Re­examine Comsat decision

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

The July 20 letter from Carol Oberdorfer (‘‘Save the Comsat building”) was right on the mark. County Council must re­examine the planning board’s decision to demolish this national treasure.

Comsat’s design reflects the original technology work done there on telecommunication satellites. Designed by the now famous architect Cesar Pelli, it opened in 1969 with a full view from Interstate 270. This interstate later became known as the technology corridor. Cesar Pelli’s other works include the Petronas Towers in Malaysia, the tallest building in the world built in 1998; the new terminal at National Airport in Washington, D.C., and the World Financial Center in New York.

Many people in Maryland and throughout the United States would like to see this building preserved, but its new owner says they must make room for parking spaces. Eyebrows have been raised because the county Planning Board voted 4 to 1 to allow the builder to eradicate this national treasure despite recommendations from the community and its own planning staff to place it on the register of historic buildings.

The Comsat building has ties to art, history, science and technology, and warrants historic designation. It has character; exemplifies a cultural, economic, social and political heritage as the birthplace of the information age; is distinctive in characteristic type; it represents the work of a master architect; possesses high artistic value and presents a familiar visual feature for Montgomery County and Maryland.

The Comsat building embodies the hopes and dreams of a society looking toward the future via outer­space. Telecommunications satellites designed there gave birth to our modern information age; as such it is worth more in dollars to Maryland in tourist interest than a parking lot.

County Council must re­examine the planning board’s decision to demolish this national treasure.

Alethea Hendricks and Jay Hendricks, Clarksburg