National Mall Underground – “Serious, or crazy rich guy with too much money?”

“Dear PoPville,

I fist noticed this street front gallery just north of K street on Connecticut ave. Based in its look, I figured it was an art gallery (in absurdly expensive space). On closer inspection, it’s a info center for some wealthy developer’s proposal to build a parking lot under the national mall. I googled it, and we website seems to be as much about him as it is about the project.

Serious, or crazy rich guy with too much money?”

National Mall Underground’s website says:

“The National Mall Underground project solves the needs of the public as well as federal and District of Columbia planners by consolidating in one structure several functions: car and tour bus parking, visitor services, a flood reservoir, and irrigation cisterns, while providing new turf grass as the “green roof.” During heavy storm events, buses and cars will be removed from the two lower parking levels and flood waters will be pumped here for temporary storage. The location between the Smithsonian Castle and the Museum of Natural History, and between the 9th Street and 12th Street tunnels under the Mall, is centrally located near the Metro Smithsonian stop and Capital Bikeshare locations.”