(Washington, DC) – Mayor Adrian M. Fenty today demolished a former trash transfer facility and announced that the District is soliciting a development team to replace it with mixed-income housing developments as part of efforts to revitalize Lincoln Heights/Richardson Dwellings and surrounding Deanwood communities in Northeast.

“Today’s demolition is a big step forward for one of our most important projects in our New Communities Initiative”, said Mayor Fenty. “The development of new housing in the Lincoln Heights/Richardson Dwellings neighborhood is a top priority of my administration’s plan to revitalize the Deanwood community in Ward 7.”

The property at 5201 Hayes Street, NE has the capacity to accommodate up to 232 units of housing – about 205 apartments or condominiums and 32 townhouses. Also, approximately 77 units could be used as replacement units for families living in Lincoln Heights/Richardson Dwellings neighborhood.

The one-story building set to be transformed into new housing units had previously been a trash transfer facility which sorted recyclable materials for over 15 years. The property was purchased by the District in December 2008 and will be kept vacant pending the selection of a development team.

Other New Communities projects in Ward 7 include:

• Construction of approximately 26 new housing units and 9 replacement housing units on 4427 Hayes Street, NE to begin by the end of April 2009
• Redevelopment of the Strand Theatre
• Redevelopment of HD Woodson High School
• Construction of Marvin Gaye Park to begin in May 2009
• Street improvements on Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue

The New Communities Initiative is a comprehensive partnership sponsored by the District government to improve the quality of life for families and individuals living in distressed neighborhoods across the city. The Initiative’s goal is to revive both the physical and human conditions of neighborhoods troubled by violent crime, poverty and other socio-economic challenges.

Media Contacts

• Sean Madigan, (202) 615-2029

• Feras Sleiman, (202) 251-8829