27 April 2007

Dear Mr. Moneme:

In its meeting of 19 April, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed and approved the final design of the Anacostia Streetcar Demonstration Project with several suggestions.

The Commission members expressed their support for the demonstration project and for the overall effort to create a thoughtfully designed supplement to the city’s transit system. They observed that the design of the shelters provides an opportunity for artwork that could add a unique character to each streetcar stop. The members also suggested further study of the graphic design of the project components, particularly for the streetcars and station pylons, to provide a simpler and more dignified civic presence for the system.

With these modifications, the Commission gave the project conditional approval and delegated the final approval of the modifications to the staff. The Commission also emphasized that the inclusion of overhead wires for this demonstration segment should not be considered a model for future segments within Georgetown or the historic center of the city in accordance with federal law.

As always, the staff is available to assist you and the design team with the final submission.

Sincerely,

/s/Thomas E. Luebke, AIA
Secretary

Mr. Emeka Moneme
Director, District of Columbia Department of Transportation
2000 14th Street, N.W., 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20009

cc: Freddy Fuller, DDOT, Mass Transit Administration
Jane Nsunwara, DDOT, Infrastructure Project Management Administration
Otto Condon, Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects