PRESS RELEASE: Councilmember Frumin Welcomes Chevy Chase Civic Core Proposal Selection

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Kevin Caudill, Communications Director – kcaudill@dccouncil.gov; (202) 741-2134

Ward 3 Councilmember Matt Frumin Welcomes Mayor’s Selection of Proposal for Chevy Chase Civic Core

WASHINGTON, DC — Councilmember Matt Frumin (Ward 3) today welcomed the Mayor’s selection of a proposal from Rift Valley Chevy Chase, LLC (Rift Valley) to redevelop the Chevy Chase Civic Core. Rift Valley was chosen from eight proposals submitted during the Request for Proposals (RFP) process.

The Civic Core is a District-owned site that includes the Chevy Chase Library and Chevy Chase Community Center, built in 1968 and 1971, respectively. The approximately 73,000-square-foot site, located at 5601 and 5625 Connecticut Avenue NW in Ward 3, will be redeveloped to include a modernized library, community center, and 177 units of new affordable and market-rate housing. The proposed project will also include additional parking and double the amount of existing open space, including a play park, sport courts, an amphitheater, and native plant garden.

Councilmember Frumin looks forward to receiving community input on the project as this process moves forward. He noted that the selected proposal is a promising and responsive concept that is responsive to long-standing community priorities and clear criteria he has emphasized from the beginning of the process.

“This is a very encouraging proposal that reflects careful listening, meaningful community input, and a strong alignment with the priorities I’ve outlined from the start,” said Councilmember Frumin.

From the outset, Councilmember Frumin has identified the core elements that are essential to a successful redevelopment: meaningful mixed-income housing; building height and scale that is sensitive to the surrounding community; preservation of green and play space; adequate parking; and modern, well-sized library and recreation center facilities.

Over months of community meetings and Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) engagement, residents reinforced these priorities through an extensive public process. This process included a public surplus hearing in January 2023, a community-wide survey conducted in spring 2023, two OurRFP community meetings in October 2023, issuance of a Request for Proposals in January 2024, and a full-day public disposition hearing in March 2025 that included presentations from development teams and hours of public testimony. The selected proposal also aligns with the 2021 Comprehensive Plan and the 2022 Chevy Chase Small Area Plan.

The selected project includes 177 apartments, roughly a third of which are affordable units alongside market-rate housing, advancing the goal of expanding affordable housing in Ward 3. Over one-third of the homes are family-sized two- and three-bedroom units, providing an important entry point for families into an amenity-rich neighborhood with access to transit, schools, parks, and community services, and supporting long-term neighborhood stability.

The project responds to community and ANC feedback by reducing building height and density from earlier concepts to better align the project with the surrounding residential context. While maintaining the same footprint, the plan preserves ample green space, including a central courtyard, outdoor recreation areas, and heritage trees. Both underground and some surface parking are included, exceeding currently available parking, as well as neighborhood-serving amenities such as a café.

Modernized and appropriately sized library and recreation center spaces are central to the proposal. Design of these public facilities will move forward through an extensive community engagement process with the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), DC Public Library (DCPL), and the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to ensure they meet neighborhood needs.

“The library and recreation center are essential anchors for this neighborhood, and this proposal recognizes their central role in community life,” said Councilmember Frumin. “By investing in modern, well-designed facilities shaped by public input, we have the opportunity to ensure these spaces continue to serve neighbors of all ages and remain vibrant gathering places for generations to come.”

Councilmember Frumin emphasized that the selection of a developer represents an important milestone, but not the end of the process. The Executive will now work with the development team to refine and finalize design details before submitting a final proposal to the Council, where it will be subject to Council deliberation and a public hearing. The community will have the opportunity to provide feedback during that process.

Councilmember Frumin thanked residents, community leaders, and ANC commissioners for their sustained engagement throughout the process and emphasized his commitment to continued collaboration as the project moves forward.

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