VC at Booker T. Washington NMon slated for enlargement
The visitor center at Booker T. Washington National Monument is undergoing an expansion. Carla Whitfield, park superintendent, said the facility, which opened in 1966, is too small to accommodate the park's growing number of visitors.
The expansion will be done in two phases. The first, which began on July 26 and has a 90-day buildout, will be about 1,446 square feet. Whitfield said it will include a 944-square-foot multi-purpose room. It can accommodate up to 134 people for special events, meetings and programs. It also will serve as a movie theater.
The current movie theater, which is approximately 534 square feet and has an occupancy of 36, will be converted into exhibit space, said Whitfield. Currently, the visitor center does not have a designated exhibit area. Whitfield said temporary exhibits have been displayed in the lobby, which crowds the area. Giving them a permanent home will be a bonus for visitors, said Whitfield.