Bowser cancels plans for art museum in historic building

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has canceled plans to transform a historic downtown building into an art museum. The city backed out just thirteen months after they selected a developer and team for the project. The Franklin School has been abandoned for years. Beginning in 2002, the building had been used as a homeless shelter, but it was shut down in September 2008. The decision to close the shelter remains controversial. It was then briefly occupied by protesters associated with the Occupy movement on November 19, 2011. In late 2013, then-Mayor Vincent Gray recruited developer EastBanc and a local art collector to create the Institute for Contemporary Expression. Bowser’s administration notified the group Monday that the plan has been terminated. The city is now seeking new bidders for the site. Mayoral spokesman Joaquin McPeek stated there were concerns about the project’s financial strength. He also said that Bowser remains committed to the arts and creative economy. The building was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1996.