NCPC File No. 7223

POSTAL SQUARE BUILDING - NATIONAL POSTAL MUSEUM EXTERIOR MODIFICATIONS

2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE Washington, DC

Submitted by the

Delegated Action of the Executive Director

April 28, 2011

Pursuant to delegations of authority adopted by the Commission on October 3, 1996 and 40

U.S.C. § 8722(b)(1) and (d), I approve the preliminary and final building plans for exterior modifications at the Postal Square Building to accommodate gallery expansion of the National

Postal Museum located at 2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Washington, DC, as shown on NCPC

Map File No. 31.30(38.00)43284.

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The Smithsonian Institution has requested preliminary and final approval of proposed exterior modifications to the Postal Square Building, a building owned by the United States Postal Service (USPS), to accommodate a gallery expansion of the National Postal Museum. The Museum is operated by the Smithsonian Institution, who leases the space from the USPS. As part of the expansion, the Smithsonian Institution proposes to remove two 1995 exterior stairways and doorways associated with the current restaurant tenant and to restore the original window openings. The restaurant tenant is moving out of the building allowing for the Postal Museum to expand into that space. The Smithsonian Institution also proposes new window treatments inboard of the historic wood framed windows on levels 1 and 3 of the building to control the temperature, humidity, and light of the space; this new window treatment is interior to the building. The proposed window treatments will be different colors and different stamp images to the outside. During the day, the window treatment will be minimally visible from outdoor public space. During the evening hours, the Postal Museum proposes to light the window treatment from the interior.

The project is being done in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution and USPS as the owners of the building. The Smithsonian Institution is not considered a federal agency for NCPC File No. 7223 Page 2

purposes involving the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); however, USPS does have independent NEPA responsibility. The USPS found that the project can be categorically excluded under their environmental regulations. NCPC staff evaluated the project for NEPA compliance and found that the project can be categorically excluded under 8(c)(2) of NCPC’s Environmental and Historic Preservation Policies and Procedures for the installation of building elements such as windows.

Pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the USPS has determined, and NCPC staff concurs, that the project will have no adverse effect to historic properties. The District of Columbia State Historic Preservation Officer reviewed the project and concurred with the determination that the undertaking will have no adverse effect.

The Coordinating Committee reviewed the proposal on March 16, 2011, and forwarded the proposal to the Commission with the statement that the project has been coordinated with all participating agencies. The participating agencies were NCPC; the General Services Administration; the National Park Service; the District of Columbia Department of Transportation; the District of Columbia Office of Planning; and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

______Marcel C. Acosta Executive Director