This Technical Assistance Panel was jointly sponsored by the DC Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), the DC Office of Planning (OP), and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG). The TAP’s goal was to identify and elevate awareness of best practices on three topical areas to developers and other stakeholders who are influencing the rapid change in the study area. The three topical areas included district energy and utility infrastructure, cultural sustainability, and open space.

The decommissioned 19 acres of the Benning Road Power Plant and Service Center offer development opportunities for the neighborhood and greater DC community. Therefore, the DC Office of Planning (OP) approached ULI Washington and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) to host a TAP that could offer recommendations for ways to either enhance or redevelop the site so that it could better serve the surrounding community.

Groundwater Anacostia DC (GWAR) requested a ULI Washington panel provide advice and recommend strategies to help the new organization focus its efforts and leverage its resources to achieve the best results for DC’s current projects, and also to help the  organization set the stage for achieving its larger goal of forging a strong partnership between government agencies, businesses, foundations, and community.