Trump's proposed arch needs structural revisions for final approval

President Trump's ambitious plan for a 250-foot Triumphal Arch in Washington, D.C. faces significant hurdles, with the National Planning Commission (NCPC) demanding structural revisions for final approval. The proposed monument, featuring a 166-foot mezzanine and a 24-foot observation level topped by a 60-foot statue of Lady Liberty, would exceed the 1910 Heights of Buildings Act. This law aims to preserve the city's skyline by restricting building heights to 130 feet.

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does not apply to federal buildings

While the Department of the Interior argued in a June memo that the act "does not apply to federal buildings," the NCPC maintained its historical position that the law is binding on federal structures. The commission offered a compromise: reducing the mezzanine and observation levels to 130 feet and 20 feet, respectively. This would allow the Lady Liberty statue to be 100 feet tall, keeping the overall arch at 250 feet.

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has historically held that the Height of Buildings Act is binding on federal buildings, and NCPC has consistently applied that position.

The proposed arch has drawn considerable public criticism. Witnesses at a commission meeting voiced concerns for over an hour, citing issues ranging from public process to cultural presentation. Many expressed offense at the potential visual obstruction of Arlington Cemetery. Cynthia Morrison, a Gold Star mother, stated, "My concern is not with commemoration itself, but with this specific proposal, its location, its scale, and its impact on a historic memorial landscape." She emphasized that the open space between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery is a "deliberately designed and historically significant memorial vista."

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My concern is not with commemoration itself, but with this specific proposal, its location, its scale, and its impact on a historic memorial landscape.

Veterans and other stakeholders also raised alarms. Michael Lemmon, a Vietnam veteran and plaintiff in a lawsuit against the arch, called for "a careful review by concerned stakeholders." He expressed worries about how the arch might impede ceremonies, burials, and visits to Arlington, asserting, "This vainglorious monumental arch does neither [honor the memory and sacrifice of comrades]." Additionally, critics are concerned about the arch's potential impact on flight paths to Ronald Reagan National Airport, requiring incorporation of any Federal Aviation Administration recommendations following an aeronautical study.

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The open space between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery is not just empty land. It is deliberately designed and historically significant memorial vista.