CAS Riegler Plans Grand Transformation on Ninth

Developer CAS Riegler is seeking approval for its plans to transform 1250 Ninth Street (former home to Fight Club) and the lot at Ninth and N currently occupied by Old City Green into a mixed use project.  The development would include ground floor retail and fifty four residences.  The innovative design is by the great architectural firm PGN Architects.

Here are the images of the project as currently proposed.  I think it looks awesome:

Looking north on Ninth

Looking south on 9th

Looking east on N Street

Interior Courtyard

Renderings courtesy of PGN Architects.

New Restaurant Coming to 903-905 N Street

The Blagden Alley Naylor Court Association Blog reports that a new restaurant will occupy 903-905 N Street, NW -- what many know as the former location of the club/event space known as "The Space."

BANCA says that Frederik De Pue Executive, who is Chef/Owner of 42 degrees Catering and affiliated with Smith Commons on H Street, NE, has leased the building.  He intends to open a restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

To learn more about his plans, attend the March BANCA meeting (check the BANCA blog for details).

I will add this to the coming soon section of the renewshaw.com business directory.

Proposal for 926 N Street, NW

The CCCA has the scoop on a plan for a three story, mixed use (fourteen residences, two retail spaces), fifty four foot tall building for 926 N Street, NW.  The HPRB Staff Report (viewable here in PDF) indicates that the design is a work-in-progress (particularly with regard to scale, materials and detailing of the front and alley façades), and the project is on the agenda for tomorrow night's ANC2F meeting, so now is the time for community input to help shape how this project ultimately looks.

Here are some of the renderings:

What do you think of the current design for 926 N Street?  Can a well designed modern structure be appropriate at this site?  Or should a building at this site -- an entrance to Blagden Alley -- replicate existing alley architecture?  What materials would you like to see used?  What changes would you suggest regarding the current design?  

Everytime I see a proposal for a modern building in a historic district, I'm reminded of a panel I attended in 2010 at the AIA called Context/Contrast:  New Architecture in Historic Districts. The discussion was inspired by an an exhibition at the AIA headquarters exploring the role and realization of new architecture in urban historic districts.  It was neat to see what a beautiful justaposition modern and historic design can be together, and it also explored some not-so-great examples of attempts at the same.

Rent Me: 903-905 N Street, NW

The building that formerly housed The Space has sat empty and available for lease since the former establishment closed (from what I understand, The Space closed because of a variety of reasons, mostly attributed to The Space's management/ownership). I love the interior of the building, with its concrete floors and high ceilings, and the roofdeck is one of the best in the city (although The Space failed to operate the roof deck in a way that did not disturb nearby residential neighbors).

903-905 N Street is primely situated just off the intersection of Ninth and N near the convention center, the soon-to-open Rogue 24, Long View Gallery, and so forth. I always tell people about it who own cool businesses and are looking for locations in the area and encourage others to do the same.  Check out the listing for 903-905 N here.

I think it’d be a phenomenal restaurant with outdoor seating or art gallery/event venue. What do you think would be a good fit?