A DVISORY N EIGHBORHOOD C OMMISSION 7C04 T OGETHER …B ETTER !

Testimony of Sylvia C. Brown, ANC7C04

Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic
Development Oversight Hearing
February 24, 2011
Mr. Chairman, my name is Sylvia Brown. I am Advisory Neighborhood
Commissioner 7C-04. I am testifying today regarding the Office of the Deputy
Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED). There is a lot about
which to be excited in the ANC 7C neighborhood. The public investment from
the District has been tremendous. From the Deanwood Community Center and
Library to the Marvin Gaye Trail to the Nannie Helen Burroughs Great Streets to
the Watts Branch Restoration these investments are shoring up our civic
infrastructure, which is an important part of community growth. Additionally,
the investments demonstrate the promise and opportunity the city and Council
see in the greater Deanwood neighborhood along with the commitment to
working with residents and stakeholders.

In the last week I have had the opportunity to hear from the Deputy Mayor-
designate Victor Hoskins and I have been impressed with what I have seen and
heard. I believe his interest in bringing business and a focus on is right where
the developments in ANC7C need him and its agencies to be. As I mentioned in
my Office of Planning testimony last week residents and neighbors in greater
Deanwood completed the Deanwood Small Area Plan (DSAP) approximately two
years ago. During the development of the DSAP, as with many plans for east of
the river, a consistent message from community members was “we’ve been
studied enough; let’s see some action and make sure these plans are not just put
on a shelf.” Mr. Hoskins’ interest in not just providing financial resources and
using innovative financing tools but more importantly ensuring it is clear those
dollars are yielding meaningful and clear outcomes and results is refreshing and

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Sylvia C. Brown, ANC 7C-04
4651 N.H. Burroughs Avenue NE Suite 2 Washington, DC 20019
P: 202-398-5100 E: brown.sylvia2@gmail.com
 A DVISORY N EIGHBORHOOD C OMMISSION 7C04 T OGETHER …B ETTER !

welcome. The Lincoln Heights-Richardson Dwellings New Communities

Initiative is the “jump off,” if you will, for the area’s development—housing and
commercial. New housing projects are well underway, a greater emphasis needs
to be made on quality infill housing, but now the city and council must prioritize
commercial development. I have been encouraged by Mayor Gray’s discussions
with our neighbor Prince George’s County where there is an emphasis on shared
opportunities. With recent reports on discussions regarding Walter Reed, I
challenge the Mayor and DMPED to prioritize the regional economic approach to
greater Deanwood and the cities of Seat Pleasant, Capitol Heights and Fairmount
Heights in Maryland. We’ve heard the phrase “There’s gold in them hills!” and I
contend there’s similar value in greater Deanwood when we get a holistic
integration with the New Communities Initiative and clarity on the way forward
to achieve the goals of the DSAP planning document. Consider this: when the
developers of the various housing projects begin marketing the footprint of the
Deanwood Small Area Plan how effective will the marketing plan be when they
lead with “There’s a proposed retail center for the East Capitol corridor and for
the Burroughs and Division intersection but we’re not for certain when those
plans will come online.”

Lastly, whenever I hear the arguments made for the Washington Redskins
moving to the District this I cringe because FedEx Stadium is a direct shot
through my neighborhood travelling Sheriff Road. The Washington Metropolitan
Area Transit Authority is planning to develop New Carrolton Metro; DC’s
Deanwood Metro is the station before it. Consider Sheriff Road as our “road to
Damascus.” Imagine the benefit the District would receive if we have a
comprehensive community economic development vision to build up the
residential and commercial around the Deanwood Metro, Sheriff Road and
Addison Roads leading to FedEx Stadium. There is limited political gain with

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Sylvia C. Brown, ANC 7C-04
4651 N.H. Burroughs Avenue NE Suite 2 Washington, DC 20019
P: 202-398-5100 E: brown.sylvia2@gmail.com
 A DVISORY N EIGHBORHOOD C OMMISSION 7C04 T OGETHER …B ETTER !

the Redskins’ relocation to RFK Stadium. However, there is residual political

and capital gains with developing the District and Prince George’s County
leading to FedEx.

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Sylvia C. Brown, ANC 7C-04
4651 N.H. Burroughs Avenue NE Suite 2 Washington, DC 20019
P: 202-398-5100 E: brown.sylvia2@gmail.com