From: Jim Graham <grahamwone@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Dec 3, 2010 at 4:10 PM
Subject: Great New Anthony Bowen YMCA
Friends:
This afternoon I was pleased to join representatives from YMCA of Metropolitan Washington, Perseus Realty, Jefferson Apartment Group, Councilmember Jack Evans and others for the announcement of the imminent work to begin at 14th and W.
Demolition of the old YMCA and other buildings will begin in the next two weeks. The facades of several historically significant buildings on 14th St. will be preserved. This has all been very much facilitated by favorable tax incentives that I authored and the Council passed.
Construction of the long awaited new, state of the art Anthony Bowen YMCA, mixed-income rental housing and retail will begin soon thereafter. Bringing Anthony Bowen Y back to the U Street corridor is both historically significant and full of great promise for the future.
The YMCA will feature 44,000 square feet of space which will include a child care facility, 25 meter swimming pool, internet café and community meeting space. There will also be 231 rental apartments with 18 homes permanently reserved for residents making 60% or less of the current area median income (AMI) and over 12,000 square feet of ground floor retail.
This is the just the beginning of still another new wave of positive changes to come to the lower 14th St corridor in 2011. Douglas Development has announced construction of 30 rental apartments at 14th and Florida at the location of a vacant used car lot and UDR is close to beginning construction of new housing development at the former site of the Nehemiah shopping mall.
I am also very pleased that a community partnership between the Latin American Youth Center and the # 10 Parents Association of Boys and Girls Club will assume responsibility for program operations at the Club located at 14th and Clifton in January, 2011. More about this exciting new development soon.
Bests, Councilmember Jim Graham