[September 20, 2002:]
Dear National Coalition to Save Our Mall Friends:
There is good and surprising news from the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) meeting yesterday! We've worked hard for this. Thanks to everyone who helped.
1. The Commission tabled the National Park Service's (NPS) latest "Revised Preliminary Design" for the Washington Monument, after almost 2 hours of presentation by NPS's architects. CFA commissioners -- especially new member David Childs**, Chairman Harry Robinson, and Vice Chair Barbara Diamondstein-Spielvogel -- asked a lot of questions and sharply criticized many aspects of the walled walkways, the addition to the Lodge for an underground visitor center, and the tunnel. Childs called the glass-enclosed underground center "an almost impossible problem." Interestingly, Chairman Robinson and Childs, both architects, had significantly different views about how to fix the problem.
CFA commissioners kept mentioning "alternatives" to the NPS's current design. The NPS said they'll look into them. In letters and testimony, the National Coalition to Save Our Mall (NCSOM), the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the National Parks Conservation Association, all urged CFA not to take action, as the NPS has not yet completed the Section 106 public consultation process or released to the agencies and the public crucial environmental and historic preservation documents. Visit: www.savethemall.org/washmon/cfi_091602.html
NCSOM's Judy Feldman testified that the CFA's discussion of alternatives was a good and welcome one, and that over the past 9 months of "consultation" with the NPS, the public has been ignored when we speak of alternatives; we hope now the NPS will seriously look at alternatives. Architect Don Hawkins of the Committee of 100 pointed out the illogic of the NPS's rejection of the C100's alternative to the tunnel. The C100 alternative - much discussed by everyone EXCEPT the NPS is to reopen the old western door in the Monument; make the east door the entrance (as it now is), with security equipment at the door; and the west door becomes the exit. Betsy Merrit, Deputy General Counsel for the National Trust, testified that the Monument is a preeminent American icon and must be carefully designed; that plans to add a large glass building attached to the Lodge are inconsistent with historic preservation principles.
2. Now that the CFA has tabled the "Revised Preliminary Design" and told NPS to look again at alternatives, this may be a turning point in the review process. The NPS will need to seriously consider alternatives to the existing design and we hope that means meaningful discussion in future Section 106 consultation meetings.
Also today, we notified the NPS that we wish to sign the Programmatic Agreement for the Washington Monument Section 106 consultation process. We asked for all the plans and materials they denied us from their July 30th and September 18th "public consultation" meetings. This will make us official "Concurring Parties", not simply "Consulting Parties" to the consultation process.
**Note: The new CFA Board Member, Architect David M. Childs, is Consulting Design Partner at Skidmore, Owings, Merrill Architects in New York, and a J. Carter Brown (former Chairman of the CFA) protégée. He is former Chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission (1975-1981); designer of Constitution Gardens (original site selected for the WWII Memorial until he wrote Chairman Brown in 1995 asking that it be moved - which it was); Chairman of the Design Competition Jury that selected in 1996 Friedrich St. Florian's original winning design for the WWII Memorial (rejected by CFA and NCPC in 1997, after which St. Florian developed new designs in 1998, 1999, and 2000); and star of the American Battle Monument's 2000 video promoting the WWII Memorial site and design.
3. Also at the CFA, Congresswoman Anne Northup (R-KY) spoke to her legislation about marking the spot where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have A Dream" speech, after which commissioners unanimously approved a motion to place the plaque to MLK on the exact spot where King stood, and not down at the bottom of the steps as NPS wanted. National Coalition's Charles Cassell was prepared to support Northup but public testimony was not taken.
We have succeeded in bringing public scrutiny to a process that all too often is secretive. George Washington should be pleased that the success came in his honor.
Thanks is due to the organizations and the federal agencies - including the NCPC and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation - that helped make this happen. To learn more about the organizations working together on the Washington Monument project, visit their respective websites at:
Best wishes for a restful weekend,
Judy Scott Feldman, Ph.D.
Chairman
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