December 15, 1999
Mayor Williams Announces District Regains Possession of Anacostia River Islands
Pledges to Restore Island to Natural Habitat Park
Mayor Anthony A. Williams today announced that Kingman and Heritage Island are now back in the possession of the District of Columbia. Under documents filed with the D.C. Superior Court, the land returns to the District's possession after several years in which public controversy over a proposed amusement park held the properties in limbo.
"This is a tremendous victory for this District. We can now move to turn these underutilized islands into a useful and beautiful public park," said Mayor Williams.
The Mayor has repeatedly pledged that the properties should mirror the composition of Theodore Roosevelt Island in the Potomac. "District residents - particularly those East of the Anacostia River - will soon be able to enjoy and learn more about nature on Kingman and Heritage Island. I'd like to thank the City Council and Sharon Ambrose in particular, for their continued commitment to restoring and protecting the Anacostia River."
The Mayor committed to an expedited process in which all stakeholders will work together to determine what form this park and nature preserve will take. "Thankfully, many concerned citizens have worked on and given a lot of thought to the best use for this park. This was one of my first campaign pledges and I am delighted that after extensive, difficult litigation, the District again possesses this important property."
Kingman and Heritage Islands, which are the subject of litigation between the District and National Children's Island, Inc. (NCI) and Island Development Corp. (IDC), have been returned to the possession to the District. The April 30, 1993 Lease Agreement between the District and the developers called for completion of the project by 1998.
On September 7, 1999, the District declared the developers in default of the agreement and demanded that possession be returned. In a document filed in the D.C. Superior Court on December 6, 1999, Island Development Corp. acknowledged that it has quit and surrendered the premises to the District as of October 7, 1999. National Children's Island is now defunct.
