ARC Members attending: Christine Hobbs, Stefan Hurray, Phil Eagleburger, Ron Ngiam, Ana Evans, and Lois Orr.
3517 Ordway Street, N.W.
Agent: Kevin Winkler and Alan Field, Saltbox Architecture
The proposal for this 1920’s bungalow includes a two-story rear addition over a basement, a new screened-in rear porch, replacement of the windows and doors and new exterior stucco. In various locations, new window openings will be created and at least one existing window filled in. The existing rear deck will be removed to be replaced by the 16 foot deep addition and 13 foot deep porch, creating a very elongated east and west façade. The neighboring houses include other bungalows and semi-detached houses and across the street, more-recently constructed larger detached houses.
The ARC is concerned that the addition makes no clear break with the original structure and obscures the original massing of the bungalow. The ARC does not object to a rear addition, but recommends that there be a more defined, clearer break between the existing house and the proposed new addition in order to create more delineation between the two.
The motion passed 6-0.
3541 Quebec Street, N.W.
Agent: Ralph Cunningham and Madeline Stokoe, Cunningham/Quill
The proposal for this semi-detached house includes the partial enclosure of the existing side screened porch/entrance, new windows, a new rear deck and repairs and upgrades to an existing rear addition. The footprint of the house will not increase. The portion of the existing screened porch that will be enclosed is the rear and alley-facing portion of the structure. The renovated rear addition will be faced with masonry veneer, with aluminum windows and trim panels and the existing garage door opening will be filled in.
The ARC had no objection to the proposal as presented.
The motion passed 6-0.
Cleveland Park Congregational Church, 3400 Lowell Street, N.W.
Agent: Larysa Kurylas, The Kurylas Studio
The Cleveland Park Congregational Church is exploring options to increase accessibility to the Church. Several concepts to accomplish this objective were presented to the ARC. Option “A” proposed the creation of a sidewalk plaza on Lowell Street with a rebuilt side door landing. The entrance to those seeking an accessible entry point would be on the side of the Church. This option would also include a redesign of the existing interior elevator/lift to allow for three stops. Option “C” proposed a 51 foot long ramp along the Lowell Street side of the Church leading to both the parlor and Sanctuary and creating direct entry. Both the parlor and Sanctuary stairs would be rebuilt and new landscaping added.
While both options seemed to accomplish the objective of increasing accessibility, and neither changes the structure of the Church, the ARC thought that option “C” presented a more elegant solution to the challenge of creating improved accessibility to the structure, a solution that would be used and enjoyed by many and allow direct access into the Sanctuary, while option “A” was a more awkward approach.
The motion passed 6-0
3401 Lowell Street, N.W.
Agent: Seth Ballard and Chris Saenger, Ballard + Mensua Architecture
This 1913 house is located at a prominent location at the corner of 34 th Street and Lowell Street and at the top of a rise. As a result, three facades of the house are visible from the street. Proposed changes to the property have been presented to the ARC at two previous meetings and the ARC commends the applicant for reworking the proposal based on feedback from the ARC and other parties. The ARC appreciates that the project has gone through several changes, each one an improvement. However, the current proposed massing continues to obscure the distinction between the existing house and the proposed addition at this very visible location. Any proposed addition must be distinct from and subservient to the original house. A large addition, such as proposed here, in particular, must clearly read as a separate and later structure.
The ARC thinks that one more iteration of the addition such as the use of other materials would bring us to where we could easily distinguish the new from the original. The ARC recommends that the addition be made more distinct either by a physical indentation on all stories of the proposed addition, not just at the second floor as proposed or by the use of materials different from the original house.
The motion passed 6-0.