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Ward 4 Councilmember Muriel Bowser joined Mayor Adrian Fenty
in announcing that the District is seeking development bids
for two properties across the street from Walter
Reed at 6925 and 6929 Georgia Ave. NW.
Photo: Courtesy of Phallan Davis.
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Brightwood residents are beginning to imagine life after Walter Reed. As the Army Medical Center begins to wind down its life in Washington, the city is starting to dream up new uses for the 62 acres that are expected to be turned over to the DC government in the fall of 2011.
The US State Department and the General Services Administration will each be taking big chunks of the campus, but in September, the State Department decided to take only 13 of the 80 acres it had previously requested. With the GSA taking only 32.5 acres, that leaves 62.5 acres for the District to fill.
A 1994 law encourages closing military bases to accommodate homeless people, and DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton is advocating for that possibility. Ward 4 Councilmember Muriel Bowser wants to see more economic development along the Georgia Avenue corridor. The city is planning to take a year to study the options.
At this point, Mayor Adrian Fenty doesn’t know if he will open up the site for one overarching developer or if he will contract several developers for different parts of the area. City officials will need to present a plan to the Army in order to acquire the property. They plan to do that by late 2010 or early 2011. They’ll be meeting with prospective bidders Nov. 13, focusing on those who want to use the site for homeless assistance.
Fenty and Bowser teed up the daydreaming Oct. 22 when they announced they were seeking development bids for two properties across the street from Walter Reed at 6925 and 6929 Georgia Ave. NW.
Brightwood residents have some ideas of their own about what should go in to those spaces. Disgruntled Starbucks patrons would like to see a local wifi-equipped coffeehouse with “comfy seating, and maybe some baked goods.”
But Okolo Thomas-Toure, who lives near the Fort Stevens Recreation Center, suggested over the Brightwood listserv that they turn to the Main Street organization’s advice: to start brainstorming what they want by asking what services Brightwood residents travel outside the neighborhood for. Thomas-Toure got them going, saying he went elsewhere to go to the gym, to shop at Whole Foods, and to eat out. Others seconded the desire for more dining options – especially for breakfast. “Retro” diners got lots of votes.
Bread and Chocolate and Trader Joe’s were mentioned as good additions to the area, but residents also prize local mom-and-pop businesses. Some would like to see a hardware store open. Many expressed their hope that a liquor store or beauty salon would not take the space, feeling Georgia Avenue already had its share of both.
Reality checks entered into the conversation when residents reminded others that the city is offering no financing, that the space is small and confined to the 50-foot height restriction, and that parking is limited. |
