Background

One of the first tasks undertaken after the Commission began operations was to carefully identify all the potentially suitable sites that might be available in Washington for a presidential memorial. The Commission considered many factors in determining the suitability of a site, but two of the most important were prominence and public accessibility.

We reviewed twenty-six possible sites where a major national memorial might be placed. After months of study and analysis this list was winnowed to eight parcels of land that seemed suitable. These locations received in-depth scrutiny and evaluation until, by April, 2004, there remained four potential sites. By December there were three remaining possibilities and in March, 2005, the Commission narrowed the choices to two.

We retained the consulting services of Gensler, a world renowned design and evaluation firm, to explore all pertinent aspects of both locations and make its recommendation. On June 20, 2005, Gensler submitted its final report to the Commission and, after due deliberations, the Commission voted to approve the site located at the intersection of Independence and Maryland Avenues as its preferred location for the future memorial to President Dwight D. Eisenhower.  The site is highly accessible and prominently located.  It is partially in Area I (as defined by the Commemorative Works Act), which is an area reserved for memorials whose subjects are of “pre-eminent historical and lasting significance to the Nation.”

The next steps toward site approval involved an almost three-year period of analysis, evaluation, and public presentation meetings with government agencies and advisory organizations as required by the federal Commemorative Works Act (40 U.S.C/ 1001 et seq.) and various departments in the local jurisdiction.  The evaluative work product produced by the Commission and its consultants for the approval process consisted of an Environmental Assessment, traffic impact evaluations, site surveys, underground conditions assessments, and a host of other reports necessary to seek approval.  In public meetings, the three predominant organizations approved the site selection in the following order: National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission (November 8, 2005), the National Capital Planning Commission (September 7, 2006) and The U. S. Commission of Fine Arts (September 21, 2006).

Permission to place the Eisenhower memorial within Area I accelerated on February 1, 2006 when the Secretary of the Interior and the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission recommended to Congress that the Eisenhower Memorial be located in Area I.  Senate Joint Resolution 28 was then introduced on February 7, 2006.  On April 4th, the Senate passed the resolution by unanimous consent.  On April 25th the House of Representatives approved the legislation by a vote of 411-0.  President Bush signed the legislation into law (now Public Law 109-220) on May 5, 2006.

The Commission is pleased to have Congress and the President affirm that the legacy of Eisenhower merits national commemoration in a location of major prominence in Washington.  The effort to pass the legislation was completely bipartisan and was sponsored by the entire Kansas delegation, as well as a number of World War II veterans, including the Commission Chairman, Rocco Siciliano, the commission Vice Chairman, Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D/HI), and the Commission’s senior Republican, Senator Ted Stevens (AK).

New memorial exclusion zone Area 1 -reserved for major memorials only   For a printable PDF of a close-up view of the Memorial site, click here.