The Lauren, A Condominium Dupont Circle Neighborhood NEWS

ODMPED suddenly very eager to develop Dupont tunnels

by David Alpert • December 11, 2009 10:07 am

After years of inaction, DC economic development officials want to quickly find use for the long-empty streetcar tunnels under Dupont Circle.

At the Dupont Circle ANC (2B) meeting last night, Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (ODMPED) representative Neil Goradia said that they have finally worked out the legal issues around the lease, and are eager to move ahead with an RFP for the site. So eager, in fact, that they are hoping to release the RFP this month and simultaneously collect community feedback between now and the end of December.

But why the sudden urgency? ANC representatives repeatedly asked why this process was being accelerated beyond the typical schedule for an RFP. Just a few weeks for community input isn't much, they said, especially with the holidays. Goradia could only say that he had been instructed to move this project forward.

Does ODMPED have a particular project in mind and is trying to rush the project through to minimize other submissions or opposition? We don't know, but it smells that way.

It doesn't help that many past bad experiences have built up substantial mistrust toward ODMPED. They have frequently passed over good projects with community support for bad ones and ignored the long-term public interest in favor of short-term gain, either financially for the city or for favored developers. That may or may not be happening here, but the timing and lack of explanation is suspicious.

While the Arts Coalition for Dupont Underground had been pushing for an RFP so they could try to secure a lease, this came as a surprise to them as well, ACDU's Adam Griffiths said at the meeting.

Some people asked about the possibility of restoring the space as a streetcar station in the future. Goradia said that ODMPED is talking with DDOT about their plans and may go for a shorter-term lease to accommodate that. Griffiths said WPA would be happy to use the space on such a basis, as rehabilitating it for gallery and performance space doesn't require a very extensive buildout, unlike most other uses.

DDOT has no plans to build a streetcar on Connecticut Avenue, and with a Metro line there, the need has diminished a great deal since a streetcar last ran under Dupont. Still, this was built as a streetcar station and if a streetcar ever comes back to the area, it should certainly use the station.

ANC 2B asked ODMPED to follow the normal process and allow more time for input. Either way, what do you think should go in the space? I think the arts space would be terrific, and should get one of the two tunnels. Several of you also suggested a bike station in the past. If ODMPED wanted to link development to achieving some of DC's sustainability goals, it could ask a private institution using one tunnel to reserve space and one of the stairways for a bike station.

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