Remembering WWII

Contracting Method Accelerates and Streamlines the $100 Million Rte. 28

By Jim Parsons

After 10 years of design development, intense fundraising, and the occasional controversy, the National World War II Memorial will soon take its place on Washington's National Mall.

The intricate work involved in creating the WWII memorial on the Mall has put the project team to the test. (Photos courtesy of the American Battle Monuments Commission.)

Set on a 7.4-acre site between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, the generally low-rise design has largely put to rest concerns that this permanent tribute to the war's uniformed and homefront participants-no matter how deserved or overdue-would clutter the Mall's historic and visual integrity. Every feature of the privately funded memorial has been meticulously studied and refined to preserve the openness of the historic axis while also contributing to a unique and powerful visitor experience.

Review and Refinement Successfully integrating the Memorial into its landmark location was no simple matter.

The selection of Providence, R.I., design architect Friederich St. Florian's concept from more than 400 proposals in 1997 was only the beginning of an extensive design development process that involved federal and DC agencies, plus dozens of public hearings.

"The philosophy from the outset has been ' think 100 years,' as opportunities to build on the National Mall are rare," said Leo A. Daly, III, FAIA, chairman of design firm by the same name. Daly's charge was to bring St. Florian's concept to life. " We wanted to ensure that the materials and artistic elements made the memorial as enduring as the achievement it represents."

Though some design professionals might shudder at such close scrutiny, there is near-universal agreement that the process has greatly improved the design's inherent qualities. Eliminating adjacent north and south berms for museum and visitor facilities from St. Florian's
original design, for example, significantly reduced the Memorial's built footprint to a mere 2.5 acres and preserved adjacent double rows of elm trees planted by famed landscape architect
Frederick Law Olmstead.

"Rather than overwhelming the setting, the state pillars and Memorial Arches commemorating the Atlantic and Pacific theaters now blend into trees," noted Leo A. Daly Associate and Project
Architect Darren Zehner. "We've also incorporated far more landscaping into the site and restored walks and other elements of the original Olmstead plan."

To protect the westward vista of the Lincoln Memorial, the design team integrated a low-rise commemorative plaza that incorporates a restored Rainbow Pool, constructed along with the more familiar Reflecting Pool in the 1920s.

The water treatment and filtration systems use an environmentally friendly green system in which the effluent is only minimally treated. A wind speed sensor is included in the control system, which adjusts the jets based on wind speed set points.

CMS Collaborative Fountain Consultant designed jet pods and manifolds that decrease the visibility of the hardware. This maintains the visual aesthetic designed by the architect, while protecting the historical integrity of the water display.

Numerous alternatives for recognizing the war's human toll evolved into a waterfall-flanked Freedom Wall that will contain a field of sculptured gold stars a reminder of the wartime symbols displayed by families of service members killed in action. A series of bronze bas
relief panels created by sculptor Ray Kaskey along the ceremonial entrance balustrades will depict the war years at home and overseas.

"A frequent concern voiced duringthe public review stage was that the design lacked a human representation of the wartime experience," Zehner explained."The bas relief panels fill that
need, and illustrate that the war was not won just on the battlefield, but on the homefront as well."

Mobilization Strategy While the Memorial's design effort has emphasized permanence, its construction schedule has suggested a sense of urgency. The number of World War II veterans dwindles by approximately 1,100 each day, making the project a race to meet the scheduled May 29, 2004, dedication ceremony.

"The question was never if we could make the end date, but how much better can we do," said Ken Terry, project manager for the Washington-based joint venture of Tompkins Builders/Grunley-Walsh Construction, which was awarded the $56.1 million construction contract in June 2001. "Even then, we've dealt with ssues that required us to go above and
beyond an already aggressive schedule."

For example, the entire western axis of the National Mall is former Potomac River marshland that was reclaimed in the late 19th Century with tons of dredged fill. As a result, the Memorial
site's shallow water table and highly unstable soil conditions necessitated complete excavation to construct the foundation and watertight vaults for utilitiesand control systems.

The construction team spent 10 months building a slurry wall designed by Mueser Rutledge Consulting. It extends 40 feet to bedrock. They excavated approximately 108,000 cu. yds. of fill. A 2-ft. thick platform of riprap provided the necessary support for equipment to drive nearly 600 piles to bedrock.

"This was a very messy process complicated by the potential presence of arsenic and heavy metals," Terry said.

"That meant collecting and testing the groundwater in 25,000-gallon tanks before receiving EPA clearance to discharge it to the Tidal Basin."

Weather played havoc with the construction effort as well, as the DC area's record summer 2002 drought gave way to months of drenching rain, with a paralyzing snowstorm thrown in. "And we were very lucky when Hurricane Isabel plowed through in September," Terry added. "Our only damage occurred when one of the large elm trees blew down and scuffed one of the granite pillars."

Mission Accomplished With the National World War II Memorial entering the final months of construction, there is an underlying sense of satisfaction among the project team that goes above and beyond their involvement with a high-profile effort.

" A s is true of most Americans, everyone involved with the Memorial has parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles who participated in World War II," observed Conley. "In a very real sense, the project has taken on a personal relevance and importance that you won't typically find at a job site."

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