Development to Trigger Massive Gentrification, Displacement

Currently the site of the police and fire stations, the Mayor set a public hearing on July 14 to declare surplus lots at 17th & U Streets, NW, where there are a police and fire stations. This is reportedly one of the largest parcels of public land left in the city to prepare them for sale and get the wrecking ball rolling on massive development. https://dmped.dc.gov/node/804472

Questions? Alex Feinman at alex.feinman@dc.gov or 202-724-1515

Alarms went out when Councilmember Brianne Nadeau tweeted recently that the site at 17th & U Streets is set to be one of the “best development projects in DC,” now that the Council passed the new Comprehensive Plan raising building height to 13 stories. The Act also drastically curtailed community engagement. Chair Phil Mendelson raised objections that Nadeau’s proposal was too big, too fast and out of context with the neighborhood. His proposal for a study of the U St. corridor failed because ‘we are in a hurry.’

But are we rushing what may very well be the scrubbing of Black history and culture from the U St. corridor?

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report on U St meeting July 14

Nicholas DelleDonne

Loud Voice for Low-Rise Affordable Social Housing. At Hearing on Sale of MPD & FEMS at 17th & U Sts, NW Overwhelming neighborhood comment tonight told the Mayor not to sell the public property at 17th and U Streets, NW, and use it for truly affordable housing, in particular social housing.The public hearing to consider the sale of the police and fire stations at 17th and U Streets, NW, was attended by a hundred neighbors in person and an unknown number virtually. The host assured attendees there is no plan at present, but several attendees insisted that Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau deliberately short-circuited public engagement in the process and has a plan for massive 13-story development out of character with the neighborhood and sure to usher in a process destructive of the history and culture of the U Street corridor.Participants asked for studies not for the benefit of developers but what the neighborhood needed and whether a racial equity lens had been applied.Several participants asserted that the parcels are surrounded by a legally protected historic district and that the protection of historic districts should apply, in particular the height of the building not to exceed 4 stories.Only a couple of participants favored high rise development.The record remains open for comment until July 22 by addressing Alex Feinman at alex.feinman@dc.gov or 202-724-1515 with the Deputy Mayor for Economic development


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