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BELLArchitects is working with the client to help revitalize part of the Fourth Street corridor in the Eckington area of North East DC through rehabilitation and façade and streetscape improvements for ten two-story early 20th century commercial buildings. This corridor includes warehouses converted to high-tech uses, low-scale single family and multifamily residential. The neighborhood includes McKinley HS and is just north of NoMA, an area emerging as a preferred downtown location for high technology companies.
The main focus of the initial design effort is façade improvements, partially funded through a Community Development Block Grant, that are compatible with the early-twentieth century buildings with the intent on qualifying for the federal 10% tax credit for undesignated commercial properties built before 1936.
These attached brick buildings have been approximately 90% vacant for the past ten years. Potential uses for this block involve the integration of artist gallery and live-work studio space, high-tech and other offices and neighborhood-serving retail.
Structural challenges include stabilizing exterior wythes of brick and shoring bearing walls where past alterations provided inadequate lintels. The facade improvements were carefully considered to respect the original construction while allowing for modern materials and configurations at the storefronts. Most of the design effort was focused on removal of inappropriate accretions and adding more consistent signage and door treatment at the first floor. The upper windows are designed to have sympathetic double-hung windows sized to fit the masonry openings.
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