5777240 Public Hearing on PR 21-404, St. Elizabeths East Campus – Phase I Surplus Declaration and Approval Resolution of 2015 and PR 21-405, St. Elizabeths East Campus – Phase I Disposition Approval Resolution of 2015 (Joint)

 CHAIRMAN PHIL MENDELSON
 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

 

and

 

COUNCILMEMBER MARY CHEH

COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT

 

ANNOUNCE A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING

on

PR 21-404, the “St. Elizabeths East Campus – Phase I Surplus Declaration and Approval Resolution of 2015”

and

PR 21-405, the “St. Elizabeths East Campus – Phase I Disposition Approval Resolution of 2015”

on

Thursday, January 7, 2015

10:00 a.m., Room 412, John A. Wilson Building

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004

 

            Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and Councilmember Mary Cheh announce a joint public hearing before the Committee of the Whole and the Committee on Transportation and the Environment on PR 21-404, the “St. Elizabeths East Campus – Phase I Surplus Declaration and Approval Resolution of 2015” and PR 21-405, the “St. Elizabeths East Campus – Phase I Disposition Approval Resolution of 2015.”  The hearing will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 7, 2015 in room 412 of the John A. Wilson Building. 

 

            The stated purpose of PR 21-404 is to declare and approve as surplus the District-owned real property, located between 1300 and 1100 Alabama Ave. S.E., and known for assessment and taxation purposes as Lots 809, 811, 812, 813 and 823 in Square S-5868.  These lots comprise a 15.72 acre section of the St. Elizabeths District-owned property.  This property was formerly part of the St. Elizabeths Hospital campus owned by the federal government.  The Hospital was organized by Congress in 1855 for the treatment of mentally ill patients.  In 1987, the federal government transferred the 187-acre East campus to the District.  Today, the District continues to operate a public psychiatric facility on the campus in a newly constructed facility; however, most of the East campus is either vacant land or vacant buildings.  The entire site is a National Historic Landmark.  The West campus of St. Elizabeths is still owned by the federal government and home to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s consolidated headquarters.  In 2012, the District published the St. Elizabeths East Master Plan & Design Guidelines, which lays out design guidelines for the redevelopment of the entire East campus.

 

The stated purpose of PR 21-405 is to approve the disposition of District-owned real property located between 1300 and 1100 Alabama Ave. S.E., and known for assessment and taxation purposes as Lots 809, 811, 812, 813 and 823 in Square S-5868.  The proposed development constitutes Phase I of what will be a multi-phased redevelopment of the St. Elizabeths District-owned property.  Phase I consists of the disposition of Parcels StE-10, St.E-11, St.E-14, and St.E-17 and will itself be completed in four phases (Phases A-D; collectively, the “Concept Plan”).  The Concept Plan includes (1) the renovation and restoration of seven existing historic buildings into multifamily buildings containing approximately 250 residential units of which approximately 80 percent will be affordable and approximately 14,000 square feet of basement space shall be reserved for local nonprofits to occupy at reduced rent; (2) the construction of approximately 60 to 120 for-sale residential units, of which 30 percent shall be affordable and 15 units shall be constructed as live-work spaces for artists; (3) the construction of a commercial building containing approximately 30,000 square feet of retail space and approximately 171,000 square feet of office space.  Additionally, the Concept Plan includes the option for construction of a parking facility.

 

Those who wish to testify are asked to telephone the Committee of the Whole at
[phone], or email Cynthia LeFevre, Legislative Counsel, at [e-mail], and to provide your name, address, telephone number, organizational affiliation and title (if any) by close of business ­­­Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2015.  Persons wishing to testify are encouraged, but not required, to submit 15 copies of written testimony.  If submitted by the close of business on Jan. 5, 2015 the testimony will be distributed to Councilmembers before the hearing.  Witnesses should limit their testimony to four minutes; less time will be allowed if there are a large number of witnesses.  A copy of the legislation can be obtained through the Legislative Services Division of the Secretary of the Council’s office or on http://lims.dccouncil.us.

 

If you are unable to testify at the hearing, written statements are encouraged and will be made a part of the official record.  Written statements should be submitted to the Committee of the Whole, Council of the District of Columbia, Suite 410 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004.  The record will close at 5:00 p.m. on January 21, 2015.