Message from Executive Director Marcel Acosta
NCPC’s Centennial offered a moment for celebration and reflection. We are honored to carry on the legacy of planning for the nation’s capital. Capital cities must respond to both the aspirational values of our country, and the on-the-ground realities of meeting the needs of a diverse, growing city and region where people live, work, and play.
This Centennial milestone provided a unique opportunity to reflect on much more than the agency’s history — we examined the evolution of planning in Washington, DC and the region, acknowledged negative impacts created by past planning practices, and considered lessons learned to inform planning into the future.
The exhibit Planning Washington: Capital and Community was displayed at several locations, and is available as a digital exhibit. More than 300 original planning documents are available in our online library. Most critically, we brought regional leaders together in conversation on the impact of past planning practices on Washington, DC and the region as it is experienced today.
We are grateful to the organizations and people that supported our Centennial work and engaged in thoughtful explorations of our planning history.
White House Congratulates NCPC on 100th Anniversary
President Biden wrote a letter recognizing NCPC’s Centennial and congratulating the agency for demonstrating the best in public service. His letter notes, “I hope you feel great pride in the role the NCPC has played in preserving the legacy of Washington, D.C., while promoting a positive vision for its future.”
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One Night, 100 Years: Exploring NCPC’s Online Planning Library
In a fun, fast round of virtual presentations, six thought-provoking professionals each discussed an item from NCPC’s online planning library that showcases maps, plans, and studies from the past 100 years.
Presenters:- Alex Baca, DC Policy Director, Greater Greater Washington, Topic: Early Zoning Code
- Ras Tafari Cannady II, AICP, Real Property Management Branch Head, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command. Topic: A Policies Plan for the Year 2000: The Nation’s Capital (1961)
- Carlton Hart, Senior Urban Planner, U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, Topic: Architectural Forum magazine (1963)
- Tracy Hadden Loh, Fellow, Brookings Metro, Topic: An Approach to the Mass Transportation Problem for the District of Columbia (1952)
- Rebecca Miller, Executive Director, DC Preservation League, Topic: Landmarks of the National Capital (1973)
- Andrew Trueblood, Principal, Trueblood.city, Topic: Comprehensive Plan, First Chapter (1950)
- Julia Koster, (moderator) Director, Office of Public Engagement NCPC
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DC History Conference Planning Pioneer or Planning Pariah? Rethinking Harland Bartholomew’s Legacy
As a planning consultant and later National Capital Planning Commission Chair, Harland Bartholomew profoundly shaped Washington, DC’s physical and social landscape. The panel discussed Bartholomew’s work in Washington and nationally and highlighted his complex legacy.
Presenters:- Kael Anderson, Urban Planner, NCPC
- Carmen Bolt, Historian and doctoral candidate at American University
- Brittney Drakeford, Urban Planner, NCPC
- Melissa Lindsjo (moderator), Urban Planner, NCPC
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American Planning Association Federal Planning Division Annual Training Workshop Federal Planners Workshop Highlights Centennial
NCPC, in partnership with the American Planning Association’s Federal Planning Division, welcomed almost 600 federal planners from across the country for the Federal Planning Division’s annual workshop which helped celebrate NCPC’s Centennial. Opening panel included NCPC’s Marcel Acosta and Johanna McCrehan with Andrew Trueblood.
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Centennial Exhibit launched
The official launch of the Centennial exhibit took place at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. The exhibit was on display through September 3, 2024.
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Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library Planning Washington: Capital and Community
A panel looked at how has our past shaped the nation’s capital we see today, using the centennial as an opportunity to understand how ambitions to create an inspiring and beautiful city wrestled with the reality of responding to the needs of city residents.
Panelists:- Uwe Brandes, Professor of the Practice, Faculty Director, Urban & Regional Planning Program and Georgetown Global Cities Initiative, Georgetown University
- Don Edwards, Co-Founder and Chair of the Board, Justice and Sustainability Associates
- Zachary M. Schrag, Professor of History, George Mason University
- Julia Koster, (moderator), Director, Office of Public Engagement, NCPC
- Bsrat Mezghebe, (overview presentation) Communications & Research Support Specialist, NCPC
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Exhibit Display
The Centennial exhibit moved to the West End Neighborhood Library and was on display through September 30, 2024.
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West End Neighborhood Library Who Is the City For? Plans & People Shaping Washington, DC
A salon-style program about the plans and people that shaped Washington, DC that also celebrated the exhibit Planning Washington: Capital and Community and NCPC’s centennial.
Panelists:- Alex Baca, D.C. Policy Director, Greater Greater Washington
- Laura M. Richards, Past Chair, Committee of 100 on the Federal City
- Alexis Robinson, Associate, Justice and Sustainability, Inc
- Julia Koster (moderator), Director, NCPC Office of Public Engagement
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Exhibit Display
The Centennial exhibit was on display at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in the Hall of Nations through October 30, 2024.
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APA NCAC Annual Chapter Conference The Power of Partnership: The Federal-Local Relationship
The panel of regional planning leaders looked at the impact of the federal-local relationship on decision-making and development and how this might evolve in the future.
- Anita Cozart, Planning Director, District of Columbia
- Anthony Fusarelli, Planning Director, Arlington County
- Lakisha Hull, Planning Director, Prince George’s County
- Clark Mercer, Executive Director, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
- Jason Sartori, Planning Director Montgomery County
- Marcel Acosta (moderator), Executive Director, NCPC
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American Planning Association Webinar Planning Pioneer or Planning Pariah? Rethinking Bartholomew’s Legacy
While Robert Moses may be better known, Harland Bartholomew may have had a bigger impact on U.S. cities. This online program examined his complex legacy and how he shaped Washington, DC; Louisville, KY; and St. Louis, MO.
Speakers:- Marcel Acosta, Executive Director, NCPC and Chair, APA Urban Design and Preservation Division
- Dr. Mark Benton, Assistant Research Professor, University of Missouri College of Health Sciences’ Center for Health Policy
- Joel Dock, Planning Supervisor, City of Louisville, Kentucky Office of Planning
- Don Roe, Executive Director, City of St. Louis, Missouri Planning and Urban Design Agency
- Melissa Lindsjo (moderator) Urban Planner, NCPC
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Exhibit Display
The Centennial exhibit was at it's final display location at Arena Stage through December 3, 2024.
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Four Southwest Washington architecture and planning tours
The tours, led by DC Design Tours, took place on November 2, 9, 22, and 23 and were sponsored by NCPC, Southwest Business Improvement District, DC Public Library Foundation, and Arena Stage.
