A portion of the ceiling in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts collapsed Friday evening after heavy rain swept through the Washington, D.C., area, prompting officials to temporarily close the building and renew calls for long-planned renovations.
No one was injured when part of the ceiling in the building's Grand Foyer fell, according to the Kennedy Center. Photos released by the center showed chunks of ceiling material, dust and debris scattered across the red carpet.
Within hours of the collapse, Kennedy Center officials argued that the incident underscored the need to overhaul the aging facility.
"Another warning we can't ignore," the Kennedy Center said in an Instagram post. "A section of the Grand Foyer ceiling collapsed after this week's storms. Thankfully no one was hurt. Decades of deferred maintenance made this inevitable."
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The post added: "Chairman President (Donald) Trump has been right: America's cultural center needs to close, renovate, and be restored, now."
USA Today reached out to the Kennedy Center on Saturday seeking additional comment.
According to ABC News, the Kennedy Center's main building was closed immediately after the collapse Friday night.
While the rest of the building was expected to reopen Saturday, the Grand Foyer will remain closed to visitors and nonessential personnel through the weekend, the outlet reported.
Kennedy Center spokeswoman Roma Daravi told ABC News that the collapse was "another example of the urgent need to close for renovation and revitalization."
"The ceiling failure stems from decades of neglect and deferred maintenance by the previous leadership," Daravi said.
The Kennedy Center, which opened in 1971, was established by an act of Congress during the Eisenhower administration and later designated as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy after his assassination.
Tarp remains surrounding scaffolding Wednesday after President Donald Trump's name was removed from the facade of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.
The collapse comes as the Kennedy Center board's plan to temporarily close the facility for a two-year renovation remains tied up in federal court.
Last month, the board approved a renovation project expected to cost more than $250 million. Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, challenged the closure plan in court.
Justice Department lawyers argued that the building needs extensive repairs, citing water damage and rusting steel, according to The Hill. The administration also warned in court filings that the center eventually could face demolition if those repairs are not completed, though officials said that is not the current plan.
Congress appropriated $257 million for the project, and the Trump administration said it hopes to raise an additional $500 million through private donations to help restore and endow the center.
People look on Wednesday as crews work to remove the sculpture titled "Blue" by artist Joel Shapiro from the grounds of The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.
Renovation plans remain tied to legal dispute over Trump's name
The renovation proposal is also tied to a federal court fight over plans to recognize Trump on the Kennedy Center.
Last month, the board voted to place signage on the building reading, "The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump," and to rename the surrounding grounds "President Donald J. Trump Plaza."
The proposed changes remain tied up in federal court. Government lawyers argued that the wording would recognize Trump's role in renovating the building rather than formally renaming the Kennedy Center, while opponents argue that the move conflicts with an earlier court order that said only Congress could rename the facility.
A sculpture that became a recognizable part of the Kennedy Center’s grounds was removed this past week.
A plaque for the sculpture titled "Blue" by artist Joel Shapiro stands beside its empty installation site Wednesday on the grounds of The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.
Crews began removing "Blue," a 24-foot aluminum sculpture created by famed American postminimalist sculptor Joel Shapiro, on Wednesday, USA Today reported. The National Park Service began implementing a temporary road closure early Wednesday to facilitate "Blue's" removal, according to a public notice.
The artwork, gifted to the center in 2019, depicts a human stick figure "poised in mid-kick," according to the Kennedy Center. It was located on the Upper Lawn of the center between the main Kennedy Center building and a separate venue called "The Reach," which is used for arts education.
The Kennedy Center did not publicly announce the reason behind the statue's removal.
