Steven Hall entered into a competition to make renovations for the Kennedy Center. He won the REACH competition and completed it in 2019. The entire cost ended up totaling $175 million and added 72,000 square feet in addition to rehearsal rooms, event spaces, and classrooms. Hall decided to make most of his additions underground as a way to not upstage the work of the previous architect. His additions were elegant and paid tribute to the 35th president. He made a memorial garden with 35 gingko trees. There are inspirational quotes emblazoned all over the complex from JFK and there is even a skylight pavilion that is half-buried.