Where were the spies on this one?
Events DC (801 Mount Vernon Place), the city’s convention and sports authority, announced today it has joined with the owner of the International Spy Museum (800 F Street) to redevelop Mt. Vernon Square, located across the street from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center (801 Mount Vernon Place).
Carnegie Library (801 K Street), a gorgeous Beaux-Arts building constructed by industrialist Andrew Carnegie, occupies the site, which would bring a variety of community amenities to one of the city’s original green spaces.
Events DC has managed the city-owned building for two years. It has partnered with Cleveland-based Malrite Company to now co-develop it. Their proposed project includes:
- Moving the 11-year-old Spy Museum from its current location to the historic library building and adding 58,000 square feet (SF) of new space; the museum would occupy 40,000 SF of new underground space below the building
- Creating a state-of-the-art Visitors Center encased in a sculpted glass pavilion on the library’s north side, which would also house a new café and the museum’s retail store
- Consolidating and renovating the Historical Society of Washington’s galleries and offices in the building
- Renovating the interior space to enhance special event uses for both Events DC and the museum
- Improving the grounds by adding outdoor seating, a small amphitheater and a playground to create various programming options and other green space public amenities
There is no word on what will become of the vacant space at 800 F Street once the museum relocates to the library building. That property is owned by Douglas Development Corporation (702 H Street), a major Downtown property owner and one of the city’s most active private developers.
According to an article in the Washington Business Journal today, the International Spy Museum attracts about 600,000 visitors per year to Downtown. Once moved, it will be near the new CityCenterDC complex, the Washington Marriott Marquis and the Georgetown Downtown campus—all now under development.
Said Gregory A. O’Dell, president and chief executive officer of Events DC: “We envision this project becoming the northern anchor of a conventions and entertainment district that will stretch all the way down to Pennsylvania Avenue.”
According to the Journal, construction is expected to begin in 2015 with the library’s grand re-opening in 2017.