Kennedy Center executive director Matt Floca extended the main building’s closure to Sept. 30, citing documented hazards and corrosion on roof soffits that he said could endanger people exiting in an emergency. The safety review is ongoing, with closure reassessed weekly.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper last week ordered the Trump administration to give 30 days’ notice of changes to renovation plans, including possible demolition. In May, he blocked a planned two-year closure for renovations. The Justice Department has asked him to lift that order, but he had not ruled on the request.
Cooper also ruled that the board’s addition of President Donald Trump’s name to the building violated a law and a prior court order, and ordered the name removed. Trump has appealed. He said last week the center could close or be demolished if his administration did not receive recognition at the site.
