Judge orders Kennedy Center board to give 30 days notice before demolition
A federal judge ruled Thursday that the Kennedy Center board must give at least 30 days’ notice before any demolition of the performing arts center in Washington, D.C. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper issued the requirement while declining Rep. Joyce Beatty’s (D-Ohio) request for an emergency hearing to review the board’s latest vote to close the building for renovations.
Cooper said his requirement seeks to “avoid any confusion on that score given more recent events.”
Beatty, an ex officio member of the board, requested the emergency hearing after Trump’s handpicked board on Tuesday again voted to close the center for renovations. Cooper, an appointee of former President Obama, had blocked a previous vote, but the board is pressing ahead with a second bid.
The Trump administration has described the Kennedy Center as in a state of decay, saying renovations are needed to conduct repairs.
President Trump has publicly suggested the building could soon be razed if courts do not allow him to add his name to the facade. The president was seen Wednesday night on Air Force One looking at a placard that appears to depict a potential demolition.
Beatty’s lawyers raised alarm in particular after experiencing issues accessing the building this week.
The Trump administration says those restrictions are temporary and separate from the long-term renovation plan. The current closure is set to last for a week, though officials have warned that timeline could be extended.
“For years, Democrats let the Kennedy Center rot, allowing water damage and crumbling infrastructure to turn a national treasure into a building in decay. As President Trump said last night, without his intervention, The Kennedy Center will inevitably continue to decline,” White House spokesperson Liz Huston said in a statement.
