Donald Blanchon, director of Whitman-Walker Clinic, announced plans to cut staff this week because some financial services will be outsourced. (Blade file photo by Janelle Zara)     MOST VIEWED   More changes planned for Whitman-Walke Shift to primary care facility brings new medical director, some layoffs HOME > NEWS > LOCAL Jan 11, 2008  |  By: LOU CHIBBARO J  | COMMENTS      continued...

The release came during the same week the Clinic issued a request for proposals from other community groups to replace the Clinic as the lead organizer and sponsor of Capital Pride, which includes the city’s annual Gay Pride parade and festival in June.

Blanchon said the Clinic will always play some role in Capital Pride, but he said its board has decided that the Clinic’s main mission should be limited to providing gay health services and that another community group would be better suited to organize Capital Pride.

At least three groups, including a non-profit corporation associated with Washington’s Westminster Presbyterian Church, have submitted proposals to Whitman-Walker to assume the lead role in staging Capital Pride.

Newkirk said the Clinic has set Jan. 25 as the deadline for responding to the Clinic’s request for proposals. She said the Clinic would make a decision on whom to select for the Pride takeover by March 14 if at least one of the groups submitting a proposal is found to be qualified.

Real estate deal postponed?

Blanchon said a new opportunity to obtain funding from the D.C. Primary Care Association to expand or replace its Max Robinson Center clinic in Anacostia with a facility in Ward 7 could result in a change or delay in its plans to sell its buildings on 14th Street to a real estate developer.

Shortly before Blanchon started work at the Clinic, officials there announced plans to sell the Clinic headquarters building at 14th and S Streets, N.W., along with its Elizabeth Taylor clinic building at 14th and R Streets, and the Max Robinson Center building, in a move to liquidate millions of dollars in real estate assets that greatly appreciated in value over the past decade.

The plans called for entering into a deal with a developer that would enable the Clinic to own or control at least 30,000 square feet of space for a new, state-of-the-art medical facility within a new, high-rise building. The new building was to be located on the site of the Clinic’s current headquarters building.

This week, Blanchon said he was reluctant to disclose whether the earlier plans were still in effect or whether his announcement of new plans to collaborate with the D.C. Primary Care Association to make changes associated with the Max Robinson Center would have an impact on the real estate deal with a developer.

“T