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Mayor Bowser Takes Fresh Approach to Redeveloping Vacant Fletcher Johnson School in Ward 7

Friday, February 27, 2015

(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser, with Acting Deputy Mayor for Education Jennie Niles and Acting Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Brian Kenner, announced a new way forward for the redevelopment of the Fletcher Johnson campus in Ward 7.   

The goal of the new two part solicitation process is to create a community hub including an adult education campus and neighborhood development through joint partnerships between charter schools, developers, and the District of Columbia. 

“The Fletcher Johnson campus has sat vacant for far too long, and my administration is committed to transforming this campus to create greater educational and economic opportunities for the Ward 7 community and the District as a whole,” said Mayor Bowser. “Through collaborative efforts with our deputy mayors of education and economic development, we can take a more strategic approach in addressing the needs of the community while ensuring the development process proceeds in a more thoughtful and productive way.”

On September 30, 2014, a Request for Offers (RFO) was released on the Fletcher Johnson School, located at 4650 Benning Road, SE.  At that time, the RFO did not yield an award. To continue the commitment to Ward 7, Mayor Bowser has charged Acting Deputy Mayor Niles and Acting Deputy Mayor Kenner to take a fresh look at the project.

The Acting Deputy Mayor for Education and the Acting Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development will work together to release new solicitations for the Fletcher Johnson site. In May, the Deputy Mayor for Education will issue a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) to charter schools to identify the best educational provider for the site. Later this year, the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development will issue a solicitation to select the most capable developer, who will work with the shortlisted charter schools and the community to create an adult education campus. Working together, the District will restore a property for the greater good of Ward 7 residents. 

“I am thankful that we are moving forward with Fletcher Johnson,” said Deputy Mayor Niles. “With this reissuance, we are looking forward to working with the community to bring a quality adult education option to Ward 7. This is one step in the right direction, as we continue to expand academic excellence across the District.”

“The Ward 7 community is excited about the great potential of the Fletcher Johnson site, and I look forward to working with Mayor Bowser to ensure our community will benefit from the new development,” said Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander.

“Fletcher Johnson presents a unique opportunity for the District,” said Acting Deputy Mayor Brian Kenner. “Working with Deputy Mayor Niles, we can expand affordable housing and spur neighborhood development that serves the needs of more DC residents.”