The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington is seeking development proposals for four of its properties including the Boys and Girls Club in Columbia Heights (14th St and Clifton St NW).  The organization is still deciding whether to lease or sell the properties.

According to the Washington Post, the Columbia Heights branch will still be required to include a Boys and Girls club.

The organization also will seek proposals for properties in Columbia Heights and Congress Heights, although officials said they will require that any project in those locations include Boys and Girls clubs. They declined to include any such guarantee for the Capitol Hill or Georgetown locations

This is not the first time the Boys and Girls Club in Columbia Heights was threatened with redevelopment.

In Columbia Heights, a developer halted a plan three years ago to build condominiums atop the branch at 14th and Clifton streets after neighborhood residents protested. The club had said the development deal was needed to raise money. In each of the past two years, the D.C. Council has granted the branch $500,000.

Because of that funding, council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1), whose district includes Columbia Heights, questioned the renewed interest in developing the property. "I'm not excited about this," he said. "I want to know what happened to the half a million dollars and why it isn't enough."

For more on this story, please read:

Eastern Branch of D.C. Boys and Girls Club to Close, Washington Post

Comments

recent posts... Written by on 2007-04-27 08:42:40 So what's up with all the recent posts on here...? (I'm liking it by the way!)

Written by on 2007-04-27 09:57:55 Well we already have a Marshalls and a Ross, why not redevelop this with a TJ Maxx?

Written by Euclid resident on 2007-04-27 17:09:04 I am not basing the following comment on any real knowledge, and I'm interested in the views of others. It seems like this facility has a moderate use rate at best. I see kids there, but not crowds of them. I rarely see evidence of organized activity (again, based on sporadic observation). I do, however, see a fair number of kids wandering around the sidewalks and streets, esp. on the weekends. My point is, there is a market for these services in CH, but the B&G's current model does appear to me to be tapping this market. I'd love to see a youth center with inviting, updated outdoor spaces and facilities, full of happy kids. Nice dream, huh? The current building is pretty grim looking with a usually-empty parking lot and no outdoor space. And the kids seem to be ignoring the (weakly) offered services. Something radical should be done to serve the kids that remain in CH, and my guess is it will cost more than $500,000.

Good Written by Good on 2007-04-28 01:56:50 Uh, why did Georgetown and Capitol Hill ever need a B&Y?     They got private schools to send their darlings too.    Yes, this B&Y looks in bad shape and yes, get it bigger/brighter/whatever it takes to keep the kids off the streets and under supervision.

Written by mel on 2007-04-28 09:31:54 I have mixed feelings on this redevelopment. if adding condos on top will give them the money to extend their hours then I am all for it. I live a block from there and every night I see dozens of teens/kids hanging on the corner bored. They close down at 7:00pm which is pretty much when trouble starts on 14th. If they could get a midnight basketball program or some other activities at night then I would support them. but as of now, they just seem to be taking up space. Hey, maybe we can get that trader joes in that space after all....

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.

Powered by AkoComment!