This petition calls on the Mayor, the developer and relevant parties to uphold and adhere to the deliverable of neighborhood-serving, Class A retail set out in the Big K Special Merit Project.

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During an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC) meeting in May, residents of 8A06 received apologies from representatives of Universal Health Services (UHS) and those working with Chapman Development, LLC for their late engagement with the community regarding plans for a new urgent care center at the Maple View Flats property. While health services can be a positive addition to any community, for years the residents of “this” community have spoken loud and clear their interest in having diverse retail at this location.

Further, like the child development facility pitched in 2016, this proposed healthcare service facility is in violation of the Big K Special Merit project as presented to, and approved by, the Mayor’s Agent. Since the Big K site’s solicitation was issued, our community has been sold on the idea that 16,542 square feet of Class A retail was part and parcel of the project. The application that was granted was to move two historic houses and subdivide property in order to construct a five story, affordable apartment building with ground floor retail in the Anacostia Historic District. The application was brought by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and its developer partner. 

This understanding has also been described by DHCD on its Maple View Flats Development website.

Maple View Flats (Big K) Development
The Big K site in Ward 8 is one example of how DHCD is transforming vacant and/or abandoned properties in the District. The site has been abandoned for over 30 years, but within approximately the next two years, it will provide new affordable housing and retail for Ward 8 residents.

Project Background
On June 4, 2012, DHCD’s Property Acquisition and Disposition Division (PADD) released a Solicitation for Offers (SFO) for the development of The Big K site. The SFO sought a development proposal that would use creative ways to rehabilitate and adaptively re-use the remaining buildings. The end result will be a vibrant, mixed use development that promotes walkability and provides neighborhood-serving retail.

As recently stated by John Falcicchio, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, Mayor Bowser has challenged her government to deliver retail and neighborhood-serving amenities in Anacostia that will improve the quality of life and provide opportunities for its residents. An urgent care center does not build on this promise. We were promised retail at the Maple View Flats site -- not additional patient healthcare access points. 

To underscore this message, here are existing neighborhood-serving amenities that focus on healthcare access:

1. BHG's Washington DC Opioid Addiction Treatment & Rehabilitation Center - 1320 Good Hope Rd SE, Washington, DC 20020
2. Central Care Pharmacy - 2202 Martin Luther King
3. Grubb's Southeast Pharmacy and Mini Mart - 1800 Martin Luther King
4. Smile Dental Center - 2021 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE
5. Family and Medical Counseling Services - 2041 Martin Luther King
6. Preventive Measures - 2124 Martin Luther King
7. Children's National Anacostia Primary Care - 2101 Martin Luther King
8. Essence Dental Care - 2345 Martin Luther King
9. Max Pharmacy - 2303 Martin Luther King
10. Whitman-Walker Health - Max Robinson Center - 2301 Martin Luther King
11. Kinara HCS - 2027 Martin Luther King
12. Walgreens Community Pharmacy - 1117 Good Hope Road
13. Anacostia Organics Medical Marijuana Dispensary - 2022 Martin Luther King
14. Smile Center Dental - 1305 Good Hope Road
15. Oral Surgery DC - 1357 Good Hope Road
16. Anacostia Braces and Invisalign and Anacostia Urgent Care - 1345 Good Hope Road
17. Unity Health Care Anacostia Health Center - 1500 Galen St SE
18. Neighborhood Pharmacy - 1932 Martin Luther King
19. CWV Community Wellness Ventures- 1926 Martin Luther King
20. Core Health & Wellness Center - 2516 Sheridan Rd SE

In this “commercial corridor,” there is one sit-down restaurant. In this “commercial corridor,” residents continue to live in a low food access area inundated by health service providers. Still absent is a full-scale grocer offering fresh meat, fresh produce and fresh dairy products. These burdens comprise immediate health, environmental, and safety hazards.

By skirting the agreed-upon deliverables within this Special Merit project, the UHS proposal is yet another example of persistent disinvestment rather than investment as agreed to by, and with, Anacostia residents. Neighborhoods such as ours, where economically disadvantaged and minority populations reside, are not being treated fairly, or equitably. Indeed, fair treatment as defined by the National Science Council signifies that “no population, due to policy or economic disempowerment, is forced to bear a disproportionate exposure to and burden of harmful environmental conditions.”

This petition implores the Mayor, DHCD and Chapman Development to demonstrate their ability to complete the Big K Special Merit project in accordance with the use presented to, and approved by, the Mayor’s Agent. This view is also endorsed by the Historic Anacostia Preservation Society. The success of the Maple View Flats project within the community will hinge upon the success of its retail space. Anacostia is ready for a vibrant commercial corridor. To that end, residents wish to work together with local leadership to find the right retailers for our community.  It is of critical importance to convey the responsibility Chapman and other relevant parties have to both integrate our ideas and execute our vision for Anacostia. Not doing so is in breach of the terms agreed to within the Special Merit project.