Norton to Speak at Ceremony Celebrating Official Land Transfer of Old Water Reed Parcel to Children’s National Medical Center, Today

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will speak at a special ceremony celebrating the conveyance of the Water Reed Public Health Parcel to Children’s National Medical Center today, Thursday, November 17, 2016, at 3:00 p.m., at Children’s National (Children’s Search Atrium, 111 Michigan Ave. NW). The Department of State originally sought these 13 acres of federal land at the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center, but Norton successfully fought to have the land transferred for a public health purpose and saved the existing usable laboratory space from demolition at a cost of up to $20 million. After a competition, the land went to the Children's National Medical Center, which will use the laboratory space for children's health research.

“There can be no question that it was worth the fight to get these 13 critical acres for public health uses,” Norton said. “Children’s National serves not only the District and the national capital region, but is one of the premier children’s hospital’s in the nation. Last month, we celebrated the official transfer of 67 acres of former Walter Reed land to the District. Today marks another victory in a prime example of how to make best redevelopment use of underutilized federal land.”