Council committee hears request to extend disposition authority for Malcolm X site in Congress Heights

The Committee on Business and Economic Development on April 30 heard testimony supporting a request to extend the mayor's authority to dispose of District‑owned property known as the former Malcolm X Elementary School at 1351 Alabama Ave. SE so a selected developer can complete design and financing for a mixed‑use, all‑affordable rental project.

Iman Smallwood, identified as the development manager for Congress Park Community Partners, LLC (also referred to in testimony as affiliated with Banneker Communities), told the committee she supports the proposed extension and term sheet amendment and described site design changes required after discovery of a heritage tree and the removal of a building restriction line. "Under the original 2022 Surplus and Disposition Act, we proposed a mixed use development with 180 all affordable units ... 7,500 square feet of daycare space, 2,000 square feet of community serving retail, and 43 parking spaces," Smallwood said. She added that subsequent regulatory changes and arborist findings required redesigning the plan to preserve the heritage tree and led to a reduction in unit count to about 150.

Pam Frenzelbein, Director of Real Estate in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), testified that the original surplus and disposition authorization (Malcolm X Surplus Declaration and Disposition Approval Act of 2022) expired March 10, 2025, and that DMPED supports a two‑year extension. Frenzelbein described the amended term sheet as providing for approximately 150 rental units (12 units at 30% of median family income (MFI); 48 at 50% MFI; and about 90 at 60% MFI), 7,500 square feet of daycare, 2,000 square feet for a healthy‑food retailer, an ANC office and roughly 43 parking spaces. She said DMPED and the developer have secured removal of a 15‑foot building restriction line through separate legislation and that an arborist and the District Department of Transportation Urban Forestry Administration determined the on‑site heritage tree could not be relocated.

Committee Chair Councilmember Kenya McDuffie asked whether the loss of 30 units changed the unit mix; Frenzelbein responded that the share of three‑bedroom units remains roughly 20% of the total. Smallwood and DMPED representatives said the daycare and retail square footage were not affected by the redesign. Smallwood said the developer aims to begin design work immediately and hopes to start construction in fall of the year following disposition, and that the extension sought would push the disposition deadline to March 10, 2027.

No final council vote occurred during the hearing. Witnesses asked the committee to approve the extension so the developer can complete design development and assemble financing, noting constrained affordable housing financing markets and the project's reliance on housing production trust fund dollars, bond cap allocation and 4% low‑income housing tax credits. Both the developer representative and DMPED said the project has community support, including a community benefits agreement with Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 8E.

If the committee approves the extension, DMPED said the developer would resume pursuing financing and finalize construction plans; if the extension is not approved, DMPED said the district could need to re‑solicit a developer, which would delay the project and risk losing prior due diligence work.

The committee record includes written testimony through May 9, 2025. No vote or final disposition of the bill was recorded at the April 30 hearing.