Photo by Scott Stern
If you’re anything like me (a scary thought I know), one of the great games on Capitol Hill is imagining all the things that could be done with some of the beautiful historic buildings that seem to dot pretty much every block. That game gets a second level when the buildings are abandoned — trying to figure out what exactly is going on with them. This being DC, the answer seems usually to be 1) condos, 2) restaurants, or 3) DC government red tape of doom (that third one actually is an official government designation). With that in mind, I went out to see what the plans are for two of these buildings: the old Engine House 10 at 1341 Maryland Avenue NE and the old Miner Elementary School building on 15th Street NE. This week, Old Engine House 10.
Through its 115 year history, the Engine House has been many things — home of DCFD Engine Company 10 (until it moved to its current location on Florida Avenue in 1940), the offices of the Tollgate Neighborhood Association (so-named because there used to be a toll gate at 15th and Benning Road), the headquarters of ANC6A (until it was abandoned in the mid-1990s because the building in such bad shape), a DC Historic Landmark. If everything goes to plan, it will start its new life as a four-unit loft style condo building by April 2011, according to Gilberto Cardena, president of the developer Argos Group. Argos won the contract from the city to develop the property in 2008 and plans to begin construction in June. The plan (which you can see here) will preserve the historic facade of the building, while adding two three-level townhouses and two “affordable-rate” condos.
Thanks to the wonders of Google, while looking into this I discovered this long-dormant Yahoo Groups listserv created to oppose the residential use of the site. For someone like me — a relative newcomer to the Hill having moved here in 2007 — it’s fascinating reading, particularly because it comes from the losing side in the debate (though it’s not entirely clear how or when since the email record abruptly ends in early 2005 — anyone know what happened?). At the risk of re-igniting (pun intended) that debate, it’s exciting to see that long-abandoned building restored and, if it brings new people and energy to an already diverse and energetic area, so much the better. Another big plus, it means someone gets to live out every kid’s fantasy of living in the Ghostbusters firehouse and that’s a good thing (oh, come on, I can’t have been the only kid who had that fantasy…right?).
Did you ask about the old police station at 9th St NE when you talked with Argos about the old firehouse? It was part of a package deal with the fire station and they’ve only worked on the police station sporadically. I’m curious what the timeline is for that.
Hi all-
Thanks for the comments! Sorry for not responding in a more timely manner.
Lou – No, unfortunately I didn’t ask about the police station. I’ll put it on my list of things to follow-up on though.
Micah – Thanks for the clarification. As I read through the listserv messages, it appeared that it was set-up to support non-residential community uses (and by residential I include everything from condos to a halfway house) and that residential uses were not on the list of ideas to support. To me, that seems to be effectively anti-residential use but, if that’s a mischaracterization, I apologize.
There’s more history (and more recent posts) on the ANC-6A listserv if you search on the term “firehouse.”
Yep. Funny thing. SE Capitol Hill can have CHAW and the Naval Hospital as a community center, but our ANC 6A commissioners decided that it wasn’t a even a possibility for NE to have anything but condos.
This was very funny and cheeky! Can’t wait to hear how things turn out or if anyone has any more info on the yahoo group!
This article mistates one point. It describes the Yahoo Group as a listserv created to oppose the residential use of the site. That was definitely not the purpose of the listserve. The purpose was to explore its possible uses.
I think the author became confused because of opposition to its use as a residential facility — meaning something like a halfway house or assisted living residence for mentally retarded people, given the disproportionate number of such facilities in our Ward.
-Micah
What about the old Miner elementary school building?
and, please note, that the engine 10 building on florida avenue up in trinidad has a website, and the company is currently in yet another location—temporarily on the campus of gallaudet university while the florida avenue location is (very slowly) rehabbed.