Third Time Is Not the Charm for the Proposed Apple Store on Wisconsin
Apple Inc.’s design plan for a new store at 1229 Wisconsin Ave. was rejected for the third time by Georgetown’s Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) at its Dec. 2 meeting. The computer giant had no better luck with the Old Georgetown Board, which rejected the same design only two days later.
The back-and-forth between Apple and Georgetown community leaders started in September 2007. It has since seen little progress, though Apple has obtained a permit to raze the building, which previously housed the clothing retail store, French Connection UK.
According to ANC chairman Ed Solomon, the commission’s main concern is the modernity of the design, which has not been released by the commission or by Apple.
“[The plans consist of a] very plain, flat wall with a large cut out in the shape of an apple,” Solomon said. “The general consensus is that the plans are too severe for the historic district.”
Apple’s ultra-modern logo would stand out against the 18th-century architecture of Georgetown’s shopping district. Many existing stores such as Urban Outfitters and the Gap have incorporated more modern advertisements and window displays with ANC approval.
Though Apple was scheduled to present to the ANC last Tuesday, the company cancelled its presentation.
Solomon said ANC is looking for a design with a similar aesthetic to the surrounding buildings.
“[It] needs to be similar and has to blend into the historic look,” he said.
Apple purchased the building at 1229 Wisconsin Ave. in 2007 for $13.4 million. While design negotiations continue, the building has sat idle for more than 18 months, raising concerns about its effect on surrounding businesses.
The new store would be the first Apple Store in Washington, D.C. and, according to the Business Improvement District, could draw valuable customers to Georgetown’s shopping district.
“[The store] would definitely increase [customer] traffic,” says BID Executive Director, James Bracco. “It would clearly benefit those who need the service, and we hope that things work out with the board.”
Solomon is intent on holding a hard line against Apple until the company complies with the commission’s aesthetic requirements. Solomon is unwilling to make any exceptions for the multinational corporation.
“Certain mandates have to be followed,” he said.
The board could not be reached for comment. Apple, Inc. could not be reached for comment.
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Jan 14 2009 at 12:59 a.m.
Brilliant. In the midst of the worst economic downturn (possibly even to the point of being a depression) our country has seen, the ANC enforces an overly restrictive development policy to ensure that a new store - a store capable of bringing increased revenue to the district and jobs for the area (e.g., student jobs - which is perhaps an underlying concern for the commission) - isn't built.
I continue to wonder why the university - perhaps in conjunction with a coalition of retail merchants - doesn't mount a full out legal challenge to the entire 'ANC' concept. We (and the merchants) certainly could muster far superior financial and legal resources for the purpose of litigation.
For too long, a TINY group of individuals have had a disproportionately LARGE influence upon decisions which, properly, they have no business weighing in on. There's no reason that an 'ANC' should be evaluating the store design for Apple; just like there isn't a reason an 'ANC' should be parsing Georgetown's plans for a boathouse or a new student dorm.
I'm not sure which university administration originally accepted the castrating silent 'bargain' between ourselves and the ANC such that we let them dictate so much in the University's life - nor am I sure which group of merchants originally accquiesced to what may very well be an unconstitutional basis for determining the development makeup of the city.
Nevertheless, it's high time that things changed.