[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6572761,"mediaKeyId","3160373-82e45535f85f1fe36d86d10c4e4cd602","parentId",3160373,"title","Council committee hears request to extend disposition authority for Malcolm X site in Congress Heights","audioSeconds",979,"startMs",82000,"endMs",1061000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3160373-82e45535f85f1fe36d86d10c4e4cd602&start=82&end=1061","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3160373-82e45535f85f1fe36d86d10c4e4cd602/thumbnail_82000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6572761/Council-committee-hears-request-to-extend-disposition-authority-for-Malcolm-X-site-in-Congress-Heights","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6572761-6dbcbed3800acbfe75c89b3835ded3ce/orig.mp4?Expires=1770439652&Signature=kStIlNa4EJP3Oi0L~RzLdrcnB6ZIo4XlqKoHDYCqPPPXdOBBOhNnI0gyC1f4gJ1TD9Ug4iuea~eLn221qUf5CDbanAmcaP6HuON0AkVHJvxQodVnUXuM8LlXZi62rgD7VSzX8U0nlsxSd-fUuEN-tguZm~VPKammmxyOrLCQBeYl2Ub9jrqLg6inuf76h8pVP8Rvc~XhaBd6X0iOHdBrmQpMdonMmy90uKN7Q7EXnFsQPNVfJLAU44EcjGhAaYWDHv60QKX9pT6kLHv3Tjf1sfiIVw0qfn20ubSMulZ-5rWTnzUcnwtYG2LTOG9~Po2o6CZJIHVSLMQqdzQACQvQCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","District of Columbia (Business and Economic Development)","date","2025-04-30T00:00:00Z","article","The Committee on Business and Economic Development on April 30 heard testimony supporting a request to extend the mayor's authority to dispose of District‑owned property known as the former Malcolm X Elementary School at 1351 Alabama Ave. SE so a selected developer can complete design and financing for a mixed‑use, all‑affordable rental project.

Iman Smallwood, identified as the development manager for Congress Park Community Partners, LLC (also referred to in testimony as affiliated with Banneker Communities), told the committee she supports the proposed extension and term sheet amendment and described site design changes required after discovery of a heritage tree and the removal of a building restriction line. \"Under the original 2022 Surplus and Disposition Act, we proposed a mixed use development with 180 all affordable units ... 7,500 square feet of daycare space, 2,000 square feet of community serving retail, and 43 parking spaces,\" Smallwood said. She added that subsequent regulatory changes and arborist findings required redesigning the plan to preserve the heritage tree and led to a reduction in unit count to about 150.

Pam Frenzelbein, Director of Real Estate in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), testified that the original surplus and disposition authorization (Malcolm X Surplus Declaration and Disposition Approval Act of 2022) expired March 10, 2025, and that DMPED supports a two‑year extension. Frenzelbein described the amended term sheet as providing for approximately 150 rental units (12 units at 30% of median family income (MFI); 48 at 50% MFI; and about 90 at 60% MFI), 7,500 square feet of daycare, 2,000 square feet for a healthy‑food retailer, an ANC office and roughly 43 parking spaces. She said DMPED and the developer have secured removal of a 15‑foot building restriction line through separate legislation and that an arborist and the District Department of Transportation Urban Forestry Administration determined the on‑site heritage tree could not be relocated.

Committee Chair Councilmember Kenya McDuffie asked whether the loss of 30 units changed the unit mix; Frenzelbein responded that the share of three‑bedroom units remains roughly 20% of the total. Smallwood and DMPED representatives said the daycare and retail square footage were not affected by the redesign. Smallwood said the developer aims to begin design work immediately and hopes to start construction in fall of the year following disposition, and that the extension sought would push the disposition deadline to March 10, 2027.

No final council vote occurred during the hearing. Witnesses asked the committee to approve the extension so the developer can complete design development and assemble financing, noting constrained affordable housing financing markets and the project's reliance on housing production trust fund dollars, bond cap allocation and 4% low‑income housing tax credits. Both the developer representative and DMPED said the project has community support, including a community benefits agreement with Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 8E.

If the committee approves the extension, DMPED said the developer would resume pursuing financing and finalize construction plans; if the extension is not approved, DMPED said the district could need to re‑solicit a developer, which would delay the project and risk losing prior due diligence work.

The committee record includes written testimony through May 9, 2025. No vote or final disposition of the bill was recorded at the April 30 hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","District of Columbia (Business and Economic Development) - Committee on Business & Economic Development, Public Hearing, Kenyan McDuffie, Chairperson - Apr 30, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Committee on Business and Economic Development on April 30 heard testimony supporting a request to extend the mayor's authority to dispose of District‑owned property known as the former Malcolm X Elementary School at 1351 Alabama Ave. SE so a selected developer can complete design and financing for a mixed‑use, all‑affordable rental project.","taxTitle","Committee on Business and Economic Development, Committees, Legislative, District of Columbia","taxId",16178,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6572751,"Committee considers making streetery endorsements permanent, adds 45‑day public comment requirement",978,3365000,4343000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3160373-82e45535f85f1fe36d86d10c4e4cd602&start=3365&end=4343","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3160373-82e45535f85f1fe36d86d10c4e4cd602/thumbnail_3365000.jpg","/articles/6572751/Committee-considers-making-streetery-endorsements-permanent-adds-45day-public-comment-requirement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6572751-2d2139f87a0f830e483b79862b0d8979/orig.mp4?Expires=1770439652&Signature=h8E0qDRKk~5OA48uysPo5gSEZbTP64RJsopSYy5UMv2mm~rdP6jxtG~eFjfc9WW2-ldzBf6q0s8cF8g~2YawdrxKMRmQ~gQQY6c3UNmheql1ByTLmCVpPRsmNNaU~~4jvokTsnDzgmL~Wo35GEYvr6ZFdMtkc72TGkvXv4oZTneGMkkbWEJ-cp~DTIxeCP4CD8r2CJgNltZRwNguAoFrCw5-nJ5KyV4mQb~KIgk-F1eOahutdCS06ENb~RBPGCkTW6~Ip67QuFIiBxgvuzyn9RixZ26YqEq9EUshU9OoKLJhblawyRLRmV8TONjem2SIiKg80yNt9gnb6Hj2FFhDmw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee on Business and Economic Development on April 30 reviewed Bill 206‑147, which would make permanent the District's streetery endorsement program that permits sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages in designated street‑level outdoor public spaces and introduce a 45‑day public comment period for streetery applications.

Peter Wood, advisory neighborhood commissioner for Single‑Member District ANC 1C03, testified in favor of making the program permanent and described mixed feedback from residents and business owners in Adams Morgan. Wood said streeteries can enhance neighborhood ambiance and help small businesses increase beverage sales, but emphasized that residents expect enforcement of existing noise and glass‑use rules. \"Responsible street implementation requires balancing competing interests and taking careful consideration of multiple perspectives,\" Wood said, and recommended clear, targeted regulations.

Fred Moussali, Director of the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA), testified that 222 businesses currently have streetery endorsements and ABCA supports the bill as introduced. Moussali highlighted four points: the bill would require a 45‑day public comment period for streetery applications (bringing the process in line with placarded sidewalk café and summer garden approvals); the bill's definition of \"streetery\" was developed with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) for administrative consistency; the existing annual streetery fee would remain unchanged; and ABCA can implement the introduced bill with existing resources. Moussali said ABCA would recommend that any manufacturer applications for hours past 1 a.m. follow the public comment process, consistent with D.C. Code §25‑723.

Committee members asked ABCA to clarify implementation details, including the role of DDOT public‑space permits, whether streeteries are restricted to commercial or mixed‑use zones (ABCA: yes), noise restrictions (enforced, generally kicking in after 10 p.m.), the protest/settlement agreement process (ANCs within 600 feet, registered community organizations, property owners, a group of five residents, MPD or mayoral representatives may protest), and aligning endorsement renewal timing with existing three‑year license renewal cycles. ABCA and DDOT told the committee they had coordinated on the definition and implementation approach. ABCA also noted that for properties under Events DC jurisdiction (formerly the convention center), the bill would allow streetery endorsements on Events DC property with coordination on licensing.

No Council vote occurred at the hearing; ABCA recommended the committee consider tying endorsement renewal timing to license renewals and closing any gap between the temporary program's expiration and the start date for the permanent program.","The Committee on Business and Economic Development heard testimony supporting legislation to make the District's streetery (outdoor dining/street space) endorsements permanent, impose a 45‑day public comment period and align implementation with DDOT public‑space permitting and ABCA procedures.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6572756,"Committee hears request to extend disposition authority for St. Elizabeths East Parcel 13 as developer transition proceeds",1538,1411000,2949000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3160373-82e45535f85f1fe36d86d10c4e4cd602&start=1411&end=2949","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3160373-82e45535f85f1fe36d86d10c4e4cd602/thumbnail_1411000.jpg","/articles/6572756/Committee-hears-request-to-extend-disposition-authority-for-St-Elizabeths-East-Parcel-13-as-developer-transition-proceeds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6572756-53739012f1be7db8cbf9b79c76cb31d9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770439652&Signature=bbz-slBIXp~FEjLmndZU7nrx0GxCJQ8hvwCwTcBsL9vD8Oi9V0IAgvx9vPqnyHRp0VgbDSazgqaZLY0LX1AeupZlEiknwGCgJFnqUKOkwxHsQ9uoCtiIjkAM~lvfWmGE1nTfGOMyO0JTv8MpgLezjPMpsfa1HrmAMPxmNjVNxEzN~sFRywxaxDJ4bSm19F8NLNb10olsm4knfSOzFNu4WpNhe0G2W1OgQn89PcS2geXLt-uaxTeJGYamlh9Wgu~wIEhFg7HfJblC5U1nHmIPmugA5jpC-Ni3YD6ioY2dsU2kt8kVXqhbpxT740zsglEa-BtUe3EOVZ16qAAzSl3oNQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee on Business and Economic Development on April 30 considered legislation to extend the mayor's authority to dispose of Parcel 13 at the St. Elizabeths East campus in Congress Heights while a new developer finalizes plans and pursues financing.

Bill Benitez (identified in the hearing as the founder and CEO of Dante's Partners) testified that Dante's Partners assumed development rights for Parcel 13 after Neighborhood Development Company (NDC) encountered financial headwinds. Benitez said that preliminary review shows the original plan for roughly 421 units would be difficult to finance in today's market and that Dante's Partners proposes dividing the site into two components, one serving seniors and another serving families. He said the team plans for a majority of units to be affordable but that unit counts, affordability levels and retail sizing remain under review until the developer secures site control and finalizes financing. \"At this point, no,\" Benitez said when asked whether exact unit counts, senior versus family allocations and affordability set‑asides had been determined.

Latrina Owens, Executive Director of St. Elizabeths East Redevelopment within the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), testified in support of the requested extension. Owens said Parcel 13 is a 4.2‑acre unimproved parcel identified for mixed‑use development in the site's master plan and that the council's original surplus and disposition authorization (the St. Elizabeths East Parcel 13 Surplus Declaration and Disposition Approval Act of 2021) expired March 10, 2025. She said the district concurred with NDC's assignment of development rights to Dante's Partners after NDC reduced its portfolio and ceased operations; DMPED expects an amended term sheet to be submitted to the Council by September 2025.

Owens described project challenges that include complex easements, proximity to WMATA infrastructure, and soil and remediation work requiring coordination with WMATA and historic‑preservation reviews, all factors she said could prolong the disposition and predevelopment timeline. DMPED and the developer requested a total six‑year disposition window (effectively adding four more years to the original timeline) to avoid repeating short extensions and to allow time to secure capital, including Housing Production Trust Fund dollars and bond financing. Owens said the development will remain subject to DC Code 10‑801 (affordability and disposition requirements) and to community priorities including maximizing CBE participation, transit‑oriented design and workforce training.

No final vote occurred at the hearing. DMPED said if the extension is not approved the district would likely have to reenter the market to solicit a new developer, which could delay the project by a year or more and risk losing prior due diligence expenditures.","DMPED and a successor developer asked the Committee on Business and Economic Development for a multi‑year extension to retain the district's authority to dispose of Parcel 13 at St. Elizabeths East while a new developer finalizes a revised term sheet and addresses complex site conditions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council committee hears request to extend disposition authority for Malcolm X site in Congress Heights

Committee considers making streetery endorsements permanent, adds 45‑day public comment requirement

Committee hears request to extend disposition authority for St. Elizabeths East Parcel 13 as developer transition proceeds