Please note that donations made through this petition directly go to Change.org rather than The Living New Deal's campaign to save the building. If you'd like to make a donation to the campaign, please do so directly through https://livingnewdeal.app.neoncrm.com/forms/13

To: The General Services Administration (GSA), Members of Congress, and the American Public

We, the undersigned, call for immediate action to halt the sale of the Wilbur J. Cohen Building in Washington, D.C. — a cornerstone of American history and culture that belongs to the people of the United States.

Built during the New Deal era, the Cohen Building (originally the Social Security Building) houses extraordinary public art by Ben Shahn, Philip Guston, Seymour Fogel, Ethel and Jenne Magafan, and others. Their murals and relief sculptures celebrate the creation of Social Security and the dignity of American workers and families. Together, these artists produced more than 2,500 square feet of art, painted and carved directly into the building’s walls — tributes to the everyday Americans whose labor built our nation and whose security it sought to protect.

Today, this national treasure faces an alarming threat. Under a new “accelerated disposal” program launched in spring of 2025, federal properties can be sold quickly with limited public input. As powerful interests move in haste to sell this historic building, we call for the process to be paused and conducted with transparency, respect, and public participation.

In October of 2025, the public was shocked by an unannounced demolition at the White House complex — a violation of long-standing norms of transparency and preservation. The Living New Deal and allies refuse to let the Wilbur J. Cohen Building and its irreplaceable art meet a similar fate.

Selling or privatizing this building without proper review would strip the American people of their rightful heritage and deny us any voice in the fate of our shared cultural property.

Our position is one of good-faith collaboration and reasoned stewardship. While we believe the Cohen Building should remain in public hands and be restored for public use, our core request is simple:

If transfer of ownership or redevelopment of the property is deemed necessary, the process must adhere to full public review and preservation best practices, consistent with:

• The GSA’s mission as steward of federal architecture and art
• The National Historic Preservation Act (1966)
• The National Environmental Policy Act (1969)
• The D.C. Historic Landmark and Historic District Protection Act (1978)
• The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Properties

The Living New Deal (LND) has already submitted a formal request to the GSA, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), and the D.C. Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to participate in the Section 106 process that allows the public a voice in what happens to historic buildings when their ownership transfers from the federal government into private hands.

We call on the GSA and Congress to:

• Accept our request to participate in the Section 106 process and welcome other organizations like The Living New Deal in developing a Memorandum of Agreement that ensures protection of this historic building and its extraordinary art.
• Provide full transparency about any plans to sell or transfer the Wilbur J. Cohen Building into private hands.
• Honor all historic designations protecting the site and its artworks.
• Guarantee meaningful public participation in any decision about the building’s future.
• Ensure that any retrofit or modernization restores public access to this national treasure.

The Cohen Building is more than stone and paint — it is a living testament to America’s shared values, social progress, and the power of public art to uplift us all.

We do not consent to the sale of our heritage behind closed doors. We ask that historic preservation laws be respected, that transparency be upheld, and that this vital piece of American history be saved for future generations.

Please sign and share this petition to help protect the Wilbur J. Cohen Building — a masterpiece of American art, history, and democracy.

If you'd like to make a donation to The Living New Deal's campaign to save this building from harm, you can do so here: https://livingnewdeal.app.neoncrm.com/forms/13