Architects and historical preservationists are calling on Metro to immediately suspend painting the vaulted walls and ceiling inside Union Station, arguing that Metro’s plan to brighten up the station interior could irrevocably harm the design of the iconic public space.
In a letter to Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld sent Friday, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts — a federal agency tasked with overseeing the architectural development of Washington — warned that painting the exposed concrete walls is not a simple maintenance task, but instead an “alteration to an essential characteristic” of the station interior. Metro failed to follow the proper procedures for a public review process that would be expected for such a significant act, the letter said.
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