NCPC approves exterior lighting upgrades for Washington Union Station

The National Capital Planning Commission voted to approve preliminary and final exterior lighting plans for Washington Union Station, the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation’s proposal to enhance both interior and exterior lighting at the station at 50 Massachusetts Avenue NE.

NCPC staff told commissioners the applicant had withdrawn plans for colored lighting and limited the submission to white lighting that conforms with NCPC lighting policy. ‘‘Staff recommends that the Commission approves the preliminary and final building plans for lighting upgrades at Washington Union Station,’’ NCPC presenter Lee Webb said during the March 5 presentation.

Doug Carr, president and CEO of the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation, said the team had refined brightness and optics to preserve the station’s architectural character and reduce energy consumption. ‘‘We have revised our proposal to include only the 3,000 K classic white lighting throughout the station,’’ Carr said, adding the project team was working to secure funding and hoped to begin construction within months and deliver the project early next year.

Commissioners asked about funding and timeline; Carr said approvals were in hand and the team was pursuing financing. After brief commissioner deliberations, Commissioner Arrington Dixon moved to adopt the staff recommendation; the motion passed on a roll-call vote.

Staff recommended and the commission encouraged continued coordination with the National Park Service, District Department of Transportation and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority on work that intersects adjacent jurisdictions. The commission’s approval was limited to exterior elements, per NCPC’s scope of review.