Last update: November 9, 2004
Construction efforts are currently underway to restore Pennsylvania
Avenue in front of the White House to be a beautiful, dignified public
space befitting one of the nations most prominent and visited destinations.
The project will rid the area of the ad hoc security barriers currently
scattered on Pennsylvania Avenue and will improve the quality of Presidents
Park. The design, created by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, enhances
the beauty, civic space, and visual quality of the Avenue, and creates a
setting appropriate for the White House and Presidents Park. Construction
began in January 2003 with the erection of fences that will be in place
until the project is completed within a year.
The designs central elements include new tree planting and site
furnishings; new paving materials; new guard booths and a combination of
retractable, removable and fixed bollards; and a route for a planned transit system.
Existing concrete bollards and trees in front of the White House are being
removed and replaced by a new planting scheme of 88 Princeton American elms, a
disease resistant strain endorsed by the National Park Service. The installation
will provide evenly spaced and sized trees on both sides of the Avenue, in addition
to providing longevity, and ease of maintenance, irrigation, and drainage.
The planting scheme will consist of a single row of street trees along the north
and south curbs of Pennsylvania Avenue between Jackson and Madison Places; and a double
row of trees along a portion of the north curb line of the Avenue west of Jackson
Place and east of Madison Place.
The American elms will replace some existing willow oak trees that would have
been negatively impacted by much needed utility improvements to the Avenue.
There is also a historical reason for choosing the American elm. As described
in the 1935 Olmsted Report on the Executive Grounds, a row of native American
tree species-including the American elm-originally existed on the south side of
the Avenue. The American elm has a high arching form that will provide a
spectacular promenade, along with wonderful fall color and winter form.
The new trees will provide a welcome canopy for pedestrians and a
more inviting view of the White House grounds.
The beauty, civic design and visual quality of this special place will be
enhanced, creating a setting that addresses security concerns while preserving the
historic importance of the White House.
To help unify Lafayette Park with the White House, a more natural looking
paving material is being installed for the central portion of Pennsylvania
Avenue and Jackson and Madison Places. This paved surface will slope slightly
upward to emphasize the raised elevation at the White House. At 15th and 17th
Streets, large granite pavers will accentuate entry to the precinct. The eastern
and western ends of Pennsylvania Avenue will be paved with 2-foot x 5-foot granite
slabs in the cartway, and 4-foot x 10-foot granite slabs within the sidewalk area.
A mix of gray- and pink-toned granites have been selected.
The Van Valkenburgh teams designed security booths that reflect the classical
architecture found along the Avenue. The booths, which will be placed
at each entry point, have a granite base, a lead-coated copper roof and
cast iron
columns painted to match the light fixtures. Vehicular access will primarily
be accommodated at checkpoints located at Jackson and Madison Places.
In place of jersey barriers, the project employs specially designed bollards,
including a simple fluted, 36-inch gray-green bollard for use on Pennsylvania Avenue
at 15th and 17th Streets. A similar design will be used for the retractable bollard.
The bollards will allow for free pedestrian movement, maintain a visually open
environment, and respect the character of the street. Removable bollards will
accommodate the Inaugural Parade.
Bollards on Jackson and Madison Places will match the existing 42-inch Presidential
bollard in shape and color and will tie into the existing bollard line in Lafayette
Park. The same retractable bollards used on Pennsylvania Avenue will be used in these
locations as well; however they will be the same color as the existing Presidential bollards.
The project is a result of the valuable input provided by the public,
key stakeholders, the Van Valkenburgh design team, and numerous partners
including the District of Columbia, the National Capital Planning Commission,
which was responsible for the initial design phase of the project, and the
Federal Highway Administration, which is now managing the construction effort.
The end result is a design that successfully satisfies the key criteria to
incorporate necessary security measures while respecting the Avenues
historical character. Furthermore, the proposed design is easily reversible
and does not preclude reopening Pennsylvania Avenue vehicular traffic in the future.
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