A little bit of news from our backyard here in the People’s Republic of Washington…

We’ve been following the case of this city’s Third Church of Christ, Scientist, and its bid to raze its circa-1970s concrete bunker of a church and replace with something a little less, um, bunker-like. It’s been called DC’s ugliest church, and you know what? They’re right. It’s pretty ugly.

At any rate, the church wants to tear the building down, the city supports the move, and developers are chomping at the bit for a prized piece of real estate just 2 blocks north of the White House. Preservationists, however, say it’s a prime example of modern architectural “brutalism” and have blocked moves to tear it down.

Washingtonian has a lengthy piece about the preservation issues raised by the church, and if you’re interested in the goings-on of your nation’s capital, it might be worth a read.