The President's House in Philadelphia

From Legislation and Design to Completion (2002-2010)

This timeline chronicles the design process for the President's House site, beginning with the July 2002 appropriations bill in Congress, to the design by Olin Partnership, the 2005-06 design competition, the 2007 archaeology, and the evolution of the final design by Kelly-Maiello.

July 2002	House Rpt.107-564: Appropriations Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives requires NPS to study the President's House and report back
Oct. 2002	Design Process begins. Preliminary Designs presented on January 15, 2003, at a public meeting at the African-American Museum of Philadelphia. Prepared by the Olin Partnership and Vincent Ciulla Design for the Park Service.
Oct. 9, 2003	At opening of new Liberty Bell Center, Mayor Street pledges $1.5 million in support of commemorative project
Nov. 2003	Roundtable Meeting. Roundtable Consensus Document Completed in February 2004, published in October 2004 Roundtable Minority Report Distributed Feb. 27, 2004
Sept. 6, 2005	Congressmen Fattah and Brady announce federal grant of $3.6 million to fund the project
Sept. 6, 2005	President's House Site Meeting. Representatives of the National Park Service and the Ad-Hoc Historians met to clarify what we now agree and still do not agree on regarding the physical space and the labeling of that space at the President's House. Included is a site plan with locations and labels.
Sept. 14, 2005	City & Independence National Historical Park convene President’s House Oversight Committee
Sept. 26, 2005	President's House Design Competition RFQ distributed.
Nov. 17, 2005	Public Meeting (with audio)
March 2006	Semi-Finalists Named Press Release
June 5, 2006	Public Meeting (with audio), introducing the Semi-Finalists
Aug. 2006	Design Competition Photo Gallery, public display at the National Constitution Center. Semi-finalist models, explanations, and design teams.
Sept. 2006	Selected Comments About the Design Competition
Feb. 27, 2007	Press Release announcing winner Kelly/Maiello, interpretation by American History Workshop
March-July 2007	President's House Site Archaeological Dig: Maps, photo galleries, webcam, reports, and news.
Dec. 13, 2007	Public meeting: agenda and information packet [pdf]
August 2009	Design Issues made public
April 2010	Proposed Exhibit Plan for the President's House Exhibition, interpretation by Eisterhold Associates
May 7, 2010	Public Meeting at the Convention Center.
Dec. 15, 2010	President's House Exhibition, photographs.