Letter
Dear Dr. Olsen:
In its meeting of 18 April, the Commission of Fine Arts approved the concept design for the replacement of approximately 2.4 miles of existing six-foot-tall metal picket perimeter fencing around the U.S. National Arboretum. The phased replacement would provide an eight-foot-tall metal picket fence along the northern, western, and southwestern edges of the grounds; the existing portions of chain-link fence enclosing the wooded areas along the site’s eastern and southeastern edges toward the Anacostia River would remain.
The Commission appreciates that the existing 1960s decorative stone piers at several of the gateways to be abandoned will remain in place, and their existing decorative aluminum swing gates will be salvaged for possible reuse elsewhere in the Arboretum. In their review, the Commission members also encouraged the Arboretum to stabilize and restore the historic Bulfinch Capitol Gateposts at the New York Avenue entrance as soon as possible.
Please coordinate the review of the final design with the staff which, as always, is available to assist you.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Dr. Richard T. Olsen, Director
U.S. National Arboretum
3501 New York Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002
cc: Gregory Ninow, STV Architects