From a press release:
This week, Mayor Vincent C. Gray and Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Victor L. Hoskins returned to the District of Columbia along with other members of the District delegation who participated in a seven-day economic development mission to the People’s Republic of China. The trip ended on Saturday in Shanghai with the announcement of a sizeable Chinese investment in the City Market at O Street project managed by District-based Roadside Development, LLC. A ceremonial check in the amount of $40 million was presented to Roadside’s co-founder Armond Spikell. The funding will support future phases of this important development.
“We are delighted to return home from China with the knowledge that our work is already proving successful,” said Mayor Gray. “I want to congratulate the Roadside Development team on securing a major funding component for City Market at O Street, which is a critical component of the revitalization of the District’s Shaw neighborhood. In order to remain the best real-estate market in the country, we must continue to attract, entice and support such investments in the District. By launching the D.C. China Center in Shanghai, we will do that work and more, bringing more business to D.C. and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with D.C. businesses as they compete in China and create good, high-paying jobs here at home. I also want to thank the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, and Suzhou for the spirit of hospitality and friendship with which we were received. The relationships we developed will increase economic opportunity for District residents and our Chinese partners.”
“Roadside Development was pleased and proud to be a part of the Washington, D.C.’s trade delegation to China,” said Richard Lake of Roadside Development. “We saw immediate opportunities to attract new capital sources and form new partnerships for future developments in the District. Through Mayor Gray’s leadership and vision, our City Market at O project is well under way. During this mission, City Market at O received an additional $40 million (through EB-5 financing) for future phases of this exciting project.”
Category: DC Government, Development, Shaw
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14 May 2013 12:00 PM
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14 May 2013 10:08 AM
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13 May 2013 12:57 PM
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15 May 2013 9:29 AM
Wow. That's horrible. I cannot believe the audacity of some people. Did she not thin you...
thanks for writing citykids! great addition!
I live a block away from that corner too... and it's the one area I try to avoid passing...
Rant: a friend of mine cancelled on our plans to go to a play this afternoon because she...
you do live in a transitional neighborhood. news like this is rough, but it shouldn't be...
Are there any details beyond the mayor’s press release on this? Sounds fishy.
EB-5 is pretty shady and USCIS has admitted there have been fraud issues. Also, for those unaware, an investment of $500,000 or $1m (depending on the region) can earn a foreign investor a U.S. visa – that’s if 10 jobs are directly or indirectly created by the investment. USCIS lacks standardized ways of measuring job creation. So, with this investment 40 to 80 Chinese investors could gain green cards.
Wow. So Mayor Grey’s trip to China was to sell Green Cards to wealthy Chinese people on behalf of a private developer? Where is the outrage about this? Sad that there isn’t really any organized opposition to this crook.
It’s actually Mayor Gray, with an “a.” You might be thinking of Earl Grey, deputy secretary of foreign relations under the Williams Administration. Mr. Grey was recently hired by Robert Bobb in Detroit.
Thats not what it says. Why would wealthy chinese businessmen want an American green card, anyway? Pretty sure they’re content sitting at the top of the politburo of the world’s most populous country.
I’d like to know what these “future phases” are. Also this has been reported on elsewhere ….
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/dc-mayor-visiting-china-to-tap-investors/2012/06/22/gJQAskj6vV_story.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/mike-debonis/post/investment-immigration-coming-to-dc-following-grays-china-trip/2012/06/29/gJQAK9M5BW_blog.html
While this does sound deeply shady, if it means we get our Giant sooner, I guess I’m all for it.
Why does it sound shady? Because it has Mayor Gray’s name attached to it. Which means it probably is shady.
I’m surprised Gray would go to China, since he openly loathes atheists.
boondogle