Speaking of building design capacity within neighborhood associations

Yesterday, I went to the DDOT press conference about new bicycle and city maps. (I'll blog about that later.) We all know how incredible the amount of housing construction is in the 14th and U Street area. But I was amazed even so.

I was even more amazed that the designs are quite good. (Or, we could say the designs appeal to my own taste, which favors being context sensitive with the rowhouse construction that typifies the city from the 1860s to 1920, but especially the period between 1872 and 1910.)

Typical rowhouse design in the U Street/Shaw area. The houses on this block are small, likely intended for blue collar workers when originally constructed. Likely they date from the late 1880s-1890s. Similar rowhouses, although more ornate, are visible in the rear of the opening photo.

Donatelli Company (formerly Donatelli & Klein) is doing fantastic work!!!!!!! Same with Metropolis Development Company, developers of Langston Lofts (and presumably the building across the street).

Langston Lofts across from the Reeves Center. (Busboys and Poets is in the ground floor of this building.)

Plus there are some sensitive infill buildings along Rhode Island Avenue NW that are pretty good, especially when compared to the abominations you see in neighborhoods that aren't historically designated.

There needs to be an urban design tour of new housing construction in order to build the understanding of what is quality and what isn't.

It should be open to ANC Commissioners, members of neighborhood associations, historic district organizations, and others.

I look at the buildings on 14th Street NW, which for the most part are much better than what we ended up with after hundreds of hours of volunteer effort in a recent "exercise" on H Street and chagrinned is a polite word for how I feel.

14th Street NW, east side, between U and W streets.