President Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot triumphal arch near Washington will return to a federal planning commission, but staff are calling for changes before final approval.
The National Capital Planning Commission will review the project on Thursday. Staff recommended preliminary approval for the site and building plans, but said the design should be revised before final approval.
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A scaled-down replica of Trump’s proposed arch stood on the National Mall as part of the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations.
One major issue is height.
Commission staff said the project should comply with the Height of Buildings Act, a federal law that protects Washington’s skyline. Even with revisions, the report said the arch, observation deck and three gilded statues could still reach Trump’s desired 250 feet.
Staff also asked for more information about traffic around the arch and the proposed granite exterior before final approval. Last month, commission staff also requested more information on lighting, stormwater plans and building materials.
Trump wants the arch built on a traffic circle on the Virginia side of the Memorial Bridge.
How the 1925 plan compares
The administration has pointed to a 1925 plan for the area as part of its case for the project.
But The Washington Post reported that the earlier plan called for two 166-foot columns, not a 250-foot arch. The columns were proposed near what is now Memorial Circle, but were never built.
The columns also would have had a different profile. Trump’s proposed arch would include 166-foot columns topped by another 84 feet of pedestal and statuary.
Why opponents object
Opponents say the arch is too large for the skyline and would disrupt views between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
A group of veterans and a historian have sued the Trump administration in federal court to block construction over concerns about the sightline.
The proposed arch would be more than twice as tall as the Lincoln Memorial and close to half the height of the Washington Monument. The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts approved the arch design in May, but the National Capital Planning Commission still must review the project before final approval.
The White House has not released a cost estimate for the arch.
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