Letter
Dear Mr. McGill:
In its meeting of 15 November, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed the proposal for a temporary perimeter safety fence at the Federal Bureau of Investigation's J. Edgar Hoover Building at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, consisting of an aluminum fence and gates along the Pennsylvania Avenue sidewalk with an anodized bronze finish matching the existing finish found elsewhere on the building.
The Commission members acknowledged that a barrier (such as fencing or netting) may be required to protect pedestrians from falling debris of the deteriorating building materials on the façade until these are stabilized and repaired. Nonetheless, they expressed regret at the intrusion of this unwelcome fence on the streetscape, particularly in this highly visible location along Pennsylvania Avenue. Reluctantly, the Commission approved the fence for temporary use only, provided that it will be removed as soon as possible after repairs are complete.
As always, the staff is available to assist you with future submissions.
Sincerely,
/s/
Thomas E. Luebke, AIA
Secretary
Michael McGill
Special Assistant for Regional Coordination
U.S. General Services Administration
301 7th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20407-0001
cc: Denis McMullan, McMullan & Associates, Inc.