Last Thursday, DMPED, with support from VMP, presented the final concept designs for Parcels 6 & 7 — the new Park and restored Service Courts at McMillan. The Board voted unanimously to approve the designs finding them consistent with or an improvement to the designs approved in October 2013. This approval delegates final permit review to the Historic Preservation Office staff. Click here to to view the one-minute animation depicting the approved park design.
VMP, along with the District of Columbia, is excited to announce an update of the Concept Design has been submitted to the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB). This update is in response to the HPRB’s recommendation that it conduct a final design review of the project following approval by the Zoning Commission and the Mayor’s Agent. The team has conducted additional due diligence and design development in preparation for permitting and construction. The submission materials focus on the public parcels, including the park, service courts and elements within those parcels, that were refined since HPRB approval in October 2013. Click here to view the submission materials.
This is it. The time to show up and state your support is now.The Zoning Commission hearings for McMillan are only one week away. The first will be next Thursday, May 1st, with subsequent hearings May 5th, 8th and 13th. Fenced off and closed to the public since the 1940’s, the approval of VMP’s master plan by the zoning commission is a pivotal step in transforming the 25-acre McMillan site into a neighborhood asset, sustainably integrated into the surrounding community
The final master plan for McMillan has been a long time in the making. Through a collaborative engagement process starting in the fall of 2007, the plan has evolved significantly to become a master plan built on community consensus. Buildings now cover only a third of the site. Nearly half of the total site area is reserved for large public open spaces, including an 8-acre park, which will be one of the best-designed public spaces in the District. A 17,000 SF public community center provide recreation and fitness opportunities for all, as well as a 25 meter indoor swimming pool. All historic buildings on the site will be preserved, with some adapted for new uses – small business incubators, outdoor cafes, water features, art displays, hanging gardens and more.
The master plan will provide much needed neighborhood serving retail, including a 50,000 SF full-service grocery store. The new McMillan provides housing opportunities for all, with at least 20% of total housing units affordable to families making up to 80% AMI. In addition to the the built elements, redevelopment of McMillan will result in $1.2 billion in new tax revenue over the next 30 years, while generating 3,200 permanent jobs and 3,000 new construction jobs.
In order for all of these things to come to fruition, we need you to engage now. It is critical to let the Zoning Commission know how you feel about the project both before and at the hearings. Please submit a letter of support to the commission and then commit to attending a hearing in support of VMP’s master plan for McMillan.
Public parks and open space are important assets to any city and integral parts of the fabric of daily life for residents. The costs to construct these facilities are significant and ongoing capital and operating funds must be invested to maintain them properly. As these costs increase and public funding changes, public agencies are responding with creativity in their operational structures, investment and funding approaches to ensure longevity and programming that is responsive to the community.
Many new urban parks opened in the last few year show how public/private partnerships — but not actual private ownership — vastly improve the level of service parks provide to communities. As non-profit stewards of the park, partnerships are responsible for management and maintenance, while the park itself remains fully open and accessible to the public. Through the support of neighboring businesses and/or business improvement districts (BIDs), these collaborative efforts allow for more efficient management, higher level of services and better economic stewardship.
One of New York City’s great outdoor spaces, Bryant Park, is managed by the Bryant Park Corporation, a non-profit entity and cooperating business improvement district of neighboring property owners. Formed in 1988 to restore the historic park after years of neglect and decline, the park reopened in 1991 with a budget six times the level under prior city management. With maintenance and management still privately funded today, Bryant Park remains open to the public and the largest effort in the nation to apply private management backed by private funding to a public park.
Locally, there are two recent examples of comparable successful partnerships managing award winning parks. In both partnerships, a board comprised of community, civic, institutional and business members governs the entity, while their rules mirror those of District Managed parks. Opened in 2012, the 3-acre Canal Park at 200 M Street SE, is operated by Canal Park Development Association Inc. (CPDA), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established for promoting, designing, fundraising for, building and maintaining the park. The $27M to construct the park was provided from a variety of sources, including developer contributions, grants, new market tax credits and a contribution from the District. Today, in addition to being a CPDA partner, local developer WC Smith donates resources for maintenance and management and collects rents, allowing the park to operate without the use of public funds.
The nationally recognized 6-acre Yards Park opened in 2011 on the Anacostia River near Nationals Park. Owned by the District, the park is operated by Capitol Riverfront Business Improvement District (CRBID), which is funded by a self-imposed tax on area property owners. Fully open and accessible to District residents and visitors, annual operational funding of approximately $800,000 is provided through voluntary contributions from developer Forest City, CRBID and revenue from park events. In addition to providing events and recreational opportunities for the community, both parks are key elements and public investments in the neighborhoods they serve.
Anyone who has been to either Yards or Canal Park is quickly aware of the spectacular appearance and high level of maintenance adding to the overall experience of visiting. We envision McMillan’s parks and open space, as key features of the neighborhood, not just in appearance, but as functional gathering places for the community providing enriching programming and recreational potential. Significant resources will go into the creation of McMillan’s new public space to create a distinctive destination unlike any in the District. As we prepare a framework for the future, what operational model do you prefer to ensure long term stewardship for the public – a collaborative private nonprofit management or city management? Share your thoughts.
McMillan Park
