The plan proposed by the Vision McMillan is god awful! I'd like to know who in right mind voted for that design? Any good architect should know better to use the landscape as an inspiration instead of just putting up boxy buildings and calling it "cohesive" (uninspired) and "simple" (cheap) design. And to top that, they plan to put these boxy concrete buildings covering up almost 80% of the natural landscape! Only remaining open space (the park area) is pitiful attempt at 'preserving' the history and to justify the terrible use of urban landscape. Mayor's agents, listen up! Please reject the Vision McMillan's greedy attempt at destroying the DC's history. Please!
As a landscape architect that specializes in park design, the wonderful underground caverns of the McMillan sand filtration plant provide unique opportunity to create a truly creative and innovative destination worthy of the Nation's Capital. In contrast, he VMP plan, although it has elements of good design, reads like a contrived suburban "town center". The proposed Vision McMillan development will aggravate existing parking issues, increase traffic and overall congestion which will affect the ability of ambulances getting to hospital complex. The city has ignored the overwhelming opposition to the development of the McMillan site in favor of revenue during a time when the coffers are overflowing. There is ample underutilized privately owned industrial land in nearby NE DC. Why not develop there as opposed to this publicly held historic site? At a time when the density of the city is increasing dramatically, an existing historic public open space is proposed to be developed for a profit. The area does not have a large park. Let's create one with 25 contiguous acres.
Jennifer - 10 years ago
There seems to be an awful lot of steps around this property development. Haven't the developers/designers heard of universal and inclusive design so that anyone with a physical disability can get around easily? For instance, that swimming pool looked like it was designed just for YOUNG people, forgetting that there are wheelchair users in the area, and others with physical disabilities who might like UNIVERSAL DESIGN. Also on two sides there are great stretches of steps. Hideous! It really does look like the old water towers are being treated as OBJECTS just stuck into a mass of buildings. Like maybe you could instead just pick up the old water brick towers and PLONK them down between any other mass of buildings somewhere, anywhere else..Why doesn't the design include/incorporate/reflect/develop the historicity of the site? Why aren't the buildings integrated visually and anchored thematically into the site and reflective of this HISTORIC and CULTURALLY UNIQUE neighborhood rather than looking like some ugly old add-on tossed in from some other site? Looks like someone took a design from another site and just stuck the towers in, added the lawns on the south side to placate neighbors who want parkland. Nope, overall, INMHO, this lacks imagination and responsiveness.
Barrie Daneker - 10 years ago
First let me state that Mr. Vinning has just moved back to Bloomingdale after 25 years when he was a slumlord in our neighborhood. Second there was a competitive process for selecting VMP and he continues to lie about it over and over even though MR. Norman their FOM leader! I was there and was a part of the selection from a field of 5 to 3 and finally VMP was chosen by MAG and the city! As for Bloomingdale Res comment, the city is spending $150 million for a short term solution to flooding in Bloomingdale which is a waste of money and had nothing to do with the development of McMillan. The Mayor caved to new residents of the area instead of holding ground on the tunnel project that would have solved the flooding in the area. And to Ms Rowan who lives over a mile from the site... well let's just say you can't seek to reason with folks if they have no rational for their position!
So Create McMillan Park and get on with this development before the US govt takes it back and we get a power plant or something awful there!
Daniel Wolkoff - 10 years ago
you have censored my comment twice please email me with your reason Daniel Wolkoff amglassart@yahoo.com Have you been sold out to the developers like KOJO?
Bloomingdale Res - 10 years ago
The city is already spending hundreds of millions of dollars to rework the sewage in the Bloomingdale neighborhood with the exact purpose of creating an updated sewer infrastructure capable of handling the McMillan development. Why are we destroying neighborhoods and spends so much money on a project that still isn;t even confirmed.
Tax Payer - 10 years ago
The 20 acres of vaulted caverns underground are truely amazing--it took my breath away. How sad--REALLY SAD it will be if we allow the city to destroy so much of this unique stunning marvel. Anyone who has never seen the underground--I urge you to find a way to see it asap in case the city succeeds at destroying it. You will feel like you are in some exotic location--enjoy the peace and let your imagination run wild with the possibilities down there like shops, wine cellars/sellers, cheese merchants, restaurants/cafes, of course a museum, etc etc...If you can't get in, at least google to see the pictures.
mary pat rowan - 10 years ago
The city developed No-Ma without parks because the Director of Planning said "The city didn't own any land there." At McMillan, the city owns all the land. To make up for no parks in No-Ma and other parts of the city where land is supposedly " too valuable " to devote any for park land, keep McMillan under city ownership and create a great park there. It is a national historic site and perfectly situated to remain a 25 acre park of historic significance. The views from the site are some of the best in the Nation's Capitol.
The plan proposed by the Vision McMillan is god awful! I'd like to know who in right mind voted for that design? Any good architect should know better to use the landscape as an inspiration instead of just putting up boxy buildings and calling it "cohesive" (uninspired) and "simple" (cheap) design. And to top that, they plan to put these boxy concrete buildings covering up almost 80% of the natural landscape! Only remaining open space (the park area) is pitiful attempt at 'preserving' the history and to justify the terrible use of urban landscape. Mayor's agents, listen up! Please reject the Vision McMillan's greedy attempt at destroying the DC's history. Please!
As a landscape architect that specializes in park design, the wonderful underground caverns of the McMillan sand filtration plant provide unique opportunity to create a truly creative and innovative destination worthy of the Nation's Capital. In contrast, he VMP plan, although it has elements of good design, reads like a contrived suburban "town center". The proposed Vision McMillan development will aggravate existing parking issues, increase traffic and overall congestion which will affect the ability of ambulances getting to hospital complex. The city has ignored the overwhelming opposition to the development of the McMillan site in favor of revenue during a time when the coffers are overflowing. There is ample underutilized privately owned industrial land in nearby NE DC. Why not develop there as opposed to this publicly held historic site? At a time when the density of the city is increasing dramatically, an existing historic public open space is proposed to be developed for a profit. The area does not have a large park. Let's create one with 25 contiguous acres.
There seems to be an awful lot of steps around this property development. Haven't the developers/designers heard of universal and inclusive design so that anyone with a physical disability can get around easily? For instance, that swimming pool looked like it was designed just for YOUNG people, forgetting that there are wheelchair users in the area, and others with physical disabilities who might like UNIVERSAL DESIGN. Also on two sides there are great stretches of steps. Hideous! It really does look like the old water towers are being treated as OBJECTS just stuck into a mass of buildings. Like maybe you could instead just pick up the old water brick towers and PLONK them down between any other mass of buildings somewhere, anywhere else..Why doesn't the design include/incorporate/reflect/develop the historicity of the site? Why aren't the buildings integrated visually and anchored thematically into the site and reflective of this HISTORIC and CULTURALLY UNIQUE neighborhood rather than looking like some ugly old add-on tossed in from some other site? Looks like someone took a design from another site and just stuck the towers in, added the lawns on the south side to placate neighbors who want parkland. Nope, overall, INMHO, this lacks imagination and responsiveness.
First let me state that Mr. Vinning has just moved back to Bloomingdale after 25 years when he was a slumlord in our neighborhood. Second there was a competitive process for selecting VMP and he continues to lie about it over and over even though MR. Norman their FOM leader! I was there and was a part of the selection from a field of 5 to 3 and finally VMP was chosen by MAG and the city! As for Bloomingdale Res comment, the city is spending $150 million for a short term solution to flooding in Bloomingdale which is a waste of money and had nothing to do with the development of McMillan. The Mayor caved to new residents of the area instead of holding ground on the tunnel project that would have solved the flooding in the area. And to Ms Rowan who lives over a mile from the site... well let's just say you can't seek to reason with folks if they have no rational for their position!
So Create McMillan Park and get on with this development before the US govt takes it back and we get a power plant or something awful there!
you have censored my comment twice please email me with your reason Daniel Wolkoff amglassart@yahoo.com Have you been sold out to the developers like KOJO?
The city is already spending hundreds of millions of dollars to rework the sewage in the Bloomingdale neighborhood with the exact purpose of creating an updated sewer infrastructure capable of handling the McMillan development. Why are we destroying neighborhoods and spends so much money on a project that still isn;t even confirmed.
The 20 acres of vaulted caverns underground are truely amazing--it took my breath away. How sad--REALLY SAD it will be if we allow the city to destroy so much of this unique stunning marvel. Anyone who has never seen the underground--I urge you to find a way to see it asap in case the city succeeds at destroying it. You will feel like you are in some exotic location--enjoy the peace and let your imagination run wild with the possibilities down there like shops, wine cellars/sellers, cheese merchants, restaurants/cafes, of course a museum, etc etc...If you can't get in, at least google to see the pictures.
The city developed No-Ma without parks because the Director of Planning said "The city didn't own any land there." At McMillan, the city owns all the land. To make up for no parks in No-Ma and other parts of the city where land is supposedly " too valuable " to devote any for park land, keep McMillan under city ownership and create a great park there. It is a national historic site and perfectly situated to remain a 25 acre park of historic significance. The views from the site are some of the best in the Nation's Capitol.