PRESS ALERT: DC Court of Appeals Again Stops Demolition of McMillan Park

Washington, DC — On Friday, May 28, 2021, the DC Court of Appeals issued a ruling on Mayor Bowser's request to allow demolition to begin at McMillan Park, and the answer was no.  DCCA Ruling attached below.

Citing issues around jurisdictional issues and other pending legal matters, the Court has continued to halt the Mayor's huge redevelopment project at McMillan Park (Michigan Ave & North Capitol St NW) until appeal issues are resolved as to DCRA's “premature” issuance of permits to demolish the site.

“DCRA wants to put safety last. We are talking about asbestos in the air and in DC's drinking water supply,” said Peter Stebbins, spokesperson for the Save McMillan Action Coalition. Stebbins rhetorically asked: “Even if you like the 2+ million square foot luxury redevelopment with its 3,000 parking space-garage, a project that privatizes and paves over some of the last green space in the area, shouldn't the demolition be done safely?”

In support of keeping the demolition machines at bay, the DC Court of Appeals ruled that the current injunction against demolition is continued indefinitely while the appeals are pending.  The Court said the so-called harm to not start demolition now is “self-inflicted” by the city, and that continuing the demolition injunction is presumptively in the public interest.

McMillan supporters will now move to written briefing demonstrating their appeal issues regarding environmental & impacts, among other legal issues, before the Court over the summer.