Artist's rendering of the design for the new National World War I Memorial in Washington, DC.

National WWI Memorial Design Gets Key Support from NCPC 

By Rachel Hurt
Staff Writer

The new National World War I Memorial for the Nation's Capital achieved a significant milestone at the recent National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) meeting. The NCPC adopted the Memorial's revised design concept for the Memorial, which will be sited in Pershing Park in downtown Washington, D.C.

The NCPC is the federal government’s central planning agency for the National Capital Region. The Commission provides overall planning guidance for federal land and buildings in the region by reviewing the design of federal and certain local projects, overseeing long-range planning for future development, and monitoring capital investment by federal agencies.

Our World War I Memorial is currently being reviewed by both the NCPC and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, which are key regulatory agencies that oversee memorial-making in the nation’s capital. Each part of the design review process moves the WWI Memorial towards design approval, anticipated in early 2019.

The Memorial continues steadily on its journey to final approval. Chairman Terry Hamby was pleased with the regulatory agency review process: “The WWICC is very pleased with this continued support from the NCPC for the design of the National WWI Memorial," he said. "We are working closely with all regulatory agencies, and with our other partners, to create the best possible WWI Memorial for the site.”

Rachel Hurt is a Fall 2018 Intern with the U.S. World War One Centennial Commission.