October 31, 2007 - Late Edition
Dear Coalition Friends,
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is leading the effort to save historic St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington DC from overdevelopment as the new headquarters for the Department of Homeland Security.
The National Coalition to Save Our Mall has been working with the National Trust, the DC Preservation League, the Committee of 100 on the Federal City, and other groups through the public consultation process to ensure that whatever is built at St. Elizabeths preserves the historic views to and from the National Mall and brings the best possible benefit to the neighboring community.
However, the current proposal would close or severely restrict public access to "The Point" and its fabulous view of Washington. It would enclose the entire hilltop campus in walls and security fences.
The Trust has posted an on-line petition requesting the General Services Administration (GSA) to reconsider the proposed 6.4 million square foot facility at St. Elizabeths and support a preservation-based redevelopment concept here.
Tomorrow, Thursday, November 1st, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) will review the proposed plan for the hilltop campus, starting at 12:50 p.m. The NCPC agenda is available here.
See also our June 6, 2007 update about St. Elizabeths here.
Here's the notice on the Trust's website.
Help Save Historic St. Elizabeths Hospital, Washington, DC
St. Elizabeths Hospital - one of the country's most significant historic places, and one of only 2,500 surviving National Historic Landmarks, is threatened with large scale demolition of its historic campus. Regrettably, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), the federal government's "landlord," plans to construct a huge headquarters facility for the Department of Homeland Security within the grounds of St. Elizabeths.
As planned, the $3.5 billion headquarters would require 6.4 million square feet of office space and parking structures. Between one third and one half of the historic buildings and landscape features at St. Elizabeths would be razed for the over-sized project.
Preservationists agree that the Homeland Security headquarters would destroy the 175-acre historic site, which was listed as one of the National Trust's 11 Most Endangered Places in 2002. Local residents also are concerned that a high-security citadel with double perimeter fences would fail to bring needed economic and social benefits to neighboring communities.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation and a dedicated coalition of Washingtonians have worked for several years to persuade federal decision-makers to moderate their mega-development plans. We always have supported federal redevelopment of the long-neglected historic site, but in a reasonable manner that capitalizes on the fifty-five historic buildings, specimen trees, campus atmosphere, and tremendous vistas. (Click here for the National Trust's preservation-friendly redevelopment concept for historic St. Elizabeths Hospital.)
Nevertheless, GSA will present the multi-billion-dollar plan for preliminary approval by the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) on November 1st. GSA needs NCPC's approval to proceed with this plan. Please sign the petition requesting GSA to reconsider the proposed 6.4 million square foot facility at St. Elizabeths and support a preservation-based redevelopment concept.
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