West End strives for historic neighborhood designation
Members of a local community are calling for their neighborhood to be officially recognized as a historic community in an effort to thwart a recent increase in residential and commercial construction in the area.
Members of the West End neighborhood, which is located just north of Foggy Bottom, will apply to the D.C. Historic Preservation Board for the recognition.
Hayden Wetzel, a GW graduate and volunteer for the D.C. Preservation League was behind a May meeting that drew about 20 members of the community.
He said designating the area historic would give the community more leverage in decisions regarding historic properties.
"It would give neighbors another tool, more of a voice in the design of a replacement," he said.
Several properties in the West End district are already historic buildings, such as Washington Circle and the former Columbia Hospital for Women building.
"Given the historical significance of Columbia Hospital and the erosion of West End as a charming neighborhood full of big trees, townhouses and small, affordable apartment buildings, it's not farfetched to consider (this area) as meriting Landmark status," said Mary Dusing, a resident of the West End since 1974.
Members of a local community are calling for their neighborhood to be officially recognized as a historic community in an effort to thwart a recent increase in residential and commercial construction in the area.
Members of the West End neighborhood, which is located just north of Foggy Bottom, will apply to the D.C. Historic Preservation Board for the recognition.
Hayden Wetzel, a GW graduate and volunteer for the D.C. Preservation League was behind a May meeting that drew about 20 members of the community.
He said designating the area historic would give the community more leverage in decisions regarding historic properties.
"It would give neighbors another tool, more of a voice in the design of a replacement," he said.
Several properties in the West End district are already historic buildings, such as Washington Circle and the former Columbia Hospital for Women building.
"Given the historical significance of Columbia Hospital and the erosion of West End as a charming neighborhood full of big trees, townhouses and small, affordable apartment buildings, it's not farfetched to consider (this area) as meriting Landmark status," said Mary Dusing, a resident of the West End since 1974.
