Press Release For Immediate Release December 4, 2003 The Vision for 21st Century Washington is Complete (Washington, DC) Today, Mayor Anthony A. Williams unveiled the completed Anacostia Waterfront Initiative (AWI) Framework Plan, a vision for Washington's future development over the next 25 years. The plan anticipates the development of more than 100 acres of new parks; 20,000 residential housing units, 1 million square feet of retail development and 20 million square feet of commercial office space. Over the next 25 years, the plan could lead to well over $1.5 billion in new tax revenue and $4 billion in private investment for the District. Visit www.planning.dc.gov. "The AWI Plan is more than just a vision for the waterfront," said Mayor Anthony A. Williams. "It's is a vision for 21st-century Washington with the Anacostia River at its center." The AWI project area encompasses approximately 2,800 acres along both sides of the Anacostia River. The DC Office of Planning (OP) has led the 3-year AWI planning process in partnership with a steering committee, a 150-member community advisory group and a team of consultants. To date, the more than 40 community workshops have engaged more than 5,000 people in the AWI planning process. AWI Corporation - Solely Focused on the Waterfront During the event, Mayor Williams also unveiled the District of Columbia Anacostia Waterfront Corporation Act of 2003, to create a District government chartered corporation charged solely with the development, promotion and revitalization of the Anacostia River waterfront. "There's no other economic development entity in District that has the capacity or policy authority to undertake a project of this magnitude without diverting its resources from what it's already doing," Williams said. "We need an entity that eats, breathes and sleeps the AWI. Every other city in the country with a successful waterfront has such an entity-it only makes sense to have one here." Guided by the AWI Framework plan, the corporation would coordinate several tasks, including: Development and management of local land transferred to the corporation Advocating for the AWI before federal, state, county and city agencies Marketing and branding the waterfront and its associated development Programming of educational, recreational and cultural maritime activities Enhancing the waterfront open space and parkland system Page 1 of 2      1  2