Not long after its demolition of the historic East Wing of the White House, the Trump administration is now looking to expedite the demolition of more than a dozen historic buildings in Washington, D.C. – and leading preservation organizations are fighting back.
According to documents obtained by The Washington Post, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is seeking emergency approval to demolish 13 historic buildings at the historic federal campus St. Elizabeths, established by Congress in 1855 and originally called the “Government Hospital for the Insane,” the newspaper reported Tuesday.
In a memo obtained by the Post, Noem said that the buildings constituted “a present risk to life and property” given that the buildings sit on the DHS’ West Campus complex, and that their vacancy could be used by “individuals seeking to cause harm to personnel,” including those seeking to carry out “active shooter scenarios.”
DHS filed an emergency notification with the General Services Administration (GSA) – the federal agency that manages government property – to expedite the buildings’ demolition, giving preservationist organizations just three days to respond to the inquiry. Not only did preservationist groups push back on the request, but some disputed Noem’s assessment as “problematic.”
“If the space within these vacant buildings is accessible, [it’s the GSA and Homeland Security that have] “failed to effectively secure them,” reads a joint letter sent to the GSA from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the D.C. Preservation League, according to the Post.
“A unilateral declaration like this is problematic because it bypasses the procedural safeguards designed to ensure stability, legitimacy and fairness. [Noem’s concerns over safety] imply a fundamental flaw in the facility’s security as a whole.”
The DHS’ rush to demolish historic buildings in Washington follows President Donald Trump’s controversial efforts to construct his White House ballroom, a project that saw the demolition of the historic East Wing that has been condemned by critics and historians alike.