The Kennedy Center will stay closed while safety evaluations are ongoing at the cultural arts center, with no clear date for reopening, according to an email sent to staff overnight and obtained by NBC News.
“Our facilities, safety, and security teams are now conducting a detailed emergency egress assessment to determine whether, and under what conditions, the building can safely support occupants and be evacuated while these restrictions remain in place,” according to the email from the Center’s Executive Director Matt Floca. “The main building will remain temporarily closed, pending that determination.”
Tarps remain on the facade of the Kennedy Center today. Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty
Floca notes that the assessment ordered by Kennedy Center leadership is expected to wrap up within two weeks.
The main building of the Kennedy Center has been shut since September 15, after the Center’s board decided to close for renovations. In court filings, Floca explained that they would reconsider the closure week by week based on the status of the assessment.
This comes as a different evaluation completed over three months by engineering firm Walter P Moore found significant corrosion and water damage on most of the exterior “soffit panels” that make up the Kennedy Center’s overhang. The documents obtained by NBC News call for “immediate” fixes to prevent further damage to the Center’s structure.
Walter P Moore suggested replacing all of the soffit panel system – each individual panel weighing more than 2,000 pounds – with what they describe as “a more durable solution.” They also recommend updating the roof’s drainage system and improving enclosure between the roof and panels along with addressing issues with the roof deck itself.
The firm advises keeping public access restricted in front of the Kennedy Center plaza area. “Because the soffit is located 60 feet above areas regularly occupied by the public, continued deterioration of the panels and their support system presents a falling object hazard and life-safety concern,” states their report.
“Walter P Moore recommends that access under and next to soffit panels be closed off until repairs or further evaluation is performed,” according to their assessment.
While there aren’t any events scheduled for theaters inside the main building of the Kennedy Center right now, activities continue in a separate newer smaller building on its campus. Free events are happening between Thursday and Sunday each week at this venue known as “The REACH.”
On another note regarding legal matters, there’s an ongoing court battle about naming rights for the Center – plus other closures – with Judge Christopher Cooper requesting weekly updates from Trump administration regarding repairs.
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