Whittle School has agreed to fund one of three public art installations planned for the Van Ness commercial district. Van Ness Main Street Executive Director Theresa Cameron announced the gift at the December 18th ANC 3F meeting.
This is a model of After Architecture’s design, which can be modified for each of the three planned installations along Connecticut Avenue between Van Ness and Albemarle Streets.
The $70,000 installation is to be placed at the southwest corner of Connecticut Avenue and Van Ness Street by the former Intelsat headquarters, soon to house the international school opening fall 2019. This commitment by Whittle School also captures ANC 3F matching funds of $23,500.
The design team is from After Architecture, chosen in spring 2018 by the Van Ness Main Street Design Committee after a public vetting process.
The designers imagined climbing vines and historic markers rising up the posts, holiday lights strung along the overhead canopy, and seating for the area’s residents, students and diplomats.
Van Ness Main Street will continue seeking funds for two more installations in 2019, approximately $70,000 for each. Other possible locations are at Windom Place and Albemarle Street.
ADRIAN SALSGIVER says
In addition to providing seating for the area’s residents, students and diplomats, the public art installations will also provide a nice place to camp out for the growing number of homeless who make the Van Ness neighborhood their home.
Leslie Horan says
I would think the funds could be far better spent on something that would go with the landscape, promote relaxation and conversation , and seat far more people more comfortably than sitting on a hard cold piece of metal. Is there an opportunity to halt this and support something else that would be more friendly with the landscape? If the school wants to spend their funds on “art” , that is up to their board, but I cannot understand the ANC supporting this.
Chuck Schilke says
Many Van Ness residents, as well as Van Ness businesses, who love being in our community, not to mention people from outside Van Ness, nonetheless consider Van Ness a somewhat nondescript place with an identity issue which reduces our neighborhood’s appeal and value, to the detriment of all.. The three planned public art installations for the Van Ness commercial district are carefully designed to better define the Van Ness commercial district so as to reduce this identity issue, to brand our neighborhood more appealingly, and to increase our neighborhood’s attraction and value to both residents and visitors. Naturally, on aesthetic matters, every person will have his or her own opinion, so that public art which requires absolute consensus can never be achieved. And nearly any piece of public art which would better define Van Ness may be potentially used by the homeless in ways contrary to its fundamental purpose.. But the solution is to find ways to reduce homelessness and make better use of shelters, not to eliminate efforts to improve the economic and physical development of Van Ness which itself will tend to reduce homelessness, Still, we should probably also explore whether there are ways to keep the basic design in tact while making it difficult or impossible for the homeless to use an installation contrary to purpose. The After Architecture urban designers, as well as the year-long design review process involving dozens of stakeholders which resulted in the design, went to very great lengths to ensure that the three planned installations are highly sensitive to both the natural and urban context of Van Ness, But branding rather than seating is the main purpose of the three installations, so that an aesthetic which attempts simply to blend into the landscape rather than to respect the landscape while also better defining our community would defeat the fundamental branding purpose.. There is already quite a bit of public outdoor seating in Van Ness–the corner bench at Bank of America, the wall of UDC, the chairs and tables in front of the former Soapstone market, the outdoor restaurant space at Acacia and Bread Furst–but if there really is a significant additional community demand for additional outdoor seating in Van Ness, I”m sure that the ANC would be willing to address sensible seating proposals; While constructive input to improve the installations further is always welcome, on balance the three installations will do much to improve Van Ness, and both the ANC and the Whittle School should be applauded in supporting the first of the three installations.
Marjorie Rachlin says
This is a branding device for Whittle School more than for our business district. It has little to suggest a business district or Forest Hills. Covering it with vines or greenery will create an odd efffect, I think.
I would hope that in the Whittle renovation, they would do something to make the green park space at Connecticut and Tilden more attractive for residents. For some reason it is little used. The present fencing makes it look like private property at first glance. Put in a few child’s play places.
Pat Kasdan says
I agree with Marjorie Rachlin’s opinion and suggestion.
Theresa Cameron says
Hi,
These wayfinding/public art pieces will not only be at Van Ness and Conn. Ave. but also at Windom and Conn. Ave., and Albemarle and Conn . Ave. The seating areas on the art will be made of wood.
I am happy to talk with you more about the process and project anytime. It’s going to be an exciting process as we move forward. Please let me know if you would like to get together.
Cheers,
Theresa Cameron
Exec. Dir
Van Ness Main Street
240-462-9664 (cell)
Green Eyeshades says
For some reason, the District government issued a stop work order against the Whittle School, according to yesterday’s Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/dc-orders-halt-to-a-private-schools-construction-amid-questions-about-permits/2019/02/27/6d1d99da-3acc-11e9-aaae-69364b2ed137_story.html
The Post story is fairly vague about the reason(s) for the stop work order, and does not seem to claim that the order will interfere significantly with the planned opening date for the school mentioned in the original story here on the Connection (fall 2019).