Vision McMillan Partners Give Presentation to Park View Residents on Proposed Redevelopment Plans and Community Impacts
Guest post from Community members Dianne Chambers, Rashida Brown and David Do
On Monday April 7, an informal Park View neighborhood happy hour drew a large and enthusiastic crowd of more than 80 people who came out to hear about the redevelopment plans for the historic McMillan Sand Filtration site. The event was held at Mothership on Georgia Ave, NW Washington DC.
Supporters of the project and members of “Neighbors for McMillan,” David Do, Dianne Chambers and Rashida Brown, hosted the event and invited the Vision McMillan Partners to Park View to speak with members of the community about the proposed redevelopment plans. This event included a presentation from the Vision McMillan Partners for residents to learn more about the proposed plans currently in the process of moving through D.C.’s zoning commission. Park View community members and interested parties met the developers and asked questions throughout the night. Special thanks to Stephan Boillon and his staff at Mothership for the great venue and delicious food! Brianne Nadeau, the Ward 1 Democratic Nominee for the D.C. Council made a special appearance and remarks in support of the VMP plans.
The overall tone and feedback from the crowd was positive. Park View neighbors expressed an overwhelming amount of support for the project. However, concerns about traffic impact and congestion along the Ward 1 boarders of the site were raised that night.
(Envision McMillan rendering)
Neighbor for McMillan and Park View resident, Rashida Brown, welcomed everyone and gave some opening remarks sharing her story about why she is in support of the VMP’s plans. She urged Park View to have a “seat at the table” and be more informed, involved and engaged in the process. She stressed the importance of attending the next PUD hearings throughout the month of May to share input. Historically, residents from Ward 5 have attended the VMP-sponsored community meetings and provided testimony on the proposed plans (quite often in opposition). Ms. Brown mentioned the positive impacts and benefits for the Park View community.
Aakash Thakkar, representing EYA, thanked Park View for the invitation and mentioned the plan is closer than ever to seeing it come to fruition. It has taken about 30 years to get real traction on this project, but he feels the current plan is a good fit for the community as it preserves the historical integrity of the site. Tania Jackson, representing VMP, discussed her community advocacy and organizing efforts to help move the VMP plans forward.
Anne Corbett, Project Director for Vision McMillan Partners presented a plan that includes both market-rate and affordable housing (town homes, multi-family and senior apartments). At least 10% of the units will be set aside for affordable housing. There will also be a 50,000 sf grocery store, health care facilities, a community center with pool, and an 8 acre park.
A slide displaying the new McMillan site at night showcased a new lighting design and gives the impression that this will be a very welcoming environment at all hours. One of the biggest themes of the presentation is the fact that the plan honors the site by preserving its historic integrity while at the same time, providing much needed amenities for the community at large.
The information provided was very positively received. Most of the residents seemed pleased to hear about what is on the horizon. Park View neighbor, David Do commented on the positive impact more affordable housing will have in our community. He also mentioned that the grocery store will help provide a much needed resource to the area’s food desert. The full team took questions which have been linked to this post.
If you would like to support the McMillan project, the next step is to come out and testify at the PUD/Zoning Commission hearings planned for May. You can get more information and sign up for the hearings at:
http://envisionmcmillan.com/ and http://www.bit.ly/PUDsignupform
Dates for the PUD hearings are as follows:
- May 1, 2014 (Thursday) @ 6pm – Stage 1 Master Plan, Open Spaces and Parks, and Community Center (Parcels 6 and 7)
- May 5, 2014 (Monday) @ 6pm – Multi-Family/Retail Building (Parcel 4) and Townhouses (Parcel 5)
- May 8, 2014 (Thursday) @ 6pm – Healthcare Facility (Parcel 1)
- May 13, 2014 (Thursday)@ 6pm – Continuation hearing (if needed)
PUD hearings will be held at:
Jerrily R. Kress Memorial Hearing Room
441 4th St., NW Suite 220-South
Washington, DC 20001
Tags: Development, McMillan Sand Filtration Site
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Park View, D.C. 
April 18, 2014 at 1:19 pm
Interesting and thoughtful plan. It’s going to happen after all of these years, so it might as well happen with care.
April 18, 2014 at 1:28 pm
I can imagine the hospitals would like to expand and it’s good you have well below market rate for elderly.
April 30, 2014 at 12:06 pm
In fact Children’s Hospital, the largest most important immediate neighbor of McMillan Park, was not informed about the VMP plan, nor invited to put forth its views on the subject of the Mayor’s plan (VMP).
April 19, 2014 at 1:02 pm
Anyone know the plans fo improving h crosstown service and also the bus service on north Capitol?
Can the city begin a circulator service mirroring the planned street car? This should b part I the discussion.
April 21, 2014 at 5:39 pm
I was surprised that the “Save McMillan” people didn’t bother to show up to this. That being said, I thought the presentation looked great and I’m thrilled with the plan. I also think the level of community input on this project has led to some really terrific and thoughtful adjustments. I am particularly psyched that the Rec Center will be publicly owned but managed by a non-profit, rather than an already over-burdened DPR. Best of both worlds!
April 23, 2014 at 4:24 pm
I don’t think anything has been spelled out regarding the community center. That is hypothetical at this point.
To the earlier point about traffic, I think the number 1 thing to stay on top of is that the city follows through with its commitment to build the park and community center (both are city funded and city built, not associated with the development).
Look at what happened down in the Navy Yard area. They just started the community center discussion, 8 or 9 years after the PUD was approved on the grounds that DHCD couldn’t come up with the funding until now.
April 28, 2014 at 1:20 pm
I found the presentation a bit too “everything will be perfect” and made the developers look like they walk on water. I understand the surrounding communities successfully fought this for years. Both Civic Associations made up of old and new residents (some are friends of mine) are protesting the plan and process. I didn’t hear any of these hard fought issues being discussed honestly. There is a bad tendency to lump us with the Friends of McMillan group, whenever we fight for the community. I think our Park View representatives should be better representing our community concerns. Many of us have finally wizened-up about representatives that are more interested in developers sweet talk & $, than in our wishes & demands. I suggest we be very cautious about this development and any representatives that push for it without adequately addressing community concerns.
April 30, 2014 at 12:01 pm
Friends of McMillan was not informed or invited. If we had been, we would have been there in force. VMP is obfuscating fact (what planned housing is really “affordable? By whom?), and the massive development plan will destroy 20 acres of subterranean caverns, eminently suitable for urban agriculture, grocery stores, markets, bistros and other such uses. Thus, the surface, owned by the people of DC would remain public, with community centers, open-air theaters, ball fields, play grounds, and other uses for the people. The VMP plan takes public land and effectively gives it to private owners taking one of the most beautiful, high and historic pieces of land for private use. There has been no competitive bid for construction, no vote of the Council and no formal approvals by objective parties. Friends of McMillan is working to Take Down the Fence, and to develop through open, competitive processes, the best possible uses of this land for all of the people.