatic presence on upper Connecticut.
In progress: Here are 36 apartments going up at the corner of 14th and Corcoran Streets NW, with a restaurant likely in the 4k SF retail area.
After: Hickok Cole designed the 37k SF space, Sigal Construction is contractor.
In progress: Not everything is ground up construction. This is a rehab at 16th and Howard of the 100-year-old home of All Souls Unitarian Church. Kerns Group architected, and Forrester is contractor.
