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Reviving a Great Grand Avenue - Washington DC's Historic Mass Ave
- 1. http://www.restoremassave.org/historical.shtml Reviving A Great Grand Avenue Presentation by Deborah Shapley, author A Grand Avenue Revival: Massachusetts Avenue Landscape History & Design Guide The Historical Society of Washington, D.C. December 6, 2014 ©Restore Mass Ave 2014
- 3. Post-Civil War Greening Washington population was 60,000 in 1860; grew to 110,000 by 1870. Huge public works program 1871-73 under Alexander “Boss” Shepherd. Paving, utilities, 60,000 trees. “Parking” was created on public land between sidewalk and buildings.
- 4. Why these people built fancy driveways…. (Not everybody lived like this.)
- 5. Connecting Long Views Continuous lawn framed by trees creates a flowing public “parked” space. Long axis to focal point
- 6. Current projects: 2211 Mass Ave. Greek Embassy & 2209 Mass Ave. Reza Ghassabeh, new owner (pictured) Historic landscape project so far… “We’ve begun”
- 8. JOIN US in A Grand Avenue Revival www.restoremassave.org/
Editor's Notes
- Logo at bottom will replace texxt restore Mass Ave.. Copy right is across the bottom in small type.
- L’Enfant’s Big Idea was an orderly grid laid across topography of higher ground such as Jenkins Hill, the highest point which became the seat of the new parliament ie symbol of republicanism. Connecting these higher points and intersections, which he carefully space, he laid out wide “grand avenue.” (Based on French models; Berlin was not an influence on l’Enfant, Pam Scott says, but unter den linden had been around awhile ;-) The plan for DC L’Enfant drew up (in a few months in 1791) is cited as an expression of Enlightenment order and rationality the new republic, would emobidy and infused with Baroque & Classical aesthetic. Rhythms like Baroque music! The grid is connected by cross-cutting Grand Avenues which are rod-straight and laid to connect by the length of view of the eye.
- 7/26 deb removed quotes around greening. 6/28 POPULATION: 1860 pop of 60,000 is Pass p. 70. 1870 pop for Washington City is wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Washington,_D.C. MICHLER 1868 Caption to Fig General Montgomery C. Meigs and Major Nathaniel Michler measured the 275’ wide Champs Elysees. For their 1868 report, they changed an engraving to show how 160’ wide Mass Ave could be “parked” with double rows of same-type trees. They considered that burying utility lines in ‘the parking’ would let utilities be repaired without costly pavement removal. Notes: Public Space final pdf Anderson and Pousson, 2009, Historic Context Statement on Public Space in the District of Columbia. (hereafter A & P) access to utilities below ground; less paving and maintenance of roads. Health and beauty benefits were recognized.
- If we keep “Elements” - the 1913 photo as previous silde, do we need it again here? Made this too busy. Re flagpoles and other obstructions This shows “one landscape” many stakeholders. We’re saying they’re bad artistically and historically not necc bad from the embassy or flashy new owners’ viewpoint. Design control: Could owners they get a tax break ? Or break in the fee .. If they remove unhistoric stuff… Text page 14. Other streets have their rhythms and views.