WASHINGTON — Former D.C. Council member Sharon Ambrose, who helped steer downtown development projects and was a strong supporter of a new baseball stadium for the Washington Nationals, has died.
Ambrose served on the council from 1997 to 2007 and chaired the Committee on Economic Development. During the debate over building a new ballpark, she remained a consistent voice in support of the project, arguing it would be good for baseball as well as the District.
She represented Ward 6, which covers Capitol Hill and the waterfront area where the ballpark is located.
Ambrose was 77 and died over the weekend. The cause of her death was not announced, but she battled illness for many years. Her death was announced by the D.C. Council, on its Twitter page.
Several people who worked with her posted kind words about her on social media on Monday.
“So sad to share news of Sharon Ambrose passing,” current Ward 6 Council member Charles Allen said in a Tweet. “She made D.C., Ward 6 and Capitol Hill a better place.”
In a statement, D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton said: “With the passing of former Council member Sharon Ambrose, the District of Columbia has lost one of its most productive elected officials, and I have lost a friend and the councilwoman who represented me for many years.”
Ambrose lived on Capitol Hill with her family for decades and was known as a big advocate of Eastern Market, long considered the anchor of the neighborhood near the U.S. Capitol. She also played a role in redeveloping the Old Naval Hospital, now the Hill Center, which is a central location for many community programs.
