The so-called Labor Day deadline for the proposed parking structures and condominium development adjacent to the Washington Nationals’ Southeast ballpark will pass with the project still in limbo.
The delay puts at risk the audacious parking plan touted by Mayor Anthony Williams and developer Herbert Miller, president of Western Development Corp. Miller’s venture includes two parking garages masked by more than 900 condominium units, ground-floor retail and a boutique hotel.
But a Williams’ spokesperson said the deadline was never “written in stone.”
“We weren’t the ones who gave out the Labor Day deadline,” Williams’ spokeswoman Sharon Gang said. “As far as we’re concerned, there’s nothing drop-dead about Sept. 5.”
As recently as two weeks ago, Williams was confident Miller would come through, but the mayor said the city has “fall-back plans” just in case.
The deadline was set by District Chief Financial Officer Natwar Gandhi when he testified before the D.C. Council in early July. Gandhi warned that Miller must clear a dozen legal and financial hurdles to start construction by Labor Day — a must, the CFO said, to finish the project on time.
Under the District’s agreement with Major League Baseball, the city must have 1,225 ballpark parking spaces ready to go by Opening Day 2008, or face lawsuits, penalties and fines. But before construction can start, Miller must show how he will finance the $300 million project and indemnify the District from damages if he can’t produce as promised.
The Nationals’ owners, led by developer Ted Lerner, oppose the Miller project, citing its potential impact on the timing and cost of the ballpark.
Gandhi recently asked the D.C. attorney general for opinions on a series of development-related questions, including whether the parkingprice tag would violate the council’s $611 million stadium cost cap.
There was no answer as of Friday, according to the CFO’s office. And there were rumors in City Hall that the attorney general could not respond at all, because the CFO is an independent agency outside its purview.
The D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission, which is building the ballpark, also must sign off on the Western project prior to groundbreaking. Like Gandhi, however, the commission has yet to take action.
“As far as I know, there is nothing new happening,” said Tony Robinson, commission spokesman.
More information
» Parking garages, above and below ground, would be built on the stadium’s north end.
» Garages would be for suite ticket-holders and condo residents.
» 300 surface spaces, built to the south, would be used for team parking.
