{"id":404053,"date":"2010-03-08T15:14:05","date_gmt":"2010-03-08T20:14:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dirt.asla.org\/?p=4029"},"modified":"2010-03-08T15:14:05","modified_gmt":"2010-03-08T20:14:05","slug":"plan-to-%e2%80%9crespectfully-rehabilitate%e2%80%9d-national-mall-moves-forward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/404053","title":{"rendered":"Plan to \u201cRespectfully Rehabilitate\u201d National Mall Moves Forward"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nLast week, the National Capitol Planning Commission (NCPC)\u00a0<\/a>gave its preliminary consent for the National Park Service’s preferred alternative plan for the National Mall<\/a>, a “comprehensive framework plan” that has been undergone a rigorous\u00a0process of public comment. According to the Park Service, the $750 million plan has received thousands of comments to date. Witherell\u00a0argued that the National Park Service’s plan offers “respectful rehabilitation.”<\/p>\n

While there is a rich legacy of planning\u00a0that still guides future development of the\u00a0National Mall, including the original L’Enfant and\u00a0McMillan plans<\/a>, SOM plans leading up to the bicentennial, and the recent OLIN\u00a0design plans for\u00a0the Washington Monument, the National Park Service’s new comprehensive framework plan creates a path for moving forward with critical, postponed maintenance work (up to $400 million worth)\u00a0and future enhancements designed to make the Mall both more sustainable and accessible.<\/p>\n

Nancy Witherell, the historic preservation lead for the National Capitol Planning Commission, outlined the components of the framework plan:<\/p>\n

1) Improve resource conditions
\n2) Prepare Mall for intensive use
\n3) Provide desired experiences
\n4) Address user capacity
\n5) Provide for physical needs, conveniences, and enjoyment<\/p>\n

Improve resource conditions<\/strong>: This will establish a new standard quality across the National Mall, including standards for maintenance and care. Some areas of the Mall are irrigated; others aren’t. There are high levels of use (some 30 million visitors per year), so plans must address\u00a0both high-usage and low-usage areas in stages.<\/p>\n

“Gravel paths, whether you love or hate them, need to be part of the discussion. Perhaps this includes discussion on some sort of paved surface over areas of the grass panels?”<\/p>\n

Witherell noted that grass panels on either side of the reflecting pool were heavily worn, sea walls have been degraded, and elm trees are damaged from compacted soils. “Significant infrastructure improvements are needed.”<\/p>\n

Prepare for intensive use<\/strong>: The National Mall must accomodate First Amendment marches, demonstrations, and celebrations. Some see the current placement of the reflecting pool as an obstacle in these events. “The reflecting pool currently disperses crowds. For some, it’s a barrier. There are also no bathrooms nearby.”<\/p>\n

Across the Mall’s long grass panels, “we examined the damage and found that short events aren’t bad, the mall can recover. However, multi-day events requiring the use of tents, generators, can do lasting damage to the turf.”<\/p>\n

Provide desired experience: <\/strong>This includes entertainment, social experiences, educational events. The plan includes\u00a0replacing the\u00a0Sylvan Theatre<\/a> with a more flexible event space. The East pond will also be turned into a destination — like the “National Gallery of Art sculpture garden.” The model is the “pleasure gardens of Europe.”<\/p>\n

Parts of this component of the plan include moving the Lock keeper’s house in, and adding in more benches and sitting areas.<\/p>\n

Additionally, soils will be re-engineered in spots so they are more resilient for sports.<\/p>\n

Address user capacity and balance stewardship and access<\/strong>: The National Park Service hopes to expand bike plans throughout the National Mall so cyclists’ needs can be better met.<\/p>\n

Provide for physical needs, conveniences, and enjoyment<\/strong>: Food service is currently dispersed throughout the Mall. Restrooms will be linked to some food kiosks to the north of the National Air & Space Museum. New way-finding and signage programs, including signs by the Metro station on the Mall, will be developed.<\/p>\n

Proposed Projects<\/strong>: The plan calls for a range of new projects, including:<\/p>\n