The L’Enfant Trust Acquires Four Historic Anacostia Properties

Press Release March 14, 2018

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The L’Enfant Trust (the Trust) announced today it acquired four properties in Historic Anacostia from the Washington, D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development on March 9, 2018. This is in accordance with legislation that the Council of the District of Columbia passed in December 2017 authorizing the transfer of the properties to the Trust for rehabilitation.

The properties, which are extremely distressed and have been vacant for decades, include:

• 1220 Maple View Place, SE;
• 1326 Valley Place, SE;
• 1518 W Street, SE; and
• 1648 U Street, SE,.

Because the properties are located within the Anacostia Historic District, they cannot be razed and must be restored to historic preservation standards.  As a non-profit with the mission of preserving and revitalizing DC’s historic neighborhoods, the L’Enfant Trust will act as a developer for historic properties via its Historic Properties Redevelopment Program. The Trust will take on the rehabilitation costs that are not economically feasible for individuals or for-profit developers, using philanthropic loans, grants and donations to close the funding gap.

“The L’Enfant Trust is thrilled to start this important work, and we look forward to providing much needed workforce family housing and contributing to the revitalization of Historic Anacostia,” says Lauren McHale, President of The L’Enfant Trust.

Once rehabilitation is finished the properties will be sold as workforce housing to qualified buyers earning at or below 120% of the median family income, targeting teachers, nurses, firefighters and employees of the District government. 1220 Maple View Place, SE, the largest of the four properties, will be rezoned and reverted to its original design as a two-family dwelling. Construction on the three smaller houses is anticipated to begin late summer or early fall 2018 after stabilization, architectural planning and permitting have been completed.

The L’Enfant Trust is celebrating 40 years of preserving the architectural heritage of Washington, DC with programs including its nationally recognized Conservation Easement Program and its Historic Properties Redevelopment Program.