restore mass ave at state department
TRANSCRIPT
http://www.restoremassave.org/historical.shtml
“Friends re-greening Embassy Row” Presentation by Deborah Shapley President, Restore Mass Ave Department of State, Mar. 5, 2014
Bare sidewalks, young dying trees. Beautiful buildings, but what is this place?
Shrubbery overgrown, trash. Front yards paved and cars parked everywhere No sense of community; neighbors and diplomats don’t speak.
The Problem
Restore Mass Ave formed
In late 2006. Since, we have: Arranged > 300 trees of historic types. We add trees by: Getting UFA to plant street trees of historical types ~150 trees; Advising property owners on trees and landscape; of 150 new lawn and yard trees, most are donated by Casey Trees; Worked with DC govt, Dept of State and community reps to explain DC Tree Law and to protect green space.
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Participating
The Legacy
L’Enfant’s Grand Plan
A Grand Avenue Axis - Berlin
Unter den Linden in Berlin. The raised statue of Frederick the Great is the focus.
Post-Civil War Greening
Washington population was 60,000 in 1860; grew to 110,000 by 1870. Huge public works program 1871-73 under Alexander “Boss” Shepherd. Paving, utilities, 60,000 trees. “Parking” was created on public land between sidewalk and buildings.
• Parking Commission of 3 distinguished horticulturalists advise engineers and city nursery from 1871 to early 1900s.
• Engineers’ annual reports map trees planted. One species per street.
• Linden trees were chosen for Mass Ave to be like Berlin’s
• Mass Ave’s “parking” is wider (40’ each side) and longer (4 miles) than Unter den Linden’s planting space. (only use if have UdL data)
Mass. Ave is “Parked”
Engineer’s report Map (section), 1880
Grand Avenue, Cont’d - 1892
DuBois map shows Engineers’ straight 150’ wide road to the new circle; where road pivots 11o to start new straightaway up to cross Rock Creek.
“Urban Forest flows through streets and parks like water through Venice.” – C.M. Robinson, 1901
1970
Lost History
• Other iconic Grand Avenues lost in 20th Century • Thousands of Washington’s trees lost to
development, roadway widening for commuters blights, eg Dutch Elm Disease, and neglect.
• Many buildings east of Dupont Circle on Mass Ave lost.
• Most buildings west of Dupont Circle on Mass Ave saved by historic designation and zoning.
• But many trees and landscape are lost.
Landscape Design Guide:
1. Full row of street trees
2. Second tree rows in the “parking”
3. Connect long views
4. Supporting landscape to scale
5. Expand the urban forest and save energy
Tree rows make views
Continuous lawn framed by trees creates a connected public space.
Long axis to focal point
A marriage of public and private space
Star Collection – Embassies – Turkey - 1956
“Parking” unifies
the public street
Low hedge
2nd row tree
Lawn is con;nuous
Many stakeholders, one landscape
Embassy of Norway - 2006
Historic Landscape Summary
Prefer no
• Fences or hedges higher than 3’ • Added impervious paved area • Pavement “creep” over green space • Industrial-looking flagpoles, so flagpoles, if vertical, scaled to architecture Prefer flagpoles over entrances • Signs • Statues that distract or are not scaled to street
Flagpole pair 2343 Mass
• Above: before • Right: after installation 7-1-2013
Sign – 2217 Mass
• Installed at Greek Embassy Oct 2013 • Similar at church on Mass near Wisconsin
Critical Issues Trees are killed by construction Public space is walled off
How can regulation and policy restore this unique landscape?
What are our values?
• A revived Grand Avenue of buildings and public space unified by landscape, adds monetary value to Mass Ave and adjoining areas. It creates a new DC destination.
• A revived Grand Avenue has social value; it allows people from all over the world to experience our openness, civic engagement and respect for the planet.
Questions?
Tree planting by RMA/Casey Trees hosted by Embassy of Ireland, with Embassies of Greece, Georgia, Turkmenistan and Togo participating..
Copyright Restore Mass Ave 2014
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