The large octagon at the corner of 16th and I Streets NW is going away. The Brutalist building designed by Araldo Cossutta has been the home to Third Church of Christ, Scientist but they were granted permission to tear it down a few years ago. Then architect Robert A. Stern took on the task of what would go in its place and his design for a square-ish building with overhanging glass canopy received approval from the Historic Preservation Review Board just last week. The octagon is still standing and will be as developers work through the lengthy permit process to start the project, but once finished it will have a 125-person auditorium, a reading room open to the public, as well as office space and retail space on the ground floor.
· Brutalist church remake receives Historic Preservation Review Board approval [ElevationDC]