The National Mall—known as America’s front yard—is being targeted for a massive rehab and restoration that could cost as much as $700 million (it’s estimated that the Mall has $400 million in deferred maintenance alone). Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis signed the official “record of decision” for the National Park Service's long-range plan for the Mall’s development and conservation on November 9, 2010.
Projects on the agenda include:
Refurbishing the Grant Memorial
Replacing the Capitol Reflecting Pool with a smaller pool or fountain
Building a welcome plaza near the Smithsonian Metro station
Rebuilding the Tidal Basin seawalls and walkways
Reconstructing the Constitution Gardens lake and constructing a multipurpose visitor center
Replacing the Sylvan Theater near the Washington Monument with a new multipurpose facility
Paving gravel walkways and reengineering grass turf areas.
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Inspiring Offices: Office Design That Drives Creativity
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BIM school, green school: California's newest high-performance school
Nestled deep in the Napa Valley, the city of American Canyon is one of a number of new communities in Northern California that have experienced tremendous growth in the last five years. Located 42 miles northeast of San Francisco, American Canyon had a population of just over 9,000 in 2000; by 2008, that figure stood at 15,276, with 28% of the population under age 18.