HISTORIC DESIGN George Washington/West End DISTRICT GUIDELINES Front cover: University Yard, Courtesy of The George Washington University Table of Contents Introduction......................................................................................................... 5 History and Character Historical Overview............................................................................................ 6 Building Types.................................................................................................. 10 Landscapes...................................................................................................... 20 Planning for Preservation Planning Framework....................................................................................... 22 Comprehensive Plan Policies for Near Northwest............................................. 24 Buildings by Typology...................................................................................... 25 Planning Categories......................................................................................... 26 Buildings by Planning Categories..................................................................... 27 Preservation Review Process Purposes of the Preservation Law.................................................................... 28 Review Considerations..................................................................................... 29 Review Procedures........................................................................................... 30 Design Guidelines Preservation Goals........................................................................................... 32 Preservation Treatments.................................................................................. 34 Design Guidelines............................................................................................ 38 Resources Glossary........................................................................................................... 42 Useful Links..................................................................................................... 47 3 Introduction OPID0023727 Feet ´ 0 100 200 300 N The George Washington/West End Historic District Guidelines are intended to help property owners and the public appreciate the historic value of the neighborhood in and around The George Washington University campus and to provide Washington K Street Circle guidance to property owners on the practical implications of owning and maintaining property in the historic district. Pennsylvania Avenue The D.C. Historic Preservation Office (HPO) Reservation 29 has developed these Guidelines as part of a multi-phased effort between HPO and The Reservation 28 George Washington University to identify and I Street recognize the neighborhood’s historical, cultural and architectural resources, and to balance the preservation of these resources with the University’s need to manage a vibrant educational H Street community. While the primary purpose of these Guidelines is to ensure that changes in the historic district (alterations, additions and new construction) are 20th Street 21st Street 23rd Street 23rd 19th Street 22nd Street G Street made in a way that is compatible with its historic Historic Landmarks environment, the Guidelines are not a step-by- step “how to” guide, or a set of rules establishing what is permitted or forbidden. Instead, they Historic District F Street establish the general principles and best practices for preserving, enhancing and adapting historic properties in a compatible manner. Virginia Avenue E Street DC Site Map George Washington / West End Historic District 5 Proposed GW Historic District Historic Landmarks Office of Planning ~ September 23, 2013 Government of the District of Columbia Proposed Historic District This map was created for planning purposes from a variety of sources. It is neither a survey nor a legal document. Information GWU Campus provided by other agencies should be verified with them where appropriate. Historical Overview The George Washington/West End Historic District is located in the neighborhood west of the White House that is now dominated by the Foggy Bottom campus of the George Washington University. The University, originally called Columbian College, was chartered by Congress in 1821, belatedly fulfilling President Washington’s desire to establish an institution of higher education in the nation’s capital. During the late 19th century, the University began to establish a presence in the city’s business district, and in 1912, it moved from its original “College Hill” campus in present-day Columbia Heights to the city’s West End neighborhood, now more commonly known as Foggy Bottom. This move was at the instigation of University Trustee Maxwell Van Zandt Woodhull, who lived at 2033 G Street NW, and who was aware of affordable space inthe neighborhood. The Lenthall Houses, a pair of buildings built about 1800, originally stood at 612-614 21st Street. In 1978, the George Washington University moved the houses to their present site two blocks east at 606-610 19th Street as part of its campus development plan. Jacob Funk platted Lenthall Houses are built Woodhull House (1855) Underwood Grant Present The Llewellen Continued Lenthall Houses moved Hamburgh at 612-614 19th Street— Wetzel House (1853) Houses built School Concordia Apartment campus to 21st Street (Funkstown) the oldest surviving buildings Steedman-Ray House (1849) built Lutheran Church Building Expansion and restored in the GW/West End Historic District building erected constructed High-rise apartment buildings detached dwellings speculative rowhouses University buildings neighborhood events 1763 1800 1821 1850s 1876 1882 1891 1900 1904 1911 1912 1922 1927 1959 1978 2014 Columbian College Columbian University General Woodhull The Harris Plan Cloyd Heck Marvin, President of George Washington / West End (later George Washington University) charted by adopts George becomes GW Board GW moves is introduced GW, oversees a vast exapnsion Historic District Congress and located on College Hill in today’s Washington University member to present day of the campus is established university events university Columbia Heights neighborhood (GW) as new name Foggy Bottom 6 Historically, the Foggy Bottom neighborhood Over time, as the city’s burgeoning population After its 1912 move to present day Foggy Bottom, was divided by 23rd Street. To the west was an created a demand for new housing, Foggy Bottom’s The George Washington University increasingly industrial and working-class residential area; to the West End model of freestanding houses gave way to defined the character of the neighborhood. east (located just west of the White House) was the speculative rowhouse development. Government The university progressively expanded beyond West End, one of the most prestigious residential employees and white-collar professionals flocked its first quarters in the rented Rose’s Industrial areas in the city up to the mid-nineteenth century. to the newly emerging rows of brick Queen Anne School at 2023 G Street (since demolished). The rowhouses that came to line the neighborhood University adapted rowhouses for academic The West End of Foggy Bottom was home to streets alongside the area’s older dwellings. Many uses, administrative offices, and residence halls. prominent individuals living in elegant urban of these new residents worked at the State, War Maxwell Van Zandt Woodhull apparently kept a residences in the most up-to-date styles. It was and Navy Office or at the Treasury Department, watchful eye on campus activity from his house here in 1855, for instance, that Maxwell Woodhull, both of which were within walking distance. on G Street, reprimanding professors who strolled a naval officer with valuable real estate holdings in without hats and ensuring that the shades were the city, built a robust Italianate villa that his son, Area residents were not exclusively government properly drawn over the windows in St. Rose’s at Maxwell Van Zandt Woodhull, an army general, workers, however, as nearby Foggy Bottom the end of every day. would later donate to the University. The Woodhull industries and services also provided employment. house, along with several contemporaneous As the population increased, schools, churches, and dwellings nearby, such as the Margaret Wetzel commercial enterprises arose, providing residents house, the Steedman-Ray house, and the Whitney- with everyday goods and services. By 1910, the Lawson houses, still survive as some of the city’s local firehouse became the newest amenity, and oldest and most impressive domestic buildings by the 1920s, tall apartment buildings began to downtown. appear. Jacob Funk platted Lenthall Houses are built Woodhull House (1855) Underwood Grant Present The Llewellen Continued Lenthall Houses moved Hamburgh at 612-614 19th Street— Wetzel House (1853) Houses built School Concordia Apartment campus to 21st Street (Funkstown) the oldest surviving buildings Steedman-Ray House (1849) built Lutheran Church Building Expansion and restored in the GW/West End Historic District building erected constructed High-rise apartment buildings detached dwellings speculative rowhouses University buildings neighborhood events 1763 1800 1821 1850s 1876 1882 1891 1900 1904 1911 1912 1922 1927 1959 1978 2014 Columbian College Columbian University General Woodhull The Harris Plan Cloyd Heck Marvin, President of George Washington / West End (later George