D.C. Mayor's Public-Private Partnership Criticized

"Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty wants to build a firehouse, a library and low-income housing without spending a dime.

His plan: Give a half-block of city land to a condo developer, who would pay for the projects in return.

Fenty's creative financing isn't passing muster with all residents and businesses in the historic Foggy Bottom neighborhood. Some are joining with consumer advocate Ralph Nader in protests seeking to block the move. They complain that they weren't consulted and that open bidding for the land would bring in far more than the $30 million the city says it's worth.

''This deal doesn't pass the smell test,'' said John Kyle, senior managing director at Julien J. Studley Inc., a commercial real estate consulting firm. ''The only way to determine if the city is getting a fair deal is to produce a competitive environment that tells you what that property's worth. This process doesn't do that.'' "