{"id":2900,"date":"2026-06-05T08:34:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T08:34:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=2900"},"modified":"2026-06-05T08:34:01","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T08:34:01","slug":"planning-commission-seeks-more-details-on-trumps-planned-250-foot-arch-near-the-lincoln-memorial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=2900","title":{"rendered":"Planning commission seeks more details on Trump\u2019s planned 250-foot arch near the Lincoln Memorial"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By MEG KINNARD<\/strong><\/p>\n

The National Capital Planning Commission has kept alive the triumphal arch that President Donald Trump wants built at an entrance to the nation\u2019s capital, requesting more information on how it could potentially impact air travel navigation in the area, as well as other specifics on construction and traffic in the area.<\/p>\n

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Most members of the federal agency that approves construction on federal land voted in favor Thursday of seeking more information from the Department of the Interior, which submitted the application for the 250-foot arch planned between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.<\/p>\n

The vote came after nearly three hours of public comment from about 20 members of the public, some representing historic and architectural organizations, and most of whom expressed concerns about the arch that is one of several projects the Republican president is pursuing to leave his imprint on Washington.<\/p>\n

Preliminary surveys and testing of the arch site began last month, and other approvals are underway. The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts \u2014 which only oversees designs and has no role in the actual construction or funding of the arch or any other project it considers \u2014 has approved the arch\u2019s design, a key step in the project\u2019s process but one that has no immediate bearing on the construction timeline.<\/p>\n

For now, the National Capital Planning Commission is seeking more information justifying the proposed height of the towering arch, as well as additional details about lighting, management of storm water and how traffic and parking would be regulated for visitors.<\/p>\n

Will Scharf, who has served as Trump\u2019s White House staff secretary, heads the commission and acknowledged the applicant \u201chas some homework to do,\u201d Scharf said, suggesting more information on how it would appear from other monuments in the Washington area. But, Scharf said ultimately, this year\u2019s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence \u201cis as good an opportunity as any to add something to Washington, D.C., that will hopefully stand the test of time.<\/p>\n

Stuart Levenbach, Trump appointee and commission vice chairman, said the proposed site represented \u201cone of the few locations\u201d in the area where such an \u201ciconic civic monument could be appropriate,\u201d although he added that \u201cit\u2019s reasonable to consider whether a significant architectural statement belongs in such a location.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

Commission received 1,700 public comments, most opposing the arch<\/h4>\n

Many of those contacting the commission about the arch voiced concerns about its massive scale, obstruction of the city\u2019s skyline, and safety in the heavily trafficked area. Some of the comments called it a \u201cwaste of taxpayer money,\u201d while others said it was Trump\u2019s \u201cvanity project\u201d or a \u201cdisgusting and disrespectful move by a man who wants to be king.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dozens of people were signed up to speak during Thursday\u2019s meeting, many of whom have spoken against the project at previous meetings, and represented organizations like the National Parks Conservation Association, National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Society of Architectural Historians.<\/p>\n

Several, including Gary Langston, a military veteran, opposed the arch on grounds that it is too big, needed congressional approval or would disrupt the sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House at Arlington National Cemetery that was created to symbolize reunification after the Civil War.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s required here, if anything, is a solemn memorial rather than a monument,\u201d Langston said.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

Trump has asserted that he doesn\u2019t need congressional approval because he\u2019s building it on federal land.<\/p>\n

Suggestions on the arch design<\/h4>\n

The arch would stand 250 feet tall from its base to a torch held aloft by a Lady Liberty-like figure on top of the structure, flanked by two gilded eagles. But four lions, envisioned as guarding the base, have been removed. The phrases \u201cOne Nation Under God\u201d and \u201cLiberty and Justice for All\u201d would be inscribed in gold lettering atop either side of the monument, and both east- and west-facing sides would feature text of the Pledge of Allegiance.<\/p>\n

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A public observation deck on top would provide 360-degree views of the region. The arch would have an exterior made of granite.<\/p>\n

Critics have argued that the arch would dominate the skyline and disrupt carefully designed views between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. It would be more than twice as tall as the Lincoln Memorial, which is 99 feet, and close to half the height of the Washington Monument, at about 555 feet.<\/p>\n

One of the public commenters on Thursday had some suggestions. Shady Migally, an architect in California, suggested that any arch project should be more creative than a new take on Paris\u2019 Arc de Triomphe, just as tall as the administration\u2019s proposal but with less dense lateral columns and a higher inner archway that, according to online renderings, shows more visibility between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.<\/p>\n

Trump had said last year that the arch could be paid for with private donations left over from the ballroom project. A cost estimate for the arch is still being calculated, but a mix of taxpayer and private funds is expected to pay for it, according to a White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the president has not publicly discussed the project\u2019s cost.<\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s other Washington makeover plans<\/h4>\n

A group of veterans and a historian have sued the Trump administration in federal court to block the arch construction over concerns about disruptions to the sightline.<\/p>\n

In an Oval Office event on Thursday, Trump called the arch a tribute to military victories.<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody\u2019s had more military victories, including recently, than we have,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The president has said some of his other projects, including adding a blue coating to the interior of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, will beautify the city in time for July 4 celebrations of America\u2019s 250th birthday. His administration said Thursday that the renovation had been completed and was ready to be filled with water.<\/p>\n

The White House East Wing was demolished to build a large ballroom,<\/p>\n

And up until a judge ruled last week that it had been illegally added and must be removed, Trump\u2019s name had been added to the Kennedy Center.<\/p>\n

Critics have said Trump, a Republican, is spending too much time and attention on his pet projects and not enough on issues that voters care about, like the cost of living, in the run-up to the November elections.<\/p>\n

That project is also the subject of a court challenge brought by The Cultural Landscape Foundation, which said repainting the bottom of the Reflecting Pool blue without first undergoing relevant reviews runs afoul of federal preservation laws governing historic sites.<\/p>\n

An order in the case hasn\u2019t come yet, and on Wednesday, the Trump administration notified the court that the work was complete, with the basin set to be filled by Sunday.<\/p>\n

Read more Trump plans to attend Knicks Finals Game 3 at Madison Square Garden on Monday: sources<\/a><\/p>\n

Meg Kinnard can be reached at <\/em>http:\/\/x.com\/MegKinnardAP<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Public comments mostly expressed concerns about its scale and impact on the skyline.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2899,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,13,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2900","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national-politics","category-news","category-politics"],"yoast_head":"\nPlanning commission seeks more details on Trump\u2019s planned 250-foot arch near the Lincoln Memorial - Orlando Relocation Report<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=2900\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Planning commission seeks more details on Trump\u2019s planned 250-foot arch near the Lincoln Memorial - 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