Thursday, February 08, 2007

Luxury Hotel on 14th Street

I attended the ANC 2F meeting last night. It ran quite long due to an appearance by MPD Chief Lanier. I am crafting a lengthier wrap-up, and I'll post it later. However, as requested, here is some information on the planned luxury hotel on 14th Street.

Viridian HotelThe hotel is located on 14th Street, just north of P Street, primarily in the parking lot adjacent to Viridian. As you can see from the concept drawing, it also extends over the top of the existing restaurant building.

The building was intended for thirty condo units, but (as we all know) the condo market softened greatly during the protracted two-year battle for building permits. The extravagant architecture pushed the cost per square foot beyond what the market could reasonably bear for condominiums, and thus they changed their plans. They are in talks with several national hotel companies, mostly of the boutique variety.

Personally, I love the look of the building. It might be necessary, though, to pressure our ANC to craft a voluntary agreement requiring the Jetsons theme to play on continual loop outside on the sidewalk.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very cool! Any mention of a timetable for groundbreaking, construction, etc? Thanks!!

Brian said...

Sorry, but I don't know that. I do know that they still need to get a few minor bureaucratic approvals for the change, so I doubt it will be any time in the next couple of months.

Anonymous said...

Awesome! Any word on what hotel?

Brian said...

Nothing more than what I said: They are in talks with national, 4-star hotel companies. I really know nothing more than that we're not talking a Best Western here.

Anonymous said...

And with great hotels come great hotel bars! Best pick up line ever -- You from outta town? Well, welcome addition to the strip! I hear that 100% Mexico across the street is turning into a tapas and wine bar. Any word on that?

Anonymous said...

I love it

Anonymous said...

FWIW, I think this design is interesting, but so disjointed and chaotic that it borders on nauseating.

This particular structure seems better suited for Universal Studios Florida, or perhaps a scene from The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari. It is probably best that it is a hotel and not condos. I can't imagine the novelty of its design lasting more than a few days before visitors start suffering symptoms of vertigo.

About ten years ago, I toured some architecture schools and they were all producing this kind of industrial/cubism/grunge type architecture. I'd bet money this was designed by a fairly recent grad. That stuff all lacked the logical order that makes buildings make sense - they looked more like random piles of steel and concrete than usable structures.

It suffers from the same problems as much of Frank Ghery's and Daniel Liebeskind's work, in that it doesn't have any kind of logical flow or central theme to it and as a result ends up being little more than unsettling. I can certainly appreciate modernity, and both of those architects have hit home runs in their time, but I do not think this will be the highlight of it's designer's career.

Anonymous said...

it's a nice change from the 5 billion townhouses & fat cube office buildings

IMGoph said...

just a quick question: i saw in the dupont current that there was supposed to be discussion about a restaurant on the nw corner of 14th and t (the home of the old paradise liquors) and a new place just south of the 7-11 at 14th and rhode island. anything you can report about those projects?

Anonymous said...

Are you thinking of the Negra Pata? The proposed restaurant that's going into the 100% Mexico space?

IMGoph said...

jennifer, are you speaking to me? no, i wasn't thinking of the place going in where 100% mexico was. i'm talking about 14th and T (it's supposed to be an asian restaurant) and 14th and rhode island, south of 7-11

Anonymous said...

This is sort of unrelated but does anyone have any thoughts and/or knowledge about what might happen on the 1300 block of 14th street-- both sides but mainly the western side between RI Ave and N-- total eyesore; set of eyesores. I'm not well versed on any of the bureuacratic or market b.s. that might be behind this stagnation. Wish there were a pomo-boutique hotel going there, as well.

Anonymous said...

I absolutely LOVE the new hotel!! I hope there are not any of the all too typical Washington "fuddy duddies" who oppose the building for being rather unconventional. In a city of very conventional buildings, this is a WELCOME addition! To the opponents: LOOSEN UP and give DC some VARIETY!! Everything can't be neo-classical or boxy. This is a wonderful departure!! Kudos to the architects...I hope it's built as depicted and not watered down by opponents!

Anonymous said...

I love the new synergy on 14th Street above Thomas Circle. My only complaint is the TRASH all over the sidewalks and in the gutters. Despite the many new businesses and renovated buildings, the trash problem doesn't seem to go away. Don't the shop owners care about the trash on their sidewalks and gutters? Some say it's the city's responsibility. Well, that's true - BUT, in the meantime, PICK UP THE TRASH and make your own property and neighborhood look clean. If someone drops trash in front of my house, I don't sit there for weeks waiting for the city to pick it up - I pick it up immediately and nip the problem in the bud. Why can't more people take the initiative to maintain the sidewalk and gutters in front of their properties??? About a month ago, I was never so embarrassed when some NYC visitors saw me picking up trash and commented on how DIRTY the streets were compared to NY!!! They also commented on how it seemed that NO ONE CARED about the trash to take 5 seconds to pick it up!! We can all contribute to keeping it clean!!

Anonymous said...

I just came across this GREAT news of the hotel close to Viridian restaurant... I really hope it will be built as it looks in the picture! If needed, maybe residents of the area could sign a letter or vote for a referendum to approve this project. FANTASTIC!!!!