Capital planners approve design for MLK memorial

WASHINGTON — The Martin Luther King Jr. national memorial cleared a major hurdle Thursday, and organizers said they hoped to begin construction on or before Nov. 1.

The National Capital Planning Commission approved a modified version of the memorial with a slightly different King statue, more Red Maple trees and a smaller “visitor support building” than was originally planned.

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AP Photo/Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation

Original full-size clay model for the memorial.

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The commission also rejected proposed physical barriers at the site entrance designed to enhance security. Members said that the series of bollards — advocated by the U.S. Park Service — would run counter to King’s message of inclusiveness and openness.

The panel also rejected a “donor wall” that would have allowed the names of donors to be on display in the visitor’s building.

The original statue of King stirred controversy as being too confrontational and reminiscent of images in totalitarian regimes.

The new version has King emerging from a stone base as opposed to appearing more separated from the base. His face has also been somewhat altered to remove some lines around the mouth and cheek area, creating a slightly softer expression.

The sculpture — dubbed the Stone of Hope — is designed as the centerpiece of the memorial, planned for a site near the Tidal Basin, between the Jefferson and Lincoln memorials.

Ed Jackson, executive architect of the project, said he was pleased with the outcome of the commission meeting.

“It’s wonderful. It’s a long time coming,” he said.

The Planning Commission meeting focused mainly on security questions surrounding the memorial. The proposal included eight bollards that were about three feet high with a bronze metal finish.

Jackson told the commission that the “physical line of bollards” would detract from the concept of the memorial, which is “one of inclusiveness and one of openness.”

But Jackson also said he would “not challenge the Park Service assessment.”

John V. Cogbill, chairman of the Planning Commission, said he also objected to the physical barriers.

The bollards “could be an embarrassment to the family and legacy of Dr. King,” he said.

Some members of the commission questioned whether the barriers — mainly designed to stop car bombs — were really addressing the threats faced by the Memorial.

Commissioner Peter May, said that the Park Police examined various security options and that the bollards were the best alternative.

He said Park Police officials are worried about “specific threats from the groups actively campaigning against everything Martin Luther King stood for.”

The next step for the memorial involves final approval from the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts, which will consider the issue on Sept. 18.

On the Web:

National Capital Planning Commission: http://www.ncpc.gov/