The battle over the Kennedy Center is far from over!

The White House has stated a desire to demolish the iconic performing arts center after a federal court has ruled the only name that belongs on the building is that of President John F. Kennedy; for whom the building was named as a memorial to the assassinated President.

But a group of architectural and preservationist organizations have called for the Kennedy Center leadership to either resign or appoint a receiver.

The plaintiffs – the American Institute of Architects, the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Committee of 100 on the Federal City, the DC Preservation League, Docomomo US, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Society of Architectural Historians and the Cultural Landscape Foundation – have issued a statement saying, “if the current leadership of the Kennedy Center is unwilling or unable to exercise its fiduciary duty to protect the historic building and the grounds of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the court should consider appointing a receiver or replacing that leadership.  The irrevocable loss of this iconic building — whether by intent, neglect or mismanagement — appears increasingly possible.  The court has invited our coalition of eight nationally recognized architectural and preservation organizations to raise additional requests for relief if new facts appear to warrant judicial intervention. We are on the verge of such a moment.”

One of three law firms representing the plaintiffs; Cultural Heritage Partners’ attorney Greg Werkheiser noted that, “they will likeyly soon file for receivership.”

He added, “we feel an obligation, no matter how realistic we think it is, to first publicly and clearly call, one last time, on the trustees to particularly focus on their legal fiduciary duties.”

Werkheiser also noted that the Kennedy Center does not need to go into bankruptcy to request receivership.

He added, “but circumstances are changing rapidly.  In requiring independent protection, the court could consider measures to put someone else, not someone that we pick, not someone that the government picks, but someone that the court picks and vets –– put them in charge of preserving the historic building.”  Ex-officio board member Rep Joyce Beatty of Ohio has been battling the White House over the Kennedy Center for the past several months and currently has a lawsuit of her own to try and save the Kennedy Center from the wrecking ball. Werkheiser noted that the plaintiffs “were paying close attention to that lawsuit and the photos being shared.

Congress – who controls what can and cannot be done at the Kennedy Center including any name changes – has allotted $257 million for renovations at The Center; funds that are currently being held hostage over a name change the court has denied, citing only Congress has that right.

Werkheiser said Trump has the “extraordinary responsibility to use his power to keep the center running, not extraordinary leverage to demand the institution honor him.”

Adding that the board members have an, “affirmative duty to preserve the Kennedy Center as a performing arts center and living memorial to former President John F. Kennedy.”

The day after the court ruling, the Kennedy Center was closed to the public and fencing has been placed around the building.  Kennedy Center Executive Director matt Floca said that the closure was so that they could make “emergency repairs due to acute risks to public safely.”

Last Friday evening hundreds of concerned citizens gathered at the Kennedy Center to form a human ring of protection around The Center.