OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Public Hearing on St. Elizabeth's East Campus Redevelopment Bills - July 13, 2026

Council of the District of Columbia — Monday, July 13, 2026
BodyWashington, District Of Columbia
SessionCouncil of the District of Columbia
DateMonday, July 13, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:13:32

Transcript — Verbatim
0:08

Recording in progress.

0:13

Good afternoon.

0:14

I am Matt Freuman, Ward 3 Councilmember and Chairperson of the Committee on Human Services.

0:23

Today is Monday, July 13th, 2026.

0:28

We are meeting in person in room 412 of the John A.

0:32

Wilson Building and virtually via Zoom.

0:36

The time is now 118 p.m.

0:43

Today I will be joined shortly by my colleague chairperson Janice Lewis George of the Committee on Facilities.

0:56

Today we are conducting a public hearing to discuss B 26-121, the St.

1:04

Elizabeth's East Parcel 13 extension of disposition authority amendment act of 2025, B26-466, the St.

1:17

Elizabeth's East Parcel 13 Term Sheet Amendment Act of 2025, B-26-425, the St.

1:27

Elizabeth's East Parcels 7, 8, and 9 surplus declaration and disposition approval act of 2025, and B-26-530, the St.

1:41

Elizabeth's East Parcel 6 surplus declaration and disposition approval act of 2025.

1:50

The St.

1:51

Elizabeth site is a National Historic Landmark located in Congress Heights and comprised of East and West campuses.

2:00

In 1987, the federal government transferred ownership of the East Campus to the District.

2:07

The St.

2:08

Elizabeth's East Redevelopment Framework Plan and subsequent and the subsequent St.

2:12

Elizabeth's East Master Plan and Design Guidelines establish the vision, scope, and details of how the district would revitalize the East Campus.

2:24

The measures we are hearing today would make that revitalization a reality, bringing hundreds of units of new housing, dense walkable cityscape defined by multi-purpose development, and millions of dollars of economic activity toward aid.

2:41

Two of the bills, B26-425, and B26-530 were jointly referred to the Committee on Facilities and the Committee on Human Services, while the two bills related to St.

3:00

Elizabeth's East Parcel 13, B-26-121, and B26-466 were solely referred to the Committee on Human Services.

3:26

I will turn to my colleague, Councilmember Lewis George in just a moment, but finish off the introduction for those portions, those of the bills that are referred exclusively to the Committee on Human Services.

3:43

Located on 1100 Alabama Avenue Southeast, Parcel 13 consists of approximately 138,162 square feet of vacant land abutting the new St.

3:56

Elizabeth's Hospital.

3:58

The St.

3:58

Elizabeth's East Parcel 13 Surplus Declaration and Disposition Approval Act declared Parcel 13 as surplus and allowed its disposal for private development.

4:09

The district's authority to dispose of the property, however, was in effect for only two years from the bill's effective date through March 10th, 2025.

4:20

B26-121, the St.

4:24

Elizabeth's East Parcel 13 extension of Disposition Authority Act of 2025 would extend the district's authority to dispose of the parcel by two years through March 10th, 2027.

4:37

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, or DEMPED contends that the previous disposition authority expired because of several unforeseeable factors, including the chosen developer neighborhood development corporations ceasing operations due to market conditions and challenges with the pre-existing WOMATA infrastructure on the property.

4:59

Demped has shared that the design work continues to progress with the identified challenges being carefully managed to ensure project feasibility and safety.

5:17

Under section 10-801 of the DC Code, substantive changes to the business terms of the transaction described in a term sheet must be submitted to the council in a proposed resolution.

5:31

Bill B26-466, the St.

5:34

Elizabeth's East Parcel 13 Term Sheet Amendment Act of 2025 would authorize specific amendments to the term sheet for parcel 13.

5:44

First, the name of the developer will be amended to reflect the new developer for the property, Dante's Partners Acquisitions LLC.

5:54

Second, the amount of the proposed gallery and retail square footage included in the original proposal will be reduced from 21,000 square feet to 5,000 square feet, and the number of housing units to be built will be reduced from 421 to 241.

6:14

Third, the period for closing on the parcel will be extended from two years to six years following the council's initial approval of disposition.

6:24

Finally, the period for substantial completion of the parcel will be extended from 36 months to 42 months following the start of construction.

6:34

I look forward to learning more today about why these revisions to the term sheet are necessary.

6:40

It is not clear to me, for example, why it is necessary to reduce the number of housing units, and we must ensure we are putting all district-owned land to its highest and best use to create opportunity for our residents.

7:03

And for her to chair the portion of the committee related to the bills under her purview.

7:38

And with that, I will turn to Councilmember Lewis George.

7:44

Thank you so much, Matt, and good afternoon.

7:46

I am Ward for Councilmember Denise Lewis George, Chair of the Committee on Facilities, and thank you to Chairperson Frumett for co-chairing this hearing with me.

7:55

B 26530 related to parcel six and B24425 related to parcel seven, eight, and nine are surplus dispositions that were sequentially referred to the committee on facilities and the committee on human services.

8:08

To start, I'll provide some background on the St.

8:10

Elizabeth campus and these parcels.

8:13

The federal government transferred the 183-acre St.

8:16

Elizabeth East Campus to the district in 1987.

8:20

The campus is a National Historic Landmark and a local historic district in Congress Heights.

8:26

The district's 2012 master plan calls for more than 5 million square feet of mixed-use development on the campus, pairing new construction with the reuse of historic buildings.

8:37

Some of that vision is already built, and though the two bills before us will continue development by building out four parcels totaling about 12 acres.

8:46

Bill 26425 covers parcels seven, eight, and nine, roughly 7.4 acres at 1100 Alabama Avenue Southeast.

8:54

Parcel 7 hold two vacant historic buildings, buildings a hundred and a surface parking lot.

9:06

The executive's case for surplus rests on facility condition assessments from 2010, which found that rehabilitating the historical buildings for district use would be cost prohibitive, and on the master plan, which designates these parcels for mixed use redevelopment rather than government facilities.

9:21

The executive held surplus hearings on January 9, 2019 for parcel seven, and November 7th, 2019 for parcels eight and nine, and disposition hearings on March 4th, 2021 for parcels eight and nine, and September 9th, 2021 for parcel seven.

9:38

The goals of this disposition are to produce affordable housing, return two long vacant historic buildings to use, and bring office and retail activity to the campus.

9:47

Following a 2021 request for proposals that drew two responses, a selection panel unanimously recommended, St.

9:55

Elizabeth Legacy Partners, a team of 13 local certified business enterprises or CBEs led by the Manchini Group.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing██████████████████████████████████████████42%
Economic Development█████████████████████████████████████37%
Historic Preservation█████5%
Housing█████5%
Workforce Development████4%
Racial Equity███3%
Environmental Protection█1%
Homeownership█1%
Engineering And Infrastructure█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Public Hearing on St. Elizabeth's East Campus Redevelopment Bills - July 13, 2026

On Monday, July 13, 2026, the Committee on Human Services (chaired by Councilmember Matt Freuman, Ward 3) and the Committee on Facilities (chaired by Councilmember Janice Lewis George, Ward 4) co-held a public hearing in Room 412 of the John A. Wilson Building and via Zoom. The hearing addressed four bills related to the redevelopment of the St. Elizabeth's East Campus in Congress Heights: B26-121 (extension of disposition authority for Parcel 13), B26-466 (term sheet amendment for Parcel 13), B26-425 (surplus declaration and disposition for Parcels 7, 8, and 9), and B26-530 (surplus declaration and disposition for Parcel 6). The campus is a 183-acre National Historic Landmark. The bills aim to advance mixed-use development including hundreds of new housing units, retail, and community spaces. No votes were taken; the hearing was for testimony and discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Letitia Short: Testified but no specific position recorded; she was on the first panel.
  • Monica Ray (President, Congress Heights Partnership; founding chair, Soul of the City BID; Congress Heights resident): Expressed strongest support for all three development proposals. Highlighted that the three development teams are all minority-led, representing intentional equitable development. Described Parcel 6 as a model for community-centered development with affordable housing, homeownership, retail, green space, and unanimous ANC support. Emphasized that the process itself creates opportunities for local businesses and residents.
  • Marcus Cornegan (Executive Director, Prosperity Alliance; owner of Holiday Liquors, a black-owned liquor store): Expressed strong support, noting that only 4 of 212 liquor stores in DC are black-owned. Called the St. Elizabeth's equity initiative historic and urged continued investment in minority developers and affordable housing. Stated that inclusive economic development is smart policy.
  • Elias Abubager (Resident and business owner of Bunatol Cafe, located on parcel 15): Expressed strong support, citing that his cafe only exists because of earlier campus development. Emphasized that equitable development creates jobs and opportunities. Urged the District to approve the teams and maintain momentum.
  • Bo Menkiti (Representing St. Elizabeth Legacy Partners, SELP): Testified in strong support of Parcels 7, 8, and 9. Described a 100% affordable rental building (200 units) and 30 for-sale workforce townhomes, along with 43,000 square feet of community-serving retail, preservation of historic buildings, and commitments to hiring Ward 8 residents. Said the plan reflects four pillars: accessible housing, jobs, vibrant gateway, and historic preservation.
  • Charles Battle (Development Director, Banneker Communities, representing Parcel 6 Community Partners): Testified in strong support of Parcel 6. Outlined 507 rental apartments (all affordable to households at 30–100% AMI), 8 live-work townhomes, 17,000 square feet of retail, and a public plaza. Noted that the development team is 100% CBE/DBE equity-owned, with 35% of contract dollars committed to DC/Ward 8 businesses. Emphasized that the proposal came from community engagement and earned unanimous ANC support.
  • Buea Bintim (Founder/CEO, Dumas Collective, for Dante's Partners): Testified in support of Parcel 13. Explained that his firm is taking over from Neighborhood Development Company (NDC). Proposed two buildings: 90 senior units (50% AMI) and 151 family units (mix of 30%, 50%, 60% AMI), totaling 241 units (down from original 421). Noted physical constraints (DC Water easement, WAMATA infrastructure) drove the reduction. Requested support for the term sheet amendments.

Government Witness

  • Latrina Owens (Director of Real Estate, Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development): Testified in support of all four bills. Provided background on Parcel 13: original developer NDC ceased operations due to financial headwinds; Dante's Partners was approved as successor. Attribute the unit reduction to site constraints (utility easement, WAMATA HVAC system). For Parcels 7, 8, and 9: two bidders; the selected team includes 200 rental units and 30 townhomes (updated from earlier plans due to Department of Behavioral Health no longer needing an office). For Parcel 6: two bidders; selected team includes 507 apartments and 8 townhomes. Stated that the campus is a national model for public land redevelopment, creating housing and economic opportunity. Estimated combined temporary construction jobs at 5,000 and permanent jobs at 500. Said infrastructure work is slated for completion in 2027. Defended community engagement practices. Noted that all projects are CBE-led.

Discussion Items

  • Unit Count & Affordability Discrepancies: Councilmember Freuman questioned why Parcels 7/8/9 showed different unit numbers in various documents (160 rental + 18 townhomes vs. 200 rental + 30 townhomes vs. 277 rental). Mr. Menkiti clarified that the original plan included a Department of Behavioral Health office; with that removed, the team increased housing to 200 rentals and 30 townhomes. Councilmember Freuman also pressed for details on affordability mixes, unit sizes, and bedroom dimensions for both Parcel 6 and Parcels 7/8/9. Developers provided breakdowns: for Parcel 6, at least 30% of units at 50% AMI or less; for Parcels 7/8/9, 100% affordable rental (average below 60% AMI) and workforce townhomes up to 120% AMI.
  • Parcel 13 Reductions: Councilmember Freuman expressed concern about the drop from 421 to 241 housing units and the reduction of retail from 21,000 to 5,000 square feet. Mr. Bintim and Ms. Owens explained that physical constraints on the site—a DC Water easement and WAMATA infrastructure—made the original 421-unit building infeasible. The new plan splits into two buildings (senior and family). The retail reduction was partly due to market caution and site design. Councilmember Freuman acknowledged the physical constraints.
  • Construction Timelines: Councilmember Freuman asked developers about target dates. For Parcel 6: construction start in Fiscal Year 2028 (calendar year 2027/2028), 24-month build per building. For Parcels 7/8/9: phased, first phase start in FY28, 24-month construction, parcel 7 start around 2030. For Parcel 13: 24–36 months to start, hoping for 2028. Ms. Owens confirmed these timelines are consistent.
  • Job Commitments & CBE: Councilmember Freuman asked about accountability for Ward 8 hiring. Mr. Menkiti described working with local training centers and requiring subcontractors to hire at least one local person. Mr. Battle noted a 35% contract dollar commitment to DC/Ward 8 businesses and first-source hiring. Ms. Owens emphasized that CBE-led teams naturally hire locally and cited past success on the campus.
  • Market Conditions & Feasibility: Councilmember Freuman expressed concern about current market challenges (high vacancy, tough financing). Mr. Menkiti acknowledged difficulty but noted that 100% affordable housing, townhomes, and historic tax credits (if a state credit existed) could work. He said the rental market is not financeable, but the project relies on HPTF and 4% credits. Mr. Battle said demand is strong based on community response and pre-RFP market studies. Both expressed cautious optimism.
  • Environmental & Infrastructure: Councilmember Freuman asked about stormwater management for Parcel 6 (near the ravine) and whether road infrastructure is adequate. Mr. Battle said they will follow district guidelines and that soil reports show no contamination. Ms. Owens confirmed that campus infrastructure for these parcels is already delivered and that stage 2 infrastructure will be completed by 2027.
  • RISE Center: Mr. Menkiti clarified that the current RISE Center (on Parcel 7) will relocate to Parcel 8 as part of the restoration of historic buildings, not simply be moved.
  • Parcel 6 Affordability Compliance: Councilmember Freuman noted that the disposition analysis stated the project might not meet DC Code 10-801 affordability requirements. Mr. Battle insisted it does meet them. Ms. Owens said she would check but believes it complies.
  • Parcel 13 Term Sheet Extensions: Councilmember Freuman asked about the 180-day extension for completion after construction start. Ms. Owens cited complexities from historic preservation review, Fine Arts Commission requirements, and site conditions (ravine, WAMATA underground). Councilmember Freuman accepted that these are physical reasons.

Key Outcomes

  • No votes or decisions were taken during the hearing; it was a public hearing to gather testimony.
  • Written testimony can be submitted until Monday, July 27, 2026, via the Council's electronic hearing management system.
  • The committees will consider the testimony before deciding whether to advance the bills to the full Council in the fall legislative session.
  • The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Recording in progress. Good afternoon. I am Matt Freuman, Ward 3 Councilmember and Chairperson of the Committee on Human Services. Today is Monday, July 13th, 2026. We are meeting in person in room 412 of the John A. Wilson Building and virtually via Zoom. The time is now 118 p.m. Today I will be joined shortly by my colleague chairperson Janice Lewis George of the Committee on Facilities. Today we are conducting a public hearing to discuss B 26-121, the St. Elizabeth's East Parcel 13 extension of disposition authority amendment act of 2025, B26-466, the St. Elizabeth's East Parcel 13 Term Sheet Amendment Act of 2025, B-26-425, the St. Elizabeth's East Parcels 7, 8, and 9 surplus declaration and disposition approval act of 2025, and B-26-530, the St. Elizabeth's East Parcel 6 surplus declaration and disposition approval act of 2025. The St. Elizabeth site is a National Historic Landmark located in Congress Heights and comprised of East and West campuses. In 1987, the federal government transferred ownership of the East Campus to the District. The St. Elizabeth's East Redevelopment Framework Plan and subsequent and the subsequent St. Elizabeth's East Master Plan and Design Guidelines establish the vision, scope, and details of how the district would revitalize the East Campus. The measures we are hearing today would make that revitalization a reality, bringing hundreds of units of new housing, dense walkable cityscape defined by multi-purpose development, and millions of dollars of economic activity toward aid. Two of the bills, B26-425, and B26-530 were jointly referred to the Committee on Facilities and the Committee on Human Services, while the two bills related to St. Elizabeth's East Parcel 13, B-26-121, and B26-466 were solely referred to the Committee on Human Services. I will turn to my colleague, Councilmember Lewis George in just a moment, but finish off the introduction for those portions, those of the bills that are referred exclusively to the Committee on Human Services. Located on 1100 Alabama Avenue Southeast, Parcel 13 consists of approximately 138,162 square feet of vacant land abutting the new St. Elizabeth's Hospital. The St. Elizabeth's East Parcel 13 Surplus Declaration and Disposition Approval Act declared Parcel 13 as surplus and allowed its disposal for private development. The district's authority to dispose of the property, however, was in effect for only two years from the bill's effective date through March 10th, 2025. B26-121, the St. Elizabeth's East Parcel 13 extension of Disposition Authority Act of 2025 would extend the district's authority to dispose of the parcel by two years through March 10th, 2027. The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, or DEMPED contends that the previous disposition authority expired because of several unforeseeable factors, including the chosen developer neighborhood development corporations ceasing operations due to market conditions and challenges with the pre-existing WOMATA infrastructure on the property. Demped has shared that the design work continues to progress with the identified challenges being carefully managed to ensure project feasibility and safety. Under section 10-801 of the DC Code, substantive changes to the business terms of the transaction described in a term sheet must be submitted to the council in a proposed resolution. Bill B26-466, the St. Elizabeth's East Parcel 13 Term Sheet Amendment Act of 2025 would authorize specific amendments to the term sheet for parcel 13. First, the name of the developer will be amended to reflect the new developer for the property, Dante's Partners Acquisitions LLC. Second, the amount of the proposed gallery and retail square footage included in the original proposal will be reduced from 21,000 square feet to 5,000 square feet, and the number of housing units to be built will be reduced from 421 to 241. Third, the period for closing on the parcel will be extended from two years to six years following the council's initial approval of disposition. Finally, the period for substantial completion of the parcel will be extended from 36 months to 42 months following the start of construction. I look forward to learning more today about why these revisions to the term sheet are necessary. It is not clear to me, for example, why it is necessary to reduce the number of housing units, and we must ensure we are putting all district-owned land to its highest and best use to create opportunity for our residents. And for her to chair the portion of the committee related to the bills under her purview. And with that, I will turn to Councilmember Lewis George. Thank you so much, Matt, and good afternoon. I am Ward for Councilmember Denise Lewis George, Chair of the Committee on Facilities, and thank you to Chairperson Frumett for co-chairing this hearing with me. B 26530 related to parcel six and B24425 related to parcel seven, eight, and nine are surplus dispositions that were sequentially referred to the committee on facilities and the committee on human services. To start, I'll provide some background on the St. Elizabeth campus and these parcels. The federal government transferred the 183-acre St. Elizabeth East Campus to the district in 1987.

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