Photo by Matt Cohen.
In his last days as mayor, Vince Gray is certainly keeping himself busy. Yesterday, he and his big scissors cut the ribbon on 17 new businesses, storefront improvements, and murals in Shaw, and just last week he signed what was thought to be his last two bills into law. Just kidding! He had more to sign.
At the Wilson Building this morning, Gray signed four bills—his last as mayor of D.C.—into law, including the longtime-in-the-making bill to build a D.C. United soccer stadium at Buzzard Point. In addition, Gray signed an emergency bill approving the construction of a memorial park and community garden to memorialize the victims of the 2009 Metro accident, and a bill originally introduced by Councilmember Anita Bonds (D-At Large) that provides protection for incapacitated people living with guardians.
“This is a part of Mayor Gray’s legacy, much like the baseball stadium was a part of Mayor [Tony] Williams’ legacy,” Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said at the bill signing. With fans and members of the D.C. United Organization in attendance, Gray signed both emergency and permanent versions of the soccer stadium bill, officially giving the green light for city officials to begin construction.
The soccer stadium bill has been in the works for a while now, with nearly two years of debates before the Council finally passed a version of the bill that everyone could agree on. That bill includes a community benefits package along with the promise from officials that the new stadium won’t push out affordable housing as many Buzzard Point residents feared.
But most significant in the version of the bill Gray signed today is the absence of a land-swap deal with developer Akridge, which would have had the District trading away the Franklin D. Reeves Municipal Center at 14th and U Streets NW. After concerns from some Councilmembers and residents about D.C. trading away the Reeves Center—for a deal that undervalued the property—mayor-elect and Ward 4 Councilmember Muriel Bowser led a charge to get that part of the deal removed. After that, Gray worked with the Council to find the budget to pay for the stadium, which is a public-private partnership between the District and the United.
“Of course, we had people along the way who didn’t think this was a good idea,” Gray said. “But there wasn’t a day I went out where someone didn’t come up to me and say ‘keep working on the soccer stadium deal!'”
If this soccer stadium deal is, as Mendelson put it, “part of Mayor Gray’s legacy,” then another huge part of his legacy is one that remains a big question mark: the H Street/Benning Road NE streetcar.
Since he was elected into office, Gray has worked diligently to return streetcar service to the H Street corridor, but his efforts have been continuously delayed. Though he repeatedly pledged that the streetcar would begin passenger service before the end of his term, he told DCist that he’s still unsure if that’ll happen, despite reports that it “likely” will begin tomorrow.
