Key Points

Architect's Narrative Description of Updates 3.16.12

We have addressed two main concerns about the architectural design and landscape plan:

1. Facade facing University Avenue:
   1. Broke up the plane of the facade by stepping back the pre-cast elements (white verticals).
   2. Pulled out the stairwells several feet to break the plane of the facade and the roof line.
   3. Added architectural elements to the roof itself to break up the plane.
   4. Created greater interest in the facade and reduced the institutional feel by adding windows in the stairwells and faux balconies at several dorm window locations.
   5. Combined, these to create a more interesting and more residential scale to the facade facing University Avenue.

2. Landscape Plan:
   1. We reviewed the landscape plan and increased the size of several key trees at the building to create greater screening on day one.
   2. We also took the neighbors’ suggestion and redid the plantings closest to the street.
   3. We are creating a landscape berm on which the new plantings will be planted to create an attractive and immediate visual break from the street.

3. We also provided three site sections requested by the neighbors below.

• Wesley Site Section 1
• Wesley Site Section 2
• Wesley Site Section 3

Updates to Master Plan 2.10.12

Incorporating the comments and recommendations received by the ANC and various participants involved with the New Residence Hall, the new design makes several improvements: 

1. The common area floor lounges that previously looked out onto University Avenue now relate back to the central campus; the kitchens (with the exception of the 3^rd floor) face University Avenue. 
2. The location of the common area lounges improve the character and definition of the exterior plaza located between the new and existing residence halls.
3. The University Avenue façade elevation has been redesigned to limit any nuisance to its residential neighbors.
4. The curtain wall has been removed and replaced with “punched windows;” the new window sizes’ are consistent with the size of the surround residential neighborhood fenestration.
5. The current design decreases the glazing by approximately 2/3, from 673.75 square feet to 223.86 square feet.
6. The dimensions for each window within the set of 3 is 2’-6” x 5’-4”; for the lone window the dimensions are 3’-0” x 5’-4.”
7. More brick has been introduced on the University Avenue façade/elevation.
    

Facing University Avenue, the trees have been marked based on the impact of the New Residence Hall.  Stakes have been placed to define the footprint of the proposed New Residence Hall and the various significant dimensions of the property.

TREES

• Yellow Ribbon - Tree Preserved
• Pink Ribbon - Tree Removed Due to Poor Health Condition
• Orange Ribbon - Tree Removed for Construction

STAKES

• Property Line Stakes
  • Five stakes located along the University Avenue property line (28’ back from curb).
• Distance Stakes
  • Distance from curb to property line (28’) and at 25’ intervals to the proposed building (170’ from curb).
• Building Stakes

The proposed building corners are staked, and additional stakes have been placed with blue ribbon running between them to outline the footprint of the building.
 

Original Key Points

20% Decrease in Number of Proposed Beds

• A smaller new residence hall will be constructed.

No Demolition of Existing Structures

• No buildings will be demolished, minimizing the noise and inconvenience to the neighborhood.

Tilt-Wall Construction

• Individual pieces of building will be constructed off-site then transported to Wesley.
• Significantly reduces construction noise and completion time of project.

LEED Certified Green Building

• New residence hall will be a high performance green building.

Traffic

• Outbound traffic onto University Ave. from Wesley will be permanently redirected onto Massachusetts Ave. The current inbound driveway will become two-way traffic.

Trees

• In accordance with D.C. law, a new tree will be planted to replace each legacy tree that will be taken down for construction.
• Natural tree line will be preserved between Wesley and the Spring Valley neighborhood.