Arts groups trying to re-open Dupont's underground tunnels

by David Alpert • September 12, 2008 11:06 am

A coalition of arts groups is trying to raise money and get a lease from the city to re-open the old trolley tunnels under Dupont Circle as a new art gallery and event space. Here's their flyer.

Former entrance to Dupont Down Under. Photo by buschap on Flickr.

The tunnels form two semicircles on either side of the underpass. They were built in the 1940s for trolley cars to stop on their way up and down Connecticut Avenue. When trolley service ended in 1962, the tunnels became abandoned until 1995, when the Dupont Down Under food court tried to reuse the space. It closed within a year, and became tied up in litigation between the developer and the city.

In 2003, the Business Journal reported that a sports club was trying to reopen in the space. Nothing came of that. When ballpark construction displaced several adult gay clubs in Southeast, Councilmember Jim Graham suggested relocating some of them to the tunnels. Community opposition predictably killed that idea. WashCycle suggested a bicycle station for bicycle commuters to park-and-ride onto Metro. GGW commenters discussed the idea here.

An art gallery and event space could be a great use for the area. Galleries don't need so many windows, and the odd shape shouldn't be a deterrent. The space exists; we should take advantage of it to bring more life to Dupont Circle.

21 comments — Share	— tags: arts, Dupont Circle, Dupont tunnels

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Comments

Or, we could use the streetcar tunnels for................streetcars! :)

by rg on Sep 12, 2008 12:06 pm

I can't believe there is that much vacant space right underneath Dupont Circle. I can't believe that it has been left empty for so long.

by Dave Murphy on Sep 12, 2008 12:11 pm

"Or, we could use the streetcar tunnels for................streetcars!"

The best part, of course, is that we could have overhead wires in the tunnels without Congressional action. It's a start at least!

I actually think having streetcar service on Connecticut would be a good idea, despite the redundancy with the subway. It's annoying to go down and up such deep tunnels if you're only going a stop or two. Although, I think I'd prefer that the streetcars stay on the surface through Dupont Circle itself, so the tunnels wouldn't be that useful in my vision.

by Reid on Sep 12, 2008 12:40 pm

Agreed - streetcars on Connecticut. But what about the bus service already there? Do away with it?

by Pauline on Sep 12, 2008 12:53 pm

Streetcars would be a great use of the space - but that would be decades away.

Assuming the streetcar won't be coming for 25 years, I think the bike station (in one half) is the best use. The city would retain ownership and control. It would serve a larger portion of the city and it would be a different project a few blocks away. A gallery - that could work almost anywhere.

But they're certainly more organized. Since the station is in two parts, I wonder if a half-and-half solution would work.

by washcycle on Sep 12, 2008 12:57 pm

I remember going down there when the food court opened and it struck me as very ordinary and I also wonder if the lackluster mix of food vendors drove it out. If the shower facilties from the old gym are still there, the split bike station concept would be great idea.

by david on Sep 12, 2008 1:47 pm

"The tunnels form two semicircles on either side of the underpass."

---

That's news to me; I have only heard/read/seen the semi circle under the western portion of DuPont circle and not its eastern portion. Are you sure there is an eastern one too?

by Douglas Willinger on Sep 12, 2008 1:55 pm

I have not seen it, but as I understand it there was a northbound tunnel and station and a southbound one. Dupont Down Under occupied only one the west side.

by washcycle on Sep 12, 2008 2:19 pm

"But what about the bus service already there? Do away with it?"

That's the idea with just about any of the streetcar lines.

"Are you sure there is an eastern one too?"

I'm with you, I've only ever heard about one half of the circle. Although if you look at the map on the DC trolley museum website (and the picture from inside the tunnel), it looks like there were two separate tunnels. They must have expanded it at some point.

by Reid on Sep 12, 2008 2:29 pm

Whatever we end up doing, let's be sure it's clear of rats first!

Also, it needs to have good air circulation. I went down once to "Dupont Down Under" and the bad air combined with the very narrow and very curving space was enough to me sick to my stomach within a few minutes ... and send me back to the "surface" quickly. Think London tube (the smallest oldest parts ... but have it go like an arc rather than in a line, and you can imagine what this confined space with white subway tiles looked like.) I hope the District can do something with the space ... but it's definitely going to need a lot of work ... and large, gigantic air handlers to pump in breathable air!

P.S. I was at the ANC meeting where this was announced on Wednesday, and my friend turned to me and said "Who's going to want to buy moldy art?" I had to smile, 'cause he had a point!

by Lance on Sep 12, 2008 2:54 pm

http://washcycle.typepad.com/home/2006/06/got_any_other_b.html

The picture of the street car within the western tunnel appears to be on a single trackway, suggesting that there was/is a separate northbound semicircle tunnel.

If so, who has pics of that to share?

http://wwwsouthcapitolstreet.blogspot.com/2008/09/committee-of-100-opposed-extending.html

by Douglas Willinger on Sep 12, 2008 3:53 pm

No pics, but a schematic:

http://www.dctrolley.org/dctrolleymap.htm

You can see the two portals and two curvy tunnels around the circle. You can also still see the station entrances on the eastern side of Connecticut, though they're hidden better by landscaping and not as obvious as the ones on the west.

There are definitely two station tunnels.

Also, I seem to recall seeing a photo of them under construction - on the CVS facade in Dupont.

by Alex B. on Sep 12, 2008 4:24 pm

I count 6 entrances. Starting at 19th north and moving clockwise: North of Mass, South of Mass, east of 19th, South of Mass, North of Mass and west of 19th. Any others?

by VC on Sep 12, 2008 4:32 pm

There are DEFINITELY entrances all around the circle. That would seem to indicate that there are two semi-circle tunnels.

by BeyondDC on Sep 12, 2008 4:39 pm

It's a lovely idea. No natural light to speak of, but would be great for video art & installations.

by Jad on Sep 12, 2008 5:19 pm

When it was in use in the early 90s, I think the air was fine. And I seem to remember multiple entrances. The only restaurant I remember (the place was a not as nice version of what they have at Fargut North) was a Chinese take out place.

But this is DC. Restaurants suck here.

by Pauline on Sep 12, 2008 5:25 pm

Having had probably the best dinner of my life earlier this week at Citronelle, I can say with authority that no, restaurants do not suck in DC.

by BeyondDC on Sep 13, 2008 8:21 pm

Beyond DC-

What's up with your site- a few days after it was restored, it's now been suspended.

by Douglas Willinger on Sep 14, 2008 3:57 pm

It's the same problem as before, not fully resolved.

by BeyondDC on Sep 15, 2008 9:29 am

Check out these (tongue-in-cheek) ideas for the underground tunnels:

http://districtschmistrict.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/neighborhood-1-tunnels/

by Katie on Sep 16, 2008 5:20 pm

I just found and posted the photo of the northern Du Pont Circle trolley tunnel portal within the following article at Cos Mobile Cosmopolitan Transportation:

http://cos-mobile.blogspot.com/2007/08/classic-classism-kathryn-schneider.html

by Douglas Willinger on Oct 13, 2008 3:12 pm