The Trump administration said there is “no concern” that historic art stored in a government building in Washington, D.C., could be damaged during Freedom 250’s Grand Prix race in the city.
The General Services Administration weighed in on fears brought by a preservationist group that Great Depression-era murals and other artistic treasures at the Wilbur J. Cohen Building could be damaged by vibrations from IndyCar drivers racing around the National Mall during the Aug. 22-23 event.
After receiving a letter outlining concerns from the Living New Deal, the GSA, which manages federal property, said it reviewed the proposed route “for potential impact on our nearby assets and identified no areas of concern.”
“Like millions of other Americans, we fully support the patriotic celebrations happening in our nation’s capital, including the Freedom 250 Grand Prix,” a GSA spokesperson told the Washington Examiner.
Assistant director of Living New Deal Mary Okin called the administration’s stance “foolish and reckless” in comments to WTOP. Okin’s statement came after she wrote a letter to GSA warning that the building’s facade, featuring exterior panels by New Deal artists Henry Kreis and Emma Davis, could also be damaged should a racing vehicle lose control, spark a fire, or send debris such as tire marbles flying.
“The government has done quite a lot to look after them. They’ve been conserved, and in fact, that’s why we know that they are so fragile,” she told the outlet. “Given how important these artworks are, there should be all kinds of protections taken, and also a case made that this race should not happen here.”
“These are artworks that celebrate American prosperity and American financial security as a result of Social Security and the New Deal more broadly, which was designed to help ordinary families recover from the Great Depression,” Okin added. “I don’t think a race like this would ever happen under other administrations, because it’s just foolish and reckless.”
The Cohen building isn’t the only structure housing precious art that has come under scrutiny ahead of the IndyCar race. Preservationists also have concerns that thunderous vibrations could damage items at the National Gallery of Art during the event.
National Gallery of Art spokesman Chris Abanavas said earlier this month that the institution conducted a vibration study, and now plans to implement “a set of measures to ensure the safety of our staff, visitors, collection and facilities.”
“While we are not releasing the specifics, I can share that any such measures are only being taken out of an abundance of caution,” Abanavas said, adding that protective coverings on several displays at the gallery will be removed later in the summer.
The historic race is being spearheaded by Freedom 250, a public-private partnership spearheaded by President Donald Trump to celebrate the United States’s 250th anniversary.
It will take place Saturday and Sunday, featuring IndyCars racing down the streets of D.C. in a 1.7-mile, seven-turn course around the U.S. Capitol, the Washington Monument, the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, the National Gallery of Art, and other landmarks.
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Event organizers say the Grand Prix will cost around $35 million, with between 120,000 and 130,000 people expected each day of the race weekend, after 288,000 applied for free tickets. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which is working with IndyCar to promote the race, have hailed it as a lucrative economic opportunity for D.C. during the slow summer months.
“An event like this happening in August in Washington, D.C., is perfect because it’s in the middle of summer, [offers] great tourism opportunities, and helps the hotel businesses and restaurant businesses,” Jim Van Stone, MSE’s president of business operations, told Sports Business Journal. “Being a part of this for us was really a no-brainer.”