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This whole preservation restricts density meme is taken a bit far. It reminds me of the republican talking point that raising the upper tax bracket 3% will choke off economic growth. If there's money to be made, paying another 3% isn't going to hold anyone back from being a "job creator" just like the Logan Circle Historic District hasn't held back developers from flooding the neighborhood with projects. Could you build more condos if you flattened Logan Circle? Sure, but you'd be a barbarian to destroy our collective history. Is preservation subjective? A lot more than most of us would like, but then again, so is architectural style and anything else that has to do with aesthetics.

It sounds like this project has some issues, especialy vis-a-vis the Hay Adams Hotel. Maybe there was an exemption do to the method of construction or some functional issue, but whatever it is, since it's nothing to do with aesthetics, but rather zoning, it should be a lot more objective.

I'll be curious what David's muckracking campaign uncovers, but preservation is always going to be a controversial issue. However, e are a long way from being a museum city like some claim. It wasn't too long ago that the mania to flatten all that was old was upon us.

by Thayer-D on Jun 7, 2012 9:52 pm • link • report