At its monthly meeting on June 4, 2009, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) reviewed the latest revised design concept for the proposed Vietnam Veterans Memorial Visitors Center. This project has been controversial since it was authorized by Congress in 2003 due to concerns that any center intended to “explain” the Vietnam Memorial will diminish and desecrate the power of the Memorial itself, the most visited memorial on the National Mall. In addition, the proposed design will cut a large gash on the Lincoln Memorial grounds just north of the Memorial.
NCPC staff reported that the proposed design meets some but not all of the 14 design guidelines established by NCPC and the Commission of Fine Arts to ensure that the project conforms with requirements of the Commemorative Works Act, the law passed in 1986 to protect the integrity of the National Mall.
At the meeting, the Commission voted in favor of accepting the staff recommendations. Learn more at NCPC’s website.
Read public comments submitted by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Equal Honor For All, and testimony read by the National Coalition to Save Our Mall.
Tags: national capital planning commission, Vietnam Veterans Memorial
