____________________________________________________________________________________________ Modular buildings
• Residents of the Congress Heights community , who provided advice , counsel , support and creativity to the effort .
• Congress Heights Training and Development Corporation , which led community engagement efforts and now manages the property .
• The Office of the Mayor , which was steadfast in its commitment to enhancing opportunities for the Congress Heights community .
• Redbrick LMD , the real estate company Emerson has partnered with for the project .
• The entrepreneurs who are part of the thirteen businesses now at Sycamore & Oak , all from the surrounding community .
Sustainable from the start
Environmental sustainability was an equally important goal as community and economic sustainability . Sycamore & Oak was designed with sustainability at the forefront of every design decision , and was built using FSCcertified , sustainably harvested mass timber . The project demonstrates the versatility and beauty of this carbon-sequestering building material that avoids the pitfalls of so many developments that impose an environmental cost on the communities they are meant to serve .
Sustainability was suffused throughout every aspect of the reimagination of the construction of Sycamore & Oak as a traditional village for the 21st century . This focus was then taken a step further after construction concluded , by using locally sourced wood from recovered street trees to create the furniture for the facility .
Modular approach
The life cycle for Sycamore & Oak was considered during every aspect of the construction . The entire structure was designed to be taken down and reused ; it is the largest free-standing structure of its sort in the district and demonstrates the flexibility , economy , and sustainability of this ancient building material in its new , hightech form . It is an all-electric building that highlights the efficiency and effectiveness of solar energy , battery storage , heat pumps and induction cooking .
The innovative modular structure allows for the entire building to be deconstructed , moved and rebuilt , which enables other places to leverage the success and sustainability of the Retail Village . Because of this innovative work , the Sycamore & Oak project has already won an award from the D . C . Department of Energy and Environment for demonstrating Equity and Inclusion in Sustainable Construction , and a leadership award from the Forest Sustainability Council for its use of regenerative materials and community engagement .
The development is the first installment of the larger proposed Sycamore & Oak project - a unique 650,000-square-foot , mixed-use real estate development that will include a hotel , affordable housing , retail , restaurants , and convening spaces .
We hope Sycamore & Oak will ultimately serve as a case study for all construction projects on how to ensure inclusive development , participatory economics , neighborhood engagement , and encourage community and planetary healing and transformation . ■
www . emersoncollective . com
Emerson Collective is an organization designed to develop opportunities and solutions in education , environment , immigration , gun violence and health equity through philanthropy , creativity and investments . Emerson works in pursuit of a world where every individual has access to opportunity , health , and well-being , and brings together entrepreneurs and academics , artists , community leaders and more to build solutions that spur measurable , lasting change . Established and led by Laurene Powell Jobs in 2011 , Emerson Collective is working to create new possibilities for individuals , families , and communities .
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