Good morning, D.C. In today’s newsletter: Dulles’ new parking deck, Trump’s golden horses and fans at Commanders training camp.
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THE LATEST
One of the D.C. area’s biggest attractions may soon be a parking garage.
Trending
As part of his sweeping $22.5 billion overhaul of Dulles International Airport, President Donald Trump says a new parking deck will be built in front of the historic main terminal with enough space for 32,000 cars.
“It’ll be the largest garage in the world,” he said last week. “It will be beautiful.”
What’s unclear is whether Dulles even needs that much parking. NOTUS’ Martin Austermuhle reports that a 2025 master plan for the airport drawn up by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which manages Dulles, found that the existing 22,000 parking spots would suffice until at least 2045.
But just to be on the safe side, the authority had drawn up plans for a new parking deck — with one-fifth the capacity of what Trump is pledging.
There are also unanswered questions about the sheer physical scale of Trump’s garage. As proposed, it could stand some 15 stories tall, towering over the iconic terminal designed by Finnish architect Eero Saarinen.
With a garage that big, there’s likely to be “all kinds of issues with throughput of vehicles, wayfinding, ventilation and fire safety,” said local parking expert Bill Boyle. “There’s no precedent for building a parking deck this big.”
FROM THE DISTRICT
Trump’s golden horses have (finally) arrived. In May, NOTUS’ Anna Kramer reported that the National Park Service was re-gilding the four massive horse statues near the Lincoln Memorial with an unusually thick layer of 23.75-karat gold, to the tune of 5 million taxpayer dollars.
The Park Service wanted the horses (known as the Arts of War and Arts of Peace) finished in time for the July Fourth festivities, calling it an “immovable deadline” in their justification for handing out a rushed, no-bid contract this spring. But the rush was for naught: Two of the horses were just unveiled last week, and two more are still covered up. The city’s July Fourth crowds got nothing more than some scaffolding and drapes.
A high-level aide to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is parting ways with the city, marking the first big departure in the waning months of the mayor’s time in office. Lindsey Parker, who joined Bowser’s administration more than a decade ago and rose to chief of staff, will next take the reins of the Maryland Stadium Authority. It’s a logical move: Parker’s last role in D.C. government was as senior adviser for the Commanders stadium project.
A Republican senator wants more patriotism in D.C. schools. Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Florida) has introduced a bill that would require that the U.S. flag be displayed in every classroom in D.C. schools, and mandate that students recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of every day. (Parents would be allowed to opt their children out.) Moody said the bill would help “restore pride in our nation” and fight an “outrageous curriculum” that includes lessons on LGBTQ+ history. Critics say this is another unnecessary intrusion into the city’s affairs.
Organizers of the popular Cherry Blossom 10-Miler recently warned runners that, starting next year, the race’s “most memorable sections” could be affected or even eliminated by Trump’s planned construction in Memorial Circle and around East Potomac Park.
Preservationists are mounting their latest campaign to stop a Trump-led remake of a D.C. building, seeking an injunction to stop the administration from painting the Eisenhower Executive Office Building white, NBC4 reports.
TRIVIA
In which jurisdiction can you get married without an officiant?
- D.C.
- Maryland
- Virginia
Email us the answer — the first reader who gets it right gets a shout-out. The answer will be at the end of tomorrow’s newsletter.
SPORTS
Training camp update: NOTUS’ Martenzie Johnson was in Ashburn on Saturday for the first of 11 Commanders practices open to fans. Thousands showed up, with some arriving hours ahead of the 8:30 a.m. start time.
The session featured a lot of fan service, including a fun segment where the offensive linemen ran pass routes. But the biggest reaction of the day came during the appearances of Hall of Famers Darrell Green and John Riggins, who will have new roles with the franchise this season.
The WNBA trade deadline has come and gone, with the Mystics standing pat. Washington will be leaning on the second-youngest roster in league history as it makes a playoff push.
What to Watch Today
MLB: Nationals at Phillies, 6:40 p.m. (MLB.TV)
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The newsletter was produced by Jaden Amos, Michael Errigo and Nikie Johnson. Photos by Kainaz Amaria/NOTUS.
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