Threat
The proposed Capitol
Visitor Center is mammoth. The area of the proposed new underground
structure is approximately 588,000 square feet. To put this in context,
the size is roughly equivalent to six three-story office buildings in
the Washington Metropolitan area, or about ten football fields of horizontal
space. The site modifications planned in order to construct and access
such an underground structure will destroy the essential character of
the eastern side of the Olmsted masterwork landscape design, itself a
national treasure. In addition, the terrorist attacks of September 11th
have focused attention on many public locations: funding already is being
set aside to begin work on this project, aspects of which will heighten
security for visitors and employees alike. One newspaper report stated
that construction is expected to begin in January 2002. (Washington Post,
29 November, 2001)
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