WHEREAS, the Historic Preservation Review Board has received an application, HPA #02-249, by Clark Construction, for approval to use the front and South Lawns of the 3901 Connecticut Avenue Property, Lot 2, in order to construct an approximately 38 foot wide and 6 foot deep canopy to serve the residents of 3883 Connecticut Avenue and to provide that building, located on Lot 804, a significant presence on Connecticut Avenue, and

WHEREAS, 3901 Connecticut Avenue is within the boundary of ANC F, and

WHEREAS, the drawings submitted with the application by Sharples Holden Pasquarelli, show that the footing for this canopy is incorporated in and extends upward from a proposed new planter box extending along the front lawn of the 3901 Property, listed in the D.C. Inventory of Historic Sites, the National Register of Historic Places, and with a Scenic, Open Space and Architectural Facade Easement deeded to the L'Enfant Trust, and

WHEREAS, the drawings show this canopy on a direct line with the front of the building and extending back along the South Lawn, both landmarked on Lot 2, and

WHEREAS, on April 4, 1996, the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB), in designating the property historic, stated, "3901 Connecticut Avenue was designed to be experienced exclusively from Connecticut Avenue. Its lot, Lot 2, has formal and informal landscape features associated with it: the courtyard is a formal space, while the front lawn and side lawn are more informal in character. All elements of the landscape on Lot 2, however, were consciously planned as integral to the design of the building and in establishing its suburban setting, as viewed along the building's primary elevation on Connecticut Avenue", and

WHEREAS, The report further states that "unlike Lot 2, Lots 800 and 804 have no legal or design relationship with 3901 Connecticut Avenue; these lots have been on separate parcels of land from 3901 Connecticut Avenue since its construction in 1927. Their subdivision from Lot 2 at the time of 3901's construction demonstrates that this land was never intended to provide a landscape buffer to the building. Santmyers' design for 3901, located entirely on Lot 2, provides for open land around the building to ensure that light and air is provided to the units. While the opportunity certainly existed for lots 800 and 804 to have been merged into Lot 2, they were not.", and

WHEREAS, this massive canopy attached to a proposed planter wall on the front lawn of Lot 2 and extending back along the South lawn will significantly alter the setting of the main building designed by Santmyers to be viewed in the middle of Lot 2 with almost equal side yards of approximately 26 feet, and

WHEREAS, ANC 3F, has reviewed the concept drawings for the creation of the planter wall to hold the footings for the canopy, and

WHEREAS, ANC 3F believes these concept drawings compromise the integrity of Santmyers design for a building to be seen exclusively from Connecticut Avenue, with formal front court and informal side and front landscaped areas, and the HPRB report that states "the building's use of a formal front court and informal side and front landscape areas illustrates how architects and developers provided a more suburban environment for apartment buildings in the 1920s." (HPRB Criterion 3, NR Criterion C), and

WHEREAS, the HPRB report states "lots 800 and 804 have no legal or design relationship with 3901 Connecticut Avenue," and

WHEREAS this canopy, along with the planter wall, brings the landmarked property into the design and landscaping scheme of the entrance to Lot 804, and creates the impression that 3901 Connecticut Avenue, Lot 2, is related by design to Lot 804, now developed by a long driveway along the South Lawn property line of 3901 Connecticut Avenue leading to a 90 foot highrise apartment building in the back of Lot 800.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that ANC 3F opposes the concept drawing, application HPA #02-249, for a canopy that occupies any portion of Lot 2, the 3901 Connecticut Avenue Property.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Approved by a vote of 7-0-0 at a duly noticed public meeting on April 15, 2002,
with a quorum present.

/s/ Philip Kogan                                                                           /s/ David J. Bardin
Philip Kogan, Chair (Acting)                                                          David J. Bardin, Secretary