As took to the podium on the rooftop at the newly built located near the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. and Marion Barry avenues in Southeast, he glanced at the panoramic view of 老澳门开奖网. With the U.S. Capitol, 老澳门开奖网 Monument, Navy Yard, the Anacostia River and Frederick Douglass Bridge all in sight, the founder and CEO of the Menkiti Group emphasized the significance of the new structure as more than a building, but a symbol of the power of coming together to make a difference.
鈥淥n behalf of myself, my family, the amazing teams at the Menkiti Group and SHIFT Capital, our project and financing partners and the hundreds of women and men who worked tirelessly to bring this building to life, I want to welcome you to the MLK Gateway II,鈥 Menkiti, 46, said to a crowd that included community members, entrepreneurs, and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. 鈥淭his is a project that demonstrates how the power of a community鈥檚 vision and the collaboration between the public and private sectors can truly drive neighborhood impact.鈥
The Menkiti Group is a Black-owned real estate development company that spearheaded the building of MLK Gateway Phase I.聽 Started in early 2020, Phase I includes , an upscale restaurant owned by Ward 8 resident Darrell Gaston; Enlightened, a cybersecurity firm; Capital One Caf茅, one of the first Capital One cafes in a lower income neighborhood; , a community health firm and soon to be opened Caribbean eatery Sapodillas.
Bowser celebrated the completion of Phase II with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The building will include the new headquarters of the (DHCD).
鈥淭his intersection is often people鈥檚 first touchpoint when they come east of the river, a true gateway into Ward 8,鈥 said Bowser, 51. 鈥淲e wanted it to be an entryway that symbolizes the strength, resilience, creativity, and flavor of Anacostia, while bringing jobs, opportunity, and investment to the neighborhood. While we may be cutting the ribbon on Phase II of the MLK Gateway today, the years-long path that led us here has been dotted with victories along the corridor, driven by a combination of District investment and support from business and community partners.鈥
Contents of Phase II
In addition to DHCD鈥檚 new headquarters, there will be street-level retail and office space. Phase II will also include the new home of a (KWCP) office, which is the first and only office of a national real estate chain located east of the river.
KWCP will establish the East of the River Real Estate Academy, a training center for aspiring real estate entrepreneurs that is designed to open doors to new opportunities for residents. The project will also house Grounded, a Black women-owned, District-based plant subscription service, which was supported with a Neighborhood Prosperity Fund grant.
Grounded is scheduled to open in the fall. Danuelle Doswell and Mignon Hemsley are the co-founders of the business.
鈥淲e are happy to set up our store in Anacostia,鈥 said Doswell. 鈥淎t Grounded, we aspire to be more than just a store, we aim to be a sanctuary place, and a source of inspiration for all who seek to live harmoniously with nature.鈥
There are a number of spaces for underground parking.
Putting Phase II Together
weighed in on the importance of collaboration in launching Phase II.
The project symbolizes 鈥渨hen we work together as public and private partners to make strategic impacts in our neighborhoods, we have the power to unlock new opportunities for our residents and businesses to thrive,鈥 Albert said. 鈥淭hrough the mayor鈥檚 investments in Ward 8, together we can ensure Anacostia鈥檚 continued growth and place as one of our city鈥檚 premier commercial and arts corridors.鈥
The project was financed using a combination of $18.2 million in New Market Tax Credits and $15.4 million in Opportunity Zone equity. The project also received a $250,000 grant from the District鈥檚 Neighborhood Prosperity Fund.
While the DHCD will move across the street from headquarters on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue to Phase II, Bowser administration officials say it reflects its policy to have District government agencies located east of the river. The moved recently into Ward 7 and a few weeks ago, and the announced it will soon move into its new headquarters a few blocks south of Phase II.
Labor of Love
Menkiti said building Phase II 鈥渨as not easy.鈥
鈥淚t was a challenging site,鈥 he said.
The entrepreneur explained there were issues with how the building would be shaped, the foundation on it and dealing with water lines and where they were located, among others. Plus, some of the construction took place during the coronavirus pandemic when many institutions were shut down or could provide limited service or supplies.
He also noted high interest rates made getting building materials and equipment a challenge at times.
Still, he said his team persevered and got the job done.
鈥淲e recently stopped and looked at what we accomplished,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 am proud of the people on this team. We tackled new challenges with energy.鈥