Sursum Corda resident Updates

First and foremost, I would like to thank the LORD, our GOD for working with me and the families to return to Sursum Corda. Over the last 7 months we have been working with L&M, Toll, the Attorneys, the Housing Authority, and Management (Toll & Greystar) managing the return of the families by completing their intake. This process was an irritating process, yet informative to the members and their rights to return. As of now, over 60 families have returned. All the families that wanted to return have moved in. There are 198 affordable units in the development. Our goals and milestones have been reached with the city.

A SHOUT OUT goes to:

 Mayor Murial Bowser and her team, the Office of Planning, Dept of Economic Development, and the Zoning Commission.

Former Council Member Tommy Wells initiated the process of getting us back into the Mid East Small area plan, and our present Council Member Charles Allen continued to see this dream become a reality.

City Council Members for their unanimous vote for approving the Sursum Corda development.

Maryann Henderson and her team from HUD assisted the families with getting their vouchers.

Gilbert and Arthur Winn, Chris Fleming, and Michael Putziger for appropriating funds and being partners in the redevelopment of Sursum Corda.

Dallas Evans and Felix Yeoman, Georgetown Financial Project Consultants.

Norman (Chip) Glasgow Jr., Leila Batties, Tara Scanlon, and Madison C. Jaros with the Law Firm of Holland and Knight.

Aaron O’Toole with the Law Firm of Klein Horning LLP and Warner H. Session of Session Law Firm. They represented the Sursum Corda families and spoke on behalf of the members.

DC Housing Finance Agency for financing the affordable piece of the property.

Steven Jumper, the Co-founder and CEO of Ghost Notes Agency represented the families from the very beginning.

Gebreyes Hammere, Deborah Jackson, Anissa Jones, Ockeshia T. Pompey, Lakeisha Pooler, and Diane Oliver who were responsible for ensuring the members received their transfer vouchers for returning to Banner Lane.

All the other Vendors who contributed to the success of this Project.

This project has been forthcoming for roughly 16 years. Most of the individuals mentioned above have been with us throughout the whole process. In 2017, the Sursum Corda property was sold. It took 7 years to return the members to their new place of residence: Banner Lane.

A Special THANKS goes out to:

Jonathan Cortell, Brian Oos, and Julia Telzek and their perspective teams for working on behalf of the families and their return. The families love being back together, and they love their units. Thank you all for the Communication Plan and the Tracking System used for keeping up with the families. It was not easy to keep track of individual families for 16 years, but it has been completed.

I would also like to give a HUGE SHOUT OUT to the family members that did not make it through the process, may God Bless their souls. If it wasn’t for them, we would not be here now.

I am pleased to say the Sursum Corda Project is now officially completed and closed. We Mean Business!

Lonnie Duren

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UPDATE 7/6/2023: Status of Sursum Corda Project: Meetings have continued between Sursum Corda, Toll and L&M, and DC Housing Authority to bring the Sursum Corda Residents to Banner Lane. Updates and status (Located in Resident Info).

UPDATE 9/27/2022: Status of Sursum Corda Project: Over the past 9 months, Sursum Corda, Toll, and L&M have been engaged in the process of bringing members back to Sursum Corda. Welcome to Banner Lane, updates and status (Located in Resident Info).

UPDATE 12/13/2021: Status of Sursum Corda Project. A Zoom meeting between L&M/Toll and Sursum Corda members was held on November 18th to assign Unit/Apartment numbers to members according to their bedroom size. Each member received an assignment of Unit Notice in accordance with the zoning order. On December 18th from 10am-4PM, L&M/Toll Development Partners are hosting an open house of a mock-up unit at Banner Lane (Located in Resident Info).

UPDATE 09/06/2021: Status of Sursum Corda Project. Construction continues to prepare for families to return. Sursum Corda and L&M/Toll have been in continuous meetings throughout the project either in-person, Zoom meetings, or regular conference calls. Throughout the construction, contact with families continued via email, text messaging, mail, Zoom meetings, and personal phone calls. The families were contacted via e-mail notices as well as text messages regarding the process for returning to Sursum Corda and that information has been collected. Construction updates (Located in Resident Info).

UPDATE 12/16/2020: Sursum Corda Final Press Release. (Located in Resident Info). Toll Brothers Apartment Living and Partnership of L+M Development Partners and Goldman Sachs Join Together to Create New 561-Unit Community.

UPDATE 6/28/2020: Sursum Corda Groundbreaking. (Located in Resident Info). Due to COVID-19, we were unable to have an official groundbreaking ceremony.

UPDATE 4/19/2020: Letter from TBSC Owner 1 LLC regarding the Surcum Corda Community and the Sursum Corda Employment Application. (Located in Resident Info).

UPDATE 4/19/2020: Sursum Corda has been approved for breaking ground; however, due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), the ground breaking ceremony has been delayed. You will be notified when the ground breaking ceremony will take place.

UPDATE 4/19/2020: Zoning Commission Order for Sursum Corda was officially published on Friday, March 13th 2020. (Located under “Plans for New Development”.)

Next meeting of Sursum Corda heads of households will be held Thursday, September 19th, 6:00 pm, at Mount Airy Baptist Church - 1100 North Capital Street NW, Washington, DC 20002. This is a MEMBERS ONLY meeting.

Next hearing on Sursum Corda by the DC Office of Zoning will be held Thursday, September 26th, 6:30 pm, at 441 4th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001, 2nd Floor. All members of the Sursum Corda community are encouraged to attend.