Apple reveals plans for future Washington D.C. Carnegie Library store

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Apple's plans to restore Washington D.C.'s Carnegie Library into a massive retail presence are moving forward, with the company presenting its plan to the Advisory Neighborhood Commission Monday evening.




Apple is planning on more than just an interior renovation for retail. According to the Washington Post, the company will outfit the location in accordance with Apple retail head Angela Ahrendt's vision of retail, and will host free concerts, art exhibits, and educational workshops in the space.

The library's book collection will be relocated, and the space will hold Apple's "Genius Grove." Reading rooms will become product demonstration areas.

"This is a way of creating a reason to come to the store, to touch and feel our products, but also to have an engaging experience with someone who is passionate about the same thing," said Apple Retail's Senior Design Director B.J. Seigel. "For us, it wasn't about coming in and leaving our mark. It was about bringing the history back out and respecting it."

Events D.C., Washington D.C.'s sports and convention authority proposed a 10-year lease, with two five-year extensions in December 2016. Apple will allegedly pay market rent, as well as a sum between $1 million and $2 million to Events D.C. to compensate for any losses related to the Apple shop being in the space, versus the prior use of it.

The space said to be attributed to Apple's lease measures around 63,000 square feet. For the design project it has reportedly tapped frequent collaborator Foster + Partners, aiming to replicate ideas used at other Apple stores in London and San Francisco.

Events D.C. is expected to retain rights to use the space for meetings and events several times a year, and maintain a small office space.

Ahrendts talked about her vision for Apple Retail in an interview at the end of April. Under Ahrendts, Apple has been overhauling the design and operations of its retail chain, with many shops adding trees, wooden shelves, oversized video screens, and new conference rooms, as well as alteration of work roles -- which have been controversial.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 25
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Isn't much of Washington, DC a crime-ridden dump thanks to their mayor?
    potatoleeksoup
  • Reply 2 of 25
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Isn't much of Washington, DC a crime-ridden dump thanks to their mayor?
    Well, the mayor may be totally corrupt, but I hardly think he’s personally responsible for the majority of crimes… ;)
    edited May 2017 SpamSandwichGeorgeBMac
  • Reply 3 of 25
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Isn't much of Washington, DC a crime-ridden dump thanks to their mayor?
    Well, the mayor may be totally corrupt, but I hardly think he’s personally responsible for the majority of crimes… ;)
    LOL!
  • Reply 4 of 25
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,403member
    Isn't much of Washington, DC a crime-ridden dump thanks to their mayor?

      
    Um... certainly not relative to the past, if you believe in things such as data or facts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Washington,_D.C.
    slprescottStrangeDaysFoliozoetmbstanthemanRedryder1GeorgeBMac
  • Reply 5 of 25
    williamhwilliamh Posts: 1,032member
    Isn't much of Washington, DC a crime-ridden dump thanks to their mayor?
    Well, the mayor may be totally corrupt, but I hardly think he’s personally responsible for the majority of crimes… ;)
    When we discuss crime in DC, I assume we're excluding Congress. DC was a crime-ridden dump thanks in part to a mayor a few mayors ago.   Some parts of the city are still better to avoid, much of it is quite nice. BTW, the current mayor is not a he and hasn't really been in office long office to be blamed for anything.

    The area where this Apple Store will be located is in a pretty good part of town, just north of Chinatown and across the street from the convention center. The location isn't great for casual foot traffic (other than convention visitors) but it's not far from a couple of subway stations and only a block or so out of the way.  Chinatown has a lot of restaurants (mostly not Chinese) and a sports arena. There are also a few museums in the area.  This Apple Store will also be the only one that's in downtown proper, with the current nearest stores being in Georgetown and across the river in Virginia.  For those of you not familiar with DC geography, Georgetown is quite affluent and also inconvenient.  The subway doesn't go there and with traffic it could take a little while to drive there despite the fact it's only a couple miles from the center. If I am downtown and need an Apple Store, I would go to the one at Pentagon City in Virginia.
    patchythepiratestantheman
  • Reply 6 of 25
    slprescottslprescott Posts: 765member
    Isn't much of Washington, DC a crime-ridden dump thanks to their mayor?
    No.  I visit many different sections of DC several times a week -- for work and family reasons -- and have never experienced crime.  Yes there is a section that has higher crime than the rest of the city... as is true for all cities.

    Back on-topic, I welcome Apple's plans.  Exciting.
  • Reply 7 of 25
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Isn't much of Washington, DC a crime-ridden dump thanks to their mayor?

      
    Um... certainly not relative to the past, if you believe in things such as data or facts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Washington,_D.C.
    How do those figures correlate to per capita population figures?
  • Reply 8 of 25
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,837member
    Isn't much of Washington, DC a crime-ridden dump thanks to their mayor?
    Sounds like a handy over-generalization talking point you've got there. Where else do you get to use it?
    stantheman
  • Reply 9 of 25
    FolioFolio Posts: 698member
    The location is rather awkward. It's a rectangular island in middle of busy car traffic of Massachusetts Ave N.W. between Union Station and Dupont Circle/Embassy Row. NPR National Public Radio used to be adjacent before selling HQ as the neighborhood went upscale.

    Even so, a choice property. Not just Georgetown, but much of DC has some of the highest median zip codes in US now. (Yes, that's bizarre.) I think a large benefit of the place will be to attract convention attendees between sessions. New hotels and convention center. 

    Apple told the Post it doesn't intend to emblazon its logo on the historic building. It already has a huge billboard w latest iPhone on RFK stadium for traffic entering Capitol Hill.

    In the sense that Apple interested in drawing people for unique experiences, this place certainly fits-- so long as you don't intend on finding easy parking.
    stantheman
  • Reply 10 of 25
    zoetmbzoetmb Posts: 2,654member
    I would sincerely hope that Apple keeps the interior architectural elements.    That's quite a large building - the size of a museum.  What's Apple going to do with it all?  It does have a nice auditorium that would be great for presentations.  
    GeorgeBMac
  • Reply 11 of 25
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    williamh said:
    When we discuss crime in DC, I assume we're excluding Congress.
    For the time being.  :D

    SpamSandwichGeorgeBMac
  • Reply 12 of 25
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Sounds like a handy over-generalization talking point you've got there.
    Only to someone who knows absolutely fucking nothing about the topic at hand and thinks that his feelings matter in the face of objective truth.

    DC is 11th in violent crime, 7th in murder, 23rd in rape, 8th in robbery, 17th in assault, 19th in property crime, 13th in larceny, and 34th in auto theft. The only things too far down for me to care about counting are burglary and arson. As to the reason for this, we’ll leave that for another thread.
  • Reply 13 of 25
    goldenclawgoldenclaw Posts: 272member
    Probably not a popular sentiment, and I'm sure I'm misunderstanding something, but...

    The mention of turning Carnegie's philanthropic donation into a "massive retail presence" doesn't sit well with me. I appreciate that Apple is restoring the building, but this building should be used exclusively for the public good and not for someone's profit.

    I don't blame Apple, I blame poor city planning that let this resource slip away. And it's not just Washington DC, this has happened at Carnegie library buildings all over the country.
    GeorgeBMac
  • Reply 14 of 25
    williamhwilliamh Posts: 1,032member
    Sounds like a handy over-generalization talking point you've got there.
    Only to someone who knows absolutely fucking nothing about the topic at hand and thinks that his feelings matter in the face of objective truth.

    DC is 11th in violent crime, 7th in murder, 23rd in rape, 8th in robbery, 17th in assault, 19th in property crime, 13th in larceny, and 34th in auto theft. The only things too far down for me to care about counting are burglary and arson. As to the reason for this, we’ll leave that for another thread.
    I'm not an expert and I won't be researching stats for the purposes of a rebuttal, however I will claim to know fucking something about the topic since I spend most of the day, most days, in the heart of Washington, DC and most of the last 40 years in the area.  DC is much better than it was, no longer "murder capital of the world." DC has relatively a lot of crime for a  small city, but it isn't a crime-ridden dump (as it surely was).  There is a lot of crime in some parts of the city, and relatively little in other parts. It might surprise you to learn that Apple has not chosen as a site for its store a location in the midst of an open-air drug market. The police are not regularly gathering corpses around the old Carnegie Library. Guests at the nearby expensive hotels are not likely to be shocked (or shot) when they walk around town.  If Apple can manage to put stores around Detroit, this won't be any problem.  I do see they haven't dared open a store in Baltimore.
    anantksundaramtallest skil
  • Reply 15 of 25
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,403member
    Isn't much of Washington, DC a crime-ridden dump thanks to their mayor?

      
    Um... certainly not relative to the past, if you believe in things such as data or facts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Washington,_D.C.
    How do those figures correlate to per capita population figures?
    Search is just a click away, if you're really interested in the answer to your question!
  • Reply 16 of 25
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Isn't much of Washington, DC a crime-ridden dump thanks to their mayor?

      
    Um... certainly not relative to the past, if you believe in things such as data or facts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Washington,_D.C.
    How do those figures correlate to per capita population figures?
    Search is just a click away, if you're really interested in the answer to your question!
    I only asked since you offered the original chart and I thought I'd give you the opportunity to defend your position.
    edited May 2017 patchythepirate
  • Reply 17 of 25
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,403member
    Isn't much of Washington, DC a crime-ridden dump thanks to their mayor?

      
    Um... certainly not relative to the past, if you believe in things such as data or facts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Washington,_D.C.
    How do those figures correlate to per capita population figures?
    Search is just a click away, if you're really interested in the answer to your question!
    I only asked since you offered the original chart and I thought I'd give you the opportunity to defend your position.
    Defend what? Your wild surmise?

    Nope.
  • Reply 18 of 25
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    Crime? Wow I've never been to D.C. So every time I think of the place I imagine presidential building and tons of white people in suits walking around. Never crime.

    Probably not a popular sentiment, and I'm sure I'm misunderstanding something, but...

    The mention of turning Carnegie's philanthropic donation into a "massive retail presence" doesn't sit well with me. I appreciate that Apple is restoring the building, but this building should be used exclusively for the public good and not for someone's profit.

    I don't blame Apple, I blame poor city planning that let this resource slip away. And it's not just Washington DC, this has happened at Carnegie library buildings all over the country.

    Apple is one of the biggest philanthropists in the world and environmentally conscious tech company so it's fine.
  • Reply 19 of 25
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Isn't much of Washington, DC a crime-ridden dump thanks to their mayor?

      
    Um... certainly not relative to the past, if you believe in things such as data or facts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Washington,_D.C.
    How do those figures correlate to per capita population figures?
    Search is just a click away, if you're really interested in the answer to your question!
    I only asked since you offered the original chart and I thought I'd give you the opportunity to defend your position.
    Defend what? Your wild surmise?

    Nope.
    Your chart doesn't really refute my original comment. That's a significant amount of crime in a geographically small area, whether referring to the peak or the current rate.
  • Reply 20 of 25
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,403member
    Isn't much of Washington, DC a crime-ridden dump thanks to their mayor?

      
    Um... certainly not relative to the past, if you believe in things such as data or facts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Washington,_D.C.
    How do those figures correlate to per capita population figures?
    Search is just a click away, if you're really interested in the answer to your question!
    I only asked since you offered the original chart and I thought I'd give you the opportunity to defend your position.
    Defend what? Your wild surmise?

    Nope.
    Your chart doesn't really refute my original comment. That's a significant amount of crime in a geographically small area, whether referring to the peak or the current rate.
    Your original comment was that "Much of DC(1) is crime-ridden(2) dump thanks to the mayor(3)."Let me see if I can break it down for you, focusing on the highlighted part. (1) When you say "much" what did you mean? 75%? 85%? 95%? I assumed it was the latter, which puts is close enough to "all of DC" for data purposes; (2) and (3) When you said "crime-ridden" and qualified it with "thanks to the mayor," you clearly situated it in the present time (i.e., current mayor) relative to the past (i.e., previous mayors), with a somewhat lazily derisive term "crime-ridden" thrown in for effect.

    So, given your vague wording, which, to a reasonable reader, seemed like you were referring to crime levels in the present compared the past in close-to-all ("much") of DC, my data points were perfectly apropos.

    Then you changed your premise. Typical, when you get called out.

    Got to move on now. Sorry.
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