September 18, 2006
Dear Coalition Friends:
On September 7, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) approved a site on the Maryland Avenue across from the Air and Space Museum (the intersection of Maryland and Independence Avenues, between 4th and 6th Streets, S.W.) for the proposed Eisenhower Memorial. The memorial sponsor expects the Commission of Fine Arts to approve it as well at its meeting this Thursday, September 21st, as announced in the Associated Press clip below.
What the article fails to mention is that the memorial site would combine three separate parcels, permanently close Maryland Avenue to traffic, and hand over jurisdiction of the whole to the National Park Service. The NCPC's staff and commissioners unfortunately agreed with the DC State Historic Preservation Officer that since Maryland Avenue, a historic L'Enfant street, "lacks integrity" redesigning and closing it would not adversely affect it.
While it is true that that portion of Maryland Avenue has been neglected by the federal government for years and is now partially closed for parking, the Coalition testified that the remedy for neglect is to restore it, not destroy its integrity as a functioning avenue. This would still leave room for a memorial, or the Eisenhower Commission could seek another location if it wants a larger site.
As architect Arthur Cotton Moore stated in his comments to the National Park Service, the Maryland Avenue corridor is already in the process of being restored and will eventually hold 6 million square feet of office and other space. Closing the Avenue could scuttle development and is, at the least, short-sighted. Where will all that traffic go? Arthur's plan for Maryland Avenue is shown in his article in Washingtonian magazine posted on our website: http://www.nationalmall.net .
The local ANC Commissioner condemned the closing of yet another street that serves DC residents and protested that the public and neighborhood had not even heard about the closing until days before NCPC's final vote.
The Commission of Fine Arts will decide at its meeting on Thursday, September 21st, 10 a.m. Go to: http://www.cfa.gov for more about that meeting.
The article incorrectly states that the approval was unanimous. The two commissioners representing DC abstained because of a question of whether the DC Council must first approve the closing of a street before the federal government can turn it into a memorial site.
THE WASHINGTON POST
Monday, September 18, 2006; Page B03
The site chosen for a memorial to President Dwight D. Eisenhower has cleared a hurdle, with final approval expected this week.
The National Capital Planning Commission unanimously approved this month the memorial location across the street from the Mall, near the National Air and Space Museum.
Another congressionally created body -- the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts -- is expected to endorse the site Thursday.
There is no design yet, but the Eisenhower Memorial Commission is committed to a landscaped, plaza-style memorial, given its urban setting, executive architect Dan Feil said.
Once the predesign process is completed early next year, there will be a design competition to choose an architect for the project.
A dedication ceremony is scheduled for early next year. Completion is expected within about five years.
-- Associated Press
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