Originally designed by independent architect Joseph Younger in 1931, the Kennedy-Warren Apartment Building is considered one of the District’s Art Deco masterpieces, with clean, neo-classical lines and high reliefs of eagles and griffins. However, due to the Great Depression in the 1930s, only two-thirds of the building was completed. Hartman-Cox Architects of Washington, D.C., designed the remaining one-third of the project as a new south wing. B.F. Saul Property Company, of Bethesda, MD, is developing the $46-million project and selected Clark Residential as the general contractor.
Located on a site adjacent to the National Zoo on Connecticut Avenue, the Kennedy-Warren is one of Washington’s best addresses for apartment living. The new nine-story, 156,000-sq.-ft. south wing complements the existing structure and will contain 114 rental apartments, ranging from studios to large two-bedroom apartment units. Brick, limestone, precast and double-hung wood windows will be incorporated into the addition to match the existing facade. A 96,200-sq.-ft. three-level underground parking garage also will be added.
The Kennedy-Warren’s lobby and other public areas will be restored to their former Art Deco splendor. Top-of-the-line finishes will adorn the lobby, including faux-finish painting with 37 different colors. Metal, wood, glass and stone in these areas also will be refurbished. An extensive landscaping package will add flagstone and various colors of porphyry pavers to the entrance. Clark Residential also will renovate the existing porte-cochere and add an outdoor fountain.
In addition to Clark and Hartman-Cox, the project team includes GHT Limited of Arlington, VA; MEP engineer; Thorton Thomasetti-Cutts of Washington, D.C., structural engineer; Michael Bartlett landscape architect; and Wiles Mensch Corporation of Reston, VA, civil engineer. The project is scheduled for completion in Summer 2004.
