Wal-Mart Signs Lease to Build New D.C. Store

District of Columbia officials say Wal-Mart has signed a lease to build a store at a long-struggling shopping center east of the Anacostia River.

The store at the Skyland Town Center is one of four that Wal-Mart plans to build in the nation's capital. The first two Wal-Mart stores in the District opened last year.

The Skyland store was a major priority of Democratic Mayor Vincent Gray, who leaves office Jan. 2 and announced the lease signing on Wednesday. He lives near the shopping center and has sought to bring development and jobs to communities east of the river.

Wal-Mart had threatened not to build the store if the District passed a law requiring big-box retailers to pay their employees at least $12.50 an hour. Gray vetoed the bill.