WASHINGTON — D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the District will begin conservation work on the iconic "Friendship Arch" in historic Chinatown starting on Monday, June 15.
The multi-agency effort is led by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities along with the partnership of the Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs, the Department of General Services, DDOT, and WMATA.
"The Friendship Archway represents the strength of our Asian American and Pacific Islander community and celebrates their contributions to the District," Bowser said. "This project, on the heels of Asian American and Pacific Island Heritage Month, will ensure the Archway remains an iconic landmark in Chinatown for years to come."
For the duration of the project, the curb lane of the 600 blocks and 700 blocks of H Street, NW will be closed. During the first two weeks and the last two weeks of the project, H Street NW between 6th Street, NW and 7th Street, NW will be completely closed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., with a signed detour in place.
All users of the roadway should exercise caution when traveling through the work zone, officials said.
"The Department of General Services is honored to have a contributing and collaborative role in the restoration of the historic Chinatown Friendship Archway, visited by many the world over," DGS Director Keith A. Anderson said.
Designed by local architect Alfred Liu, the Friendship Archway was dedicated in 1986 to commemorate the newly-established sister cities relationship between the District of Columbia and Beijing, China.
Since that time, only one restoration of the structure occurred in 2009 and the archway is now in need of repair to restore cracking, loose tiles, non-functioning light sources, peeled paint, and overall cleaning. Liu and his company will be the primary contractor for this summer’s conservation work.
Throughout the conservation process, agencies will use the opportunity to engage with the public on the artistic techniques involved in creating the archway, as well as the history of the Chinatown neighborhood and the District’s Asian American population.
The conservation project is expected to be completed by October 2020.