D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser held a ceremony Wednesday for new efforts to save the iconic McMillan Reservoir towers from falling apart while awaiting a lawsuit by citizens who say contracting laws weren't followed and planned redevelopment is flawed.
The 25-acre McMillan Reservoir filtration plant opened in 1905, but its maze of underground sand filtration caverns soon were obsolete. The site has been closed for decades.
“It's a historic landmark that's going to be destroyed, so the plan just doesn't make sense,” said Robin Diener of Friends of McMillan Park.
Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, who lives near McMillan, contends most citizens support the redevelopment.
“This is what they've desired,” he said. “Activate this site. Take the fence down. To have a world class park. To have amenities ... community center. And this is what we're working toward.”
Exactly what the redevelopment would be is yet to be decided.
