06.02.04

Cantwell, Murray, and McDermott Request Navy Arrange Meeting With City and Developer to Discuss the Future of 25-Acre Tract in Heart of Discovery Park

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Maria Cantwell, Sen. Patty Murray, and Rep. Jim McDermott today requested that the Navy host a meeting with the City of Seattle, and American Eagle Communities, LLC, to discuss the future of Capehart Housing, a 25-acre tract in the heart of Discovery Park that currently includes 66 units of military housing. In a letter to Admiral Len Hering, Sr., the top Navy official in Washington state, Cantwell, Murray, and McDermott made clear their support for incorporation of that tract into the park when it ceases to house Navy personnel.

"I urge the Navy to work with the developer and the City of Seattle to find a solution that will make the park whole," Cantwell said. "Discovery Park is the crown jewel of Seattle's public park lands. Including the Capehart parcel in the park will make it whole. Working together, we can find a solution in which everyone wins."

Last month, Cantwell drafted an amendment, co-sponsored by Murray, to the Department of Defense (DOD) Authorization bill for fiscal year 2005 that would prohibit the Capehart property from being conveyed as part of the Navy's housing privatization initiative and would only allow the Navy to convey the property to the City of Seattle for public park purposes at no cost to the City.

"Ensuring the long-term sanctity of Discovery Park must be a priority in this process, and I hope the Navy and developer will act quickly to join with the City of Seattle to resolve this important issue. Discovery Park is a beautiful piece of our great city, and I'm hopeful that at the end of this process, everyone will agree that integrating this land into the park is best for all of the parties involved," Murray said.

"This issue is so important that we just cannot stop until we find a solution that incorporates Capehart into Discovery Park," said McDermott. "The people of Seattle expect their elected officials and the Navy to show real leadership on this issue, and it is up to us not to let them down."

Earlier today, the Navy announced that it has selected American Eagle Communities, LLC, as the prime contractor to provide housing for Navy and Marine Corps families in Washington state. Under the Navy's Military Housing Privatization Initiative, private developers construct new housing or renovate existing units for military personnel in exchange for surplus Navy land.

Discovery Park was originally an Army installation. In 1897, the military acquired the land from King County and private property owners to construct Fort Lawton. The Navy received the land on which military housing is located from the Army in 1977.

The Navy has decided it is no longer economical to continue housing personnel at Capeheart because of its distance from the Everett and Bremerton naval facilities, where most of those housed at Capehart work.

Discovery Park provides residents of the City of Seattle and surrounding areas with ample opportunities for outdoor recreation. At 534 acres, it is Seattle's largest park and one of the City's greatest treasures.

The text of Cantwell, Murray, and McDermott's letter is below:

Rear Admiral Len Hering, Sr. Commander Navy Region Northwest United States Navy 1103 Hunley Road Silverdale, WA 98315 Dear Admiral Hering: We are writing regarding the Department of the Navy's Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI) for the Puget Sound region and its potential impact on Seattle's Discovery Park. We appreciate your participation in a recent meeting with Mayor Nickels to establish an initial dialogue on this important regional issue. We also appreciate the recent meeting between Navy representatives and the City Council.

As Seattle's largest park and one of the City's greatest treasures, Discovery Park provides residents of the City of Seattle and surrounding areas with opportunities for outdoor recreation and other activities.

With the Navy's selection today of the prime contractor for Phase 1 of the Northwest Regional Housing Privatization process, we urge you to arrange a meeting between the representatives of the Navy, the City of Seattle and the Navy's prime contractor. We are confident this dialogue will result in a mutually beneficial solution to preserve the integrity of the park.

Neighborhood residents, the City of Seattle, and the Washington state congressional delegation have worked hard to protect and enhance the park. Most recently, in 2000, the delegation passed legislation conveying a parcel known as the Ft. Lawton 500 area to the City for inclusion in the park.

In 1986, the Seattle City Council adopted the Discovery Park Development plan that calls for the eventual inclusion of the military housing areas in the park and for the 66-unit Capehart tract ultimately to be removed and converted to open space. The residents of the neighborhood, the City of Seattle, and the congressional delegation support the vision of the development plan.

We urge you to recognize the unique issues surrounding Discovery Park during your negotiation process and continue to address the local concerns prior to completion of the MHPI process.

Thank you for your consideration of this request and we look forward to our work together in this next phase of the Northwest Regional Housing Privatization.

Sincerely,

Sen. Maria Cantwell Sen. Patty Murray Rep. Jim McDermott