• By Stephen Staudigl
• April 10, 2023

NCPC Provides Feedback on Fallen Journalists and Global War on Terrorism Memorials Site Selections

At its April 6, 2023 meeting the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) provided feedback on sites for two proposed memorials in Washington, DC. Input regarding each site’s challenges and opportunities will assist the National Park Service (NPS) and memorial sponsors as they further evaluate each to determine their preferred sites, which will be submitted for NCPC review at a later date.

NPS, in collaboration with the Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation, submitted four potential sites for comment regarding the Fallen Journalists Memorial. The proposed memorial will honor journalists who lost their lives and be a place to learn about the First Amendment and the role journalism plays in American society.
• Site A: the eastern portion of Freedom Plaza (on Pennsylvania Avenue)
• Site D: Pennsylvania Avenue and Constitution Avenue NW
• Site O: Maryland and Independence Avenues at 3rd Street SW
• Site T: Edward R. Murrow Park between 18th and 19th Streets NW

The Commission supported advancing Sites O and T for further consideration and recommended that the sponsor no longer consider Sites A and D. They requested that the applicant develop one or more design concepts for any sites advanced for further evaluation, including variations in scale, placement, and orientation. The next submission should provide details about the relationship of the memorial to its potential surroundings, including access and preservation of historic landscapes, and provide information about program needs.

In collaboration with the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation, the National Park Service (NPS) submitted three potential sites for the Global War on Terrorism Memorial. The proposed memorial would commemorate and honor the those who served in support of the ongoing Global War on Terrorism, and the people who supported them.
• Site A: Constitution Avenue and 23rd Street, NW
• Site B: Constitution Gardens
• Site J: Potomac River

The Commission supported advancing Sites A and J and recommended that the sponsor no longer consider site B. Commissioners recommended that the applicant develop a commemorative strategy that considers future needs because the war is ongoing and does not have a specific timeframe, unlike other memorials. They encouraged the applicant to consider a creative commemorative approach that does not require the literal/figurative representation of groups and individuals and avoids the need to list specific names. Commissioners requested that the applicant develop one or more alternative design concepts for any sites advanced for further evaluation, including variations in scale, placement, and orientation.

The Commission then took up discussion of the preliminary site and building plans for a new Bureau of Engraving and Printing Currency Production Facility in Beltsville, Maryland submitted by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, in coordination with the Department of the Treasury and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The project was continued from the April meeting. The 920,000 square foot one-story building would be built on 20-acres of a 100-acre site owned by the federal government that used to be part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. It would replace an existing facility in downtown Washington, DC.

While Commissioners approved the preliminary plans, they expressed strong concerns with several areas that the applicant should address in the next submission. These include the need for a strong Transportation Demand Management Plan that provides equitable transportation options for facility workers; resolution of wastewater treatment issues, especially regarding potential Beaver Dam impacts; a consideration of LEED Gold certification; and maximizing the use of trees and vegetation to mitigate the new development. The Commission also requested a detailed landscape plan that identifies the size, location, and species of proposed trees, understory plantings, and meadow areas.

NCPC provided comments to the United States Army Corps of Engineers on concept plans for new Unaccompanied Enlisted Personnel Barracks at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. The 272-acre base is located in Ft. Myer, Virginia. The applicant seeks to build two new u-shaped 100-unit barracks and an adjacent 65-space parking lot. The barracks would replace a decommissioned swimming pool and related facilities, and seven historic Non-commissioned Officers Quarters.

Commissioners found the proposed barracks’ design lacking in quality and recommended that the applicant refine the building’s overall design, scale, and mass to respect and enhance the overall Fort Myer Historic District. They noted that the applicant will hire an architect to consult on the barracks’ design and recommended that the architect play more than a consultatory role. They found that the submission did not include enough information regarding the need for the parking lot and requested that the next submission include the base’s total number of parking spaces, residents, and workers.

The Commission authorized release of the draft Monumental Core Streetscape Design Guidelines Small-Scale Elements for a 60-day public comment period that will run from Monday, April 17 to Tuesday, June 20. Elements include benches, waste receptables, bicycle racks, and utility boxes, among others. Online public meetings will be held on Tuesday, May 9 from 12:30-1:30 pm and Wednesday, May 17 from 6:00-7:30 pm. Additional information will be on NCPC’s website beginning on April 17.

The Small-Scale Elements are the third component of a comprehensive update of the 1992 Streetscape Manual that contains details and specifications which federal and District agencies use to achieve consistency in streetscapes on the National Mall and vicinity. The guidelines will be packaged with updated construction details and specifications into a new manual. NCPC and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts use the manual during project review to encourage consistent use of elements and materials in submitted projects.

Commission actions and related materials are available online.

The Commission approved three items on the Consent Calendar (no presentations were made).
1. Final site and building plans for the South Mall Campus Historic Core Revitalization - Phase 1, 1000 Jefferson Drive, SW. (8282)
2. Preliminary and final site development plans for the First Division Monument Modification, 17th Street and State Place, NW. (8329)
3. Preliminary and final site development plans for the Smithsonian Gardens Street Tree Fence Design Pilot, 1000 Constitution Avenue, NW. (8442)

The Executive Director approved four items under authority delegated by the Commission.
1. Preliminary and final site development plans for the Suitland Federal Center Self-Supporting Tower Antenna Project, 4400 Suitland Road, Suitland, Maryland. (8444)
2. Preliminary and final building plans for the GSA Central Office Building Antenna Facility Modification, 1800 F Street, NW. (8445)
3. Preliminary and final building plans for the Trowbridge House Alterations. (8446)
4. Report to the Zoning Commission of the District of Columbia for the Text Amendment to Subtitle I - Increase Building Height in Squares 567 and 569600 New Jersey Avenue, NW. (ZC 22-27)