“Water and Light”—Bartholdi Fountain Restored
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✯ Capitol* Capitol Hill Hi Restorationll Restoration Society Society * ✯ www.chrs.org October 2011 “Water and Light”—Bartholdi Fountain Restored By Lisa Dale Jones RON ou can’t miss it. Anyone walking I “We needed to hire a 120-ton Ynear the United States Botanic crane just to remove the pieces of the OBINSON Garden (USBG) along Independence R fountain. The diameter of the pool is Avenue has seen the Bartholdi 100 feet, so it was about 75 feet to the courtesy Fountain, newly restored to its center of the fountain from the crane, original 1876 appearance. Designed and the fountain is heavy. That jacked photo for the Centennial Exposition in up the crane specs pretty well!” Philadelphia, Frédéric Auguste The parts of the fountain were Bartholdi’s fountain has been a loaded onto two 18-wheeler flatbed fixture in Washington, DC, since trucks and driven down to Alabama. 1877, when Frederick Law Olmsted After they arrived, all the pieces convinced Congress to purchase it were cleaned down to the original cast for $6,000 (half the asking price). It iron, and then sprayed with molten originally stood at the center of the zinc to keep them from rusting. Botanic Garden when it was located directly in front of the Capitol. In Continued on page 6 1932 the fountain was moved to its present location along Independence Howell can’t get over the quality Avenue in what is now called Also in this issue Bartholdi Park. (Bartholdi also designed the Statue of Liberty.) ARTICLES Although the fountain has been September Preservation Café ......... 5 The Bartholdi Fountain in the 1890s. repaired and cleaned at various AOC at Membership Forum ............ 7 Virginia Avenue Tunnel Update ...... 9 times in the past—most recently in NE Library Renovation .................... 9 1986—it was in serious need of a to Mr. Ayers, “Congress was very major restoration. After many years generous with funding this project.” COLUMNS President’s Column ........................ 2 of study and planning, the fountain Dismantling the Structure Zoning Briefs ................................. 3 was dismantled in 2008 to begin the Historic Preservation Briefs ............. 4 process. The work was overseen by Robinson Iron in Alexander City, CHRS Supporters ........................... 8 Stephen T. Ayers, AIA, LEED AP, Alabama, specializes in restoring and Looking Back on Capitol Hill ........10 Architect of the Capitol (AOC), with constructing fountains and undertook LOOKING AHEAD involvement by Holly H. Shimizu, the major portion of the restoration. October Preservation Café ............. 7 Executive Director of the USBG. Scotty Howell, Vice President of the Fun Fall Auction ...........................11 The work was divided into several company and project manager for the Mark Your Calendar .....................12 phases in order to secure the funding Bartholdi restoration, says it was a in manageable segments. According large-scale project right from the start. of the fountain. President’s Column: Reaching Out By Beth Purcell apitol Hill always faces new Cchallenges. For example, the CSX ELSON Virginia Avenue Tunnel construction N will have a major effect on neighbors LIZABETH near the 200-1100 blocks of Virginia E Avenue. The National Environmental courtesy Policy Act (NEPA) and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation photo Act (NHPA) provide for community participation in decisions on this project. CHRS plans one or more public meetings for the community to learn about their rights under NEPA and NHPA and how to use their rights to be heard. Homeowners are always looking for new ideas and solutions to problems. Our Preservation Cafés try to meet this need by finding experts to discuss topics of interest to homeowners. CHRS table at Barracks Row Day. We are doing a lot to be a resource for the Capitol Hill community, but we need to and want to do more. CHRS in the Neighborhood CHRS reaches out by participating in events such as the H Street Festival As part of our “Beyond the Boundaries” program, CHRS volunteers are and Barracks Row Day. CHRS engaging in a variety of community outreach activities. In September, volunteers meet people attending we staffed booths at both the H Street Festival and Barracks Row Day. these events to offer information, The H Street Festival was hugely well-attended, even larger than last answer questions when we can, and year. The scene extended all the way from 8th Street to 14th Street, NE: get feedback on questions important a grand opportunity to share the Society’s mission with those living to Capitol Hill neighbors. We use this outside the boundaries of the Capitol Hill Historic District. feedback to respond to questions and Barracks Row Day seemed tame by comparison, but it was lovely respond to the needs of the Capitol to see old friends and introduce ourselves to newcomers on the Hill. Hill community. Please contact us At both events, we distracted the children with beads to string and by telephone, letter, or email about temporary tattoos while we passed out membership information and issues that are important to you, or “vintage” house tour catalogues to their parents. programs that CHRS could offer that On October 5, we’ll have a presence at Walk to School Day in ✯ are of interest. Lincoln Park, passing out pencils with our web address to all the students. Volunteers are always welcome—and they always have fun. Just check out the photos on our homepage. If you would like to assist in any of our outreach efforts, please call or email Elizabeth Nelson, 543-3512, [email protected]. 2 • CHRS News October 2011 Capitol Hill Restoration Zoning Briefs Society (CHRS) By Gary Peterson BOARD OF DIRECTORS President .................................. Beth Purcell he Capitol Hill Restoration This case involves a building 1st Vice President..............Michelle Carroll TSociety Zoning Committee met (two buildings combined into one) 2nd Vice President .............Shauna Holmes Secretary ............................... Janet Quigley on September 8, 2011 and considered that has been substantially altered by Treasurer ................................Sharon Weiss five cases. The Committee voted to man and a fire. It consists of a 3-story At Large ..........................Donna Hanousek support three cases, take no position section and a one-story section. At Large ............................ Catherine Davis in one case, and oppose a portion of Without going into further details the At Large ................................Chuck Burger At Large ............................ Donna Barbisch one case. The cases considered were: owner proposes to create a 3-story At Large ............................Maurice Walters restaurant with 25% of the third story 18243. At Large .................................Drury Tallant This case involves replacing open. The committee voted to take Immediate Past President ............Dick Wolf an existing garage and building a no position. roof deck. The applicant needs a COMMITTEE CHAIRS special exception to construct a free 18254. The applicant needs five Donna Hanousek, Beyond The Boundaries Paul Cromwell, Budget & Administration standing garage addition serving an variances and one special exception Dick Wolf, City Planning existing one-family row dwelling to construct a 315 square foot garage Barbara Eck, Communications not meeting the lot occupancy with 100% lot occupancy into a two- Elizabeth Nelson, Community Relations requirements, and a variance from story plus roof deck single-family Beth Purcell, Environment Larry Pearl, Grants the accessory structure height and residence located at 1303 Linden Nancy Metzger, Historic Preservation story limitations at 1231 F Street, Court, NE. This is a property that is Paul Cromwell and Ann Richards, NE. The lot occupancy will change internal to the square and is located House & Garden Tour from 60% to 65% (a special exception behind the Atlas Theater. There will Michelle Carroll, Membership Gary Peterson, Zoning is needed to go from 60% to 70%). be one parking space in the building. The Committee voted to support the The property has any number of NEWSLETTER special exception. problems, including being in both the Lisa Dale Jones and Kelly Vielmo, editors There is a height issue with the R-4 and C-2-A zones. The committee Jean Kohanek, design & layout garage because it can only be 15 feet voted to support the application. WEBMASTERS high measured from the backyard. Donna Breslin and Paul Cromwell The alley in this case is much higher 18258. The applicant needs a (10 feet) than the backyard and they OFFICE MANAGER variance from the off-street parking Gloria Junge need a variance to build a useable requirements, and a special exception garage. The Committee voted to from the roof structure requirements To reach any of the above, please contact the Society offices at (202) 543-0425 or support this variance. to allow the construction of a new via e-mail: [email protected]. The applicant also wants to build four-story apartment house with a roof deck and the tower to cover www.CHRS.org ground floor retail, in the C-2-A the interior stairs is 5 feet too high. District at 1442 Pennsylvania Celebrating more than 50 years helping The committee voted to oppose this Avenue, SE. This property is the to preserve and protect Capitol Hill’s residential character, the Society is the request and recommended that an former KFC site. largest civic association on Capitol Hill, exterior stair be built instead. Applicant proposes building a and one of the largest in the District four-floor apartment building. The of Columbia. From the beginning, 18247. In this case the applicant is first floor will be retail and there will the Society has played a key role in maintaining the diverse, residential seeking a variance from the floor also be a roof deck. The Code requires character of our neighborhood. With area ratio requirements, a variance 11 parking spaces and the applicant your participation, we will continue from the rear yard requirements, a proposes 7 spaces. To provide the to do so for many years to come.