• By Stephen Staudigl
• December 06, 2019

NCPC Provides Comments on Federal Reserve Board Building Project

At its December 5 meeting the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) provided feedback to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System on their plans to renovate and expand the Marriner S. Eccles Building (the Board’s headquarters, constructed between 1935-1937) and renovate and construct an addition to the Federal Reserve Board-East Building (constructed between 1931-1933 for the U.S. Public Health Service) located on Constitution Avenue, NW. The Federal Reserve currently has a workforce of approximately 3,400 employees and will consolidate them into a campus that includes the Eccles Building, FRB-East Building, 1709 New York Avenue Building, and the William McChesney Martin, Jr. Building located north of the Eccles Building across C Street and currently undergoing renovations.

The Board had previously evaluated a range of design options with federal agencies and Section 106 consulting parties to discuss how to balance their need for additional office space with historic preservation considerations. As a result, it developed three design options, with Option B the Board’s preferred option because it best reduces potential adverse effects to the Eccles Building and accommodates needed expansion space at the FRB-East Building.

All three options propose security upgrades to both buildings and the restoration of their exteriors. New underground service and pedestrian tunnels would connect the Eccles, FRB-East, and Martin Buildings. All options propose constructing a five-story addition on the Eccles Building’s east and west sides and a rooftop addition to the building’s north wing. Differences concern the Eccles Building’s courtyards. Options A and C cover the east courtyard and convert it into an atrium. Option B covers the east and west courtyards, converting both into atriums. Options for the FRB-East Building include: (A) adding a six-story addition on the north side, retaining the building’s center wing, and covering the courtyard; (B) adding a five story addition, removing the center wing, and covering the courtyard; (C) adding a seven story addition, retaining the center wing, and covering both courtyards

The Commission recommended that the Federal Reserve study ways to remove the proposed penthouse additions on the Eccles Building’s south side, supported constructing a five story addition to FRB-East (but not the taller ones proposed in options A and C), and requested that the Board consider ways to minimize parking at the site to ensure that compliance with the Comprehensive Plan’s 1 (parking spot) per 5 (employee) ratio for federal facilities in downtown Washington. They asked to see several items in the next stage of review including more detailed renderings of the proposed building additions, landscaping options, information about perimeter security, and information about how the public will be able to access the site.

The Commission then approved an amendment to the Pennsylvania Avenue Plan (1974) that allows changes in use and an increase in square footage to allow the Newseum building, located at 555 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, to be converted into a state-of-the-art educational facility for Johns Hopkins University. The plan amendment was necessary to accommodate the proposed educational use. Plans call for a complete renovation of the building, the addition of 55,000 gross square feet of interior space; a new building façade using stone, copper, and glass; and ground floor public space (for a restaurant or retail). The existing apartments and restaurant on the site won’t be affected by the conversion.

The Commission commended Johns Hopkins for an innovative approach and found the redesigned façade to be a novel way to add square footage and make the building more visually interesting. For the next submission they requested details about perimeter security elements and public access, including public use of the ground floor space. They encouraged Johns Hopkins to find ways to make the ground floor design more visually interesting, to coordinate with the National Park Service and Military District of Washington regarding ways to minimize potential impacts to the 2021 Inaugural Parade, and consider innovative ways to wrap the building during construction.

NCPC then provided feedback to the National Park Service and the National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Foundation on a site selection study that examined potential sites for the proposed memorial. Twenty-five potential sites were initially studied and three were chosen for further analysis. These include Site L (intersection of Massachusetts and New Jersey Avenues at G Street Northwest); Site U (a portion of the plaza in front of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services building at 3rd Street and Independence Avenue, SW); and Site W (Hancock Park located between 7th and 9th Streets; SW).

The Commission found that all three sites could be advanced for further consideration as potential sites for the memorial but requested additional information for the next review phase including more details about the memorial’s size and scale and what type of elements might be included in the memorial. The Commission noted that all three sites have potential challenges. Site L is essentially a traffic island that would require improvements to make it safe for people to visit and is in a part of Massachusetts Avenue with an emerging theme of international memorials (the Victims of Communism Memorial and Memorial to Victims of Ukrainian Manmade Famine-Genocide of 1932-33 are nearby). Site U, while thematically the best fit since the Department of Health and Human Services provides technical assistance and program services to emergency medical service professionals, sits within a 100-year floodplain.

Before adjourning the Commission provided comments to the U.S Army Corps of Engineers on a concept plan to expand Arlington National Cemetery’s boundary to include 70 additional acres south of the existing cemetery. Expansion would increase the cemetery’s capacity for an additional 40,000-60,000 spaces, incorporate the U.S. Air Force Memorial into the cemetery grounds; reroute or close portions of Columbia Pike, South Joyce Street, and Southgate Road; relocate an existing operations center south of Columbia Pike; add a new parking deck next to the center; and create a new public entrance on Columbia Pike.

The Commission supported the expansion which will have several positive effects including adding contiguous interment space, consolidating cemetery operations and back-of-house functions away from grave sites, improving the U.S. Air Force Memorial’s setting, and creating a new visitor entrance for both the cemetery and the memorial. Commissioners noted their concern regarding people crossing the busy Columbia Pike and requested that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers work with Arlington County to develop a safe pedestrian crossing and possible ways to slow down traffic; noted that the new visitor entrance does not include an entry plaza and recommended that a design element or signage be added to help visitors; recommended that the vehicular gate next to the pedestrian entrance be made less prominent; and requested site sections to better understand visibility and access on the site.

Video, Commission actions, and related materials are available online within five days of the meeting.

This month’s agenda included six consent calendar items (no presentations were given):
1. Approval of the 2019 Marine Corps Base Quantico Master Plan Update, 3250 Caitlin Avenue, Quantico, Virginia. (MP67)
2. Preliminary site development plans for modification of a general development plan for a riding ring canopy at the Meadowbrook Stables, Rock Creek Stream Valley Unit 1 North, Chevy Chase, Maryland. (MP100)
3. Preliminary and final site development plans for installation of wireless cell antennas at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. (8102)
4. Preliminary site and building plans for an aircraft hazardous cargo pad and relocation of an explosive ordnance disposal range at Joint Base Andrews, Camp Springs, Maryland. (8112)
5. Preliminary site and building plans for a truck inspection area at the Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Avenue, SW. (8133)
6. Approval of modification and termination of the urban renewal plans for the Shaw School and Downtown Urban Renewal Areas. (UR07/UR08)

The Executive Director approved four items under authority delegated by the Commission.
1. Preliminary and final site development plans for proposed circulation and security enhancements at the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland. (8132)
2. Preliminary and final site development plans for exterior signage at the Carnegie Library, 801 Mount Vernon Avenue, NW. (7532)
3. Final site and building plans for a multi-purpose field at the Friendship Public Charter Schools Collegiate Academy, 4095 Minnesota Avenue, NE. (7882)
4. Approval of a report to the Zoning Commission of the District of Columbia for a text amendment regarding short-term rentals at One Judiciary Square, 441 4th Street, NW. (ZC 19-15)