Historic St. Elizabeths Hospital to Get Makeover

Last week, District planning officials finally completed their proposal for what to do with the well-known St. Elizabeths Hospital site in Southeast Washington, announcing that they intend to clear way for 2 million sf of office space, retail, and high-end apartments. The St. Elizabeths campus site - designated a National Historic Landmark – consists of mostly vacant, poorly maintained 19th century terra cotta buildings (many of these will be preserved). It is located next to the Congress Heights metro, and is poised to be the centerpiece in this rapidly revitalizing area. The District owns about half of this vacant site (the federal government owns the rest, and is planning to move the Coast Guard HQ and DHS offices to this location). The District, once the proper zoning has been approved, would like to develop the site in gradual phases, starting in 2008 with the construction of 260,000 sf of office and 150,000 of residential in the section closest to the metro station. The rest of the development would take place over the following decade. No word yet if an apartment will be saved for former St. E resident John Hinckley Jr.