Friday Funny: Congress Threatens To Leave D.C.

31 May 2002 - 2:00pm

The U.S. Congress called the current U.S. Capitol "inadequate and obsolete," and threatens to relocate to Charlotte or Memphis. Architecture firm proposes a new retractable-dome capitol.

"Its cornerstone laid in 1793 by President Washington, the capitol has been built, rebuilt, extended, and restored countless times over the past 209 years. Legislators say another multimillion-dollar renovation is not an acceptable alternative to a new building... Demonstrating its commitment to "stay in Washington if at all possible," Congress has invited more than a dozen architectural firms to submit proposals for a new D.C. capitol. Among the early favorites is the ambitiously titled "Halls Of Power," a retro-futuristic design by the Kansas City architectural firm of Hellmuth, Obata, and Kassabaum. The Halls Of Power would feature a retractable rotunda for daytime sessions, a Dancing Waters fountain in the front courtyard, and 55 more luxury boxes than the current building."

Source: The Onion, May 29, 2002
Bookmark and Share
It's all too easy for projects to claim that they will be successful places, and all too hard to tell ahead of time which ones actually will.