Apple Reportedly Looking to Open Flagship Store at Washington, DC's Carnegie Library

[MacRumors]

Apple has proposed opening a flagship retail store and events center at Washington, D.C.'s historic Carnegie Library, according to The Washington Post. The new store is reportedly reminiscent of Apple's Union Square store in San Francisco, serving as both a retail outlet for the company and event center where it can host events for locals.

Photo by Bobak Ha'Eri​

The 63,000-square foot Carnegie Library was one of the many buildings built with funds donated by steel tycoon Andrew Carnegie. The building, which was opened in 1903, is historically significant in the nation's capital as it's the first desegregated building in the city. Carnegie Library is publicly owned and funded with taxpayer money raised through hotel occupancy taxes.

However, the building's historical legacy and importance to D.C. has made it a difficult development project. As The Washington Post notes, a local history museum only lasted a year at the library, a planned music museum never opened and an International Spy Museum was turned away by the city's historical preservation panel.

Local government officials have been supportive of the idea, with The Post noting that an Apple retail presence in the area would punctuate a rapidly developing section of the city.

“Apple would be a huge attraction,” said D.C. Council member Jack Evans (D-Ward 2), who represents downtown. Evans said he first heard about Apple’s idea for the store earlier this year and that the addition would accelerate momentum for an area that is quickly adding new apartments, shops and office buildings just south of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

Of Apple's handful of stores in D.C., its Georgetown store is the closest to the Carnegie Library. Across the Potomac, the Cupertino company also has Apple Clarendon and Apple Pentagon City. The Clarendon store will be having its grand reopening on September 24, while the Pentagon City store will close on September 25 for remodeling.

Article Link: Apple Reportedly Looking to Open Flagship Store at Washington, DC's Carnegie Library

 

[gigapocket1]

Would be a wonderful addition to the Apple Store portfolio

 

[A MacBook lover]

YES!!!! D.C. needs an Apple Store on the eastern side. This is an AWESOME location for that.

 

[Shirasaki]

I wonder, how noisy and messy it will be if there is an Apple Store in a library.

 

[Will.O.Bie]

Apple Stores are like Starbucks now, there's one on every corner

 

[logicstudiouser]

Seriously, how many 'flagship' stores do they have?

 

[modemthug]

Seriously, how many 'flagship' stores do they have?

I don't know, but this one may take the cake

 

[0098386]

But how do you get to Carnegie Hall, Dougal?

 

[Rocketman]

A couple of advantages to Apple taking it over.

1. They will honor the original architecture and if anything improve it with fidelity.
2. Their use as retail and events is low impact should the building ever be repurposed.
3. They lease facilities not own them so they're 2-10 years from being asked to leave in case there is a legit objection.
4. They bring traffic so more people will enjoy this historical asset.
5. They will generate massive sales tax revenue well beyond any other possible use.
6. It is vacant.

Cite #5:
http://fortune.com/2015/03/13/apples-holiday-top-10-retailers-iphone/
#1
https://plus.google.com/photos/photo/114726284049097769572/6139271708181537794

The proposed store is a couple thousand feet from the White House. They could have a dedicated shuttle to and from the Metro and therefore bus stops, offsite parking, and tourist areas.

 

[Vanilla Face]

Of Apple's handful of stores in D.C., its Georgetown store is the closest to the Carnegie Library.

The Georgetown Store is the only Apple Store in D.C., which I guess does make it the closest.

 

[Clix Pix]

I think Andrew Carnegie would be smiling at this idea..... I hope it comes to fruition! The only Apple store actually in DC now is the Georgetown one, which has issues in terms of parking, etc. In the suburbs we have: (Maryland) Bethesda Row, Montgomery Mall, Annapolis, Towson, Columbia..... In Virginia, we have Tysons (The first Apple retail store on the East Coast!), Clarendon, Pentagon City, Fair Oaks, Reston, Potomac Town Center...... So, yes, it would be really great to have a big flagship Apple Store in the heart of Our Nation's Capitol!

 

[kingpushup]

Beautiful space. Odd location, just outside walking traffic from many directions. Of course the flip-side is that it's on the edge of walking traffic from every direction - if Apple can draw them that extra block.

I cannot recall if it has parking underneath.
[doublepost=1474512147][/doublepost]One thing that I do recall - this space has a nicely sized Auditorium for customer workshops. Especially well suited to demoing functionality re government contracts? Apple loves business and education - and government is in the business of education.
[doublepost=1474512179][/doublepost]Final thought: any bridges built this way may help our nation better govern regarding high tech, security, 21st century issues. This spot is really at crossroads between the three branches of government and the convention center - so top of mind.

Separate neat-O fact: want to know? It's part of the original city plan - from its balcony can be seen DCs master layout. Really at an architectural crossroads in that way historically

 

[JulesK]

This is incredibly high-risk/high-reward. The rumors were that an Apple Store was to be located in the new City Center development, and that store (unlike every other ultra-high-end store there, and there are plenty) would have been mobbed. It would have been the perfect, no risk, location - completely surrounded by disposable wealth. This location, only a few blocks away, is smack-dab in the middle of one of busiest traffic "squares" in the city. There's nothing else on that plot. As noted elsewhere, it's at the edge of walking traffic, and with the Apple name, would like draw that traffic; it's also a beautiful space that deserves better. But surrounded by loud, honking traffic. It seems like such an odd location.

 

[44267547]

Apple Stores are like Starbucks now, there's one on every corner

Especially as of lately, a whole array of Apple
stores opening up across the Country. Mexico being one of the latest as well.

 

[1applerules1]

And the apple empire expands...

 

[Born Again]

I must be the only one disgusted by the premise of a retail store in a national historic building

 

[Aluminum213]

A couple of advantages to Apple taking it over.

1. They will honor the original architecture and if anything improve it with fidelity.
2. Their use as retail and events is low impact should the building ever be repurposed.
3. They lease facilities not own them so they're 2-10 years from being asked to leave in case there is a legit objection.
4. They bring traffic so more people will enjoy this historical asset.
5. They will generate massive sales tax revenue well beyond any other possible use.
6. It is vacant.

And Apple doesn't even pay you!

 

[Nickfulltime]

I must be the only one disgusted by the premise of a retail store in a national historic building

There's an Apple Store in the Louvre. It's hard to get more historic than that.

 

[wingmanmac]

A nice place to sell watch bands for sure!

 

[8012R3]

A couple of advantages to Apple taking it over.

5. They will generate massive sales tax revenue well beyond any other possible use.

Are you sure about that?

 

[andrew12]

I must be the only one disgusted by the premise of a retail store in a national historic building

Nope, me too! I love Apple, but this is just plain wrong...

A building of such profile, significance, and location could house a branch of the Smithsonian, a museum/celebration of some national/historic event/cause/movement/personality (brainstorming at 2am, the Founding Fathers?, Andrew Carnegie?)

Carnegie, the impactful visionaire, left a unique and lasting legacy to culture, access to knowledge and equality of opportunity, not commercialism and profit.

Must everything be branded and have a $ "value"??? I sincerely hope Apple retract their proposal, and as sure as hell hope the historical preservation panel rejects it and any commercial interests!

 

[Waxhead138]

I think Andrew Carnegie would be smiling at this idea..... I hope it comes to fruition! The only Apple store actually in DC now is the Georgetown one, which has issues in terms of parking, etc. In the suburbs we have: (Maryland) Bethesda Row, Montgomery Mall, Annapolis, Towson, Columbia..... In Virginia, we have Tysons (The first Apple retail store on the East Coast!), Clarendon, Pentagon City, Fair Oaks, Reston, Potomac Town Center...... So, yes, it would be really great to have a big flagship Apple Store in the heart of Our Nation's Capitol!

I'd like to see this happen too.....I've not been to the others, but accessibility at Pent City and Tysons is simply nightmarish. Especially Tysons....hopefully this one would be easier to access for DC residents. If I lived in DC, the last thing I'd want to do is deal with 395 to get to the Pent City location.


Edit: Accessibility of the DC stores makes me come up with excuses to go to Baltimore to hit up the Towson location.
[doublepost=1474543700][/doublepost]

Nope, me too! I love Apple, but this is just plain wrong...

A building of such profile, significance, and location could house a branch of the Smithsonian, a museum/celebration of some national/historic event/cause/movement/personality (brainstorming at 2am, the Founding Fathers?, Andrew Carnegie?)

Carnegie, the impactful visionaire, left a unique and lasting legacy to culture, access to knowledge and equality of opportunity, not commercialism and profit.

Must everything be branded and have a $ "value"??? I sincerely hope Apple retract their proposal, and as sure as hell hope the historical preservation panel rejects it and any commercial interests!

A few things: Carnegie was all about profit. Granted, he donated a good bit of it in some philanthropic interests, but he was indeed one of the kings of capitalism in his day. That said, I somewhat understand what makes what say what you say. I think Apple would make a good tenant, I picture them being cooperative....and DC has certain safeguards in place to keep historic sites intact, at least their facades. Lastly, not sure how solvent the finances are for running / upkeeping that building...but DC could leverage Apple for some of the upkeep costs and possibly some renovation work in the process.

 

[caribou steaks]

I would love to see an apple shop there as I live only a few blocks away. But for everyone else it will be nightmare location as getting to this building is not easy and driving, well forget it. The closest parking are several office and hotel garages across busy streets at $22 a day a long block away. Street parking, only if you are very lucky, good luck. The library inside is not conducive to any shop with odd victorian layout. You would have to do a lot of modification and even then its just odd. The building is surrounded on all sides by very very busy roads that require you to cross at crossing at block corners quite a ways from the actual building. It looks all nice and simple in an areal photo but the reality is it isn't and requires a bit of figuring out from ground level. You can see it but have to make a big detour to get to it. I have gone to many events in this building and all visitors complain about how difficult it is to access and parking well...not going to happen unless its a block away for $22. I just can't see one lugging a computer there across busy streets from your car parked underground two blocks away, or even just casually dropping into this building. Looks great from the outside, but no there are many other brand new buildings near by that would have the space and be better suited.

 

[2457282]

YES!!!! D.C. needs an Apple Store on the eastern side. This is an AWESOME location for that.

To be clear this property is still on the western side. I believe between 9th and 7th. But with Georgetown being the only store in the city, this certainly puts it in a central location, right across from the convention center and walking distance to two metro stops, and across from the city center development that has a ton of overpriced stores and restaurants.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

I must be the only one disgusted by the premise of a retail store in a national historic building

Versus it being vacant and costing taxpayer's $ vs getting revenue out of it? It's a freaking building not sacred land. No one is talking about razing it or changing its nature. The building isn't going anywhere, it will just be put to use. What is so horrible about that?

It's not unique for historic buildings to be repurposed from their original use to save them from the wrecking ball or deterioration. Not every historic building can or should be turned into a musuem, and in DC, there already is a museum for just about everything.