February 6, 2006
Feds Offer to Pay for Navy Yard Station Upgrade
D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams must be loving President George W. Bush right now.
Among the $143 million of spending for the District contained in the president's federal budget proposal is $20 million for upgrades at the Navy Yard Metrorail station, a key component of the construction of a new stadium along South Capitol Street in Southeast, reports NBC 4. For the station to handle gameday crowds, its capacity would have to be increased from the current 5,000 passengers an hour to 15,000 an hour.
With the station's upgrades paid for by the federal government, enough votes may be won over to ensure that the stadium lease is endorsed by a majority of the council in a vote scheduled for tomorrow. Some members of the council have expressed concern over the rising cost of the stadium, noting that a variety of necessary infrastructure upgrades have pushed the stadium's cost above the $535 million price-cap imposed in December 2004. This news may well satisfy those concerns.
According to a press release issued by the mayor's office, the federal budget will also include money for the following District projects: $41 million for education, $35 million for the city’s Tuition Assistance Grant Program, $30 million for improvements to the D.C.’s aging library system, $1 million for the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council , $8 million for planning and security costs associated with federal events in the District, and $7 million for sewer upgrades.
DCist is receiving unconfirmed rumors that Williams spent the better part of the afternoon doodling "I heart Prez. Georgie Bush" in his District-issued diary.
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Of course! That makes perfect sense. George and Bud Selig go way back.
I think you overlooked a potentially huge item: Is that an accurate picture of the stadium plans in the NBC story? Have they been released the pictures without DCist noticing?
I have to say, from the limited view we get on the NBC page, it doesn't look as bad as I feared. It kind of (a very kind of) looks like old Yankee Stadium. I hope they play up the neo-classical roman look.
And that ladies and gentlemen is why Washington, D.C. mayors should always attend State of the Union addresses.
that rendering has been out for a while now...at least a year.
that rendering has been out for a while now...at least a year.
Everett W said it perfectly. You play the hand your dealt not organize useless protests and meaningless referendums that antagonize the ones whose help you need.
Are you listening Mr. Fenty?