Letter
Dear Ms. Hall:
In its public meeting of 16 February conducted by videoconference, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed a concept design for the repair and reconstruction of the bulkhead walls along the southern part of the Tidal Basin, and for the Potomac River seawall along West Potomac Park from Memorial Bridge to the Inlet Bridge. The Commission approved the concept design with the following comments.
The Commission members thanked the project team for its clear and thorough presentation of this challenging and complex undertaking, which is intended to address problems of erosion, settlement, and overtopping of the bulkhead and seawall. They expressed support for the proposed design and conceptual details for the rehabilitation of the walls, their foundations, and the adjacent paths, as well as the improved accessibility that would result from the project. They suggested studying further improvements to accessibility within this historic context, such as at the transitions between the landscape and the architectural enframement of the Jefferson Memorial. Regarding the proposed changes to the historic landscape design, they deferred further discussion to allow for commentary from the Commission’s landscape architect member; they also expressed support for careful study of this project’s impact on adjacent cultural landscapes.
The Commission requested further review of this project as a revised concept design to address these comments. Please coordinate the next submission with the staff which, as always, is available to assist you with the development of the design.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Kym A. Hall, Area Director
Region 1 – National Capital Area
National Park Service
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Washington, DC 20242
cc: Margaret Boshek, Moffatt & Nichol