DC Architorture: P.1

I love DC.  DC is among the most liveable and inspiring places to live in America. Simply Awesome.  Everyone knows that Washington DC has some inspiring and monumental architecture but, perhaps lesser known, are some of masterpieces in uglyness.  As we drive round DC showing great houses, we'll take pictures of some of the more hideous offenses comitted in the name of architecture and post them here.  If you have a nomination, send us a quick picture and email.  So here is our first nomination:

The FBI Building:

Brutalism at its most brutal....

Wow, is that ugly!  Even worse is that it is completely disconnected from the street level.  Now this type of "super-block" consturctions is, thankfully, no longer allowed in DC.  When the FBI building was constructed they eliminated D street NW and really broke up the flow of people and traffic.  By dropping this fortress in the middle of downtowhn DC, the FBI building contributed to the death of downtown DC in the 1970's and 80's.  With no steet level retail, it sucked the vitality from the surrounding blocks.   Some have argued
in defense of this monstrosity that  it was designed as a secure building and expresses the function of the space with the 2 hyper secure floors floating above the rest of the building, and has a secondary level of security with the interior courtyard far above the street level.  But the hideous base is completely disconnected from the street.  Originally there were supposed to be store fronts there, but security concerns killed that idea. 
Thankfully, it looks like the days of the FBI building in downtown DC are numbered. 

Let's hope what is built to replace it pays more respect to the location and the city.