Dear Coalition Friends,
Yesterday’s Washington Post contains an editorial correction and a letter from the Chairmen of the Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission regarding the Mall and the Coalition’s December 7th presentation at the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
Editorial
Correction
Monday, December 19, 2005; Page A22
A Dec. 10 editorial incorrectly said that John V. Cogbill III, chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission, was attending a meeting at the Corcoran Gallery of Art when he said, “We consider the Mall a finished work of civic art.” Mr. Cogbill did not attend that meeting; the comment was made at a meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission and did not reflect his view of plans to expand the Mall’s boundaries.
Letter to the Editor
Looking Out for the Mall
Monday, December 19, 2005; Page A22
The Mall is a cherished part of our nation’s heritage that attracts millions of visitors annually from across the country and around the world. In the 20th century, we dedicated an average of one memorial per year in the capital. If past trends continue, it is likely that 50 more memorials will exist by the middle of this century, threatening the historic landscapes and features that make the Mall special for residents and visitors alike.
To preserve and enhance what is cherished about the Mall, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) and the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission released the Memorials and Museums Master Plan in 2001. The plan identifies 100 potential sites for commemorative works throughout the capital. In the four years since its adoption, the plan has been used to locate four memorials now in development.
While we are pleased with the plan, we welcome all ideas aimed at meeting the desire for new commemorative works while preserving the Mall’s open space. It is unfortunate that the Dec. 10 editorial “Rethinking the Mall” led readers to think otherwise.
NCPC Chairman John V. Cogbill III did not provide the “one seemingly discordant note of the evening at a recent event hosted by the National Coalition to Save Our Mall,” as claimed in the editorial. Mr. Cogbill was not even present at the meeting.
The agencies charged with protecting Washington’s open space share the same concern as the National Coalition to Save Our Mall: None want the Mall overbuilt, and all are concerned about the potential degradation of this premier civic space. Congress shares this sentiment and enact-
ed legislation in 2003 designating the Mall as a completed work of civic art.
We support locating memorials throughout the capital city and agree that the increasing demands placed on our Mall must be addressed.
EARL A. POWELL III
Chairman
U.S. Commission of Fine Arts
JOHN V. COGBILL III
Chairman
National Capital Planning Commission
Washington
