One frequent source of waste and neighborhood unpleasantness in an urban environment is when a real estate developer obtains a vacant or dilapidated parcel that he intends to develop down the road later in combination with other parcels. Since it takes time for the larger project to get off the ground, the result is that the distressed parcel just stands vacant since there’s no point in investing in making it usable. This idea to build a short-term restaurant out of shipping containers, propsed for 919 U Street NW here in DC, is an interesting solution to that. The Historic Preservation Review Board describes the concept thusly:
The front elevation would consist of a combination of corrugated shipping containers flanking a recessed aluminum and glass storefront system with glass entry door, and open take-out window with an angled metal canopy. The design calls for the first floor to be topped by a shipping container with a centered internally illuminated sign. The remainder of the site would consist of an open summer garden enclosed by a 7-0’ wood fence and topped by a partially covered metal truss roof system.
This is apparently a bit of a nationwide development trend and it seems promising.
