| Old Town Colony Inn (click for pictures) |
The Old Colony Inn goes before the Board of Architectural Review Wednesday, December 2, 7:30 P.M. at the City Hall. Be there to express your concerns on this project. |
Mulligan Griffith has proposed to build three buildings which would have a total of 350,000 Sq. Ft. of office space. According to their own architect, the design was based on "21 century warehouse motif." _ Traffic is expected to be 506 cars during AM peak Hour and 400 during PM peak hour. _ There is expected to be 706 parking spaces. A 350,000 Sq. Ft. behemoth is not in keeping with and does not belong on the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Architecturally, it is supposed to form a closed circle with the townhouses on the west side. That is a ridiculous concept that is unacceptable and totally contrary to what the George Washington Memorial Parkway stands for. Furthermore, is this the gateway we want to Old Town Alexandria, which next year celebrates its 250th. anniversary? |
Background ====== The present Old Colony Inn was very consciously designed to emulate buildings and structures at historic Virginia sites at such as Colonial Williamsburg and the University of Virginia. The registration building used the restored ca. 1782 Waller house at Colonial Williamsburg, and the swimming Pool Gazebo is designed to reflect the Gunpowder magazine on the Green at Colonial Williamsburg. A serpentine brick wall surrounds the grounds of the motel was built to replicate the walls designed by Thomas Jefferson and built at the University of Virginia. The design was very much in keeping with the 1929 agreement between the City of Alexandria and the federal government concerning the George Washington Memorial Highway in which the City agreed to: "Restrict the said street to residential and business developments of such character and such types of buildings as will be in keeping with the dignity, purpose and memorial character of said highway." |
Final Note ======= The ultimate irony is that residents living alongside the Parkway are subject to the most stringent historic guidelines, as the residents on Michigan Avenue found out. To allow a radical departure for an office building is simply double a standard which cannot be tolerated. The Parkway is a classy gateway to Alexandria, help us preserve its historic integrity by telling the BAR to reject the warehouse motif. |
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