Kennedy Center closes main building public spaces for 7 days due to safety risks, CEO says
WASHINGTON - Most public spaces in the main building of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts have been temporarily closed to the general public for at least seven days due to structural deterioration, according to a federal court declaration filed Thursday.
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Charles Matthew "Matt" Floca, the center’s executive director and chief operating officer, stated in the filing that he reached the conclusion to close the spaces on Sept. 16.
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Floca determined that ongoing life-safety hazards in certain public portions of the building have created risks to the health and safety of individuals who might access them.
The declaration was submitted in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Floca submitted the statement in support of the defendants' response to the plaintiff’s motion for an emergency hearing.
Fencing goes up around Kennedy Center after board votes to close it
During the initial weeklong closure, management intends to assess the specific safety risks in the portions of the main building exhibiting severe deterioration.
Floca noted that the center will reevaluate the need for the closure on a weekly basis. If the upcoming structural assessments indicate that certain areas are safe for public access, the center plans to establish protocols enabling partial access to those safe spaces.
Fencing goes up around Kennedy Center after board votes to close it
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Declaration of Charles Matthew ("Matt") Floca | United States District Court for the District of Columbia