Contributed by Carol (Bickley) Aten, Founding Board Member and three-time President of Don’t Tear It Down
Don’t Tear It Down (DTID, the predecessor to the DC Preservation League) was incredibly lucky when David Bonderman became our pro bono attorney. Our early incorporation and other legal matters were originally handled by a wonderful colleague of David’s at Arnold & Porter, but early on, David became our counsel. What a godsend!
David was one of those people who just exuded vitality—brilliant, energetic, quick, witty, creative, passionate, and strategic. As DTID’s pro bono counsel and vice president for 10 years (1972-1982), he was a key player in making DTID credible, effective and formidable. He fought for the Willard Hotel, the Old Post Office, the Franklin School, the old Riggs Bank Building, and Red Lion Row among other threatened buildings. He was a wizard at using the law to help advance the cause of preservation. I recall him magically getting a temporary restraining order on a weekend to stop a demolition. I also remember one evening after our board meeting ended, following David back to Arnold & Porter (where they had a 24-hour typing pool!) to get some legal filing that he had dashed off typed up for submittal.
However, his most important and strategic accomplishment was drafting DC’s historic preservation ordinance that the DC Council enacted virtually unchanged in 1978. That law was a model for other cities and has been foundational to preserving our city’s historic heritage.
David perhaps outgrew us, but he didn’t forget us. In 1983, he moved to Texas as Chief Operating Officer of the Bass Group and was later a co-founder of the Texas Pacific Group (now TPG). He became a billionaire; co-founder and co-owner of the Seattle Kraken NHL team; a member of the Governing Council of the Wilderness Society; a board member of the World Wildlife Fund, the American Himalayan Foundation, and the Grand Canyon Trust; and a board member of numerous corporate entities. Yet I know he fondly remembered his time with our feisty group. He was a continued supporter of the DC Preservation League and attended our 45th and 50th Anniversary Celebrations. It was a joy to see him there.
David passed away in December 2024 at age 82. He is remembered by me and his preservation colleagues with fondness, admiration, and gratitude. The unique beauty and historic fabric of Washington, DC are part of his legacy.
(Photo: David Bonderman (1942-2024), photo courtesy of Bonderman Family, TPG, Wildcat Capital Management and the Seattle Kraken.)
