Committee of 100 on the Federal City

The National Capitol Columns at the National Arboretum, saved by the Committee of 100 on the Federal City in 1959.

The Committee of 100 on the Federal City, locally referred to as the Committee of 100, is a private, nonprofit membership organization which promotes "responsible" land use and planning in Washington, D.C. It is one of the oldest citizen-based urban planning groups in the United States, and a highly influential body in Washington, D.C.^[1][2] Its members are primarily white collar professionals, although not necessarily involved professionally in urban planning, real estate development, or architecture.^[1]

History

On December 8, 1886, a group of businessmen residing in Washington's Northwest quadrant convened a meeting to appoint a "Committee of 100 Representative Citizens" to promote development of the city (then largely undeveloped woodlands).^[3] Although formed to promote the needs of citizens only in the Northwest quadrant, the organization quickly broadened its organizational structure and promoted a plan for the entire city.^[4] Its first meeting was May 16, 1887.^[4] this Committee of 100 disbanded in 1917.^[5]

The Committee of 100 on the Federal City unsuccessfully opposed siting the National World War II Memorial in the center of the National Mall.

However, in 1922, Frederic A. Delano (uncle of Franklin D. Roosevelt) became president of the American Civic Association. Delano organized the Committee of 100 on the Federal City as a successor to the group which had disbanded in 1917, and became its first chairman.^[5][6] The Committee of 100 on the Federal City was founded in 1923.^[6] The Committee's goal was to support the 1791 L'Enfant Plan and the 1902 McMillan Plan for the development of the capital.^[7] One of its first legislative goals was to establish a parks and planning commission for the District of Columbia, which it achieved in 1924 when Congress created the National Capital Park Commission.^[7]

Delano stepped down as chairman at the end of 1944, and Owen Roberts, Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States, was appointed his successor.^[8]

The Committee of 100 on the Federal City has been involved in numerous campaigns (pro and con) regarding buildings, roads, memorials, parks, and other architectural and planning features of Washington, D.C. Although the organization was less active in the 1960s than in the previous three decades, it became more active in 1970s and 1980s.^[1] Among the campaigns it was involved in were: the 1949 opposition to the East Capitol Street Bridge,^[9] opposition in the 1950s and 1960s to the Inner Loop freeway system in downtown D.C.,^[10] the 1955 effort to preserve the Old Patent Office Building,^[11] opposition to placing the proposed National Arts and Cultural Center on the National Mall,^[12] the 1959 effort to preserve the marble columns removed from the East Front of the United States Capitol building,^[13] a proposed 1963 dam at the Great Falls of the Potomac River,^[14] historic structures on Lafayette Square in 1961,^[15] the 1966 Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority interstate compact,^[16] the proposed 1969 Three Sisters bridge^[17] the underground location for the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and Freer Gallery of Art,^[18] the 1984 Techworld office building development near Mount Vernon Square,^[19] the proposed 1987 glass skylight rooftop addition to the Postal Square Building,^[20] the construction of a children's theme park on Kingman Island,^[21] the proposed 1993 destruction of parkland at Kingman Island to build football stadium parking,^[22] and the siting of the National World War II Memorial in the center of the National Mall in 2000.^[23]

Footnotes

1. ^ ^{a b c} MacGovern, The Politics of Downtown Development: Dynamic Political Cultures in San Francisco and Washington, D.C., 1998, p. 229.
2. ^ Robin, Saving the Neighborhood: You Can Fight Developers and Win, 1990, p. 29.
3. ^ Hatcher, "Washington's Nineteenth-Century Citizens' Associations and the Senate Park Commission Plan," Washington History, Fall/Winter 2002/2003, p. 73-74.
4. ^ ^{a b} Hatcher, "Washington's Nineteenth-Century Citizens' Associations and the Senate Park Commission Plan," Washington History, Fall/Winter 2002/2003, p. 74.
5. ^ ^{a b} James, Land Planning in the United States for the City, State and Nation, 1926, p. 79.
6. ^ ^{a b} Gillette, Between Justice and Beauty: Race, Planning, and the Failure of Urban Policy in Washington, D.C., 2006, p. 124.
7. ^ ^{a b} Gillette, Between Justice and Beauty: Race, Planning, and the Failure of Urban Policy in Washington, D.C., 2006, p. 125.
8. ^ "Roberts Named Chairman of Committee of 100," Washington Post, January 7, 1945.
9. ^ "Massachusetts Ave. Bridge Favored by Planning Head," Washington Post, December 10, 1949.
10. ^ "Grant Assails Highway Plan of City Heads," Washington Post, April 24, 1952; Lyons, "Belt Route Called 'Park Destruction'," Washington Post, February 27, 1955; Lindsay, "Loop Relocation Danger to Plaza," Washington Post, October 26, 1956; "Use of Parks For Roads Is Opposed," Washington Post, March 29, 1958; Stern, "Inner Loop Battle Hides Value to City," Washington Post, October 29, 1961; Kornberg, "Freeway's Foes Take New Tack," Washington Post, December 29, 1961; "Construction Delay in Highway Plans Urged by Citizens," Washington Post, April 26, 1962; Eisen, "Freeways Are Called Highways for Whites," Washington Post, September 15, 1966; Eisen, "Foes Unsheath New Legal Weapon to Fight North Central Freeway Link," Washington Post, October 12, 1966; "Freeway Halt Is Ordered," Washington Post, February 16, 1968.
11. ^ "Committee Protests Razing Plan," Washington Post, December 17, 1955.
12. ^ Barthelmes, "Planners Spurn Mall Site for Culture Center," Washington Post, May 2, 1958; "Mall Site Again Favored For Arts Center Here," Washington Post, May 27, 1958; "Civic Group Seeks to Shift Location of Cultural Center," Washington Post, February 15, 1964; Eisen, "JFK Center On River Site Backed Anew," Washington Post, May 9, 1964; "Committee Opposes Change in Site of JFK Center, Votes to Trim Its Size," Washington Post, May 21, 1964.
13. ^ Carberry, "Committee of 100 Urges Congress to Enshrine 24 East Front Columns," Washington Post, January 10, 1959.
14. ^ Chapman, "Potomac Dam Plan Blasted at Hearing," Washington Post, September 5, 1963.
15. ^ Bednar, L'Enfant's Legacy: Public Open Spaces in Washington, D.C., Press, 2006, p. 107; Jackson, "Old Lafayette Sq. Restoration Sought," Washington Post, November 30, 1961.
16. ^ "Committee of 100 to Join Foes of Transit Compact," Washington Post, January 19, 1966.
17. ^ Eisen, "Suit Filed to Block 3 Sisters," Washington Post, October 4, 1969; Eisen, "3 Sisters Appeal Rejected" Washington Post, March 28, 1972.
18. ^ Hodge, "Underground Art Museums Opposed," Washington Post, December 4, 1980; Hodge, "Underground Museums Approved," Washington Post, January 9, 1981.
19. ^ Swallow, "NCPC Staff Urges Rejection of Techworld," Washington Post, November 3, 1984; Bredemeier, "Techworld Plan for D.C. Comes Under Fire," Washington Post, November 27, 1984; Bredemeier, "Techworld Seeks Easing of Conditions," Washington Post, July 28, 1985; Bredemeier, "Panel Cool to Techworld Concessions," Washington Post, August 2, 1985; Bredemeier, "Techworld to Be Built," Washington Post, August 10, 1985; Feinberg, "Battle Looms Over Techworld Project," Washington Post, January 31, 1986; Lewis, "U.S. Suit Sets Off a Flurry of Litigation on Techworld," Washington Post, March 29, 1986; Sherwood, "Techworld Encounters New Woes," Washington Post, September 26, 1986.
20. ^ Precious, "Plan for Old Post Office Rejected," Washington Post, June 20, 1987; Precious, "Building Plan For Post Office Is Rejected," Washington Post, November 6, 1987.
21. ^ Wheeler, "Federal Parkland Transferred to D.C.," Washington Post, January 8, 1993.
22. ^ Kovaleski, "Small Coalition Aims to Sink Stadium Plan," Washington Post, June 17, 1993.
23. ^ Wheeler, "WWII Memorial's Site in Middle of Mall Is Under Attack," Washington Post, June 6, 2000; Wheeler, "Lawsuit Filed to Derail WWII Memorial," Washington Post, October 3, 2000; Miller, "Groups Seek Injunction on WWII Memorial," Washington Post, February 16, 2001.

Bibliography

• Barthelmes, Wes. "Planners Spurn Mall Site for Culture Center." Washington Post. May 2, 1958.
• Bednar, Michael J. L'Enfant's Legacy: Public Open Spaces in Washington, D.C. Baltimore, Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006.
• Bredemeier, Kenneth. "Panel Cool to Techworld Concessions." Washington Post. August 2, 1985.
• Bredemeier, Kenneth. "Techworld Plan for D.C. Comes Under Fire." Washington Post. November 27, 1984.
• Bredemeier, Kenneth. "Techworld Seeks Easing of Conditions." Washington Post. July 28, 1985.
• Bredemeier, Kenneth. "Techworld to Be Built." Washington Post. August 10, 1985.
• Carberry, James. "Committee of 100 Urges Congress to Enshrine 24 East Front Columns." Washington Post. January 10, 1959.
• Chapman, William. "Potomac Dam Plan Blasted at Hearing." Washington Post. September 5, 1963.
• "Civic Group Seeks to Shift Location of Cultural Center." Washington Post. February 15, 1964.
• "Committee of 100 to Join Foes of Transit Compact." Washington Post. January 19, 1966.
• "Committee Protests Razing Plan." Washington Post. December 17, 1955.
• "Committee Opposes Change in Site of JFK Center, Votes to Trim Its Size." Washington Post. May 21, 1964.
• "Construction Delay in Highway Plans Urged by Citizens." Washington Post. April 26, 1962.
• Eisen, Jack. "Foes Unsheath New Legal Weapon to Fight North Central Freeway Link." Washington Post. October 12, 1966.
• Eisen, Jack. "Freeways Are Called Highways for Whites." Washington Post. September 15, 1966.
• Eisen, Jack. "JFK Center On River Site Backed Anew." Washington Post. May 9, 1964.
• Eisen, Jack. "Suit Filed to Block 3 Sisters." Washington Post. October 4, 1969.
• Eisen, Jack. "3 Sisters Appeal Rejected." Washington Post. March 28, 1972.
• Feinberg, Lawrence. "Battle Looms Over Techworld Project." Washington Post. January 31, 1986.
• "Freeway Halt Is Ordered." Washington Post. February 16, 1968.
• Gillette, Howard. Between Justice and Beauty: Race, Planning, and the Failure of Urban Policy in Washington, D.C. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2006.
• "Grant Assails Highway Plan of City Heads." Washington Post. April 24, 1952.
• "Group Charges City Department Misled House on 3 Sisters Span." Washington Post. March 13, 1968.
• Hatcher, Ed. "Washington's Nineteenth-Century Citizens' Associations and the Senate Park Commission Plan." Washington History. 14:2 (Fall/Winter 2002/2003).
• Hodge, Paul. "Underground Art Museums Opposed." Washington Post. December 4, 1980.
• Hodge, Paul. "Underground Museums Approved." Washington Post. January 9, 1981.
• Jackson, Luther P. "Old Lafayette Sq. Restoration Sought." Washington Post. November 30, 1961.
• James, Harlean. Land Planning in the United States for the City, State and Nation. New York: MacMillan Company, 1926.
• Kornberg, Warren. "Freeway's Foes Take New Tack." Washington Post. December 29, 1961.
• Kovaleski, Serge. "Small Coalition Aims to Sink Stadium Plan." Washington Post. June 17, 1993.
• Lewis, Nancy. "U.S. Suit Sets Off a Flurry of Litigation on Techworld." Washington Post. March 29, 1986.
• Lindsay, John. "Loop Relocation Danger to Plaza." Washington Post. October 26, 1956.
• Lyons, Richard L. "Belt Route Called 'Park Destruction'." Washington Post. February 27, 1955.
• MacGovern, Stephen J. The Politics of Downtown Development: Dynamic Political Cultures in San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Lexington, Ky.: University Press of Kentucky, 1998.
• "Mall Site Again Favored For Arts Center Here." Washington Post. May 27, 1958.
• "Massachusetts Ave. Bridge Favored by Planning Head." Washington Post. December 10, 1949.
• Miller, Bill. "Groups Seek Injunction on WWII Memorial." Washington Post. February 16, 2001.
• Precious, Tom. "Building Plan For Post Office Is Rejected." Washington Post. November 6, 1987.
• Precious, Tom. "Plan for Old Post Office Rejected." Washington Post. June 20, 1987.
• "Roberts Named Chairman of Committee of 100." Washington Post. January 7, 1945.
• Robin, Peggy. Saving the Neighborhood: You Can Fight Developers and Win. Rockville, Md.: Woodbine House, 1990.
• Sherwood, Tom. "Techworld Encounters New Woes." Washington Post. September 26, 1986.
• Stern, Laurence M. "Inner Loop Battle Hides Value to City." Washington Post. October 29, 1961.
• Swallow, Wendy. "NCPC Staff Urges Rejection of Techworld." Washington Post. November 3, 1984.
• "Use of Parks For Roads Is Opposed." Washington Post. March 29, 1958.
• Wheeler, Linda. "Federal Parkland Transferred to D.C." Washington Post. January 8, 1993.
• Wheeler, Linda. "Lawsuit Filed to Derail WWII Memorial." Washington Post. October 3, 2000.
• Wheeler, Linda. "WWII Memorial's Site in Middle of Mall Is Under Attack." Washington Post. June 6, 2000.

External links

• Committee of 100 on the Federal City Web site
• Committee of 100 on the Federal City Records, Part I, Special Collections Research Center, Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library, The George Washington University
• Committee of 100 on the Federal City Records, Part II, Special Collections Research Center, Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library, The George Washington University