Way back in April, I received word that Mayor Vince Gray had picked his nominees for the Historic Preservation Review Board. And then…nothing. No official nominations, to the tremendous frustration of the historic preservation community, as all but two of the board members‘ terms expired, and board meetings sometimes even went without a quorum. I heard that one nominee in particular, Nancy Metzger of the Capitol Hill Restoration Society—-and the driving force behind the opposition to the Heritage Foundation’s third floor addition—-had been protested by business interests. The other newbie, Niani Kilkenny, had credentials that may not fit the letter of the National Park Service’s requirements for the position of historian.

Turns out the concerns weren’t enough to make Gray change his mind. Yesterday, he told the annual meeting of the Committee of 100 that he’d chosen to reappoint current board members Elinor Bacon and Maria Casarella, and go ahead with Metzger and Kilkenny. So these confirmation hearings will be fun to watch.