Eckington is wrestling with whether to be a historic district
by Edward Russell • March 31, 2016Eckington is the latest DC neighborhood to explore historic status. Residents' debate over the subject has centered on their ability to make changes to their property, like adding solar panels and build additions, and the impact such a move would have on affordability.
The effort is being led by the Eckington Civic
Association (ECA), which has engaged QED Associates to establish the
neighborhood's historic character and organized three "town halls," two of which were held
earlier this year with the third scheduled for May 9.
"The two things that come up are pop-ups and other projects
that are not within historical keeping of the neighbourhood," said Randy
Nolan, president of the civic association, when asked why they are looking at
historic preservation for the neighborhood.
He is quick to note that the topic is nuanced and that the ECA
has not taken an official position on historic designation, except to follow
its membership's desire that the topic be explored and considered.
The ECA began the effort after neighboring Bloomingdale began
looking at historic designation, with the association's board approving the
study and town halls in the middle of 2015, said Nolan.
Below is a comment not posted at GGW, but rather at the Historic Washington list at Yahoogroups, by Historic Washington listserv moderator Mary Rowse:
From: HistoricWashington@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, April 1, 2016 11:03 AM
To: HistoricWashington@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [HistoricWashington] Re: Query - Eckington historic preservation meeting
Here's a report that appeared
Thursday on the effort to consider historic designation in Eckington. The
article is a bit slanted against it and the comments at the end reflect the
usual ignorance about the benefits of designation, why an area deserves the
status, the cost of being in a historic district and whether new construction
is permitted. See a quote from the author below:
"But one would probably not characterize Eckington as all
that unique on first glance. It is certainly one of DC's many beautiful older
neighborhoods, but it does not stand out in the same way some of the city's
better-known historic districts in Capital Hill and Georgetown do."
I suspect the only reason those
neighborhoods "stand out" to the author is precisely because they're
designated. There's a cache to protected areas that he doesn't
articulate. Residents have a different sense of well-being in historic
districts than those who live in unprotected areas who worry about what's
coming down the pike next. The author sees no irony in admiring Capitol Hill
and Georgetown Historic Districts, but not appreciating the same qualities in
Eckington. I've found it fairly typical of people who are on the fence
about preservation, to take their communities for granted.
It would really help streamline
the designation process and give everyone the same information, if HPO would
produce a comprehensive publication making the case for neighborhood historic
districts across the city. The booklet could offer information and rebut
common misconceptions about historic designation. Chevy Chase produced a
good publication in 2006, with the help of Traceries.
I wrote something in 2008 that
could be useful as well:
Mary Rowse
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