Finally, New and Improved Pentagon 2.0

The Pentagon, previously called the War Department Building, took a mere 17 months to construct in 1941. The building's recent renovation took considerably longer: 17 years and $4.5 billion, to be exact.

1 minute read

June 25, 2011, 7:00 AM PDT

By Jeff Jamawat

"Why did the renovation take so long?," asks Steven Vogel of The Washington Post.

"The building had to be stripped down to concrete columns and rebuilt from slab to ceiling, yet still operate as the Defense Department headquarters 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Constructed for an era of manual typewriters, the Pentagon needed to be entirely reconfigured to meet modern communications and technology demands," he writes.

As it turns out, the 9/11 attacks helped expedite the renovation. Vogel explains, "The project was originally scheduled to be completed by 2007, but by 1999, the date had slipped to 2014. After the attack, however, Congress added funding so that the project could be completed by 2011."

FULL STORY: After 17 years, Pentagon renovation is complete

Tuesday, June 21, 2011 in The Washington Post

Architecture Government / Politics United States District of Columbia Virginia

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Learn More

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.