In Washington D.C., a new condo building is slated to go up alongside a historic church—and incorporate the church into its design.
Sorg Architects unveiled a design scheme for 40 condos in a six-story building, which will wrap around the church. The church itself is designated a historic site. Four residential units will be built within, one for each floor. Sorg has already done extensive renovations and structural work on the church, given that it acquired the structure in 2006 and has been planning this condo building ever since. (In 2006, the firm presented a similar design to the Historic Presentation Review Board, but the project was shelved during the recession.)
Sorg presented the design for the project on Monday January 27, and it was approved by the Advisory Neighborhood Committee 1B, along with two zoning variances. However, a committee member objected to the design, comparing it to other generic-looking condo buildings in the D.C. area.
Sorg Architects principal Suman Sorg responded that the core of the complex’s design is dictated by the church, and that the finished project would likely look very different from the presented rendering.
“The materiality of this building will be very different,” said said, according to Urban Turf. “Since the basic structure is sort of prescribed, we feel we can accentuate (the architecture) with the material choices.”
The two zoning variances the firm is pursuing involve the rear setback of the building and the lot occupancy, which in the current plan is 10 percent higher than dictated.
Related Stories
Building Team | Jun 17, 2022
Data analytics in design and construction: from confusion to clarity and the data-driven future
Data helps virtual design and construction (VDC) teams predict project risks and navigate change, which is especially vital in today’s fluctuating construction environment.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jun 17, 2022
U. of Georgia football facility expansion provides three floors for high-performance training
A major expansion of the University of Georgia’s football training facility has been completed.
Building Team | Jun 16, 2022
Hybrid work expected to reduce office demand by 9%
Businesses are slowly but consistently transitioning to a permanent hybrid work environment, according to a senior economist at Econometric Advisors.
Building Team | Jun 16, 2022
USGBC announces more than 23 million square feet of LEED certified net zero space
Today, the U.S. Green Building Council announced nearly 100 net zero certifications earned under the LEED Zero program, representing more than 23 million square feet of space.
AEC Business Innovation | Jun 15, 2022
Cognitive health takes center stage in the AEC industry
Two prominent architecture firms are looking to build on the industry’s knowledge base on design’s impact on building occupant health and performance with new research efforts.
Market Data | Jun 15, 2022
ABC’s construction backlog rises in May; contractor confidence falters
Associated Builders and Contractors reports today that its Construction Backlog Indicator increased to nine months in May from 8.8 months in April, according to an ABC member survey conducted May 17 to June 3. The reading is up one month from May 2021.
Codes and Standards | Jun 15, 2022
Waived tariffs on solar panels expected to boost solar power
The Biden Administration recently waived tariffs on solar panels from four countries in a move advocates say will accelerate the clean energy transition and benefit national security.
Cultural Facilities | Jun 15, 2022
Gehry-designed Children’s Institute aims to foster community outreach in L.A.’s Watts neighborhood
The Children’s Institute (CII) in Los Angeles will open a 200,000-sf campus designed by Frank Gehry this summer.
Building Team | Jun 14, 2022
Thinking beyond the stadium: the future of district development
Traditional sports and entertainment venues are fading as teams and entertainment entities strive to move toward more diversified entertainment districts.
Codes and Standards | Jun 14, 2022
Hospitals’ fossil fuel use trending downward, but electricity use isn’t declining as much
The 2021 Hospital Energy and Water Benchmarking Survey by Grumman|Butkus Associates found that U.S. hospitals’ use of fossil fuels is declining since the inception of the annual survey 25 years ago, but electricity use is dipping more slowly.
