City to find new home for parkette
Due to recent controversy surrounding the rights to a privately owned lot behind The George Washington Hotel, a planned “parkette” in Washington will be moved to a new location, according to a statement released by the city Thursday.
Several benches and planters already have been removed from the lot at East Wheeling Street and Shaffer Avenue, and a newly constructed gazebo will be next to go. The community development project is funded by the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, which gave a $175,000 grant to WashArts to redevelop blighted public space.
The city became embroiled with lot owners John and Shirley Richman, who put the lot up for sale and contested the city’s right to take over the property. The Richmans signed a three-year easement agreement with city officials to allow improvements to be made, and the city’s solicitor said they also agreed to grant a permanent easement for the park once it was completed.
“Progress had been made including staining the lot, constructing a gazebo, placing picnic tables and installing planters that were tended by the master gardeners of the city,” the city said in a statement. “However, with the easement issue in play, the city, WashArts and Benedum Foundation all agreed that a new site would be better for the future of the project, and set a precedent for other community development projects going forward.”
The city has not yet determined where the new park will be located.