Fairfax County's Architectural Review Board has asked that the county reconsider bulldozing the American Press Institute (API) building on Sunrise Valley Drive in Reston. They believe the building, designed by Hungarian-born architect Marcel Breuer, has historic architectural significance and should not be taken down and replaced with townhouses. API is the only building in Virginia designed by Breuer.
This building at 48,000 sq feet is large enough to house a regional library. It's in an excellent location. The $10 million library bond approved by voters is enough to purchase and renovate the building. Current development plans for the library parcel in Town Center North and for the API site on Sunrise Valley Drive need to be paused to consider an adaptive reuse of the API building as a public library.
Please write the Planning Commissioners and the Board of Supervisors as soon as possible to ask that this option be considered.
More information in RestonNow article here:
https://www.restonnow.com/2016/05/31/planning-commission-will-tour-api-building-before-deciding-future/
My first opinion is that looks like a reasonable solution to a very thorny problem.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful use of this building. What a waste to demolish it. I hope that this becomes a reality.
ReplyDeleteYes. It does seem to be a reasonable solution. Step one however is to stave off demolition which seems to be issue at the forefront right now. Step two would be how to re-purpose the existing site. There is currently an on-line petition to voice your opinion on step one here: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/breuer
ReplyDeleteThe FLA may also want start their own petition to advocate the reuse of the building for the new library.
What a brilliant idea! Two problems, one solution. Particularly appropriate as the API and the library have a shared purpose: dissemination of knowledge through writing. And it sounds like the money is already there for the purchase. If you start now, the library could be in the API building for good within a few years. Make it so.
ReplyDeleteIt appears Breuer's building is two storey. First step once the demolition stay is granted should be to engage a structural engineer. Library stacks require much greater floor strength than general use office building space so we should find out how much of the API building wouldn't be able to accommodate them.
ReplyDeletewhat and outstanding idea. Fairfax Co is too willing to demolish buildings and put in their standard 10 stories with retail below. What has happened to the charm of Reston? It is losing it's character. We are beginning to look like USA anywhere! How many years have we been fighting to save our golf course? It's all about taxes. The county has become too greedy! Please, we must fight to save this beautiful, almost historic building!
ReplyDelete