More Funding for Capitol Hill Projects in DC FY 2025 Budget

More Funding for Capitol Hill Projects – Eastern Market Metro Plaza, Eastern Market, Safe Passage, H Street, LGBTQ Retail – in FY 2025 Budget

by Larry Janezich

Posted May 16, 2024

Last Tuesday night at ANC6B’s May meeting, Kimberly Kennedy, CM Charles Allen’s Constituent Services Coordinator, gave a brief presentation on budget items directly affecting Capitol Hill which Allen successfully inserted in DC’s FY 2025 budget.   CHC followed up with his office for these additional details

Eastern Market Metro Park

• New Park Manager for Eastern Market Metro Park:  $100,000 to enhance the existing Department of Parks and Recreation grant Allen created in FY23 for Eastern Market Metro Park programming to fund a new Park Manager position; the Park Manager will be responsible for managing maintenance, repairs, activation, and programming with relevant agencies, Main Streets, and the Capitol Hill BID.  (In April, the ANC6B Parks and Public Spaces Taskforce chaired by Commissioner Jerry Sroufe, sent a letter to CM Charles Allen supporting a Park Manager for the park.)
• Eastern Market Metro Park maintenance and repairs:  $400,000 in both FY25 and FY26 for ongoing capital maintenance and repairs at Eastern Market Metro Park
• Safe Passage:  Fundimg for Safe Passage grants to create a new priority area including and between the Potomac Avenue and Eastern Market metro stations; this will support students commuting to and from several schools in close proximity to the station, including Brent ES, Chisholm ES, Payne ES, Watkins ES, Digital Pioneers Academy, Capitol Hill Day School, St. Peter School, and Friendship PCS Chamberlain Campus.

Eastern Market

• Securtiy and Maintenance at Eastern Market:  An additional $1,700,000 in FY25 for Eastern Market for the completion of the bollards installation project, chilled water piping replacement, and stabilization of hot water piping
• Security at Eastern Market:  Identified $81,000 to fund weekend security coverage at Eastern Market.

LGBTQ

• $100,000 grant through the Office of LGBTQ Affairs to preserve LGBTQ nightlife and retail establishments along DC Main Street retail corridors in Ward 6, including Barracks Row. 

H Street Corridors

• Small Business Support:  $350,000 for a new grant to a non-profit organization that advocates, connects, and promotes Capitol Hill businesses and commerce to support partnerships with small businesses, retailers, restaurants, and neighbors retail corridors in Ward 6, for corridor and vacant storefront activation, events, and arts and cultural programming.
• Pop-Up Permit Program:  Extension of the Department of Buildings’ new Pop-Up Permits Program from the current Downtown boundaries to the H Street NE corridor to speed up permitting to activate vacant buildings.
• Funding to install private security cameras and other tools like glassbreak sensors inside small businesses in response to a series of break-ins at H Street restaurants.

The city council’s first vote on the final FY 2025 budget is scheduled for late May.