Dear Friends,
Thank you for standing with us to protect the Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building—our “Sistine Chapel of New Deal art.” With your support, our petition is now over 5,000 voices strong!
As we enter the holiday season, we want to share critical updates—and ask for your ongoing help.
What’s happening:
- During the government shutdown in October, we formally requested inclusion in the legally required Section 106 review process for the Cohen Building.
- In November, the GSA invited us to participate as a consulting party and stated that the Section 106 process had not yet begun and would not begin for some time.
- On December 8, 2025, court testimony from a retired senior GSA preservation official raised concerns that demolition-related actions may be moving forward outside the Section 106 process.
- We immediately wrote to the GSA to seek clarification and are still waiting for a response.
- Without a transparent Section 106 process that allows consulting parties to advocate for legally binding protections for the Cohen Building and its art, the risk of demolition increases significantly.
- Raising public awareness about threats to the Cohen Building remains our priority.
Your voice continues to matter:
Historic preservation laws exist—but they work best when the public takes action. Keep raising your voice to help safeguard the Cohen Building for future generations!
Here's how you can help:
- Share the petition with friends, colleagues, and preservation-minded networks.
- Add a public comment or video testimonial to the petition.
- Make a tax-deductible donation to the Living New Deal Project to help us monitor agency actions and defend irreplaceable public art: 👉 https://livingnewdeal.org/support-living-new-deal/
- Send a letter to your representatives in Congress (we will share a letter template soon).
Stay better informed and connected by joining our Advocating for New Deal Art initiative:
👉 https://livingnewdeal.org/save-the-wilbur-j-cohen-building-the-sistine-chapel-of-new-deal-art/
Throughout the holidays, we will continue to track threats to the Cohen Building daily and alert you to further opportunities for public comment, testimony, or direct action.
Together, we can ensure that our nation's Sistine Chapel of New Deal art—and the laws designed to protect it—are not quietly set aside.
Thank you for your advocacy and support.
— The Living New Deal Project