Letter
Dear Superintendent Lechner:
In its meeting of 17 July, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed a concept design for the construction of a funeral procession queuing area and new surface parking lots for Arlington National Cemetery, near the existing Administration Building. The Commission approved the concept design with the following recommendations.
The Commission members acknowledged the need for an improved queuing area to support the efficient management of the numerous funeral processions taking place daily in the cemetery. In order to create a dignified environment for the assembly and initial route of these processions, the Commission recommended that additional landscaping be included to fully screen the new staff and service parking lots from the nearby burial grounds, drives, queuing areas, and major structures. They also questioned the location of the proposed north parking lot adjacent to the tour bus pick–up area, suggesting that its configuration be reconsidered to mitigate the impact of extensive new pavement in an existing lawn which is the foreground to the Administration Building.
The Commission looks forward to the review of a final design responding to these comments and encourages the project team to continue to consult with the Commission staff which, as always, is available to assist you.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Jack E. Lechner, Jr., Superintendent
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, VA 22211–5003
cc: Gregg Schwieterman, HNTB
Kent Carson, Army National Cemeteries Program
George H. Mears, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers