Will Fenty Build on DCs Investment in Metro?
Anthony Williams transformed the face of much of the District. For creating new pockets of upscale development downtown, he won credit for bolstering the tax base, but sparked criticism that all he cared about was the rich. In a far less widely known story, Williams also reshaped several of the District’s poorest sections, supporting new mixed-income communities–the single best recipe for improving everything from security to education. Now comes Mayor Adrian Fenty, who won election by managing to persuade both sides in the development wars that he understands and sympathizes with their passionate concerns. Fenty’s track record is one of supporting growth in a city that desperately needs a stronger tax base, but working closely with neighbors to make certain that the new development is appropriate and properly located. The best thing you can say about Fenty’s attitude toward development is that he gets the importance of building up the areas around the District’s Metro stations, which
