A significant portion of the Kennedy Center’s ceiling collapsed in its Grand Foyer on Thursday night after a powerful storm swept through Washington D.C., scattering debris across the venue's signature red carpet. The incident has intensified the ongoing dispute over the performing arts center’s proposed $250 million renovation.
Kennedy Center spokesperson Roma Daravai stated that the collapse serves as "another example of the urgent need to close for renovation and revitalization." In posts on X, formerly Twitter, she attributed the failure to "decades of neglect and deferred maintenance by the previous leadership," and called the building a public danger. Daravai emphasized there was “no legitimate reason to further halt the renovations!!”.
The center's board voted last month to proceed with the planned renovation, which its leadership contends is desperately needed. The proposal includes a two-year closure for the extensive work.
This incident occurs amidst ongoing litigation concerning the future of the Kennedy Center. In July, an Appeals Court ruled against an effort by the Trump administration to prevent the removal of the former president’s name from the building. Following this decision, the board voted to inscribe "Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump" onto the structure.
Last month, the Justice Department had warned of potential demolition, with lawyers writing that "Without those efforts, the Center will deteriorate further into an unsafe, decrepit structure that will be required to be taken down."
The storm that impacted the region was described as one of the most severe since a 2012 derecho. GOES-19 satellite data indicated an average of 68 lightning flashes per minute. The storm uprooted large trees across the city, including one on the U.S. Capitol Grounds that had a plaque dating back to 1949. Ronald Reagan National Airport recorded 1.25 inches of rain in less than an hour.