Harbors, New Museum Sites, Forum Proposed for Expanded Mall

Washington, DC, December 6, 2005 — Local architects and designers will propose ideas for an expansion of the National Mall at "Designing for Democracy: A Third Century Mall," a presentation at the Corcoran Gallery of Art on December 7. The expansion could include more than 300 acres of underutilized public parkland in East Potomac Park and Hains Point, as well as L'Enfant Plaza and South Capitol Street.

"There are a few times in a city's history when a window opens and the fresh breeze of the future blows in. Like 1901, this is one of those moments," said Arthur Cotton Moore, one of six architects presenting sketches and plans at the event.

The McMillan Plan of 1901-1902 restored the original 1791 L'Enfant Plan for the Mall and doubled its size with the addition of the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials and the parkland of Potomac Park.

Moore proposes developing the 1901 McMillan Plan concept of the Mall by extending the White House axis southward beyond the Jefferson Memorial. This would involve bridging over the knot of highways that isolate the Jefferson while also creating a large covered parking area for cars and buses.

Other ideas include new boat landings, museum sites, and recreation fields on East Potomac Park; a cross-island canal to the Potomac River; and a pedestrian bridge connecting the island to the Southwest waterfront and to L'Enfant Plaza and Banneker Overlook.

Presenters at the program include Don Hawkins, Rick Schneider, Christian Zapatka, Richard Longstreth, and W. Kent Cooper, coordinator of the Third Century Initiative. The evening will begin with a brief Mall history presented by Dr. Judy Scott Feldman.

The program is presented by the National Mall Third Century Initiative, a program of the nonprofit National Coalition to Save Our Mall.

To learn more about the Mall expansion idea, visit: http://www.nationalmall.net

The event begins at 7 p.m. at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, 500 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006.

For information about tickets click here.

Student discounts are available. Phone: 202-639-1700 Press contact, Liz Bradley: 202-639-1867

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