Commission Rep: Proposed Apple Storefront ‘Too Much Like a Billboard’

January 12th, 2009 at 9:50 AM - News by Brad Cook

Apple, which is no stranger to conflicts with city planning commissions, has been told that the design for its proposed store in Washington, D.C.'s Georgetown district is "way too much like a billboard," according to The Honolulu Advertiser. That comment came from Thomas Luebke, secretary of the commission that reviews designs for the district.

The company's architect firm, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, designed a store with an all-glass front. The Apple logo would be cut through a slab of masonry sitting atop the windows. Unfortunately, Mr. Luebke said, "it wasn't appropriate" for the local commercial center, where the buildings are all at least a century old or look as if they were built that far back. This was the second design rejected by the commission.

Apple currently maintains over 240 stores around the world but does not yet have one in D.C. The proposed store would sit near Ralph Lauren, Nine West, and other shops that cater to the area's well-to-do population.

Mr. Luebke noted: "Everyone likes the idea of having Apple in the neighborhood, and Bohlin is a good design firm. We're waiting for the magic combination to come in."