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Fenty Promotes Aboveground Parking To End Fight Over New D.C. Stadium
The owners of the Nationals and city officials have disagreed over whether to build parking garages at the stadium aboveground or below, and about proposals to add housing and stores as part of a retail and entertainment hub.
(By Michael Robinson Chavez -- The Washington Post)
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"I want to take the time to examine everything that's coming before the council . . . to see which makes the most sense," said Jack Evans (D-Ward 2).
Council member Sharon Ambrose (D-Ward 6), who represents the ward where the stadium will be built, said she will support Fenty's proposal if she is convinced that the city will be able to build mixed-use development on top of the garages.
"That's my bottom line," she said. "We have an obligation to create a revenue center. . . . Whatever I agree to support, that's going to be paramount."
Under the proposal, the city would build two three-story garages aboveground on the north parcel of the stadium site near South Capitol Street and the Navy Yard, along the Anacostia River in Southeast Washington. A smaller underground garage would be built on the south side.
The city's financial chief, Natwar M. Gandhi, helped develop the Fenty proposal and sent a letter to Fenty yesterday confirming his support for the financing of the garages.
There is $25 million for parking in the council's $611 million cap, meaning the city would need an additional $31 million.
Under the plan endorsed by Fenty and Gandhi, the city would use $17 million in additional stadium-related taxes generated from local businesses during the stadium's first two baseball seasons; $8 million in stadium contingency funds; and $6 million in bonds that could be paid off by revenue made by the city by parking cars in the garages during non-game days.
Gandhi said he is willing to back that financing arrangement as within the stadium cap approved by the council in April. Conversely, Gandhi had ruled that Williams's plan, under which the garages would cost $100 million, would violate the cap and require a legislative amendment to the cap.
Under Fenty's bill, the council would have to override zoning rules but would not have to amend the stadium cap, aides said.
Staff writer Thomas Heath contributed to this report.
