Contact: Bill Rice (202) 437-7787
The DC Office of Property Management (OPM) today received the recommendation from a public/private panel that The Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital be selected as the new tenant to renovate, restore and reuse the historic Old Naval Hospital (ONH) at 921 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, on Capitol Hill.
The Hill Center plans to restore the interior and exterior of the building, carriage house and grounds and offer a wide range of educational and life-long learning opportunities for local youth and adults, including classes in computer literacy, languages, music, drawing and painting, parenting, creative writing and cooking and nutrition. The Hill Center will also provide space for lectures, recitals, art shows and other community events. The carriage house will become a family-friendly cafe.
“We have worked hard to infuse this recommendation with input from representatives of Capitol Hill and historic preservation organizations,” said Lars Etzkorn. “I look forward to hearing all comment on this recommendation as we work to polish this jewel for the community and the District of Columbia.”
On Thursday, July 19, at 7 pm, OPM is convening a public meeting at the ONH on the tenant recommendation. The OPM director will make the final selection based on the public/private panel’s recommendation and all other public comment.
The recommended proposal was submitted by the Old Hospital Foundation, a five-year-old 501(c)(3) organization. Its board is composed of long-time local residents, including current and former religious leaders, elected and appointed officials, preservation, arts and education advocates and attorneys, educators and writers.
The public/private review panel included public representatives from the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, the Office of Property Management, the District Department of Transportation and the State Historic Preservation Office. Private representatives were from the Friends of the Old Naval Hospital, Barracks Row/Mainstreet, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6B, the National Building Museum and the DC Preservation League.
Built in 1864 to serve Civil War forces, the site was a Naval Hospital until 1911. Subsequently, it provided lodging for those pressing pension claims in Washington. It is a District historic landmark, just east of the United States Capitol in the heart of Capitol Hill. It is now largely vacant.
Read* the executive summary.