Mayor Gray consoles a family member of a victim of the 2009
Metro crash at the site of the new Legacy Memorial Park on
Sunday afternoon.
Mayor Gray and Family Representatives Break Ground on Legacy Memorial Park in Honor of 2009 Metro Crash Victims
Park Will Memorialize Nine Lost in Worst Metrorail Disaster in WMATA History
Mayor Gray broke ground on Sunday at the site of the new Legacy Memorial Park, which will honor the nine people who perished during the 2009 Metrorail collision. Mayor Gray was joined by family representatives, members of the nearby community and congregants of Greater Saint Paul Baptist Church. The $1.8 million memorial – which will be located across the street from the church – is scheduled for completion in December.
“The Legacy Memorial Park will honor and celebrate the lives of those involved in the events of that day through reflective design and artwork,” Mayor Gray said, “This park will be a public space for mourning and connecting to the human spirit. We will never forget the nine lives lost that day, and we will forever honor the heroism of our first responders.” Read more.
US Conference of Mayors Recognizes District for Leadership on Climate Change for Second Straight Year
Award Highlights Innovative Strategies to Ensure a More Sustainable DC
Last week, the US Conference of Mayors honored the District of Columbia for its exemplary work cutting energy use in public buildings, new building codes that advance energy conservation and green construction practices, and stormwater-management policies to expand green areas and reduce harmful runoff into District waterways.
The recognition took place at the US Conference of Mayors’ 82nd Annual Conference in Dallas. Mayor Gray attended and accepted the award on behalf of the District.
The District received an Honorable Mention in the Mayors’ Climate Protection Awards. Last year, the District’s Capital Bikeshare Program also received an Honorable Mention.
“These awards affirm the progress that the District is making towards achieving the ambitious goals in our Sustainable DC Plan,” said Mayor Gray. “Programs like our innovative Stormwater Retention Credit Trading System, our groundbreaking new building codes, and the aggressive renewable-energy and energy-efficiency strategies we are pursuing in public buildings are all setting the course for the District to become the most sustainable city in the nation.” Read more.
District Joins National ‘Target Cities’ Program, Heralding a New Era of Urban Leadership in Sustainability
City’s Three EcoDistricts Underscore Goals of the Sustainable DC Plan
This week, the District of Columbia joined the Target Cities Program, an elite group of North American cities committed to becoming global leaders in sustainability through neighborhood-scale projects that emphasize environmental performance, social equity and economic growth. EcoDistricts, the Portland, Ore.-based nonprofit behind the program, made the announcement of the new partnership today at CGI America, a program of the Clinton Global Initiative.
Target Cities is a two-year partnership of nine development projects across just seven North American cities – Atlanta; Boston; Cambridge, Mass.; Denver; Los Angeles; Ottawa, Ontario; and the District of Columbia. It is designed to amplify and accelerate neighborhood-scale economic and environmental restoration and create replicable models for urban revitalization. The District’s participation in the program will further support the already impressive work being done to implement the District’s Sustainable DC Plan – and particularly several actions focusing on neighborhood-scale infrastructure. Read more.
Map of the 2nd and H Streets NW development parcels.
District Announces Plans to Catalyze Economic Development in Mount Vernon Triangle
Requests Expressions of Interest for Unique Development Opportunity at 2nd and H Street NW
Interim Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Jeffrey Miller announced that the District of Columbia has released a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) for the redevelopment of the air rights over an existing parking deck and parcels at 2nd Street NW between H and K Streets NW.
“This is a remarkable opportunity to develop over a massive existing parking deck as well as on a triangular parcel along New Jersey Avenue NW,” said Deputy Mayor Miller. “We look forward to receiving innovative expressions of interest and anticipate an expeditious solicitation process.” Read more.
Mayor Gray in the Community:
Mayor Gray launches the ‘One Congregation. One Family’ initiative
at New Bethel Baptist Church in Shaw last Wednesday morning.
Email [email protected] for more information or
to express interest in the program on behalf of your congregation.
Mayor Gray celebrates the opening of the new Gateway public art
installation on Wednesday morning at City Center.
Mayor Gray greets Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden and
Ambassador of Sweden Björn Lyrvall at the Safe Shores Children’s
Advocacy Center on Wednesday morning.