Bush Wants Land Transferred to City

"It's a wonderful day for the District," said D.C. Council member Sharon Ambrose (D-Ward 6), chairman of the council's economic development committee. "To say it's part of land we hope the president will transfer title to some day is one thing, but to actually have a bill before Congress to accomplish that is something else entirely."

The proposal will face review by several committees in Congress, and concerns by western lawmakers about excepting the District from federal land transfer rules might complicate passage, congressional officials said.

City planners said improvements could be visible at the sites within five years of the legislation's passage, but construction would continue in phases for significantly longer.

"I look forward to moving this initiative, or something similar, through committee and to the House floor," said Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.), chairman of the House Government Reform Committee, which oversees the District. "It's the ultimate win-win: The federal government gets rid of land and buildings that are costly and underutilized, and the District gets a much-needed opportunity to redevelop them."

Williams's spokesman said the city had no economic impact estimate available, and an OMB official said an analysis was omitted to speed the plan.

Both Poplar Point and the D.C. General site are "extremely viable sites," D.C. developer Jim Abdo said. Abdo associate Toby Millman said the latter parcel is now "a dead zone," adding: "You have RFK over there, but then the city peters out as it goes toward the river. It would be great to tie Capitol Hill into the Anacostia River, and Reservation 13 will certainly help to do that."

The District also would gain control over 14 smaller sites near developments such as the proposed baseball stadium at South Capitol Street, Eastern Market, the Eighth Street SE retail corridor and the former City Museum at Mount Vernon Square.

Bolten said the proposal is a "first step" in a broad review, and later transfers might be considered, although those would involve relatively small parcels.