MLK Library to become a Bloomingdale’s?

No joke, that would be an awful idea, and parking alone would make the plan worthless!

Amanda from DCMetrocentric.com

I would love to have Bloomingdale’s come to downtown. If they would take over the MLK library site, it would be a vast improvement. Of course the homeless population would have to move elsewhere.

Our neigborhood has been courting Bloomies and Nordstrom for years. This document written by the BID was appears to be written specifically for those 2 stores. I really hope one of them comes, but given the amount of trouble we’ve experienced getting a grocery store, I’m not holding my breath.

Why is the world would this be a bad idea? I think it would be absolutely fantastic!

I am not one of those lusting for a grocery store here (CVS meets my modest epicurean needs), but I was recently in Portland, Oregon and noticed a pretty large Whole Foods in the historic Pearl district which did not seem to be more heavily populated than Penn Quarter. Perhaps those interested in a WF here might want to compare the demographics where other stores are located to help make their case. Good luck.

I think if i were Bloomingdales or Nordstrom, I would want to go into a new construction building that I had some say in the design of, like the Old Convention Center site, or in the first few floors of one of the new office towers being built (ala Macy*s). I think the library should stay where it is, and be heavily remodeled.

I say bring in Nordstrom and Bloomingdales to the library and hire the homeless.. win/win for everyone.

Happy Holidays Penn Quarter

My friend is a regional manager at Bloomies and she says there are no real plans to open a store in DC. There is a very very slight possibility of opening a smaller one in Gtown, but thats been on the table a few years now.

As for WF in Pearl district, the Pearl district has a pretty sizable population. And you have a lot of people going to the WF there from downtown. The Pearl district location pretty much serves all of central Portland which is a lot denser than DC.

I don’t understand the reasoning against this. I actually like the Mies design, and I would love to see someone take it over and bring it back to it’s modern glory. A department store could keep the design open – leaving the “see through” building that Mies intended. They could also replace the dark windows with modern clear glass and bring in some mid-century furniture.

I think Bloomingdale’s did a great job with the Medina Temple in Chicago and their SoHo space in the old Canal Street Jean’s building. I doubt they could get so much space all to themselves in the old convention center site. Wherever they go, I hope it’s downtown. It would be a great anchor for the area like Woodies, Lansburgh’s, and Garfinkel’s were in the past.

I was told the original Mies design specified the horizontal elements to be clad in green marble, the vertical ones to be stainless steel, and had another floor on top. Is there any user willing to execute the design as intended in exchange for a long-term lease?

Last time I was in the MLK Library a homeless man urinating in between two rows of books. That building needs to be gutted and seriously sanitized.

Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom’s, et al. Who cares, other than shoppers. Retail has a place in the whole notion of a livable community, but a grocery, a hardware store, simple stores that people need, make a livable community. I lived in Georgetown for eight years, & there were weeks when I didn’t drive – one could walk anywhere in the community & get whatever one wanted. PQ has more than enough restaurants & retail shopping; it does not have the essentials for everyday life, and until it does, it won’t be a “livable community”. sorry.

I agree with #12 100%

I agree with #12 also–Well said Joe.