D.C. officials say they’re ready to take another stab at finding a developer for the city’s shuttered Franklin School in downtown Washington now that several private companies have approached them about redeveloping the historic property. Three prior development attempts have fallen flat, largely because of the high cost of renovating the school. The building’s historical designation — which includes its interior and exterior — limits what developers can do with the site and greatly increases renovation costs.
Despite the limitations, interest in the site is picking up.
“We’ve heard from some very interested parties about the space, and based on that interest we believe that there will be some very viable possibilities put forth at that location [proposing a] variety of uses,” said Jose Sousa, spokesman for the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development.
| Primed for development | ||
| The District is pushing five sites to developers: | ||
| Location | About the site | Last proposal for site |
| Franklin School | •historically protected, | •2009, Cana Development |
| 13th & K streets NW | •opened 1869 | •proposed hotel & cooking school |
| •former shelter, closed 2008 | ||
| Stevens Elementary | •historically protected | •2009, Equity Residential |
| 21st & K streets NW | •opened 1868 | •proposed condos |
| •closed 2008 | ||
| Parcel 42 | •site of ‘tent city’ last summer | •2007 Parcel 42 Partners |
| Rhode Island Avenue & Seventh Street NW | •now empty lot | •proposed below-market rate housing development |
| R.L. Christian Library | •library kiosk | •no previous proposal |
| 1300 H St. NE | •opened in 1980s | •home to pop-up shops last year |
| •closed 2008 | ||
| Howard University lots | •parking lot | •no previous proposal |
| 2251 Sherman Ave. NW | •63,418 square feet | •likely proposal is mixed-use residential |
The last proposal was in 2009 from Cana Development to turn the 19th century building at 13th and K streets NW into a hotel, but negotiations with the city stalled. Cana principal Michael Morris said Tuesday that
his company was still interested in Franklin School and was planning on resubmitting either the original bid or a new proposal. Morris said the 2009 proposal would have invested roughly $30 million into renovating and developing the school site.
The city is also issuing development solicitations for four other city-owned properties, according to Sousa.
Developers will be sought for the historic Stevens Elementary school in West End, a lot on Rhode Island Avenue and Seventh Street NW, R.L. Christian Library on H Street Northeast, and a parking lot on Sherman Avenue near Howard University.
D.C. Councilman Jack Evans, whose Ward 2 is home to both schools, said he was frustrated but hopeful about the city’s plans.
“For residents who have had to live around those areas, for the city and myself it’s very frustrating to find … ourselves still at square one,” he said. “My hope is to bring something to those sites that will bring 24-hour-a-day activity.”
The Stevens School at 21st and K streets
came close to finding a developer in 2009. But pushback from nearby residents fearful of the site becoming unofficial off-campus housing for George Washington University college students stymied the development.
The Rhode Island Avenue lot also had previous plans for a 100 percent affordable-housing development, but that deal stalled last summer.
Sousa said all proposals for residential developments were subject to the District’s affordable-housing requirements, but the city would not offer any subsidy for developers of these five sites.
