Bill 20-805, the District of Columbia Soccer Stadium Development Act of 201

David !arber " Commissioner, A#C $D0%

D&&arber'&mail(com
202-)%-5)0
*+ name is David !arber, and , am the Advisor+ #ei&hborhood Commissioner in $D0%,
-hich encompasses most of the #av+ .ard nei&hborhood in the A#C in -hich this
stadium is proposed " bounded &enerall+ b+ South Capitol Street, 11
th
Street S/, the
Southeast 0ree-a+, and the Anacostia 1iver, -ith a fe- 2a&&ed ed&es(
,3m not testif+in& on behalf of A#C $D, but instead as commissioner in m+ sin&le
member district, -hich surrounds #ationals Stadium, and parts of -hich lie directl+
across South Capitol Street from Bu44ard 5oint( , believe there are issues to be -or6ed
out -ith re&ards to the 1
th
7 8 portion of this transfer, and to the Anacostia portion of
this transfer, but m+ testimon+ toni&ht is related to m+ A#C district and the communit+
immediatel+ surroundin& the proposed stadium(
9et me be&in b+ sa+in& that , am supportive of a DC 8nited stadium on Bu44ard 5oint,
and that the feedbac6 ,3ve heard from residents in m+ district, -ho live nearb+ and near a
stadium alread+, has been over-helmin&l+ positive, -ith the ac6no-led&ement that there
are unresolved issues that must still be addressed, a fe- of -hich ,3ll touch on here(
0irst " it is e:tremel+ important that the issue of &ame da+ schedulin& be part of an+ final
stadium a&reement( Althou&h the proposed DC 8nited stadium location is a couple
bloc6s from #ationals Stadium, the+ should be considered one sports and entertainment
comple: -ith re&ards to &ame da+ schedulin& and special event pro&rammin&( ;he
<eri4on Center should be used as an e:ample, as it is host to a variet+ of lea&ues and
teams, man+ of -hich have overlappin& seasons( Althou&h it ma+ be possible to host
&ames on the same da+ -hen the+ are in all-to&ether different times of da+, it -ould be
over-helmin& for residents of the immediate nei&hborhood to bear the traffic brunt of
&ames and ma2or events happenin& at the same time(
Second " , believe, and ,3ve heard from man+ residents to this effect, that streetcar
fundin& in this current bud&et c+cle should not be a deal-brea6er one -a+ or the other on
this stadium location and deal( , do believe -e need to ma6e sure that stadium decision-
ma6ers and DC &overnment a&encies -or6 to&ether to ma6e sure that passa&e to and
from the stadium is safe and encoura&ed b+ people -al6in& and bic+clin&, as those are
some of the most sustainable and accessible forms of urban transportation, and that -e
need to consider interim strate&ies bet-een no- and a possible streetcar line for movin&
people in and out of the nei&hborhood( Additional dedicated bic+cle lanes, removin& the
proposed traffic oval at South Capitol and 5otomac Ave, shuttle buses, =*A;A buses,
and Circulator routes should all be e:tensivel+ considered, in addition to a thorou&h
strate&+ for the movement of cars in and out of the nei&hborhood on &ame da+s(
;hird " althou&h there -ill be opportunit+ to comment on this do-n the road, it is -orth
mentionin& the lessons learned and the hopes of area residents -ith re&ards to desi&n and
development of the stadium itself( ;he proposed stadium location ma+ seem li6e a barren
landscape no-, but it has the potential to be an incredible -aterfront nei&hborhood(
=here #ationals Stadium failed " inactivit+ and blan6 fronts at the retail level, e:posed
surface and structured par6in& lots, and >safe? desi&n " DC 8nited Stadium must succeed
and stand out( ;his is an urban stadium in a nei&hborhood -ith an architectural le&ac+
and immense pride, and it should brin& life and color to the cit+ outside and around it, not
2ust inside the stadium(
9astl+ " , -ant to spea6 ver+ briefl+ to the economic development benefits of a ne-
stadium on Bu44ard 5oint( Althou&h the specifics of the land transfer and its fairness to
the cit+ and its assets are e:tremel+ important, it is impossible to loo6 at this land transfer
and stadium development inside the strict four--alled vacuum of the deal itself( Brin&in&
an anchor to this ne&lected corner of the South-est -aterfront -ill introduce thousands
of people to and help 2umpstart development activit+ in a corner of DC that is massivel+
under-6no-n and under-developed( =hen as6in& the @uestionA >is this deal -orth itB? -e
have to consider the ne- mi:ed-use development, business activit+, 2obs, and other
associated benefits that -ill occur on Bu44ard 5oint after this deal is finali4ed, not 2ust
toda+(
;han6 +ou for +our time and consideration(