It’s officially open.
The ribbon-cutting for the mixed-use Hine School Project, which offers 162 residential units, 156,000 square feet of office space and 61,000 square feet of retail space in the 700 blocks of Pennsylvania Ave and C St. SE, took place Tuesday morning. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Councilmember Charles Allen (Ward 6-D), Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie (Ward 5-D) and representatives of development team Stanton-East Banc shared the stage with Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) Bryan T. Kenner, who acted as Master of Ceremonies for the event.
About fifty attendees enjoyed coffee, hot chocolate and treats provided by Radici Market (303 Seventh St. SE) as they listened to brief comments prior to the cutting of the ribbon by the Mayor, Councilmembers, and Kenneth Golding of Stanton Development, among others.
The ribbon-cutting put a cap on the more than two years of construction and over eight years of planning that saw the old Hine Junior High School replaced by more than 400,000 square feet of retail, office and residential space. In his remarks at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, DMPED Bryan T. Kenner said that the residential component includes 46 affordable housing units.
Mayor Bowser said that the contributions of Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6B and community members had achieved the desired results: a space for business, residents and community.
“We have reclaimed a space in this outdoor plaza that we’re going to go out and enjoy,” she said.
Councilmember Allen said that the many debates and discussions about what the neighborhood wanted in the development had paid off.
“We got it,” he said, “collectively we made a great product.”
Allen said he looked forward to welcoming the new businesses and new residents to the area and noted that the new plaza on C Street SE would serve to better connect Eastern Market and Barracks Row.
“I look forward to the next steps, Eastern Market Metro Plaza, the Southeast Library Renovations, and so much more,” Allen said.
EastBanc Principal Partner Anthony Lanier praised architect Amy Weinstein, of Esocoff Associates + Weinstein Studio, for designing a building that integrated the Capitol Hill landscape, and for standing firm behind the design in the face of budgetary and construction challenges.
Vice-President Alejandro (Alex) Golding said that C Street SE was not yet open to traffic. The developer said the street will open after stop signs are received from DDOT and installed at intersections. In a meeting later that day, Commissioner Diane Hoskins (6B02) noted that this is not likely to take place until January 2018.
