ARC Report
Report of the Architectural Review Committee (ARC), July 2026
Meeting Details
- Meeting Date:
- Monday, July 13, 2026
- Format:
- This meeting was held via ZOOM.
Attendees
- Christine Hobbs
- Phil Eagleburger
- Ron Ngiam
- Winthrop Brown
- Ana Evans
- Danny Ince
- Stefan Hurray
Additional Attendees
- Andrea Pedolsky, President, Cleveland Park Historical Society
- Adam Prinzo, Vice-chair, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3 C
- Janell Pagats, Chair, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3 C
Promenade Shade Structure, 3400 Block Connecticut Avenue, N.W.
Description
The proposal presented includes a to-be-built shade structure on the east side of the 3400 block of Connecticut Avenue. The structure would consist of metal columns, and over-head metal cables and wood louvers traversing the mid-section of the sidewalk from north to south. Planters, seating and a play structure are also included in the proposal. Formerly an access road serving local retail, this block of Connecticut Avenue was subsequently designed as a shared access road. With construction almost completed on the shared road project, this effort was abandoned in order to create a pedestrian-only promenade. One result of the changed design and resulting construction of the promenade was the creation of a heat island lacking in sufficient tree coverage. The ARC recognizes and appreciates the initiative taken by the presenter to address the problem of the lack of shade on this west-facing block with a graceful design.
ARC Recommendation
However, the design is not compatible with the historic district. The structure would block the facades of the contributing structures as well as their signage. The design does not acknowledge or interact with the Art Deco architecture of the block and crowds both the outdoor restaurant space to the east and the trees to the west. The ARC does not support the proposal. In addition to the historic preservation issues raised, there are other issues such as ongoing maintenance of both the structure and the landscaping, ownership of the structure and resulting liability, and the weight of snow and ice. A master plan for the block should be developed to address these and other issues. However, these are issues that will need to be addressed by others.