I would stop building on it.

by Jazzy on Jul 16, 2010 11:31 am • link • report

It's fine just the way it is. It is the most "singular" for lack of a better term, grand monument in the city. Kind of like the Wright Brothers Memorial, the surrounding hill adds to the experience of the object itself.

by Lou on Jul 16, 2010 11:40 am • link • report

I like this competition. All the talk about "mall clutter" aside, I do think the Washington Monument would be better if there were other things around it rather than a huge barren lawn. The McMillan Plan goes in the right direction, I think.

by BeyondDC on Jul 16, 2010 11:42 am • link • report

PS: I don't like Downing's original base very much. It's awkward, and detracts from the singular statement of the obelisk. It's the oversized barren approach I object to, not the monument itself.

by BeyondDC on Jul 16, 2010 11:44 am • link • report

I completely disagree. I think that the open space is exactly what is needed. Think about the kite festival, the pickup football games, yoga by the monuments, watching fireworks... its a place where Washingtonians can congregate. After all, DC isn't just for tourists and we love our parks!

by Ben on Jul 16, 2010 11:45 am • link • report

Keep in mind that some of the sloping/berm on the NW side of the monument is part of a system of flood mitigation measures that are being enhanced in the coming years. As such, they should be incorporated into any thinking associated with adding to the current experience.

by Andrew on Jul 16, 2010 11:46 am • link • report

I actually think the large open lawn is great as it is - I'd like to see some better maintenance of that space and perhaps some improvements along the edges, but large open spaces have uses, too.

Go down there in the evenings and check out all the various softball games. Plenty of things to do there.

Plus, the design of the Monument itself is remarkably simple and austere. The current landscape design fits the architecture quite well. Some of the peripheral paths could use some more shade and designing around the edges of the Monument grounds, for example, but the area immediately adjacent to the Monument itself is fine.

by Alex B. on Jul 16, 2010 11:46 am • link • report

My preferred epithet for the area around the Washington Monument is "bald hilltop". Can we dare suggest some improvement to the pedestrian circulation through the WWII memorial? IE so one can walk through it to the Lincoln Memorial instead of having to go all the way around it?

by Steve S on Jul 16, 2010 11:52 am • link • report

I disagree with the "sun-parched forced march" characterization part as well. For people going to the monument, the void allows for contemplation, which is a fading concept. People feel the constant need to add things for visual stimulation. It's a symptom of our ADHD culture.

by Lou on Jul 16, 2010 11:54 am • link • report

While I agree with the posters who say that it's best to keep this space open, I don't think it needs to be kept open with grass ... flowers would do just as well ... or better.

Formal flower gardens and seating areas, like the kind you'd find in any European city park, would be a great addition. Of course, they'd need to be larger and grander given the 'larger-than-life' scale of the monument and the open space surrounding it ... an emphasis on American plants would be most appropriate. Perhaps the Botanical Garden could be given responsibility for cultivating this space ... Our weather is such that even winter plantings would be possible ... with the types of plants we see hotels and the line using during the winter months.

by Lance on Jul 16, 2010 11:54 am • link • report

Gardens are open in a sense, but they're not 'open' in the same way that grass is. I can't put a blanket down and have a picnic in the middle of a flower bed. I can't throw a football or a frisbee around in one, either.

by Alex B. on Jul 16, 2010 12:00 pm • link • report

The openess is great. Less is more. The Monument area is a good contrast to the areas around it, where it's relatively easy to get lost under tree canopies or government buildings. Aside from some more bike racks, I'm not sure I would change anything.

by aaa on Jul 16, 2010 12:16 pm • link • report

I think a few more trees around the rim of the monument area would be worthwhile (shade!). and some sort of reflecting pool would be nice.

Then again, there is a great kite flying scene. they had to move the kite-flying to the actual Mall one year because of the renovations at the Monument. It didn't work out nearly as well.

by lou on Jul 16, 2010 12:25 pm • link • report

I would try and do more with the immediate area around the monument. Flowers and something less dominating and more tasteful than the base in the Andrew Jackson Downing plan. I wouldn't touch most of the fields and walkways surrounding the monument further out. I just think something a bit grander at the base of the monument would be a good addition and not due to my ADHD or some other ridiculous conclusion.

by Vik on Jul 16, 2010 12:27 pm • link • report

Yeah, openness is great, but how many grass lawns do we really need on the National Mall? I mean, there's a mile-long grass lawn along the Mall from 3rd to 14th, then another half-mile long one immediately south of the reflecting pool, then another almost uninterrupted mile along the Potomac between Lincoln and Jefferson (behind FDR), plus the Ellipse, plus the numerous smaller lawns surrounding Lincoln and on the north side of the Tidal Basin.

Honestly, how many miles of lawn does the Mall need?

Is it really better that we keep every square inch of all that grass, than turn some of it in to gardens, or plazas, or anything else you can possibly imagine?

by BeyondDC on Jul 16, 2010 12:29 pm • link • report

@BeyondDC

In addressing the need for open space, I will say this - go down to the Mall on a weekday summer night, and just about every inch of that space will be in use with softball, kickball, frisbee, some festival, etc.

That space does get a lot of use.

by Alex B. on Jul 16, 2010 12:32 pm • link • report

Gardens like in Europe would be amazing. but I would settle for grass that isn't brown and patchy.

by Maria on Jul 16, 2010 12:37 pm • link • report

I wish the other parks in DC would be updated instead of worrying about the monument area. They are so boring and are closer to shops and residents. The monument area is mainly for tourists and sport activities. Better to leave it just lawn.

by Dan on Jul 16, 2010 12:44 pm • link • report

Don't forget in all the discussion that this is a memorial to our first president and the pivotal general during the Revolution.

Let us not clutter up things around it. Let it stand alone as he does in our history.

Sometimes less is more. The simplicity is genius. Let's not mess with perfection.

by MPC on Jul 16, 2010 12:46 pm • link • report

Alex,

No, all the most visible spaces are being used, but there are huge swaths of lawn all over the Mall that are slightly off the beaten path that aren't used nearly as much.

Do we really need ALL of them?

If we can't agree on *which* ones should be transformed into something else, can we at least agree that some of them should be? If you think the lawn around the Washington Monument is indispensable, do you at least agree that we could do something else with some of the lawns surrounding the Tidal Basin, or around Lincoln?

by BeyondDC on Jul 16, 2010 12:46 pm • link • report

50% of the lawn could be replaced without really causing much strife in terms of athletic uses. Think Central park. More forest = more pleasing. The idea to change this is awesome. Just start making it happen already!

by Allan on Jul 16, 2010 12:49 pm • link • report

I have to say I'm shocked at the opposition to this idea here on GGW. I'd expect it from Joe Tourist, but from a bunch of urbanists who complain all the time about how the Mall isn't part of the real living city, and needs to be better integrated?

Which is it?

by BeyondDC on Jul 16, 2010 12:50 pm • link • report

What's interesting is you can this blank lawn and humans will start to turn it into something useful -- sports fields, kites, demonstrations.

A few more trees, some more drinking fountains, and watered grass is all you need.

by charlie on Jul 16, 2010 12:51 pm • link • report

@BDC

Most people, even local urbanists, know that there are just some times that you don't desecrate a national icon for the sake of some silly local issues.

Maybe you will soon too.

by MPC on Jul 16, 2010 12:59 pm • link • report

After living in DC for over three years, I've come to realize that every 6 months or so, some blogger or reporter will write a piece about how 1.) Cleveland Park is dying and 2.) the National Mall is a dead space that needs to be transformed. And yet, Cleveland Park still hasn't died (and actually looks rather vibrant these days with many of its recent vacancies filled or being filled) and the Mall, as it exists now, continues to be extremely popular for the vast majority of people who live and visit DC. The only people who seem to criticize it are planners (who just love to build, build, build) and architectural historians/scholars, who see its current design as hubristic and uninteresting. But if you talk to the majority of people who actually use and walk around the Mall, they'll tell you how beautiful and majestic it is. Would adding a bunch of trees/flower gardens and concrete walkways/plazas really improve the space? I think it would just clutter the area and dilute the awe-inspiring experience. Would adding a bunch of mediocre tourist cafes and restaurants a la National Harbor really make it a vibrant and interesting place? I think it would just cheapen it.

Instead of focusing on the quixotic notion of "transforming the Mall," which has neither public nor financial support, let's focus on improving the grounds, starting with the big, barren dirt spots that mar the lawn between the Capitol and the Washington Monument. Not only is this financially feasible, but it's also something that the majority of visitors and users would back wholeheartedly. It would enhance the pristine and awe-inspiring nature of the Mall for the tourists who love it for that and improve the ground for the many Washingtonians who love the wide, open spaces for playing frisbee, kickball, softball, kite-flying, or simply having a picnic. So let's not throw away something that already works extremely well and is iconic in its own right. Let's just fix it up so it's even better.

by JJ on Jul 16, 2010 1:23 pm • link • report

@BeyondDC

As a local urbanist, my most common use of the Mall is when I use the open spaces to play sports. I've played on the Mall itself, the Ellipse, the Monument grounds, the JFK Polo Fields, East Potomac Park, West Potomac Park - you name it. Those areas see a lot of use, and it's not from just tourists. That's the point for integration into the urban experience. There's not a lot of opportunity for active recreation space in the central core of the city, which explains the popularity of using the Mall for various sporting events.

But yes, that is just one factor. I'll be curious to see what ideas people come up with as a part of this competition.

As I mentioned above, from the stanpoint of sheer aesthetics, I like the simple, open, and austere landscaping in the area immediately surrounding the Monument. The Monument itself is an austere and simple obelisk, and I feel too much ornamentation at the ground level wouldn't mesh with the design and might also unnecessarily complicate the space. There's something very powerful about a simple, unadorned obelisk meeting a simple, unadorned landscape.

Likewise, the stretches of open space that surround the Monument are part of the obelisk's power - as well as popular open spaces for gathering and recreation.

I think there's a great opportunity for vastly improving the areas around the edges of the Monument grounds. The interface with Constitution and between the Monument and the Ellipse isn't great - the connection between the Monument grounds and the Tidal Basin is even worse. That's where I see the biggest opportunity for change.

As Charlie notes, there is also need for some logistical upgrades - drinking fountains, refreshments, shade, restrooms, etc. I'd like to see a design integrate those functional elements into the overall plan.

by Alex B. on Jul 16, 2010 1:34 pm • link • report

who is playing kickball or softball on the sloping hill? Nobody. People use the flat areas for that.

by Eric H. on Jul 16, 2010 1:43 pm • link • report

Here's another vote for resisting the urge to do something radical. There is room for improvement, though. More areas with shade (a few groves of trees here and there would break up long walks in the summer sun without putting a big crimp on recreational uses). More restrooms. More access to drinking water and other refreshments.

by c5karl on Jul 16, 2010 1:45 pm • link • report

I would just leave it alone. To me, there's something both beautiful and sublime climbing that hill on a crisp windy day. It marries well with the starkness of the monument.

My wish list in order would be:
1 - Plant a line of trees on the central lawn of the mall mirroring theones on the opposite side of the gravel baths, so one could stroll in shade, and "the view" could still be had through the lawn part.
2 - How about a sprinkler system for the malls grounds?
3 - Demo/relocate most government functions in SW below the line of Smithsonian buildings and rebuild it with dense mixed use buildings. What the mall really needs is 24-7 life and the Federal Triangle is too beautiful to demo.

While where spit-ball'n here, build out the semi-circle around Union Station.

by Thayer-D on Jul 16, 2010 1:48 pm • link • report

I appreciate Alex's last comment and I think that makes the best case I've seen for integration. This is particularly singificant for me, as I recall looking for a downtown apartment once and thinking about what park area is really available close by.

That being said, I'm a little shocked that people think a formal garden around the Washington Monument would somehow diminish the monument. I really don't think you lose much of the monument's impact by adding something like a garden to some portion of the hill (terraced gardens, even, for the walk up).

Also, don't forget there is actually a performance space on the south side that is horribly underused. I think it is a crime that we aren't having nightly concerts at that stage.

by Eric H. on Jul 16, 2010 1:49 pm • link • report

There are a number of areas to improve the National Mall, but the Washington Monument is low on the list. What about that non-sequitor cherry tree grove to its north-west? What about the Mall's lack of integration into the city (it's an intentional destination, rather than an incidental one)? What about Potomac Park? The area surrounding the Tidal Basin trail? General maintenance? Each of these is more important and less controversial than the Monument.

by OctaviusIII on Jul 16, 2010 1:59 pm • link • report

Here's my big idea. In better economic times perhaps DC could fund this supplemental improvement...

Complete redo of the grass sections of the National Mall, with new topsoil and complete irrigation system. Treat it as though it's a golf course, and hire top groundskeepers to maintain it. It's not hard, or even particularly expensive.

by SG on Jul 16, 2010 2:07 pm • link • report

I prefer the openess. How else are we supposed to contemplate George Washington's penis? (That is the purpose of it, right?)

by Reid on Jul 16, 2010 2:15 pm • link • report

With all the complaints about patchy, brown grass, why don't they apply the Silver Spring solution and cover it in astroturf so it always looks nice. :)

Slightly more seriously, well designed trees or landscaping could help, but nothing large. Landscaping that can facilitate an informal or moderately sized performance space could theoretically be done well.

I'd be concerned about converting to much of the area to a garden because that makes sections unwalkable and not even that nice looking in the winter months. In addition, if they don't have the budget to maintain a grass field, where are they going to get a budget to properly maintain a garden?

by dan on Jul 16, 2010 2:18 pm • link • report

>there are just some times that you don't desecrate a national icon

Was it desecrating a national icon to redesign and rebuild the grounds after 9/11? That happened you know. If you look at pictures from 1999 you can see clearly that the layout is quite different.

Was it desecrating a national icon to demolish the Navy and Munitions Buildings in 1970? You did know there used to be buildings there, right?

Was it desecrating a national icon to fill in the Constitution Avenue canal and turn it into a sewer for cars? No, I don't suppose you have any problem with that.

Was the McMillan Plan a desecration?

Nonsense. Absolute rubbish. If you think the place is fine as it is, that's cool. Totally valid opinion. Suggesting that the National Mall must be frozen in time and left alone for all eternity, on the other hand, is ignorant of how the Mall has evolved, arrogant that your values should trump all others without even discussion, and simply historically invalid.

But do please keep on trolling, while the rest of us talk like grown ups.

by BeyondDC on Jul 16, 2010 2:27 pm • link • report

Aside from all the bickering, I would say altering the paths so they connect to the cross streets would integrate the space into the city, and at least until a Metro is added by the Jefferson would connect the western end of the Mall to Transit. I play softball on the hill approaching and that space is in demand even the parts with a slope. What the Mall needs is things around it, shops and restaurants on Constitution and Independence are what's missing.

by S.B. on Jul 16, 2010 2:42 pm • link • report

But do please keep on trolling, while the rest of us talk like grown ups.

Seeing as you're the first one to bring ad hominmen attacks to this otherwise good discussion, I'd argue that most people on here would more likely call you the troll...

Besides, it sounds like someone's jealous that he got totally beat down on this thread. It's saying something when MPC gets even the urbanists on his side against you...

by MPC on Jul 16, 2010 2:43 pm • link • report

Keep on attacking me instead of the issue. Totally expected and in character.

by BeyondDC on Jul 16, 2010 2:45 pm • link • report

You heard it here first!

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/housingcomplex/2010/06/14/hell-of-a-thought-experiment-re-imagining-the-washington-monument/

love,

Housing Complex

by Housing Complex on Jul 16, 2010 2:47 pm • link • report

I usually don't comment, but I have to agree w/ keeping the GW monument area the way it is (besides improving the poor grass quality). I'm somewhat biased since I play kickball there, but I guess we all are biased in some way or another.

I'm also on the side that thinks the WWII memorial should of never been built in the center of the mall either.

by TS on Jul 16, 2010 2:55 pm • link • report

What the Mall could use is more things to do in the surrounding area. Beyond locals playing softball after work, there's no reason to go there if you live here. The Mall itself needs more seating and refreshments (and some free water fountains), and the area around it could use more restaurants (not of the power-lunch or tourist trap variety), and some other air conditioned places to take refuge, like bookstores. The Mall just isn't a destination spot for locals, and tourists often think all of DC is just a monument-filled wasteland after 5pm.

by SK on Jul 16, 2010 3:25 pm • link • report

Trees.

I don't want buildings/structures cluttering things up but it is a wide swath that can get quite hot and having trees would fill up the space and create cover which might make walking around that area more pleasant. I also agree with reworking the paths.

by ET on Jul 16, 2010 3:33 pm • link • report

The original Mills plan (before Downing) had a Greek or Roman Temple at the base, not just a colonnade.

by Q on Jul 16, 2010 4:08 pm • link • report

I don't think of the area around the Monument as unchangeable, but I do think it's important to keep active park space available on the Mall. In recent years the FDR and Korean War memorials have eliminated some of what used to be substantial areas of playing fields. An earlier poster wrote that there's little reason for locals to go there other than to play softball - so let's maintain at least that reason for people to visit. I would be in favor of keeping and reinforcing the playing field areas on the flatter areas around the monument. As others have mentioned, other park amenities - improved water and refreshment availability - would be part of this.

by ZZinDC on Jul 16, 2010 4:17 pm • link • report

Y'know, I never said how I would make it better. Here's my attempt:

- Rework federal buildings on the South of the mall to be more mixed-use, including street-level retail, either through renovation or demolition
- Create a consistent statement for the Mall area. All the building frontage is canvas space for visual artists
- Use the sloping space to enhance the themes already present in the Monument, which appear to be stark contrast and dominance of the surrounding landscape
- Make the flat space more user-friendly: shade, seating, waste recepticles and water fountains

by OctaviusIII on Jul 16, 2010 4:29 pm • link • report

Hasn't the Dept of Homeland Security proposed to ring the entire thing in more bollards, control access points, X-ray machines and metal detectors, and criminal background check before gaining access?

My suggestion: More trees, better grass maintenance, more bathrooms, and some cafe/outdoor dining facilities.

And keep in mind that during the WWII era, there were tons of "temporary" buildings stretching from the western grounds of the Washington Monument grounds all the way to the Lincoln Memorial. After that ugliness, it's not surprising most people appreciate the vast expansiveness of greenery.

by Fritz on Jul 16, 2010 4:41 pm • link • report

Regarding brown and patchy grass on the Mall, that's just something people will have to accept.

It's not like your back-yard that you walk through now and then. The Mall gets trampled by hundreds of thousands of people a year. That causes serious soil compaction that makes it hard to grow anything. We need to be realistic about what we can expect from such a heavily trafficked area.
Unless "better maintenance" is going to include getting tractors to regularly turn over and aerate the soil and resod the whole thing once a year the grass will always be ugly, brown, and patchy.

by PJ on Jul 16, 2010 5:22 pm • link • report

@PJ I'd argue that's *exactly* what we should do. Heavily used space like the Mall does take serious maintenance work to keep in an attractive condition, but if we take seriously the idea that the Mall is an important, national public space, isn't it worth it? I doubt it would cost that much to maintain, in the grand scheme.

by Distantantennas on Jul 16, 2010 10:50 pm • link • report

@BeyondDC

Why don't you grow up? You're sounding like an absolute jerk.

I, too, find it surprising that most commenters here seem to like the Washington Monument's grounds just as they are. But I also find it fascinating; I had no idea so many people would feel that way. All in all, I think this has been a pretty interesting discussion.

So I don't know why you feel the need to get uppity with people when they disagree with your opinion. No wonder I've never really bothered to read your blog.

by Dustin on Jul 17, 2010 12:32 am • link • report

Line trees along the perimeter. For whatever reason, trees make an area seem much more walkable and inviting.

by C. R. on Jul 17, 2010 10:32 am • link • report

I think there are several reasonable goals that could guide the improvements for NPS. One, to remove the temporary security box entrance. I'm not sure what that entails, but there has to be a better way to enter, probably with something underground or using the hill to hide itself.

Two, something better mark and make notable Jefferson Pier. A sculpture, perhaps related or representative of the president. Three, cherry trees, at least along the paths. There's a odd rectangular grove there now that could be replanted in a nicer arrangement immediately. Four, restrooms. Even the softball players have to be happy about that one.

Boo to the do nothing crowd for having no imagination. The mall isn't perfect, and that's a tragedy.

by Patrick on Jul 17, 2010 11:41 am • link • report

@BeyondDC

And now I kinda have figured out why I don't go to your site as much anymore; you're becoming too subjective, bias and personal.

by Zac on Jul 17, 2010 2:47 pm • link • report

I guess this challenge is more about what kind of stuff to slap onto the empty grounds, but i'll go ahead and state the obvious -- the entire Mall area should be made bikeable. A 'forced march' could become a 'relaxing ride' to all the local monuments, museums, and attractions. Making the Mall area bikeable would be the absolute best thing we could do for the area -- for tourists, for locals, for the museums and attractions, for businesses, for DC -- which is why it will likely be ignored by most or all entries.

by Peter Smith on Jul 18, 2010 5:55 am • link • report

@ Dustin,
I have to back BDC up here, he was perfectly civil until MPC egged him on with the "Most people, bla bla bla... Maybe you will soon too."

But "Joe Turist"? Some might want it un-ouced because they appreciate Andrew Wyeth or the wide open landscapes of the West. Sometimes I think they screwed up the mall by stopping it's view of the western side of the Potomac by building the Lincon Monument, representing the real jewel of our country, nature. Thank god they stopped the BP' oil spill, that's something urbanists and non urbanists can all celebrate!

by anon on Jul 18, 2010 6:26 am • link • report

I have to agree with the majority of the commenters. I'm an urban planner and I love the opportunity to pontificate about what a space could be. However, having spent time sitting on the mall observing how people use the space, I think it's find the way it is with some minor upgrades, like water fountains. Since it is a blank slate, it can be transformed for multiple uses like festivals, screen on the green, and recreation.

by MIss V on Jul 18, 2010 10:29 am • link • report

I have to agree that I'm not real thrilled about doing something different with this space. It is far from desolate. Mostly, I agree with a comment above that the mall desperately needs other attention -- to redo the grass areas, create better transit, improve the constitution gardens with outdoor cafes, etc.

In any case, there is way too much imagining for the mall and not enough doing.

by neb on Jul 18, 2010 10:48 pm • link • report

All of the paved walking areas need trees for shade, this would not clutter the open areas, nor interfere with kites and such, but would give relief to all who visit.

by Mike Donnelly on Jul 19, 2010 8:25 am • link • report

@Eric

The softball leagues I've been in played almost exclusively on (1) the sloped grass around the Washington Monument (with the outfield uphill from the batter), or (2) on the grassy spot between Lincoln and Constitution.

@David A:

Usually I think you and BDC do a great job finding ways to improve the city, but it seems from the comments that most people flat disagree with you on this on. Sidewalk improvements notwithstanding, the lawn around washington isn't broken and doesn't need to be fixed.

by D on Jul 19, 2010 9:22 am • link • report

D: Funny, it doesn't seem to me that people are actually "flat disagreeing." They just start out flat disagreeing and then end up agreeing.

Most of the comments seem to say, "I can't believe you would talk about changing the Washington Monument area! It's perfect just as it is! Except it could use a few more trees and maybe a fountain and some seating near the edges."

I think the disconnect comes from the formal garden I posted from the McMillan Plan. I can see that most people don't like that idea. However, this competition isn't the "Design a Formal Garden For the Washington Monument Contest." It's about improving the grounds.

If improving it just means a few shady walks at the very edges while keeping the main fields open for kites and softball, okay. I saw a lot of ideas for improvement in the comment thread, just often preceded by protestations that there could be no possible improvement.

by David Alpert on Jul 19, 2010 1:22 pm • link • report

Something else, not exactly related to the Monument, but I run along the Mall a few times a week. After the Folklife Festival, some attractive pavilions were left up for a week or so under the trees on the south side by the Castle. I thought it was a shame that they were taken down. Pavilions providing shade and seating and ways to enjoy the views, people watch etc, would be a perfect addition to the Mall.

Maybe the Park Service could also provide these in some of the stretches around the Monument as well.

by lou on Jul 19, 2010 1:50 pm • link • report

A copper awning surrounding the base of the Monument to provide shade for the benches around it would be a nice touch. Most people come to see the Monument when it is brutally hot and humid.

by Captain Hilts on Jul 20, 2010 8:26 am • link • report

Do as they do in London's parks: have lawn chairs for rent in the shade. At $2 a pop the chair pays for itself very quickly and folks can relax in the shade - something you can now do only if you are game to sit on the grass. Sitting on the grass is not an option for many people.

by Captain Hilts on Jul 20, 2010 8:38 am • link • report

For all the talk of the sanctity of the site and its current layout, perhaps we should consider that the monument and the grounds are a major portion of the McMillan plan that is incomplete.

Maybe they should just build what the McMillan plan had in store for the Monument grounds? Some stairs, some fountains, a few shady spots are here and there it could be quite nice.

by Boots on Jul 20, 2010 10:21 pm • link • report

http://beatusest.blogspot.com/2010/07/washington-monument-grounds-competition.html

by Boots on Jul 21, 2010 9:32 am • link • report

Personally I love the openness of the area around the Washington Monument. Upgrading the nearby Park Ranger station to include a cafe with plenty of shaded tables would go a great deal to improve the experiences of visitors. This seems like a logical place for a break from the heat for people walking between the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial.

by OddNumber on Jul 21, 2010 2:54 pm • link • report

The Parks Dept. needs to design the areas along the Mall to accommodate the fact that most people visit the Mall when it is TROPICALLY HOT. Folks that don't know the city think they can walk from TJeff, to Franklin and Eleanor, to Lincoln and find themselves, and their children being beaten flat by the distance and the heat. They need a covered space and refreshments near the Roosevelt Memorial as it's halfway and there are a lot of elderly visitors there.

I'll also note that Arlington Cemetery has similar problems. They have a LOT of elderly visitors and very few places to sit in the shade. Even the Metro station has NO benches in the shade. They are all in full sun. I've seen people collapse in the cemetery.

by Captain Hilts on Jul 21, 2010 3:07 pm • link • report