Department of Housing and Community Development: November 16, 1999

Anacostia Northern Gateway Demolition is the First Step in Rebuilding Anacostia Community

WASHINGTON, DC - As a part of Mayor Anthony A. Williams’ East of the River commitment, six abandoned buildings will be demolished to pave the way for new commercial and retail buildings in the Anacostia community.

A demolition ceremony will be held at 10:30 am on Wednesday, November 17, 1999, at the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE and Good Hope Road, SE. During the ceremony, Mayor Williams will announce details about the Anacostia Northern Gateway Demolition Project and release the preliminary findings from the East of the River Redevelopment Initiative Phase I: Preliminary Findings and Concepts, which is a study underwritten by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Actual demolition activities will occur immediately following the ceremony.

"The Anacostia Northern Gateway Demolition Project is the first step in the renaissance of Anacostia," Mayor Williams said. "It represents the government’s commitment to supporting our communities and swiftly revitalizing our neighborhoods."

DHCD will invest about $3 million to assist with the tenant relocation, site assemblage, and demolition activities associated with the Anacostia Northern Gateway Demolition Project. "This demolition represents a new beginning for Anacostia," said Othello Mahone, Interim Director for the Department of Housing and Community Development. "It also reflects a new beginning for citizens east of the river because this site is a gateway into the Anacostia community.” For more information, please contact Tia Matthews, Public Information Officer for the Department of Housing and Community Development, at (202) 442-7259.