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Dupont Circle Gets a Splash of Yellow

Map It:  Dupont Circle 

Photo by Michael Grass/ExpressTHIS WEEKEND, work crews were finishing up painting the Sun Trust bank building on the southeast edge of Dupont Circle. Instead of being distinguished by unremarkable pale brick, the exterior has now been painted yellow; details on its overhang are now red.

We have to say the new paint job is a welcome addition to the Dupont Circle cityscape. This blogger tends to agree with the Project for Public Spaces assessment that the circle isn't living up to its potential as a great public precinct. It might be going a little far to put the circle in PPS's "Hall of Shame," but it seems most everyone can agree that Dupont Circle could be improved upon to better serve the public that flocks to it.

The paint job is a relatively minor change. What improvements do you think the circle needs to be a better public space? To us, new benches, better landscaping and walkway pavers could give the circle a more distinguished look. We also think the Books-a-Million building could be sacrificed in favor of an edifice that is architecturally more fitting.

Photo by Michael Grass/Express

COMMENTS (4)

  • How come there are no RSS feeds on this blog?

    By richwise , Posted May 1, 2006 10:54 AM

  • As we've mentioned before, we are in soft launch right now. RSS is coming.

    By mgrass , Posted May 1, 2006 11:34 AM

  • Physically, cool lighting at night would enhance the circle. An expanded/updated water feature (perhaps something interactive) would add a new excitement to the place. Erecting a permanent--but nice--pick-up window restaurant (I'm dreaming of a place like the Shake Shack in New York's Madison Square Park (http://www.shakeshacknyc.com/)) would also be great.

    By Ralph Brabham , Posted May 1, 2006 7:18 PM

  • Shakeshack would be awesome. We need to build kiosks over those abandoned trolley entrances to house little business like the Shakeshack (and flowers, gelato, produce, pizza, coffee, etc etc). See my Photoshop proposal at http://flickr.com/photos/77945684@N00/tags/ideas/
    (and http://flickr.com/photos/77945684@N00/tags/kiosks/) - and more Duponty pix at http://www.dupontcircle.biz/galscenes.htm)

    By Michael , Posted May 3, 2006 1:01 PM
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