Bates Area Civic Association

Caryn kindly posted the press release from the Mayor’s office for yesterday’s ceremony for the demolition of the shuttered Gage-Eckington School building in LeDroit Park to be replaced by a new park space.

Here are two press articles on this event – the first from the DC MUD blog. Note that the school building is described as having “heinous architecture.”

LeDroit Park School Gets Hammered
Posted by Ken on 8/04/2009 07:36:00 AM

In a move envied by adolescents everywhere, Mayor Adrian Fenty will join the LeDroit Park community members to begin knocking down the public elementary school today at 10:45am. The Gage-Eckington School at 2025 3rd St., NW, is being scuttled in favor of a 3-acre park, beginning with today’s wrecking ceremony.

Just last month DC’s Office of Property Management (OPM) had maintained their devotion to move city agencies out of leased space and into abandoned public schools. But it seems that a lack of parking and reported $18m in renovation needed to rehab the space, not to mention its architectural heinousness, has led city officials to conclude the city is better off without it.

A new park, designed by Lee + Papa and Associates, will include a dog park, a children’s garden, an environmental learning center and incorporate the existing community garden at 3rd and V Streets, NW.  See here for details.

Construction of the park is slated to begin in October. Gage-Eckington closed its doors in mid-2008, in a move expected to save DC Public Schools some $659,000 in fixed costs per year.

Here is the second press article on the demo/new park announcement ceremony – from the Washington Business Journal:

Tuesday, August 4, 2009, 2:36pm EDT | Modified: Tuesday, August 4, 2009, 2:40pm

D.C. park gets under way
Washington Business Journal – by Tierney Plumb Staff Reporter

One shuttered D.C. school site has a future filled with active children, which is welcoming news for a neighborhood where one in five people are overweight.

Demolition started on the LeDroit Park community’s former Gage-Eckington school Tuesday, which will be replaced with a three-acre community park filled with a tot lot, playground and dog park.

“We’ve worked hand-in-glove with the LeDroit Park community to get us where we are today,” said Mayor Adrian Fenty. “This is going to be a beautiful city park with great features for everyone in the neighborhood.”

Located along V Street NW, between Fourth and Second streets NW, the new park will also include a multi-purpose athletic field, running trails and rain gardens. The park is expected to be finished next June.

The D.C. nonprofit Common Good City Farm — formerly the 7th Street Garden — will keep managing the community garden, which sits on the site.

D.C. closed the school at 2025 3rd St. NW last year. Meetings were held throughout the LeDroit Park community in April and May to let neighbors vote for park features.