Letter
Dear Mr. McGill:
In the meeting of 16 March, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed the concept design for the first phase of the building modernization project for the Herbert C. Hoover Building, Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.
The Commission members acknowledged the complexity of this multi-phased project and approved the concept design for several of the proposed components: the reconfiguration of the existing rooftop cooling tower between Courtyards Two and Three; the rehabilitation of the infill structure in Courtyard Six; and relocating the National Aquarium and its entrance to the south end of the building facing Constitution Avenue.
The Commission did not approve the concept design for the building's perimeter landscaping and security. The members requested that this component be coordinated and resubmitted in conjunction with the forthcoming overall perimeter security master plan for the Federal Triangle by the General Services Administration. The members also offered several suggestions for further design development: refacing the concrete walls of the building's areaways with granite to match the building's existing granite base elements; coordinating the signage for the building complex as a whole, including the National Aquarium and White House Visitor Center; and reconfiguring the proposed accessible entrance ramps to minimize alteration of existing historic building fabric.
The Commission looks forward to continuing the review of this large and important project as additional phases are developed and details prepared. As always, the staff is available to assist you and the design team to help coordinate subsequent submissions.
Sincerely,
Thomas Luebke, AIA
Secretary
Michael McGill
Special Assistant for Regional Coordination
U.S. General Services Administration
Public Buildings Service, NCR, Portfolio Management Division
7th and D Streets, SW, Room 7600
Washington, DC 20407
cc: Margaret McGeough, GSA
Rodney Moulden, GSA
Louis Goetz, GGA.EEK