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2020 ULI Prize Winner—Anthony Williams
Former Washington, D.C. Mayor, Anthony Williams, is the 2020 recipient of the ULI Prize for Visionaries in Urban Development.
REWIND: Creating Innovative and Effective Public/Private Partnerships
September 29, 2020
In February 2012, Urban Land ran an article on the successful public/private partnership to build the infill NoMa-Gallaudet station. This project exemplifies how an innovative approach to infrastructure investment can be a powerful tool for city building. This lesson is especially important as municipal budgets across the United States are being devastated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo By Paul Angelone
A train arrives at the NoMa-Gallaudet station while a cyclist rides on the MBT multiuse trail.
“We had to break down silos and really think outside the box to make this happen,” said James Curtis.
When the new transit station was first envisioned, the District was in federal financial receivership and subject to a control board with limited ability to raise local revenue. A public/private partnership funded the $120 million (in 2004 dollars) effort to construct the station and a segment of the adjacent multiuse recreation trail. This included a $25 million financial contribution from the private sector as well as an additional $10 million in donated land. The remainder was raised by the District, the regional transit agency, and the federal government. Today, the NoMa-Union Market area has a vibrant mix of uses including residential, office, industrial, and retail and has paid back the initial investment many times over.
CLICK HERE to read the February 2012 Urban Land in full that provides more background and detail on this successful public/private partnership. Then, CLICK HERE for much more about public/private partnerships on ULI’s Knowledge Finder platform.
The Curtis Infrastructure Initiative identifies and promotes infrastructure solutions that make cities more equitable, resilient, and enhance long-term community value.