Macy's (former Hecht's), Metro Center, 12th and G Streets NW, Washington, DC. Exterior view, June 21, 2008.
Macy's (former Hecht's), Metro Center, 12th and G Streets NW, Washington, DC. View of entrance, June 21, 2008.
Hecht's (former Macy's), Metro Center, 12th and G Streets NW, Washington, DC. View of main floor from escalator well, December 2005. (unknown image source)
Hecht's vacated its circa 1924 downtown Washington store in 1986 in favor of a new location at the corner of 12th and G Streets NW. The store was extensively renovated in 2003.Now a Macy's location as of September 2006, the building has a direct entrance to the Metro Center station of the Washington Metro.
Wow! Nice photos! Love the Hecht's name carved onto the side of the building.
ReplyDeleteThe engraved panel is probably the best part of the building. The rest of the store is a great design for the'80s, but not exactly awe inspiring.
ReplyDeleteSteven, does your comment go for the inside as well? Does it even feel like a downtown department store?
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing no after going into the former Jordan Marsh, now Macy's, in downtown Boston. If you had been led in blindfolded, you'd never know you weren't in a typical mall store, save for the lower (basement) level -- I got a little whiff of the old style in there, but that was about it.
I've driven past the DC Hecht's store, but never have stopped inside...it definitely is on my list for my next trip.
Thanks, as always.
Yep, that goes for the inside as well. I'm going to post a picture I picked up from a website of the interior to give an example.
ReplyDeleteThe Filene's in downtown Boston had that old downtown unique feel. I wish Macy's had kept that store instead of the old Jordan Marsh.
ReplyDeleteIt would have been cool to have had a downtown department store in a historic setting in Boston, but it wasn't going to work out.
ReplyDeleteMacy's has a lot invested in their downtown Boston location, so it's easier to stay put than to uproot for the sake of nostalgia, especially since the Filene's building, with its historic patina, makes for a better backdrop for a mixed use project...not to mention all the historic and tax credits those developers are getting...