Cafritz Foundation Power Ups Art Place Project

  

Rendering on new "Building B"
facing South Dakota Ave

  As many members of the community have found out, the Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation has begun advertising Stage 1 of the Art Place project at the intersection of Galloway and South Dakota.  For many in the neighborhood this is a welcome sight of progress for a project thought by many to be dead (although if you remember correctly we have been letting you know of the accurate status of this project from day one...horray us).  With this new jolt of life, there has been some additional information coming from the DC Office of Zoning (DCOZ) and Cafritz on the other portions of this project as well. 

 

Side Elevation of Bldg B with Detail

    
Earlier this month DCOZ released the Cafritz Foundations application for modification of approved planned unit development.  In this application the Foundation sought to modify it's Phase 1 (Building A) and modify Phase 2 (Building B).   With a still sluggish economy, all would expect Cafritz to decrease the size and scope of such a large project.  However, Cafrtiz shocked everyone by increasing the size of the Phase 2, rather than decreasing it, and asking for some leeway with regards to the full service grocery planned for Building 1.  In total the requested changes featured one major (and in this life long hockey playing bloggers point of view amazingly awesome) addition, the swap out of a senior center with all age accessible ICE RINKS and recreation spaces.  Yes, you read that correctly...up to 3 sheets of ice/indoor recreation space for the community to utilize year round.  This combined recreation facility would be a major boost to the neighborhood and city in general.  Also detailed in the release were design plans for the exterior, detailed height and easement measurements, parking garage details, as well as information regarding the children's museum.  

Street level

Level 2

 "The Foundation has refined the design of Building B in terms of its mixture of uses, the functionality and efficiency of the building's layout and pedestrian and vehicular circulation, and the architectural vocabulary and materials of the building. This refinement has resulted in the addition of an exciting new use to the building - a state of the art multi-purpose recreation facility with mezzanine capable of accommodating multiple ice rinks as well as other sports playing surface - to compliment already-significant retail offerings and an innovative cultural component in the form of a children's museum."

 (Statement of the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation in Support of Second Stage Application, and Modification of Approved First Stage of a Planned  Unit Development - 01/17/12)



Facade of Retail Entrance

 

Facade of Children's Museum and
Rink Entrance

"The requested modification of the First Stage PUD approval includes ( 1) an increase in building height from 60 feet to 80 feet for a portion of Building B to accommodate a mezzanine level and additional clearance for the recreation component, (2) an increase in gross floor area by approximately 49,000 square feet to 505,238 square feet of gross floor area, (3) elimination of the 15,000 square foot senior center and inclusion of that floor area within the multi-purpose recreation space available to all age groups; and ( 4) flexibility to delete the grocery store if a grocery store operator cannot be secured." 

(Application for PUD Modification DCOZ Case 06-10B)

Side Elevation of Building B With Changes

     Not called out specifically in the latest Cafritz announcement is the slight change in the Second Phase layout.  Not only will the addition of the rec space/ice rinks change the layout of the building, we can now see where the children's museum will be located as well as potential location and sizes for retail.  The children's museum was moved from its previous location, consisting of one floor, on Kennedy to having it's own dedicated entrnace on Ingraham and being multi level.   Also in the latest release is the addition of a third floor roof garden, which is assumed to be accessible through the children's museum.  Cafritz has also provided renderings of potnetial exterior sidewalk and plaza elements not initially submitted.  The exterior walkways will feature green areas and whimsical mosaic pieces, inviting neighborhood members into the various offerings the development has to offer. 



 

Exterior Front Detail



Children's Museum and Ice Rink Entrance Detail