President Donald Trump is being sued over his plans to close and renovate the Kennedy Center for a two-year period starting on July 4.
The plaintiffs, comprised of eight architectural and historical preservationist groups, warn that the performing arts center and its nearly 55-year legacy are “in peril.” Their lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Monday, asks the judge to indefinitely halt the construction project because the approval process was not in compliance with federal law.
“The intent of the Board of Trustees and Mr. Trump is clear: To fundamentally alter this iconic property without complying with bedrock federal historic preservation and environmental laws, and without securing the necessary congressional authorization,” the federal complaint states. “And the harm is imminent, as the Board of Trustees and Mr. Trump admit they have already commenced preliminary construction work.”
Last week, the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees unanimously approved plans to have the building undergo extensive renovations while remaining temporarily closed for the next two years.
The process bypassed approvals from Congress and several commissions — the Commission of Fine Arts, the National Capital Planning Commission, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. The lawsuit requests that the judge pause the project until the Trump administration consults with those bodies.
“Given the numerous public statements and actions by the Board of Trustees and Mr. Trump—which at minimum signal an intent to hastily gut the Kennedy Center down to its structural steel studs—immediate and effective judicial relief is required to prevent irreparable harm to the Kennedy Center and to the public’s right to be meaningfully informed and heard before irrevocable actions are taken,” the court filing reads.
In February, Trump said he didn’t want the Kennedy Center to be fully torn down and that the construction crew would leave the steel structure and some of the marble in place. The project, which the president described as “fully financed,” is expected to cost more than $200 million.
Among the plaintiffs are the DC Preservation League, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the American Institute of Architects, and the American Society of Landscape Architects.
They argue that Trump’s Kennedy Center plans are part of a “broader pattern of unauthorized damage to historic buildings” in Washington, D.C., citing the White House ballroom project that will replace the now-demolished East Wing. That project is facing similar litigation after it also progressed without the necessary approvals.
The Kennedy Center’s board of trustees and Trump are the top two defendants in the Kennedy Center case, followed by the Smithsonian Institution and five others. The Kennedy Center is considered a bureau within the Smithsonian museum network.
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The new lawsuit comes as the Kennedy Center underwent a leadership change. Earlier this month, Richard Grenell stepped down as head of the performing arts theater to make way for his successor. On March 16, the board voted to install Matt Floca and shut down the center’s operations for two years.
Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH), an ex officio member of the board, filed a separate lawsuit this month to halt the planned closure and renovations. The same court that received Monday’s suit is currently weighing the merits of the congresswoman’s legal challenge.