(Washington, DC) – Today, the Bowser Administration, Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen, and Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent C. Gray celebrated the ribbon cutting of Park Kennedy and groundbreaking of the second building of the Hill East Phase I development project in Ward 7. The project will deliver a long-awaited community of apartments and retail located at the intersection of C Street and 19th Street, SE.
“We know a major part of adding 36,000 homes is building units in high-opportunity areas that have the jobs, access to transportation, and retail our residents want and need,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “Thank you to everyone who worked on this project. Together, we are delivering a beautiful building to Ward 7 and supporting the District’s housing goals.”
The first phase of the Hill East District includes Parcel G-1 and Parcel F-1 that collectively will bring 362 new homes to Ward 7. The completion of the first building, Park Kennedy, located on Parcel G-1, will provide 262 residential units, of which 31 will be affordable units, in addition to 12,709 square feet of retail space and 111 parking spaces.
The second building, located on Parcel F-1, will create 100 permanent supportive housing units, in addition to 12,969 square feet of retail space and 45 parking spaces. Right off of Stadium Armory Metro Station, Park Kennedy will bring contemporary studio, one-, and two-bedroom apartment residences with modern farmhouse aesthetics to the Hill East neighborhood. The building will feature a grand atrium, rooftop lounge, professional-grade fitness center, and a secluded resident lounge, study and co-working library catering to any career-related needs in addition to three spaces available for retail on the ground floor.
“Today represents the result of years of hard work from Hill East neighbors and ANC leaders, the Council, and Mayor Bowser and her team – I’m proud to have done my part to make it happen,” said Councilmember Allen. “We’re bringing much-needed retail space and accompanying jobs, building more housing, including affordable, family-sized housing, and locating it steps from a Metro Station and several bus lines. This is going to be a great addition to the neighborhood.”
“Mayor Bowser set a citywide goal to build 36,000 new homes by 2025, and Park Kennedy and the adjacent parcel are a stake in the ground toward that goal and an example of what we can do with the rest of Hill East and what we must eventually do on our RFK Campus,” said Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development John Falcicchio. “The progress we are making on both will allow us to provide more housing, including affordable and permanent supportive housing, that will change the trajectory for District residents.”
“BlueSkye Development and Donatelli Development are excited to be a part of such an amazing partnership with the DC government’s Office of Economic Development along with EJF Capital LLC, our opportunity zone investor,” said Bryan “Scottie” Irving, Founder/CEO of Blue Skye Construction, LLC. “The Park Kennedy apartments are part of an outstanding development for Ward 7. We are excited to deliver the first building, G One, but even more excited to be breaking ground on the next phase, F1. Both development projects represent what is great about our city of Washington, DC. Together, they include amenities and benefits for every prospective resident and it ensures everyone has a beautiful development in all eight wards.”
Other development partners for Hill East Phase 1 development include Donatelli Development, Blue Skye Development, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, District Department of Transportation, Department of General Services, DC Department of Human Services, District of Columbia Housing Authority, EJF Capital, and Eagle Bank as the project lender.
Bowser Administration’s Commitment to Affordable Housing
Mayor Bowser reaffirmed her commitment to investments in affordable housing with her Fiscal Year 2021 budget, recognizing that both short- and long-term efforts must be ongoing to preserve housing affordability and stability for all District residents. The Mayor’s FY21 budget includes an investment of $100 million in the Housing Production Trust Fund – for the sixth consecutive year – and a $1 million investment in the Housing Preservation Fund.
At the start of her second term, Mayor Bowser set a bold goal to deliver an additional 36,000 units of housing – including at least 12,000 units of affordable housing – by 2025. From January 2019 through July 2020, the District has produced 10,658 units, of which 1,692 are affordable. You can track the District’s progress toward #36000by2025 at open.dc.gov/36000by2025.