Commerce renovation project called ‘precedent setting’

Federal Drive

Commerce renovation project called ‘precedent setting’

The Commerce Department has big plans for its headquarters in downtown Washington, and it could lead a revolution in public-building planning.

Michael O'Connell@moconnellWFED

April 9, 2012 12:43 pm

< a min read

wfedstaff | April 17, 2015 3:37 pm

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The Commerce Department has big plans for its headquarters in downtown Washington, and it could lead a revolution in public-building planning.

The blueprints call for a cable rail system, flag poles and vehicular barriers inside the building’s property line. National Capital Planning Commission’s Physical Planning Division is calling the project “precedent-setting.”

“The exterior of the building after the renovation will look pretty much like it does today, but cleaned up and improved,” said Bill Dowd, NCP’s Physical Planning Division director. “But the action we were looking at now was how do you deal with security that’s located in the public space?”

Dowd spoke to The Federal Drive with Tom Temin and Emily Kopp Monday about the project’s innovative design.