Throughout her time at the Trust, Katie played an integral role in ensuring the organization’s programming and operations ran smoothly. She was instrumental in expanding and diversifying the Trust’s funding portfolio, helping launch new projects and partnerships, increasing organizational visibility, and securing critical funding for the Trust’s historic rehabilitation projects in Historic Anacostia.

While Katie’s positive attitude, energy, and dedication will be missed, we wish her every success as she pursues graduate studies and takes this exciting next step in her career.

Reflections on Summer Internship with The L’Enfant Trust

1. What were some of the highlights of your internship?

When I first started with The L’Enfant Trust, I took a particular interest in Big Green, part of the Trust’s Historic Properties Redevelopment Program (HPRP) in Anacostia. I really enjoyed looking through the drawings by Cunningham | Quill Architects and being able to understand what the house will look like when it’s complete. Because of this, visiting the Anacostia Historic District was a really exciting experience; not only was I able to see Big Green in person and visualize its growth, but I was also able to see the Trust’s previous HPRP projects throughout the district. Looking at before and after pictures is one thing, but seeing the houses as functioning units of their neighborhoods was truly eye-opening.

I also enjoyed looking through the Trust’s diverse portfolio of easemented properties throughout D.C. and seeing different styles, materials, and time periods being represented. Learning about these topics at school and then being able to see them in the real world has been a very full-circle experience.

2. What surprised you most about The L’Enfant Trust’s work or about historic preservation?

I hadn’t realized just how many different pieces go into working with historic properties. Each property requires dozens of photos, files, and correspondence. Nothing is left unaccounted for, which I thought was especially impressive considering how many properties The L’Enfant Trust handles. Keeping detailed records of over 1,000 properties and having a working relationship with their owners is something I had not initially anticipated when thinking about preservation, but was excited to learn.

I was also surprised by the variety of rules surrounding historic properties. I quickly learned that there are layers of regulation, especially in the D.C. area, regarding how properties are preserved. With groups such as the Historic Preservation Review Board and the Old Georgetown Board, preservation is a long, detailed process that I hadn’t fully considered before.

3. What is one lesson or experience you’ll take back with you to your architecture studies?

Architecture is about so much more than design. Buildings become their own little worlds, affecting hundreds of people long after they are “complete.” There are so many different groups including preservationalists, engineers, and contractors that become involved and continue to stay present even as a project comes to end. Not only that, but things like land laws and permits take a huge toll on how projects progress. Being in the Heurich House Museum in particular has been a testament to how ever-changing and resilient a building can be. You never know who a building might end up serving, regardless of the design’s original intention.

Overall, I am so grateful for my time with The L’Enfant Trust this summer and have loved getting to know what the preservation world is all about! I’ve learned so much about historic preservation in D.C. and can say for a fact that I will take it with me as I continue my studies in architecture and beyond.

Section 106: Updates and What to Watch

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) has proposed major changes to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The proposal would narrow historic preservation reviews, reduce consultation and public participation, and limit protections for significant landscapes. The changes are currently open for public comment before a final decision is made. If adopted, the revisions would significantly alter how federal agencies evaluate the impacts of federally funded or approved projects located on historic and cultural resources. Visit the NTHP website for additional information and updates.

As preservation experts and advocates, we, alongside our colleagues nationwide, are deeply concerned with the proposed changes to this important law. The proposed changes would not only weaken long-standing protections for historic places and cultural resources, but also place irreplaceable heritage sites and cultural landscapes at greater risk of being lost forever.