Letter
Dear Mr. Thomas:
In its meeting of 16 October, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed a revised concept design for the Legacy Memorial Park commemorating the victims of the 2009 Metrorail Red Line accident, to be located at the corner of New Hampshire and North Dakota Avenues, NE, near the accident site. The Commission approved the revised concept and provided the following comments.
The Commission members agreed the project had improved, commending the design team for its comprehensive presentation and the spatial development of a dignified and inviting memorial. In their support of the project, they made several recommendations for study as the final proposal is developed. They suggested consideration of a simpler paving field instead of the potentially distracting patterning illustrated in the presentation. To increase a visitor's sense of safety, they strongly recommended adding a secondary egress at the northeastern corner of the site, and they again suggested lowering the height of the commemorative wall. Observing that the illustrated cobra lights impart a character associated with highways, they advised selecting instead a streetlight fixture appropriate for the scale and character of this small commemorative park.
The Commission delegated the final review to the staff on condition that its recommendations are successfully resolved. As always, staff is available to assist in development of the final submission.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Lionell Thomas, Executive Director
D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities
200 I Street, SE, Suite 1400
Washington, DC 20003
cc: Julian Hunt, Hunt Laudi Studio
Barbara Liotta, sculptor