F Street Gets a Pop Up

The Equitable Co-Operative Building Association  (the space which was once Platinum Nightclub, and for a few days was the Museum of Arts & Sciences) has been given the OK by the Historic Preservation Office to expand the building by two stories: but you may never notice it.

The "pop-up" will add 50 feet of height to the historic building, but will be hidden behind the facade of the building.  Per the Historic Preservation Office's recommendations, "demolition will be limited to non-historic, non-character defining elements, and the addition will have no impact on the designed front elevation or the designated interior banking hall.  The increased height of the rear addition will not be visible from any view along F or 9th Streets and will not obstruct the large skylight which allows natural light to bathe the banking hall in diffused natural light."

Douglas Development, the owners of the building, have indicated that they're looking for a high-end restaurant tenant for the now-burgeoning space.  "What it won't be is a nightclub.  That's not our vision, and that's not what belongs on that block of F Street," Douglas Jemal said.  "We're not a fan of something that's closed during the day."

We agree - and look forward to development in the space.  Douglas Development has said that the first step will be opening the building's shuttered windows to make the space seem more open and inviting.  No word on when the pop-up construction will begin.