On Wednesday, December 4, Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie will host a community meeting with WMATA to discuss WMATA’s plans to develop the Brookland Metro Station. WMATA’s development solicitation may be viewed here: http://bit.ly/1cLMqFs
Wednesday, December 4
6:30 – 8 PM
Casey Trees
3030 12th St N.E.
Councilmember McDuffie sent the below letter to WMATA expressing his concerns about the development solicitation for the project.
November 13, 2013
Mr. Stan Wall
Director, Office of Real Estate & Station Planning
Department of Finance & Administration
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Dear Mr. Wall,
I have had an opportunity to review WMATA’s November 2013 Joint Development Solicitation Plan, which includes plans to develop real estate surrounding two Ward 5 metro stations: Brookland and Fort Totten. I write specifically concerning WMATA’s solicitation for the Brookland site.
As I have expressed to you in the past, it is important to me and the Brookland community that the Brookland Green between Newton and Otis Streets be preserved when WMATA redevelops its property. I was therefore quite disappointed when I reviewed WMATA’s November 2013 Joint Development Solicitation Plan and learned that WMATA specifically contemplates and encourages development that would negatively impact the Brookland Green. Indeed, Joint Development Solicitation #2013-01 (Brookland-CUA Metro Station) Illustrative Concepts A and B (pages 16 and 17, respectively) suggest to potential development partners that their submissions should take up the entire footprint of the “South Parcel” currently occupied by the Kiss & Ride and Brookland Green.
I encourage WMATA to re-think any plan that would destroy the green space and mature trees that currently serve as the much beloved “Brookland Green,” and I request a meeting to further discuss how WMATA’s development plan for the Brookland Metro can preserve this historic community asset.
Sincerely,
Kenyan R. McDuffie
Councilmember, Ward 5
