RSS FeedWayback: Center Market, As It Was
Today we’re flipping on the PQ Living Wayback Machine and turning back the clock to 1871 when construction on Washington’s largest market started. Between 1871 and 1931, the Center Market was the largest market in Washington, DC and it allowed for up to 700 vendors to sell their goods indoors and out. It stood on Pennsylvania Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets and was designed by Adolph Cluss whose influence is all around Washington. There were a number of markets around DC in the “market system” with the only one standing today being the Eastern Market in Capitol Hill, also a Cluss building. What building took the place of the Center Market? The National Archives which opened in November of 1935.
Aerial view courtesy of www.adolph-cluss.org.
Although the National Museum of American History is physically closed until Summer 2008, they do have an online exhibition called America on the Move. The images shown below come from that exhibit and can be found in the section called A Streetcar City: Washington, DC, 1900. This includes rare movie footage of downtown DC from the period of 1900 to 1920.
Nordstrom’s Downtown? Might It Happen?
12/16 UPDATE : The Mayor will deliver his remarks on the old Convention Center redevelopment at 10:30 am on Monday, December 17.
On Monday, Mayor Fenty will hold a press conference at the 10 acre old convention center site bounded by H Street, New York Avenue, 9th Street and 11th Street, NW. Channel 4 (NBC) reported the following:
On Monday at the city’s old convention center site, which is now a big parking lot, Fenty will announce an $850 million mixed-use development as more evidence of the city’s vitality. City officials said the Nordstrom’s department store chain may be included at the site, but talks with the company are ongoing.
We don’t want to go through all the detail as readers can find the 87 page master plan [PDF] and 29 page drawings [PDF] at the Old Convention Center website. Here’s the thumbnail sketch from the site…
- Retail: 280,000 square feet
- Office: 450,000 square feet
- Housing: 690 units
- Parking: 1,700 spaces
- Civic/Open Space: Park, Plaza, Pedestrian Alleys
- 111,000 square feet are reserved for uses to be decided upon by the District
Wow! Nordie’s downtown. With housing. And office space. And a park. This is something to get excited over.
Produce Delivery–Washington’s Green Grocer
Several months back in the comments section of a grocery store post, Tim mentioned a produce delivery service called “Washington’s Green Grocer.” It sounded interesting so I signed up and have had 3 deliveries over the past few months. The experience so far has been mixed, but mostly positive.
Signing up was easy, although there was a delay of about 3 weeks between signing up and when you could first start receiving deliveries. Once you can start receiving deliveries, it’s a pretty easy service to use. Continue Reading >>
Guess Who’s Coming To The National Portrait Gallery?
As part of their Reel Portraits series, the Portrait Gallery will be hosting “Hepburn for the Holidays” tonight at 7 pm. Starting with a screening of “Little Women” and then followed by a conversation with Hepburn’s niece Katharine Houghton (who played Tracy & Hepburn’s daughter in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner“). The movie & discussion are free, but space is limited and on first come, first served basis.
While you’re at the gallery you can check out the One Life Exhibit “KATE: A Centennial Celebration,” which opened November 2, 2007 and will close on June 1, 2008.