Norton Celebrates New Park on Tuesday Emerging from Her Yards Bill
Norton Celebrates New Park on Tuesday Emerging from Her Yards Bill
September 3, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC -- Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will join District officials and Forest City Washington for The Yards Park dedication ceremony on Tuesday, September 7, at 10:30 a.m. along the riverfront at Third Street SE. Norton will help celebrate the new riverfront park, converted from federal land, which provides green space to enjoy outdoor and maritime activities on the Anacostia River waterfront and is a part of the larger 5.5 million square feet of retail, residential, office and recreational development, known as The Yards, going up along M Street, SE, from the Navy Yard to South Capitol Street.
The Yards, formerly called The Southeast Federal Center, resulted from Norton's Southeast Federal Center Public-Private Development Act of 2000, which allowed private sector development of a federal tract for the first time. Norton wrote the unique legislation, launching a new direction in federal land use, to benefit the District as well as the federal government. When fully developed, the land, which was an eye sore of the dilapidated Navy Yard structures, will generate billions in revenue for the city. Most recently, Norton got $500,000 in Fiscal Year 2008 to assist with continued development.
"Forest City has been undaunted in fighting its way through the recession to continue this development," Norton said. "The Yards continues the public-private partnership created by my bill, generating this park, with assistance from the District and the federal government. The park is a sure signal that all the components of The Yards will emerge. Meanwhile, we appreciate that a new park will serve the neighborhood of condos, apartment buildings and federal employees, and will provide green space that the surrounding neighborhood has long desired." On Tuesday, the Congresswoman will be joined by Mayor Adrian Fenty, City Council Chairman Vincent Gray, and Councilmen Tommy Wells and Kwame Brown, along with neighborhood residents.