District officials insist there's no demolition work underway at McMillan site
Opponents of the long-stalled McMillan Sand Filtration Plant redevelopment are furiously insisting that demolition has started at the site — but District officials say that is not the case.
Activists fighting the project, one of the most delayed development efforts in D.C.
history, spotted construction equipment at the McMillan property last week and
began circulating emails and news releases claiming that it marked the
beginning of efforts to tear down historic buildings on the 25-acre, city-owned
property at Michigan Avenue and First Street NW.
Opponent Friends of McMillan Park said it
asked for a court injunction aimed at blocking any demolition work on the site,
arguing that any work should be delayed until its copious legal challenges are
fully resolved. The D.C. Court of Appeals issued a key ruling in July that resolved one
of the largest outstanding legal obstacles to the project, but opponents have
appealed that decision.
Yet Chanda Washington, a spokeswoman for D.C.’s
Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, is adamant
that the activity on the site has nothing to do with any demolition work.
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4 comments:
I have not seen anything demolished. I live across the street and run around the old industrial sand filtration site/view it from my roof daily.
The closest thing to demolition has been removal of grass and dirt on the northern portion of the site; which to me would fall under the category of demolishion prep. On the south portion gravel has been dumped and leveled for what appears to be a parking area.
Jersey barriers have been installed around the silos and above ground historic industrial elements to protect them. As they will not be demolished at any time, even if the development proceeds.
Other than that, most of the work has been cleaning out debris and weeds from the service courts.
There is no demolition work being done. I live next to this site, and walk by it every day. This group is now making up stories to block Bloomingdale neighbors from gaining access to clean safe parks and recreation areas, a much needed grocery store in this food desert part of DC, and economic development.
Wait so you’re telling me FOMP got it wrong and didn’t know what was going on?!? SHOCKED!
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