What do you think of all the “H” Planter boxes on H Street, NE?
16 October 2009 1:03 AM | By Prince Of Petworth in Neighborhoods - H St. NE 
IMG_2367, originally uploaded by Prince of Petworth.
I had heard about these “H” planter boxes before but before but only just saw them last weekend. There are spaced very close together around 10th Street, NE on Eastward towards Bladensburg Road. I think individually they look alright but packed together one after the other in different colors they seem kinda silly. Do you think these are a nice addition to H Street, NE?
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16 October 2009 1:15 AM | Nichole Said:
They’re ugly, but they’re kind of supposed to be. DC Greenworks put them in as a temporary art installation in an effort to convince the city to speed along the process of putting real trees in the treeboxes along H St. as part of the Great Streets Initiative. H St. Main Street is responsible for their cleaning and upkeep for the time that they’re there. The hope is that when the city finally puts in trees, the Hs will be auctioned off.
16 October 2009 1:20 AM | Prince Of Petworth Said:
Ah. Real trees will be much nicer!
16 October 2009 7:04 AM | andy Said:
they should put a big “14th” under the solar trees in the new Columbia Heights plaza. That would class the joint up.
16 October 2009 8:18 AM | lovelulu Said:
I like them. They are best viewed at a distance. Their bright color is an asset to the H street dull color. If they were cuter close up, or had better plants, they would get stolen. I have a friend with a business on H, that has had a tree, hanging plants, and ballons stolen from the front of his shop.
16 October 2009 8:36 AM | NewShawNeighbor Said:
I catch the fetid whiff of Design by Committee. At best a hackneyed solution to “Creating Place” discussions without the aid of true urban planners or landscape architects…or ones just so beat down by the system that they do what they’re told and punch the clock. Perhaps they’re just a temporary solution during reconstruction construction. At least I’m hoping.
16 October 2009 8:36 AM | NewShawNeighbor Said:
I catch the fetid whiff of Design by Committee. At best a hackneyed solution to “Creating Place” discussions without the aid of true urban planners or landscape architects…or ones just so beat down by the system that they do what they’re told and punch the clock. Perhaps they’re just a temporary solution during reconstruction construction. At least I’m hoping.
16 October 2009 9:12 AM | SoutheastStar Said:
Love them. They give this cool pop art feel to the street – a splash of color even on a dreary, sopping day like this one. They were constructed and painted by high school kids from the Mayor’s Summer Jobs program too – a gift from DC’s youth to their neighborhood. I’ve walked past them a few times and heard people showing interest and being supportive. They are just really creative way to show some unity and cohesion on a street that is really starting to shine after a long hibernation.
16 October 2009 9:13 AM | HstNEdenizen Said:
They’re awfully ugly. And, seemingly put there without regard for allowing space for car doors to open. Also, they mulched around the Hs in a few places, but there’s no barrier to keep the mulch inside the box space, so it just runs all over the sidewalk. Couldn’t they have just built some nice traditional wooden treeboxes?
16 October 2009 9:43 AM | U Said:
Fugly. But with what Nichole said, makes sense.
16 October 2009 10:00 AM | Jay'O Said:
STRANGE… But yeah, real trees would be a lot nicer! If real trees are to go in – isn’t right now the best time to plant trees? The Fall???
16 October 2009 10:07 AM | shaw rez Said:
I saw these a few weeks ago while heading to Taylor Gourmet. I hate them. Perhaps one or two well made giant H’s at the entrances to the corridor would have looked cool, but these look junky.
16 October 2009 10:18 AM | Redhead Said:
Call me crazy. I think they’d look better with actual live plants in them.
16 October 2009 10:22 AM | Steve Said:
A slight upgrade from the used tire planters in Petworth!
16 October 2009 10:37 AM | Mr. T in DC Said:
They’re ugly – look like some anti-terrorit barriers on steroids. We have enough concrete planters and jersey barriers in this town, let’s get some real trees and plantings in those tree boxes.
16 October 2009 10:56 AM | Charming Fred Said:
They should put little Christmas trees in them.
16 October 2009 10:58 AM | Sully Said:
Why blue. Why not the dc flag? I think the entrance into Ledroit park has the right approach.
16 October 2009 11:01 AM | St. Uart Said:
I love them. For starters, the colors are great–they really stand out. I think the design is very clever, too, and I like that they were painted by high school students. i think they should still leave some of them on H St once they get trees.
16 October 2009 11:59 AM | Herb Said:
If they are temporary as Nichole said maybe I can get an “H” or two when they are ready to be replaced (my middle name also starts with an H…information I am sure you have been dying to know).
16 October 2009 12:03 PM | wd Said:
Very ugly. And they’re made of wood? They’re just going to fall apart and get even uglier. Was there a problem with planting trees?
Auctioned off? haha..
16 October 2009 2:57 PM | Anonymous Said:
Hideous!
16 October 2009 3:48 PM | Hillion Said:
I think they are genius! Local youth, making art that is supported by the ANC commissioners, and adopted by local businesses, which brings attention to an area under heavy development? Hello! What a combination!
As for the other comments:
While fall is tree planting season, a 15 block run of saplings would be *destroyed* by all of the streetscape work that DDOT is doing up and down H Street!
You want trees? Read the H Street development plan and be patient. DDOT *is* planning a whole slew of tree plantings once all of the H Street redevelopment work is complete.
Oh yeah, and pressure treated wood will hold up just fine in the weather.
The bottom line is that everyone is entitled to their opinion on art – which is what this is. And even if you hate them, you have to admit that they are effective.
16 October 2009 4:41 PM | trinidamn Said:
i first saw them at night after a white one and a pink one crossed my path. i really thought they ugly and awkward. then i read the story behind them and decided to give it an open mind. since they were supposed to be “art” and “temporary” i guess they were okay. why the different colors though? all green or all red would have made sense and looked good.
now that they have been there a while, most of the plant-grass has died so there are just H’s with dirt in them. I hope someone puts some evergreen in there.
16 October 2009 5:05 PM | K St. Said:
I actually kind of like them, ascetically. My problem is that H St. has narrow sidewalks, increasing foot traffic and a tremendous amount of loitering. These just make the sidewalks tighter and make it harder to walk around the loiterers.
16 October 2009 5:24 PM | stued Said:
there so ugly PoP couldn’t even make a good picture out of one.
16 October 2009 11:58 PM | m.e. Said:
agree with Mr. T in DC!!
17 October 2009 2:13 PM | Anonymous Said:
they would look a lot better if the plants weren’t dead. it looks just so half-assed.