• By Stephen Staudigl
• October 05, 2017

NCPC Approves Eisenhower Memorial

Washington, DC—At its October 5, 2017 meeting the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) approved revised preliminary and final site and building plans for the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial submitted by the National Park Service, on behalf of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission. In its approval, the Commission confirmed that the submission continues to satisfy the site selection design principles the Commission adopted in 2006 and that the revised tapestry image preserves views to the Lyndon B. Johnson Building (headquarters of the U.S. Department of Education). They further concluded that the revised image does not alter the tapestry material, panel welds, or fabrication methods. This completes NCPC’s review of the memorial that will honor Eisenhower’s role as America’s 34th President and as a military general.

The final submission contained four primary changes to the revised concept design reviewed by NCPC in February 2017. The revised tapestry art now shows an abstract drawing of the Normandy cliffs with a focus on Point du Hoc. The refined design of the young Eisenhower statue was relocated from the promenade in front of the Johnson Building to the memorial’s northwest entry plaza. An adjacent inscription wall will contain President Eisenhower’s Abilene Homecoming Speech. Four trees previously proposed for removal are retained. The memorial will be located on a four-acre site between the Johnson Building and the National Air & Space Museum in Washington, DC.

The Commission also approved preliminary and final site and building plans submitted by Events DC for rehabilitation of the historic Carnegie Library and its transformation into an Apple Store. NCPC noted that Events DC addressed the Commission’s previous comments and commended the organization for developing a project that successfully balances historic preservation, planning, and design considerations.

Located at 801 K Street, NW, the Beaux-Arts building will also remain home to the Historical Society of Washington, DC. Plans include restoration of the building’s exterior, including repair or replacement of windows and skylights, as well as reconfiguration of the north entrance, stairs, and landing. The rehabilitated interior will see the removal of non-original construction and the restoration of original features. A new central atrium will provide gathering and event space. Landscaping will be enhanced once the construction is complete. Financed by Andrew Carnegie, the building opened in 1903 and served as Washington, DC’s Central Library until the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library opened.

NCPC then provided comments on a concept design submitted by the Smithsonian Institution for a new Central Parking Facility at the National Zoological Park in Northwest Washington. The Smithsonian seeks an increase in the number of parking spaces for a structured parking facility previously approved as part of the zoo’s 2008 master plan. As originally proposed, the structure would consolidate surface parking at the zoo and increase the number of parking spaces. The proposal calls for a structure that would have 1,285 spaces, an increase of 166 spaces from the approved 2008 master plan. There will be no increase in staff or volunteer parking. The Smithsonian also requested comments on initial garage massing to inform the concept they will bring to the Commission next year.

The Commission found that the comprehensive traffic analysis provided by the Smithsonian addresses the Commission’s 2008 concerns and that transportation impact, visitor statistic, and transportation mode split data suggest that an increase in parking would help meet demand. NCPC also found that the requested 166-space increase for the garage is a reasonable request to meet increased parking needs, and thus supported the 1,285 parking spaces. The Commission requested that the Smithsonian update the zoo’s Transportation Demand Management policy to include creative strategies to decrease parking demand, and pursue a facility design that minimized the structure’s visual intrusion from the zoo’s Olmsted Walk and the nearby Rock Creek Park.

Next, the Commission accepted the National Capital Region Federal Parking Study and directed staff to use its findings to evaluate potential changes to the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital. The study, completed by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in consultation with NCPC, included a review of current parking literature, local parking policies, and a modeling analysis, and examined NCPC’s current federal employee parking policies, considering forecasted land patterns, possible transportation network improvements, and projected regional demographic changes.

The Comprehensive Plan’s Transportation Element contains parking policies, including parking ratios for federal facilities in the region. These policies seek to support mission needs at federal facilities, encourage multimodal transportation options, and support a sustainable region. The study found that NCPC’s current parking ratio approach is valid, but could benefit from data-driven refinements; recommended developing a consistent process and criteria to consider requests by federal agencies to vary from the parking ratios; and suggested a regular monitoring program to measure agency progress towards meeting parking ratios. Staff will report back to the Commission next year.

Before adjourning, NCPC staff provided an update on the Pennsylvania Avenue Initiative, a joint effort with the General Services Administration, the National Park Service, and the District of Columbia Government. The Pennsylvania Avenue Initiative Executive Committee is studying the avenue’s existing economic and physical conditions, and just released an Urban Design Analysis and Market Analysis. Highlights from the Urban Design Analysis note that Pennsylvania Avenue has a strong civic identity and character and is well served by transportation. However, it does not provide a consistently engaging experience for residents and visitors, and suffers from a lack of connectivity to surrounding areas.

The Market Analysis found that the avenue has a number of cultural and entertainment destinations to draw visitors, but as a neighborhood it lacks a strong identity as a local destination. While office use—driven predominantly by government and the supporting private sector—is the key economic driver, real estate is expensive and there are few redevelopment opportunities. These studies, now available to the public, will inform near-term actions and the potential next steps to achieve long-term improvements to the avenue.

This month’s agenda also included four consent calendar items (no presentations were given):
• Preliminary and final site development plans for exterior signage at the Renwick Gallery, 1661 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (7910)
• Preliminary and final site development plans for the Purple Line's Baltimore-Washington Parkway Crossing, Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Highway 410, Maryland (7917)
• Comments to the Council of the District of Columbia regarding the closing a portion of a public alley in Square 221 (15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW) - S.O. 17-26363 (7898)
• Preliminary and final site and building plans for site security and design upgrades at the Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Place, SE (7867)

In addition, the Executive Director approved three items, under authority delegated by the Commission. Meeting materials are available online.