Woodward & Lothrop Service Warehouse
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| Woodward & Lothrop Service Warehouse | |
|---|---|
| (U.S. National Register of Historic Places) | |
 |
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| Location: | 131 M St., NE, Washington, D.C. |
| Nearest city: | Washington, D.C. |
| Built/Founded: | 1937-39 |
| Architect: | Abbott, Merkt & Company |
| Architectural style(s): | Moderne |
| Added to NRHP: | February 15, 2005 |
| Governing body: | Bristol Group |
The Woodward & Lothrop Service Warehouse is a historic warehouse located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C.. It was designated a District of Columbia Historic Landmark in 1993, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. The building is located close to the Red Line of the Washington Metro, and is easily visible from trains passing the area.
The warehouse was designed by Abbot, Merkt & Company, a group of architects noted for their work in designing warehouses, and was constructed between 1937 and 1939. Built to incorporate areas for service, storage, and delivery, it is one of the few examples of such a mixed-use warehouse still extant in the Washington area. The structure is considered to be the most ambitious warehouse built in the area before World War II[1], and is one of the city's largest warehouses of any sort. The property was owned by Woodward & Lothrop until the company foundered in 1995. More recently, it was taken over by the Bristol Group, a San Francisco-based company, and is currently being converted to office space; among planned tenants of the property is the General Services Administration.
Architecturally, the building is considered notable because it was constructed in the Moderne style; unusually for a warehouse, its design was not meant to be merely utilitarian. According to the District's Historic Preservation Office, it was this "highly refined architectural expression unusual for [a] utilitarian structure" which led, in part, to its recognition as a historic structure[2]. One of the most prominent features of the building is its large pink neon sign, identifying it as a Woodward & Lothrop property, which may still be seen on the building's exterior. There are currently no plans to remove the sign, as it is considered an integral part of the building's historic nature[3].
Along with the Woodies Building, the warehouse is one of two Registered Historic Places in the city of Washington directly associated with now-defunct department store chain Woodward & Lothrop.
[edit] Notes
- ^ http://www.culturaltourismdc.org/search_site2548/search_site_show.htm?doc_id=43450
- ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/11/AR2005121100754_pf.html
- ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/11/AR2005121100754_pf.html
[edit] References
- Cultural Tourism DC entry Retrieved on March 31, 2007.
- John Kelly's "The Answer Man" column of December 12, 2005. From The Washington Post. Retrieved on March 31, 2007.
