RSS FeedSix New Artist Studios Coming To Penn Quarter! (Plus A Little History)
The neighborhood keeps getting better. First, we had Mather Studios (912 G St NW) and its 12 units of affordable housing dedicated to full-time artists.
Now, Penn Quarter has 6 more units on the way. According to the DCRA permit approved on 02/21/08, the Downtown Artist Coalition is constructing 6 units (3 on the 2nd floor and another 3 on the 3rd floor) at 975 F St NW!
We tried to find out more information about the Downtown Artist Coalition, and came up with one document (pdf) that offers a look into neighborhood dynamics prior to revitalization. According to this document, Penn Quarter isn’t gaining 6 artist studios, it is regaining 6 artist studios.
Before Akridge’s Carroll Square project broke ground, artist studios already existed in some of the buildings on F St. Also, the Washington Stage Guild called Carroll Hall (part of St. Patrick’s Church) its home. Saint Patrick’s Church owned all of the buildings and land that the Carroll Square project now occupies and was planning to destroy Carroll Hall as part of the project.
Facing displacement, the artists and thespians joined forces to ensure that they would be able to return to the neighborhood after development. It appears that the plan is coming to fruition with 6 new artist studios on F St and the Washington Stage Guild regaining a home in Penn Quarter in the DLA Piper building at 9th & E St NW, a couple of blocks away from its old home.
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Comments
This is NOT housing, but studio space. The DAC was formerly housed in the old building on the Carroll Square site. As part of the sale, the city brokered for them to receive space in the new structure.
So they did — and the builder delivered an empty box – concrete with NO electricity, plumbing or other basics. The DAC has been struggling to finance the necessary build out (which has more than doubled from the original estimate.) Needless to say, they need your support now, more than ever.
Michael Berman, Stuart Gosswein and the other founding members of DAC are wonderful people. I highly suggest visiting the studios when they are open — and consider making a donation to help defray the costs of their expensive studio build.
I second that idea and will gladly publicize a gala opening when it happens and if I have every contact in Constant Contact so I can once again send out announcements.
One slight correction to the original posting. I believe that there Carroll Hall was to be kept and redesigned for Catholic Charities, displacing the Washington Stage Guild. The new development on F was a separate undertaking by Akridge who settled a law suit both with the current design and with artist studios and the exhibit space in the building. The Washington Stage Guild did not obtain their current home in Boston Properties’ building at 8th and E via the law suit. The Boston Properties site had a Zoning arts overlay and Boston Properties met that requirement with a theater for the Washington Stage Guild.
I am so happy to have both the artists and the Stage Guild back in Penn Quarter. I hope all of us take advantage of what both offer. Jo-Ann.
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See this website for a bit more on the Downtown Artists Coalition:
http://www.his.com/~mberman/artist/biography.htm
This is the website for Michael Berman. I bought a really nice print from him at the Downtown Holiday Market…he told me he would be moving into the neighborhood (i.e. one of these studios) very soon…