DMPED's Closer: December Edition

DMPED logo 2
CLoser

December Edition 2016 


Featured Stories

McMillan Groundbreaking

Breaking "Sand" at McMillan

Mayor Muriel Bowser and Deputy Mayor Brian Kenner turned "sand" at a ceremonial groundbreaking Dec. 7 at McMillan Sand Filtration Site in Ward 5.  The groundbreaking represents the first activity at the site in nearly three decades and signals the beginning of the historic preservation and stabilization work for early 2017. The 25-acre development located at North Capitol Street and Michigan Avenue, NW in Ward 5 is expected to create 6,200 jobs, 134 affordable housing units and produce $1.2 billion in economic activity over 30 years. 
Read more: Mayor Bowser Breaks Ground on McMillan Redevelopment in Ward 5


Pathways

District Releases First-In- Nation Inclusion Innovation Report

The District is already the #1 for women tech entrepreneurs, but we want to be the nation's nation’s premier hub for all technology inclusion. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Deputy Mayor Brian Kenner released “Pathways to Inclusion,” the District’s first-ever report on the current state of inclusion in our tech, innovation, and entrepreneurship economy. “Pathways to Inclusion” sets bold goals to expand opportunities for District residents, including creating 5,000 new tech jobs for underrepresented workers and 500 new tech businesses founded by underrepresented entrepreneurs. The report highlights the barriers underrepresented communities face upon entering an industry vital to Washington, D.C.’s economic growth. Read the report and more here


Plans Jan. 12? Swing by our Open House

Did you know that the District’s Economic Development Cluster has 14 different agencies covering areas from arts to business, transportation to environment, regulation and more? Deputy Mayor Kenner is bringing all the agencies together for a cluster-wide Open House on Jan. 12, 2017 at the Convention Center. The event will provide residents with the opportunity to meet agency leadership and learn about all the programs and services our cluster offers. Bring your great ideas and questions! RSVP and more information at this link: https://econdevopenhouse.eventbrite.com


Twit

Beacon

DC Supports Women Entrepreneurs!

DC officially signed on to BEACON: The DC Women Founders Initiative, a campaign to make Washington, D.C. the most supportive ecosystem for women entrepreneurs in the United States. 

The initiative will bring together business leaders, investors, government leaders, mentoring networks and other allies in a unified effort to expand funding and other resources and opportunities for women entrepreneurs.

On behalf of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor Kenner took part in the launch to announce the city’s support and that it would dedicate grant funding for organizations that provide resources, mentoring and other support to women founders in the D.C. area. More information on BEACON to come in 2017. 

Read more: DC Tech Leaders Launch Major Initiative to Support Women Entrepreneurs


DMPED "Closings"

McMillan: Historic preservation and stabilization work is set to begin in early 2017. As noted above, the Mayor and DMPED participated in ceremonial groundbreaking or “turning of sand” in early December. 

MLK Gateway: DMPED announced earlier this month that Menkiti Group and Enlightened, Inc. were selected to lead the development of MLK Gateway, a partnership between DMPED and DHCD at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE and Good Hope Road SE. Delivering on the Bowser Administration’s promise to provide greater economic opportunities to D.C.’s most underserved communities, the proposed development is expected to create a tech incubator, bring over 200 jobs, and long-awaited retail and amenities to Ward 8, establishing MLK Gateway as a destination for innovation and commerce. 

New DCI School at Walter Reed: The District of Columbia International School, DCI, recently closed on their financing on December 16, 2016 to secure Building 11 on the former Walter Reed site. This milestone secures their sublease with the Master Developer, The Parks at Walter Reed, and a long term lease with the District that allows them to renovate the historic 130,000 sf Delano Hall, including the addition of a new gym, auditorium and student commons area. The school expects to open for the 2017 school year and will eventually accommodate 1,500 students from DCI and the Latin American Montessori Bilingual School (LAMB). This is another huge milestone on the Walter Reed site and will bring a brand new facility for this growing school.   

Bruce Monroe, Fort Totten and Capitol Vista: The DC Council held the final vote approving the surplus and disposition of the three projects during its final Legislative meeting of the year on Dec. 20. Plans for Bruce Monroe include 400 affordable housing units and a park; Fort Totten will feature affordable homeownership opportunities in a growing area; and Capitol Vista will include 100 affordable housing units. DMPED is now one step closer to delivering on these major developments.

Northwest One: The deadline closed for RFPs for redevelopment of the site located at the corner of North Capitol and K Street NW in Ward 6 and the proposal review process is underway. Northwest One is part of the New Communities Initiative, a District program focused on creating vibrant mixed-income and mixed-used neighborhoods through physical architecture and human capital development. The RFP is also the product of the “OurRFP” process, a Mayoral initiative that incorporates community engagement early in the RFP process.

Bryant Street Development: DMPED provided Tax Increment Financing (TIF) of up to $10 million to help redevelop this isolated surface-parked shopping center adjacent to the Rhode Island Ave Metro Station, leading to the revitalization of the Edgewood neighborhood and the Rhode Island Avenue commercial core. The project will include over 1.7 million sq. ft. of development at full build-out, including over 1,450 residential units, 300,000 sq. ft. of retail, 1.5 acres of green space, improvements to the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT), and a dedicated bike lane across nine buildings and six new city blocks.


Mayor, DMPED Chosen to Participate in Prestigious Leadership Program

Mayor Bowser, Deputy Mayor Kenner, OP Director Eric  Shaw and DHCD Director were recently selected as fellows in the Daniel Rose Fellowship for Public Leaders, led by the Urban Land Institute. For the next year, these District leaders will receive leadership training and professional development opportunities, focusing on the intersection of public sector strategy and private sector expertise in real estate, land use, development, design, and planning. Mayor Bowser was one of just four large American cities invited to participate in the Rose Fellowship program

Minus Polly