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Donor Steps Forward to Save Washington Monument
Monument suffered extensive earthquake damage
Julie Carey
Earthquake repairs to the Washington Monument could take a year to complete, but the project now has the support of David Rubenstein from the Carlyle Group.
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The plea for a donor to help fund repairs to the earthquake-damage Washington Monument has been answered.
A damage assessment following the Aug. 23 earthquake put the repair bills at $15 million. Congress recently approved half of that total, telling the National Park Service to find a donor or donors for the rest.
Enter David Rubenstein.
The Park Service is set to announce Thursday morning that the philanthropist will provide the rest of the money.
A co-founder of the global asset management firm The Carlyle Group, Rubenstein recently gave $4.5 million to the National Zoo's panda program.
Park officials are also expected to announced Thursday that the restoration project could take up to a year. One of Washington's top tourism officials told News4 by phone Wednesday evening that he's glad to hear repairs can begin.
The monument has been off-limits since the Aug. 23 earthquake left it with significant cracks.
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