Monday, August 7, 2000
Mayor Anthony Williams Announces District Department Of Employment Services Site Award
(Washington, DC) Mayor Anthony A. Williams today was joined by Freedom Forum Chairman and CEO Charles L. Overby and Patricia Lattimore, U.S. Department of Labor Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management, to announce the District's acceptance of The Freedom Forum's $100 million offer to purchase the land at Pennsylvania and 6th Street, NW.
The future site will replace the building that currently houses the city's Department of Employment Services, and include the Newseum, The Freedom Forum's headquarters an international conference center, a street-level restaurant, a Newseum retail store and approximately 100 condominiums. The new site for the DOES will be announced early next month.
"With the Newseum's move to the District, we have attracted a world-class institution to Pennsylvania Avenue that will help spur economic development downtown and expand our commitment to building more housing downtown," said Mayor Williams. "It will also create permanent jobs for District residents and bring additional resources to revitalize our neighborhoods."
Deputy Mayor Eric Price underscored Mayor Williams' comments. "I am very excited about this project, which will bring more residents and retail to Ward Two. It continues the movement that we have already begun in downtown," he said.
Overby said in his remarks, "Mayor Williams has done a superb job of moving this proposal toward reality. Secretary Herman has cut through red tape and turf considerations to help the District, the Newseum and the Department of Employment Services. This is a textbook partnership of local, federal and private leaders working together. The Mayor pledged to get this done in 45 days - he did it in 18 workdays. "
The Freedom Forum, based in Arlington, Virginia, is a non-partisan, international foundation dedicated to free press, free speech and free spirit for all people. The foundation focuses on four main priorities: the Newseum, First Amendment issues, newsroom diversity and world press freedom.
The organization was established in 1991 under the direction the Founder Allen H. Neuharth as successor to a foundation started in 1935 by newspaper publisher Frank E. Gannett. The Freedom Fourm is not affiliated with Gannett Co., does not solicit or accept financial contributions, and does not accept unsolicited funding requests. Its work is supported by income from an endowment now worth more than $1 billion in diversified assets.
