Washington, DC—Mayor Vince Gray joined Sarah Constant, Managing Director of Mission First Housing Group, to open the House of Lebanon Apartments, 27 O Street NW, Washington, DC, on Friday, December 20, 2013 at 12 pm. House of Lebanon is an adaptive reuse of the Margaret Murray Washington Career High School (M.M. Washington School) providing 82 units of affordable senior housing.

Built in 1912, M.M. Washington School is located in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington DC and has a rich history as a cornerstone of the community. M.M. Washington School was closed in 2008 and deemed surplus property by the District of Columbia Public Schools.

Mission First Housing Group and its partners, Mt. Lebanon CDC and Urban Matters LLC, were awarded the site in 2009 by the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. The adaptive reuse of the building preserves its historic integrity while bringing much needed affordable housing and community space to a transforming neighborhood. The project complies with Enterprise Green Communities criteria.

The development of House of Lebanon totaled $23.3 Million, and was funded through NIBP tax exempt bonds, historic and LIHTC (4%) equity, HOME funding from DHCD, and DMPED Predevelopment and Neighborhood Investment Fund grants.