Chapter 20

Mid-City

Area Element

CHAPTER 20: MID-CITY

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Mid-City Area Element

Overview 2000

THE MID-CITY PLANNING AREA ENCOMPASSES THE 3.1 SQUARE MILES located in the geographic center of Washington, DC. It extends from Rock Creek Park on the west to the CSX rail corridor on the east. Its southern edge is formed by Florida Avenue NW and U Street NW, and its northern edge is formed by Spring Road NW and Rock Creek Church Road NW. The boundaries are shown in the map at left. Most of this area has historically been in Ward 1, although the easternmost portion is currently part of Ward 5 and the southernmost portion is currently in Ward 2. ¹

Mid-City is one of the most diverse parts of Washington, DC. Although it is one of the smallest of the 10 planning areas geographically, it is the most populous and most dense. Much of the area was developed during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, giving it a rich and historic urban character. The area includes row house neighborhoods, such as Adams Morgan, Bloomingdale, Columbia Heights, Eckington, LeDroit Park, Park View, Pleasant Plains, and Mount Pleasant. It includes large apartment communities along streets such as 14th Street NW, 16th Street NW, and Columbia Road NW. It is also home to several large institutions, such as Howard University, Howard University Hospital, and the McMillan Sand Filtration Site. ²

The Mid-City Planning Area is a cultural hub, with a strong international flavor. It is the heart of District’s Latino business community and the home to one of the District’s historic Black business corridors. It includes the vibrant nightlife and ethnic restaurants of 18th and U Streets NW and other walkable neighborhood centers that embody the best qualities of urban living. The area is well served by the District’s transportation system, including the Metro Green and Yellow Lines, numerous bus lines, several cross-town arterials, and bikeshares. The Metropolitan Branch Trail passes through the southeastern portion of the area. This shared-use trail provides new transportation and recreational opportunities for residents, as well as much-needed park space and lively cultural displays at key locations. ³

Many Mid-City neighborhoods have a strong sense of identity, including the historic districts of U Street NW, Mount Pleasant, LeDroit Park, Bloomingdale, and Striver’s Section and their historic landmarks, such as the True Reformer Building, Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park, the Lincoln and Howard Theaters, and the Prince Hall Masonic Temple. Activities like Adams Morgan Day and the DC Funk Parade on U Street NW celebrate local culture and build community pride. ⁴

The area also has a tradition of neighborhood activism, embodied by groups such as the Kalorama Citizens Association and the Georgia Avenue

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Mid-City neighborhoods like Adams Morgan have a strong sense of identity

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Community Development Task Force. Nonprofits like the Latino Economic Development Corporation and the Columbia Heights Development Corporation are also active in community affairs, as are cultural organizations like the Gala Hispanic Theater and the African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation. 2000.5¹

Parts of the Mid-City Planning Area have changed rapidly during the last 10 years. Already one of the densest areas in Washington, DC, Mid-City contains approximately 19 percent of the District’s new housing units, and almost 14 percent of the area’s housing units are affordable. Although Mid-City is close to having a fair amount of affordable housing, the distribution of that affordable housing has been concentrated in a few neighborhoods such as Columbia Heights, Reed-Cooke, and the U Street corridor. Additionally, many of these affordable units are at risk of expiring; thus, Mid-City will be a target-rich area for investments by the administrators of the Housing Preservation Trust Fund, which is to be used to preserve affordable housing units when their covenants of affordability are expiring. 2000.6²

Mid-City includes many public and lower cost units that are at risk of conversion to market rate rents or condominiums. The District has also assisted tenants in their efforts to renovate and purchase apartment properties throughout the community, particularly in Columbia Heights. Millions of dollars have been invested to create new affordable housing opportunities for current and future Mid-City residents. This investment must be sustained, especially through the use of the District Opportunity to Purchase Act, which the Housing Preservation Strike Force recommended as an important strategy to preserve affordable housing. 2000.7³

Please see the Housing Element for additional information, policies, and actions.

Some Mid-City neighborhoods are still facing challenging economic and social conditions. Despite the real estate boom, buildings continue to lie vacant along commercial corridors such as lower Georgia Avenue NW, Florida Avenue NW, and North Capitol Street NW. The Planning Area also has a severe shortage of parkland. As the densest part of the District, and one with many young children, recreational needs are among the highest in the District. Most of the Planning Area’s parks lack the land and amenities to meet these needs. 2000.8⁴

The 14th Street NW and U Street NW corridors experienced remarkable change over the last 10 years. Reinvestments made by the District and the private sector reinvigorated the Logan Circle area. The vitality of these two corridors is demonstrated by a mix of dining, retail, residential, entertainment, and cultural offerings. Revitalization has increased the need to improve mobility, manage traffic and parking, and assist small businesses. In some instances, poorly designed alterations are diminishing an important part of Washington, DC’s architectural heritage. Some have benefitted from

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the tremendous rise in property values, but many others have either been unable to capitalize on that rise in values or have been displaced from their homes. 2000.9¹

Mid-City also has expanded opportunities to enhance the resilience of its neighborhoods. The area has experienced significant flooding, particularly in the neighborhoods of Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park, due to the limited capacity of the existing stormwater management systems. The projected increase in frequency and severity of rainfall events elevates the risk for these neighborhoods. Ongoing efforts to expand the capacity of the stormwater system in the area, including DC Water’s Northeast Boundary Tunnel and interim McMillan Stormwater Storage Project, will significantly reduce this risk, but not for the most extreme events. 2000.10²

Please see Infrastructure and Environmental Protection Elements for more information.

In 2016, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) undertook the Cross- Town Multimodal Transportation Study to identify improvements along the east- west connections that traverse Wards 1 and 5, address safety concerns, optimize mobility and operations, and improve efficiency for all modes along the corridor. Recommended improvements in the study include transit priority treatments along Irving Street NW and Columbia Road NW and a new bicycle facility along Kenyon Street NW that would connect to a multiuse trail, Washington Hospital Center, and adjacent institutions. The study also recommends rationalizing the access ramps west of the hospitals into a grid of streets, which would eliminate redundant turning movements, improve pedestrian crossing visibility, create new sidewalk connections, and simplify movements for all modes. The reconfiguration of land created by this new street grid will require additional planning analysis in the years to come, as it presents an opportunity for both new housing and for new parks or other open space. 2000.11³

The issues described above should be addressed to preserve the quality of life, balance growth and conservation, and provide economic opportunity and stability for all members of the community. 2000.12⁴

History 2001⁵

Urban development in the Mid-City area began in the early 19th century. Some of Washington, DC’s first mansions were constructed on the high ground above the L’Enfant city, such as David Porter’s long-demolished Meridian Hill house, now the site of Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park, and the similarly lost mansion belonging to Joseph Gales, whose land was later subdivided into the residential neighborhood of Eckington. Unlike these estates, others such as Ingleside and Howard Hall still survive and are integral to the neighborhoods that were built around them. Howard Hall,

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In the 1930s and 40s, U Street thrived as the city’s “Black Broadway” and a cultural legacy of music, art, and theater was born.

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the home of General Oliver Otis Howard built after the Civil War, still survives as part of the Howard University campus, which Howard helped to establish in 1867. Howard University joined the already established Columbian College (later named George Washington University), which was founded on Meridian Hill in 1822. Still, much of the area remained rural until the late 19th century. 2001.1¹

The White-Meyer House was designed by renowned architect John Russell Pope, who designed the Jefferson Memorial, the National Gallery of Art (West Building), and the National Archives. An extensive renovation of the White-Meyer House, which was completed in 1988, won an American Institute of Architects award for excellence. The White-Meyer House, at 1624 Crescent Place NW, has been home to two of the most well-known Washington, DC families. The property was purchased in 1910 by distinguished American diplomat Henry White, who had been Ambassador to Italy and France. The red brick Georgian home was completed in 1912 at a total cost of $155,497². 2001.2

When Henry White died in 1927, the property passed to his son, John Campbell White. Eugene Meyer, who subsequently became owner of The Washington Post, rented the house for several years before purchasing it in 1934. The Meyers, including Katharine Graham, spent their teenage years in the house. Prominent guests included Eleanor Roosevelt, Adlai Stevenson, Thomas Mann, Earl Warren, and John and Robert Kennedy. After the Meyers’ deaths, the house became the property of the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation and was leased for use by the Antioch Law School Library. In 1987, it was purchased by Meridian International Center. 2001.3³

Urban development in the Mid-City area began in the early 19th century, with transportation infrastructure dating back to the Civil War. Horse-drawn streetcars, established during the Civil War, ran up and down 7th and 14th Streets NW, connecting the area’s small hamlets, estates, and farms to Washington, DC’s center. One streetcar line—the Metropolitan Railway, established in 1864—was deliberately built to entice residents to move to Mount Pleasant, one of the first suburbs carved out of the Ingleside estate. 2001.4⁴

Mid-City’s development boom was tied to the growth of Washington, DC’s population and transportation system. In 1888, the introduction of the electric streetcar enabled several of the formerly horse-drawn streetcar lines to be extended north of Washington, DC’s center in the late 1880s and early 1890s, including the District’s first electric streetcar line—the Eckington and Soldiers Home streetcar—as well as lines along 7th Street NW and 14th Street NW. Commercial uses developed along these routes, a pattern that persists to this day. By the turn of the century, streetcars had been extended along Florida Avenue NW, U Street NW, 11th Street NW, 18th Street NW, Calvert Street NW, and beyond to the District’s border with Montgomery County, Maryland. Formerly rural lands

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were subdivided and platted into residential neighborhoods, including Bloomingdale, Eckington, Columbia Heights, Washington Heights, Lanier Heights, and other subdivisions making up present-day Adams Morgan. These neighborhoods emerged as Washington, DC’s first suburbs, followed by Mount Pleasant and LeDroit Park. 2001.5¹

Many Mid-City neighborhoods were quite sought after. Located above the Potomac escarpment, places like Mount Pleasant and Columbia Heights had healthier climates and cooler summertime weather than the lower portions of the District. Elegant apartment buildings and embassies were developed along 16th Street NW, where commercial uses were not permitted in order to preserve the street’s character as the formal gateway to the White House. To the east, Pleasant Plains, LeDroit Park, and Columbia Heights became home to a growing community of higher-income Black residents. Howard University emerged as one of the country’s leading Black colleges and a seat of learning for Black scholars and professors. U Street NW thrived as Washington, DC’s Black Broadway, and a cultural legacy of music, art, and theater was born. 2001.6²

By 1930, the area’s initial development was essentially complete. Population continued to grow, and the area continued to develop with apartment buildings and denser housing. Residents were encouraged to take in boarders during the war years, and some of the larger row houses were converted into multi-family buildings and rooming houses. 2001.7³

With the end of World War II in 1945 and desegregation of schools in 1954, conditions in the Mid-City neighborhoods began to change. In the 1950s, urban renewal disrupted an already diversifying middle-class neighborhood. Moderate- income households began to leave the Mid-City area, leaving behind a growing population of lower income households. The area’s future was further jeopardized by the proposed Inner Loop Freeway in the 1950s. Had the freeway been built, much of the Adams Morgan and U Street neighborhoods would have been destroyed. 2001.8⁴

Mid-City was particularly hard hit by the unrest in 1968. Many buildings along 14th and U Streets NW were burned, which had a significant economic impact on the business community along these two corridors. Reinvestment and recovery were slow. Urban renewal plans for Shaw and 14th Street NW brought large numbers public housing units in the 1970s, but many of the commercial businesses never reopened. 2001.9⁵

During the 1980’s and 1990’s, parts of the community were experiencing economic challenges. However, by the 1990’s, Adams Morgan had gained a reputation as one of Washington, DC’s most unique neighborhoods, and many of its homes were restored and upgraded. Loft and condominium construction and residential rehabilitation continues in the neighborhood today. 2001.10⁶

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U Street NW

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During the 1980s and 1990s, an influx of residents from Latin America began to transform communities like Columbia Heights and Mount Pleasant. The transformation continued during the early 2000s following the opening of the Columbia Heights Metro station. A 500,000-square-foot commercial center known as DC USA—the largest retail construction project in the District at the time— was developed at the station and became a centerpiece for the revitalization of Columbia Heights. Development projects like the Louis, the Shay, and The Ellington have brought hundreds of new residents to the U Street NW area. Elsewhere in the Mid-City, homes are being rehabbed throughout Shaw, LeDroit Park, Eckington, Bloomingdale, Park View, and Pleasant Plains. 2001.11

Unlike some changing neighborhoods in the District, Columbia Heights has not become homogeneous: White, Asian, Black, and Hispanic/Latino residents each make up at least 10 percent of the population—and no group constitutes a majority. Housing includes high-priced condominiums and townhouses, as well as public and middle-income housing and even multimillion-dollar homes. The neighborhood includes several public schools, including nine public charter schools. The neighborhood has dozens of new restaurants, shops, and nightlife. 2001.12

Land Use 2002

Land use statistics for this Planning Area appear in Figure 20.1. Mid-City comprises about 1,970 acres, or about five percent, of the District’s land area. Statistics on existing land use are estimated from current lot-by-lot property tax data and additional information on housing units, employment, District and federal land ownership, parks, roads, and water bodies. They are not comparable to the statistics included in the 2006 Comprehensive Plan, which were based on a much simpler method. Even large differences between the older and newer statistics may reflect differences in the modeling approaches and not actual changes in land use. 2002.1

The area is primarily residential, with row houses being the predominant house type. Only about two percent of the residential area contains single-family detached housing, whereas more than 70 percent contains row houses. The remainder of the residential land, totaling almost 200 acres, consists of apartments. Much of the Mid-City Planning Area contain row houses, flats, and high-rise apartments on the same block. 2002.3

The commercial areas of Mid-City tend to be laid out along neighborhood shopping streets and are frequently intermixed with housing. Major commercial areas include 18th Street NW, Columbia Road NW, 14th Street NW, Mount Pleasant Street NW, U Street NW, 7th Street NW/Georgia Avenue NW, and North Capitol Street NW. There is little space for parking or loading in these business districts, and residential neighborhoods often lie immediately adjacent. Commercial and mixed land uses amount to

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approximately five percent of the total land area, which is a larger percentage than is found in most of the District’s Planning Areas. About one percent of the land is used for industry, most on the area’s eastern edge along the CSX tracks. While the area is generally well served by commercial uses, neighborhoods on the east side lack the variety of services available on the west side. ¹

Parks and open spaces occupy almost nine percent of the land area in Mid-City, and most of this acreage is associated with Rock Creek Park. The remaining parks in the area are small and heavily used. Other public uses in the Planning Area include schools, libraries, community centers, and fire stations. These represent about three percent of the total area. Institutional uses consist primarily of Howard University and Howard Hospital and comprise seven percent of the land area. ²

About one percent of the Mid-City Planning Area, or about 36 acres, consists of vacant land. Much of this land is committed to future development projects, such as the McMillan Sand Filtration Site and the Howard Town Center. Although there are scattered vacant lots, the area is almost completely built out. ³

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Demographics ⁴

Basic demographic data for Mid-City is shown in Figure 20.2. In 2017, the area had a population of 96,489, or about 14 percent of the District’s total population. Between 2000 and 2017, the area grew by over 15,000 residents, largely due to new housing construction of multi-family buildings throughout the area, particularly in the western part of the area. ⁵

Between 2000 and 2017, the Mid-City Planning Area experienced a shift in population characteristics. In 2000, Black residents were Mid-City’s predominant racial group at 52 percent, and the Hispanic/Latino population was 22 percent. By 2017, the Black population decreased to 31 percent of the total population, the white population increased from 27 percent to 52 percent of the total population, and approximately 18 percent of the population was Hispanic/Latino. ⁶

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Figure 20.2:

Mid-City at a Glance 2003.3

* Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.

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The age profile of Mid-City is different than the District, as there were fewer residents under the age of 18 and over the age of 65 in 2017. About 12 percent of the residents were under 18, compared to a District-wide total of 18 percent. Over eight percent were over 65, compared to the District-wide total of 12 percent. The majority of residents are between the ages of 18 and 64, with approximately 45 percent between 18 and 34 years of age. 2003.4

Housing Characteristics 2004

The 2017 Census reported that 24 percent of the area’s housing stock consisted of single-family attached homes (row houses and townhouses), while 45 percent consisted of apartments in multi-family buildings of 20 units or more. Less than three percent of the homes in Mid-City were single-family detached homes, significantly lower than the 12 percent for the District as a whole. In 2000, 10 percent of the housing units in Mid-City were vacant, compared to 8.1 percent in 2017, indicating a tight housing market. This characteristic is consistent with the increase in the number of housing units and the population growth during this time period. 2004.1

The 2000 Census reported that 31 percent of the households in the Planning Area were homeowners and 69 percent were renters. By 2017, the percentage of homeowners increased to 38 percent, while renters decreased to 62 percent. Despite this shift, the absolute number of both renter- and owner-occupied units increased since 2000, indicating growth in both sectors. The ownership rate is slightly lower than the 42 percent rate for the District as a whole. 2004.2

Income and Employment 2005

Data from the District Department of Employment Services (DOES) and the Office of Planning (OP) indicates there were about 30,562 jobs in Mid-City in 2017. Major employers included Howard University and Howard Hospital, District government and public schools, and numerous retail businesses and services. 2005.1

As of the 2000 Census, median household income in the Planning Area was $36,777[^p11-1], compared to a District-wide median of $45,927[^p11-2]. By 2017, the median household income increased greatly to $94,939[^p11-3], which is higher than the District- wide median income of $77,649[^p11-4]. 2005.2

Projections 2006

Based on approved development projects, local planning policies, and regional growth trends, Mid-City is projected to add nearly 12,000 households between 2017 and 2045. The population is expected to increase from 96,489[^p11-5] to 134,101[^p11-6] by 2045. Much of the growth in the Mid-City

The 2000 Census reported that 31 percent of the households in the Planning Area were homeowners and 69 percent were renters. By 2017, the percentage of homeowners increased to 38 percent, while renters decreased to 62 percent. Despite this shift, the absolute number of both renter- and owner occupied units increased since 2000, indicating growth in both sectors. The ownership rate is slightly lower than the 42 percent rate for the District as a whole.

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Based on approved development projects, local planning policies, and regional growth trends, Mid-City is projected to add nearly 12,000 households between 2017 and 2045. The population is expected to increase from 96,489 to 134,101 by 2045.

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Row houses in Adams Morgan

Planning Area is expected to consist of moderate- to medium-density housing, particularly along 14th Street NW and Georgia Avenue NW, on land west of Howard University, and around the Metro stations at Shaw and Columbia Heights. Growth is also expected on the far eastern edge of the Planning Area, along Florida Avenue NW and North Capitol Streets NW. 2006.1¹

The number of jobs is expected to increase by over 7,000, from 30,562 jobs in 2017 to 37,517 jobs in 2045. Most of the increase is associated with development around the Columbia Heights Metro station, the Howard Town Center on Georgia Avenue NW, and the New York Avenue Metro station on the area’s southeastern edge. 2006.2²

Planning and Development Priorities 2007³

This section summarizes the opportunities and challenges residents and stakeholders prioritized during the 2006 Comprehensive Plan revision. During large community workshops, residents shared their feedback on District-wide and neighborhood specific issues. Since the 2006 community workshops, however, some of the challenges and opportunities facing the community have evolved. The following summary does not reflect new community priorities or feedback from either amendment cycle but summarizes the most important issues during the 2006 Comprehensive Plan revision. 2007.1⁴

Three Comprehensive Plan workshops took place in Mid-City during 2005 and 2006. These meetings provided an opportunity for residents to discuss both District-wide and neighborhood planning issues. The Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs) provided an important voice in this discussion, particularly on the Future Land Use Map. There have also been many meetings in the community not directly connected to the Comprehensive Plan, but relating to other planning topics. These meetings covered topics such as the public realm and transportation improvements in Columbia Heights, revitalization of Georgia Avenue NW, redevelopment of McMillan Reservoir, parking and traffic issues in Adams Morgan, and the arts districts along U Street NW and in the greater Shaw area. 2007.2⁵

The community delivered several key messages during these meetings, summarized below:

• The unique character that defines Mid-City neighborhoods should be preserved as infill development takes place. The communities of the Mid- City welcome community reinvestment, but are worried that the rapid pace of redevelopment may be changing the fabric of the community too quickly. The loss of neighborhood diversity was the greatest concern expressed at almost every Comprehensive Plan meeting in the Mid-City area, and was raised in many different contexts: from the need for affordable housing to concerns about the influx of chain stores and loss of neighborhood businesses.

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• Housing opportunities should be increased for people at all income levels so that Mid-City can remain a diverse neighborhood. The District-wide rise in housing prices has particularly impacted Mid-City, as costs have soared beyond what many local residents can afford. Moderate-income families and lower-income residents are being priced out of the area, and there are concerns that the community is becoming affordable only to persons with high-incomes. Preserving the existing stock of affordable units is important, either through rehabilitation or replacement of existing units with new affordable units. The type of new housing being built in the area should be more varied. In particular, more three- and four-bedroom units are needed to attract and retain families.

• New condominiums, apartments, and commercial development should be directed to the areas that are best able to handle increased density, namely areas immediately adjacent to Metrorail stations or along high-volume transit corridors. These areas are generally located around 14th and Park Streets NW, along the 14th Street NW corridor, along U Street NW — especially around the Metro station, along 7th Street NW and Georgia Avenue NW —especially west of Howard University, and in the southeastern corner of the Planning Area near the New York Avenue Metro station. Mixed-use development, with multi-story housing above retail shops and services, is desirable in these locations and would reinforce the Mid-City’s character as a vital, pedestrian-oriented neighborhood.

• The row house fabric that defines neighborhoods like Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, Pleasant Plains, Eckington, and Bloomingdale should be conserved. Although Mid-City includes six historic districts (Greater U Street, LeDroit Park, Mount Pleasant, Strivers’ Section, Washington Heights, and Kalorama Triangle), most of the row houses in Mid-City are not protected by historic district designations. Some are even zoned for high-density apartments.

• A variety of issues have arisen, including demolition and replacement with much larger buildings, the subdivision of row houses into multi-unit flats, and top story additions that disrupt architectural balance. Intact blocks of well-kept row houses should be zoned for row houses, and not for tall apartment buildings, and additional historic districts and/or conservation districts should be considered to protect architectural character.

• The community is in need of additional parkland. Mid-City is the densest part of t Washington, DC, but the ratio of park acreage per resident is among the lowest in District. Rock Creek Park is a great resource, but is a long way from the eastern part of the Planning Area and is primarily a passive open space. The Planning Area has a shortage of active play fields and recreational facilities, especially east

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of 16th Street NW. In many cases, schools are the only open spaces in the neighborhood, but access to school grounds may be restricted, and the school facilities themselves are in need of improvement. Sites such as the McMillan Reservoir Sand Filtration site offer the promise for additional neighborhood open space. New development there and elsewhere should set aside land for parks, while development along the area’s commercial streets and around Metro stations should include pocket parks and plazas. Throughout the community, innovative approaches such as land trusts and easements should be considered to improve open space access.

• Language barriers should be broken so that more foreign-born residents can get an education, find suitable housing, find a job, and participate in community life and civic affairs. With a growing population of English language learners, the Planning Area needs alternative education options and better access to literacy and language programs. If residents are to fill the quality jobs to be created in the new economy, better vocational training and bilingual services are needed. Local public schools, charter schools, universities, and nonprofits should be integral partners in these efforts.

• The arts should be recognized as an essential part of community life. While this is true in all parts of Washington, DC, it is especially true in Mid-City’s multicultural neighborhoods. The Planning Area has been the home of many ethnic and racial groups for more than 100 years, and has long been a center of creative expression and cultural diversity. The area should celebrate its past through heritage trails and historic exhibits, and celebrate its present through indoor and outdoor performance, art, and music. New cultural facilities should also be part of the area’s future.

• Better economic balance should be achieved in the neighborhood. The neighborhood centers on the west side of the Mid-City Planning Area are generally vibrant, with strong demand for commercial space. Neighborhood business districts on the east side, particularly along Georgia Avenue NW and North Capitol Street NW, are still facing challenges. There are numerous vacant and boarded up properties, along with concerns about fire safety, underused and abandoned properties, and crime. Commercial change is also an issue. Small corner stores and other businesses that are unique to the neighborhood are having a harder time getting by. The area’s restaurants, ethnic establishments, and iconic neighborhood businesses are an important part of what defines this community. They should be strongly supported in the future.

• Pedestrian safety, improved traffic operations, and parking management are all high priorities. Increased density within this

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already dense Planning Area creates busier streets—both for cars and for people. Despite its proximity to a Metro station, Columbia Heights will become more congested as 700 new housing units and 500,000 square feet of new retail space are opened. Parking demand will continue to exceed supply in Adams Morgan and Mount Pleasant. Commuter traffic along North Capitol Street NW and Florida Avenue NW will continue to burden side streets in Eckington and Bloomingdale. New solutions and strategies to traffic management are needed. Increasing transit service and improving pedestrian safety are important parts of the equation, but they should not be the only parts.

• Public facilities in Mid-City need improvement. Many of the area’s schools, libraries, and recreation centers are outdated and do not meet the needs of the community. At the same time, residents are concerned about proposals to use private development to leverage public facility replacement. A key concern is that public facilities are not rebuilt at the expense of neighborhood open space, which is already in very short supply. While Mid-City has several new facilities, including the Girard Street Playground, the Columbia Heights Community Center, and Bell- Lincoln Multicultural Middle/ High School, there are still unmet needs.

• Mid-City needs greening. This Planning Area has a very high percentage of impervious surface coverage and lost much of its tree cover during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. Tree planting is needed to reduce urban runoff, create shade, remove air pollutants, and create beauty in the neighborhoods. Future development should incorporate green roofs and other methods to reduce resource consumption, conserve energy and water, and be more environmentally-friendly. 2007.3

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African-American Civil War Memorial

Policies and Actions

MC-1 General Policies

MC-1.1 Guiding Growth and Neighborhood Conservation 2008

The following general policies and actions should guide growth and neighborhood conservation decisions in the Mid-City Planning Area. These policies and actions should be considered in tandem with those in the Citywide Elements of the Comprehensive Plan. Policies from existing Small Area Plans (Georgia Avenue, DUKE, Mid-City East, Mount Pleasant), Revitalization/Technical Studies ( Columbia Heights, Uptown.), and Vision Frameworks (Adams Morgan) are referenced in Section MC-2 2008.1

Policy MC-1.1.1: Neighborhood Conservation

Retain and reinforce the historic character of Mid-City neighborhoods, particularly its mix of row houses, apartment houses, as well as historic

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The City should recognize the value and importance of Mid-City’s row house neighborhoods as an essential part of the fabric of the local community.

districts, and walkable neighborhood shopping districts. The Planning Area’s squares, alleyways, and historic alley lots offer opportunities for preservation and creative development. The area’s rich architectural heritage and cultural history should be preserved and enhanced. 2008.2¹

Policy MC-1.1.2: Directing Growth

Stimulate high-quality, transit-oriented development around the Columbia Heights, Shaw/Howard University, and U St./African American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo Metro station areas, as well as along the Georgia Avenue NW corridor and the North Capitol Street NW/Florida Avenue NW business district. Opportunities for new mixed-income housing developments that provide a greater mix of affordability as a result of a rezoning effort, neighborhood retail, local- serving offices, and community services should be supported in these areas, as shown on the Comprehensive Plan Policy Map and Future Land Use Map. 2008.3²

Policy MC-1.1.3: Infill and Rehabilitation

Encourage redevelopment of vacant lots and the rehabilitation of abandoned structures within the community, particularly along Georgia Avenue NW, Florida Avenue NW, 11th Street NW, and North Capitol Street NW and in the Shaw, Bloomingdale, and Eckington communities. Similarly, encourage the redevelopment of vacant lots and the rehabilitation of vacant buildings located at the interiors of the Planning Area’s squares. Infill development should be compatible in scale and character with adjacent uses and encourage more housing opportunities. 2008.4³

Policy MC-1.1.4: Local Services and Small Businesses

Support the small businesses and essential local services that serve Mid-City. Encourage the establishment of new businesses that provide these services in areas where they are lacking, especially on the east side of the Planning Area. Support local services, small businesses, and their surrounding corridors using Main Streets, business improvement districts (BIDs), and Department of Small and Local Business (DSLBD) clean teams. 2008.5⁴

Policy MC-1.1.5: Conservation of Row House Neighborhoods

Recognize the value and importance of Mid-City’s row house neighborhoods as an essential part of the fabric of the local community. Ensure that the Comprehensive Plan and zoning designations for these neighborhoods reflect the desire to retain the row house architectural pattern. Zoning and policy in Mid- City’s row house neighborhoods should seek to maintain and augment the mix of large and small unit sizes and opportunities for both homeownership and renting, as exemplified by the use of English basements as separate dwelling units. See Policy LU-2.1.7 and Policy LU-2.1.9 for more guidance on alterations to row houses. 2008.6⁵

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Policy MC-1.1.6: Mixed-Use Districts

Encourage preservation of the housing located within Mid-City’s commercially zoned areas. Within mixed-use areas, such as Mount Pleasant Street NW and Columbia Road NW, encourage commercial uses that do not adversely impact the established residential uses. 2008.7¹

Policy MC-1.1.7: Preservation of Affordable Housing

Strive to retain the character of Mid-City as a mixed-income community by preserving the area’s existing stock of affordable housing units and promoting the construction of new affordable units. Give attention to the most rapidly changing neighborhoods and encourage the use of historic preservation tax credits to rehabilitate older buildings for affordable housing. 2008.8²

Policy MC-1.1.8: Multimodal Connections

Improve traffic circulation along major Mid-City arterial streets, with a priority on 14th Street NW, Georgia Avenue NW, U Street NW, 16th Street NW, Rhode Island Avenue NW, Columbia Road NW, North Capitol Street NW, Connecticut Avenue NW, North Capitol Street, New York Avenue NW, and Florida Avenue NW. Implement programs in these areas to improve bus service, improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety and ease of travel, and mitigate the effects of increased traffic on residential streets. Consistent with the Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan, provide alternatives to automobile use—including improved transit and innovative personal transportation options—for existing and new residents to reduce the need for auto ownership, particularly where parking and traffic problems exist. 2008.9³

Policy MC-1.1.9: Metropolitan Branch Trail

Prioritize safety and access improvements along the trail, including east-west pedestrian and bicycle connections, to allow trail users to get to and from adjoining neighborhoods safely. Create shaded areas along the trail to implement sustainable practices and improve the user experience. In addition, some sites have the potential to foster trail-oriented development that could bring more users to the trail, provide desired amenities, and build community for new and existing residents. Encourage trail-oriented development to include makers, artists, and local entrepreneurs. 2008.10⁴

See the Transportation Element for additional policies on reducing auto dependence.

Policy MC-1.1.10: Transit Improvements

Improve public transit throughout the Mid-City Planning Area, with improved efficiency and reliability on the north-south bus routes, additional east-west and cross-park bus routes, and more frequent and extended Metrorail service. Continue assistance programs for the area’s transit-dependent groups, including older adults, students, and persons with disabilities. 2008.11⁵

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Policy MC-1.1.11: Stormwater Management for Interior Flooding

Improve existing stormwater management systems to reduce the risk of interior flooding in Mid-City from extreme rainfall events. This should include gray and green infrastructure measures that improve drainage and reduce impervious surface coverage, especially for Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park. When feasible, stormwater projects should include expanding parks, green space, and recreational opportunities for the area. 2008.12[^]

Please see the Infrastructure and Environmental Protection Elements for additional information.

Policy MC-1.1.12: Green Development Practices

Encourage capital improvement or development projects in Mid-City to eliminate surface water runoff from sites through green roofs, rain gardens, cisterns, pervious pavement, bioretention cells, and other reuse or filtration methods. Support could include financial or other incentives. 2008.13[^]

Action MC-1.1.A: Multimodal Improvements

Support the development of a fully integrated transit, bicycle, and pedestrian system within the Planning Area by moving forward with plans for expanded service on the Metrorail Green Line, extension of the Metrorail Yellow Line, bus rapid transit on Georgia Avenue NW, and dedicated bus lanes along 16th Street, NW 14th Street, NW, U Street, NW, Columbia Street, NW, and Irving Street, NW. 2008.14[^]

Action MC-1.1.B: Off-Street Parking

Support the management of parking capacity in Mid-City commercial districts, including the implementation of parking management programs that maximize the use of existing parking resources (such as the DC USA garage and Reeves Center garage), minimize traffic associated with circling for spaces, and reduce conflicts among users. 2008.15[^]

See the Transportation and Land Use Elements for additional policies on off- street parking standards.

MC-1.2 Conserving and Enhancing Community Resources 2009[^]

Policy MC-1.2.1: Cultural Diversity

Maintain the cultural diversity of Mid-City by encouraging housing and business opportunities for all residents, sustaining a strong network of social services for immigrant groups, and retaining affordable housing for families and other households within the Planning Area. 2009.1[^]

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Policy MC-1.2.2: English Language Programs and Vocational Training

Work with established institutions such as public schools, charter schools, and colleges and universities to support alternative education and vocational training options for residents who are English language learners. ¹

Policy MC-1.2.3: Rock Creek Park

Improve community access from the Mid-City area to Rock Creek Park by establishing clear, direct pedestrian and bicycle connections between Adams Morgan, surrounding neighborhoods, and the Smithsonian National Zoo. Work with the National Park Service (NPS) to explore opportunities for new recreational amenities in the park that increase the amount of open space and recreational facilities in Mid-City. Work with NPS to encourage continued open access to Rock Creek Park. ²

Policy MC-1.2.4: New Parks

Explore the possibility for new neighborhood parks within the Mid-City area, particularly in the area around the proposed Howard Town Center, and on the McMillan Reservoir site, such as with new development like that proposed at the McMillan Sand Filtration Site. Additionally, pocket parks and plazas should be encouraged elsewhere in the Planning Area, particularly near higher density development. The anticipated population growth further compounds the need for high-quality open space—all recreation areas should be retained, and new recreation areas should be provided wherever possible. ³

Policy MC-1.2.5: Public Art

Explore opportunities with local arts organizations, artists, and residents for public art throughout Mid-City. Focus efforts on identified gateways, parks, nodes, and opportunity sites; connections to Metrorail stations and underpasses; and other appropriate locations as determined by the community. ⁴

Policy MC-1.2.6: Neighborhood Greening

Undertake neighborhood greening and planting projects throughout the Mid-City Planning Area, particularly on median strips, on public triangles, and along sidewalk planting strips. ⁵

Policy MC-1.2.7: Mid-City Historic Resources

Protect the historic resources of the Mid-City Planning Area, with particular attention to neighborhoods that are currently not preserved by historic district designation and are at greater risk for demolition or inappropriate redevelopment. ⁶

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Action MC-1.2.A: Tailored Design Guidelines

Consider design guidelines for Lanier Heights, Reed-Cooke, Columbia Heights, Eckington, Park View, and other Mid-City neighborhoods Adopt comprehensive design guidelines for historic districts that tailor historic district review standards to the specific preservation concerns in each community and strive for compatible infill development and maintenance of historic building scale, mass, and height conditions. ¹

Action MC-1.2.B: Library Expansion

As funding allows, consider development of a new library in the eastern portion of Columbia Heights. ²

Figure 20.3: Policy Focus Areas Within and Adjacent to Mid-City ³

Action MC-1.2.C: Recreation Center

Pursue development of a new recreation center in the eastern part of the Planning Area, serving the Bloomingdale/Eckington/LeDroit Park community. This area was recognized as needing indoor and outdoor recreation space in the Parks Master Plan. ⁴

MC-2 Policy Focus Areas ⁵

The Comprehensive Plan has identified seven areas in Mid-City as Policy Focus Areas, indicating that they require a level of direction and guidance above that provided by the prior sections of this Area Element and in the Citywide Elements (see Map 20.1 and Figure 20.3). These areas are:

• Georgia Avenue NW Corridor
• 14th Street NW Corridor/Columbia Heights
• U Street NW/Uptown
• Adams Morgan
• Mount Pleasant Street NW
• McMillan Sand Filtration Site
• Mid-City East’s Major Corridors (North Capitol Street/Florida
• Avenue/New York Avenue). ⁶

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Map 20.1:

Mid-City Policy Focus Areas ¹

⬚ figure

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The Rock Creek East Element (Chapter 22) should be consulted for policies and actions on the reuse of the Armed Forces Retirement Home. The site adjoins the Mid-City Planning Area, and its reuse will affect transportation, infrastructure, and services in the Mid-City Planning Area. 2010.4¹

MC-2.1 Georgia Avenue NW Corridor 2011²

Georgia Avenue NW is one of the District’s most significant and historic avenues. As a major arterial, it carries thousands of commuters in, out, and through Washington, DC daily. As a commercial corridor, it provides goods and services to residents in neighborhoods like LeDroit Park, Pleasant Plains, and Park View. Yet today, the avenue still has not met its full potential. Despite its distinctive building stock, the strong housing market around it, and construction of new mixed-use buildings near Metro stations, the avenue still has pockets of crime, deteriorating commercial and residential properties, and underperforming public spaces. While important infrastructure upgrades have been made along the corridor, others remain necessary. 2011.1²

Several planning initiatives have been launched for the Georgia Avenue NW corridor in the past decade or so. In 2005, OP completed a Revitalization Strategy for the portion of the corridor extending from Euclid Street NW on the south to Decatur Street NW on the north. Below Euclid Street NW, much of the street frontage is controlled by Howard University and is addressed in the Howard Campus Plan. The university’s plans include joint development of Howard Town Center, a large mixed-use project. The university also launched the LeDroit Park Initiative to spur improvement and reinvestment in the surrounding neighborhood. South of Barry Place NW, Georgia Avenue NW/7th Street NW is contained within the Strategic Development Plan for the Uptown Destination District. The entire corridor is also one of Washington, DC’s designated Great Streets. 2011.2³

Although these initiatives cover different sections of the corridor, they share common goals: revitalizing the area through strategic growth and development, preserving historic assets and unique architecture, improving the streetscape and public space, creating new housing and job opportunities, and upgrading public transit. Such initiatives are bolstered through efforts by local faith-based institutions to provide family support and job training services in the community. 2011.3⁴

Plans for Georgia Avenue NW seek to attract quality neighborhood-serving retail businesses and services, reduce vacancies, and explore shared parking strategies to meet parking demand. Specific actions have been recommended, including market incentives (such as tax increment financing), façade improvement programs, and targeted improvements on blocks with high vacancies. Parking management and pedestrian

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enhancements have also been proposed. The Georgia Avenue Revitalization Strategy includes an Action Plan to initiate and monitor these measures. 2011.4¹

Policy MC-2.1.1: Revitalization of Lower Georgia Avenue NW

Encourage continued revitalization of the Lower Georgia Avenue NW corridor. Lower Georgia Avenue NW should be an attractive, pedestrian-oriented “Main Street with retail uses, local-serving offices, mixed-income housing, civic and cultural facilities, and well-maintained public space. Increases in density on Georgia Avenue, NW should aim to create a diverse and pedestrian-oriented street by creating smaller and affordable retail spaces. 2011.5²

Policy MC-2.1.2: Georgia Avenue NW Design Improvements

Upgrade the visual quality of the Georgia Avenue NW corridor through urban design and public space improvements, including tree planting, new parks and plazas, upgraded triangle parks, and façade improvements that establish a stronger identity and improved image. 2011.6³

Policy MC-2.1.3: Howard University

Encourage and strongly support continued relationship-building between Howard University and adjacent residential neighborhoods. Work with Howard University in the abatement of any outstanding community issues, such as the redevelopment of vacant property, façade/building enhancements, and buffering issues associated with campus expansion. Stimulate joint development opportunities with the university that benefit students and surrounding residents. 2011.7⁴

Policy MC-2.1.5: Cross-Town Connectivity

Strengthen cross-town connectivity through multimodal improvements as recommended in the Cross-Town Multimodal Transportation Study. 2011.8⁵

Policy MC-2.1.6: Pocket Parks and Plazas

Pursue opportunities to create new publicly accessible open spaces along the Georgia Avenue NW corridor. 2011.9⁶

Action MC-2.1.A: Corridor Identity

Develop distinct identities for different segments of the Georgia Avenue NW corridor. Within the Mid-City Planning Area, these should include a Park View section (New Hampshire Avenue NW to Columbia Road NW), a Pleasant Plains section (Irving Street NW to Euclid Street NW), a Howard University section (Euclid Street NW to Barry Place NW), and the Uptown Arts District (Barry Place NW southward). 2011.10⁷

Action MC-2.1.B: Georgia Avenue NW Revitalization Strategy

Implement the recommendations of the 2004 Revitalization Strategy for the Georgia Avenue and Petworth Metro station area and corridor. 2011.11⁸

⬚ figure

Lower Georgia Avenue

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14th Street NW has been experiencing an urban renaissance, with hundreds of new housing units completed in the last decade, more under construction, and new ground floor retail businesses opening on almost every block between Rhode Island Avenue NW and Park Road NW.

Action MC-2.1.C: Howard Town Center

Develop a new mixed-use neighborhood center on land to the west of the Howard University campus. This should include not only the planned Howard Town Center site (with housing, retail, and structured parking) but also a medium- to high-density, mixed-income housing development that provides a mix of affordable housing as a result of a rezoning effort, civic space, cultural facilities, and public open space on surrounding sites. Historic structures within the area should be preserved. Appropriate transitions in scale should be established between this center and the lower density row house neighborhoods to the west. 2011.12¹

Action MC-2.1.D: Great Streets Improvements

Implement the Great Streets initiative recommendations for Georgia Avenue NW, including transit improvements, façade improvements, upgraded infrastructure, abatement of vacant or underused properties, and incentives for housing and business development along the avenue. 2011.13²

Action MC-2.1.E: Park Morton New Community

Continue redevelopment of Park Morton as a new community, replacing the existing public housing development with an equivalent number of new public housing units, plus new market-rate and moderate-income housing units, to create a new mixed-income community. Ensure that every effort possible is made to avoid permanent displacement of residents. Provide opportunities for Park Morton residents to access ownership opportunities on redevelopment sites and within the community. 2011.14³

Action MC-2.7.F: Celebrating Historic Character

Consider design guidelines specific to Park View and Pleasant Plains, tailored to specific neighborhood concerns about compatible alterations and infill development. 2011.15⁴

Action MC-2.1.G Open Streets

Build on the success of the 2019 Georgia Avenue Open Streets day by creating a regular Open Streets event. Work with local communities to ensure any District- sponsored event respects and promotes the legacy of the corridor as a site for celebrations of culture such as Georgia Avenue Day and the Georgia Avenue Caribbean Festival. 2011.16⁵

MC-2.2 14th Street Corridor/Columbia Heights 2012⁶

14th Street NW has been experiencing an urban renaissance, with hundreds of new housing units completed in the last decade, more under construction, and new ground floor retail businesses opening on almost every block between Rhode Island Avenue NW and Park Road NW. Once a major

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commercial thoroughfare, the corridor was heavily impacted by the 1968 unrest, and many of its buildings sat vacant for more than 30 years.¹

The commercial district around 14th Street NW and Park Road NW was initially developed in the early 1900s as a transit-oriented commercial center, anchored by the historic Riggs Bank (now PNC) and Tivoli Theater on the northwest and northeast corners. In 1997, a series of community workshops was held to create a redevelopment strategy for the area, ultimately targeting several major parcels owned by the Redevelopment Land Agency around the Metro station.²

The 1997 effort led to another initiative several years later, which culminated in the 2004 Columbia Heights Public Realm Framework Plan. The Framework Plan was developed to enhance public space in the Metro station vicinity. The plan was coordinated with plans for private development on adjacent properties. All totaled, this resulted in over 600 new housing units, approximately 650,000 square feet of retail space, 30,000 square feet of office space, and 2,000 parking spaces. The Framework Plan also incorporated connections to the Columbia Heights Education Campus, as well as other cultural and civic uses nearby. While most of Columbia Heights has been developed, some development opportunities still exist around the Metro station.³

The goal of the Columbia Heights Public Realm Framework Plan is to make the neighborhood more pedestrian friendly, coordinate infrastructure improvements, and create a stronger civic identity for Columbia Heights. Its recommendations, which have been implemented, include a new civic plaza, paving and streetscape improvements, tree planting, public art, and reconfiguration of streets and intersections to improve pedestrian and vehicle safety.⁴

South of Columbia Heights, medium-density, mixed-use development has been constructed on many blocks extending south from Irving Street NW to U Street NW. Over the past 10 years, redevelopment has been reshaping the corridor from auto-oriented commercial uses, including several strip shopping centers and warehouses, to an attractive urban residential street. Special efforts should continue to be made to refurbish and preserve public housing along the corridor and to establish appropriate transitions in scale and density between the corridor and the less dense residential areas on the west and east. Strengthening of the 11th Street NW neighborhood commercial district, located several blocks east of Columbia Heights, also should continue to be encouraged. With the DC-USA project and other new large-scale retail development near the Columbia Heights Metrorail station, programs to assist the existing small businesses in this area may be needed.⁵

Over the past 10 years, DDOT has reconstructed and reconfigured streets and installed numerous bikeshare docking stations. Metro has improved

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⬚ figure

Columbia Heights Metrorail Station

bus service, and the carsharing economy has emerged, helping to balance mobility and access to new housing and retail. These improvements dramatically increased vibrancy and aim to create a variety of options for people to move throughout Washington, DC. 2012.6¹

Policy MC-2.2.1: Columbia Heights Metro Station Area Development

Maintain the Columbia Heights Metro station area as a thriving mixed-use community center, anchored by mixed-income housing, community-serving retail, offices, civic uses, and public plazas. Strive to retain the neighborhood’s extraordinary cultural diversity and place a priority on development and services that meet the needs of local residents, such as preserving existing housing and creating more affordable and mixed-income housing close to the Metrorail station and bus transit corridors. 2012.7²

Policy MC-2.2.2: Public Realm Improvements

Improve the streets, sidewalks, and public rights-of-way in the 14th Street NW/Park Road NW vicinity to improve pedestrian safety and create a more attractive public environment. 2012.8³

Policy MC-2.2.3: Park Capacity

Pursue opportunities to create new publicly accessible open space in Columbia Heights and to increase community access to public school open space during non-school hours. Continue to improve the quality of existing parkland and outdoor recreation facilities. 2012.9⁴

Policy MC-2.2.4: Multimodal Management

Improve bus, pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular movement; parking management; and pedestrian safety along the 14th Street NW corridor while balancing the transportation and traffic needs of adjacent cross-streets. Undertake transportation improvement programs to sustain the additional residential, retail, and institutional development around the Columbia Heights Metro station. These improvements should achieve a balanced multimodal system that meets the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and motorists. 2012.10⁵

Policy MC-2.2.5: 11th Street NW Commercial District

Retain the 11th Street NW corridor between Kenyon and Monroe Streets NW as a neighborhood shopping district. Preserve the mixed-use character of the corridor and encourage local-serving retail businesses and housing. 2012.11⁶

Policy MC-2.2.6: Mid-14th Street NW Commercial District

Support ongoing efforts to strengthen the small businesses on Park Road NW and businesses on 14th Street NW between Newton and Shepherd Streets NW. This segment is identified as a critical commercial node in the Central 14th Street Small Area Plan adopted in 2012. Build on the momentum of development in Columbia Heights by extending enhanced

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streetscape elements into this area. Improve the commercial district by supporting the recommendations of the Retail Action Strategy, including façade improvements, technical assistance, enhanced public infrastructure, and other measures, to sustain a thriving business community that serves the surrounding neighborhood. 2012.12

Policy MC-2.2.7: East-West Connections

Washington, DC has few east-west network connections north of the original L’Enfant Plan street grid. This makes east-west travel to and from neighborhoods and activity centers challenging, as a limited number of corridors carry the majority of the traffic. In 2016, DDOT undertook the Cross-Town Multimodal Transportation Study to identify improvements along the east-west connections that traverse Wards 1 and 5, address safety concerns, optimize mobility and operations, and improve efficiency for all modes along the corridor. Recommended improvements in the study specific to this policy focus area include transit priority treatments along Irving Street NW and Columbia Road NW, safety treatments at the intersections of Columbia Road NW and 14th and 16th Streets NW, and a new bicycle facility along Kenyon Street NW that would connect to a multiuse trail linking neighborhoods to the Washington Hospital Center and adjacent institutions. 2012.13

Action MC-2.2.A: Cross-Town Multimodal Transportation Study Implement DDOT’s Cross-Town Multimodal Transportation Study recommendations. 2012.14

MC-2.3 U Street/Uptown 2013

U Street NW and the adjacent Cardozo and Shaw neighborhoods are an important part of Washington, DC’s Black cultural history. Black residents first settled in the neighborhood in the 1880s, capitalizing on new streetcar lines and the absence of residential segregation rules. By the 1920s, the neighborhood had become the center of Black life in Washington, DC. Black-owned theaters, restaurants, night clubs, billiard parlors, and dance halls extended along U Street NW from 7th Street NW to 14th Street NW. During its heyday, legendary jazz greats like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, and Pearl Bailey performed at U Street NW venues. Today, the neighborhood is home to the African-American Civil War Memorial and Museum and a Black Heritage Trail that commemorates important historic landmarks in Black history. 2013.1

Some of the U Street NW area’s historic venues have been restored, and a new generation of restaurants and nightclubs is emerging. Thousands of new housing units have been added, particularly west of 12th Street NW. The neighborhood has become more socially, culturally, and economically diverse. The downside of U Street NW’s vibrancy is that many of the

⬚ figure

Civic plaza at 14th Street and Park Road NW in Columbia Heights.

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The confluence of a strong real estate market, a location near Metro stations and Howard University, and the desire of several government agencies to develop their vacant properties has catalyzed this area’s redevelopment during the last decade and will continue to shape its future.

⬚ figure

U Street NW

longtime businesses, including those providing basic services like barber shops and bookstores, have had difficulty paying the higher rents and taxes that have come with change. Efforts to retain the street’s character must do more than just preserve its buildings; measures to retain and foster diverse businesses and culture should continue. 2013.2¹

In 2004, the District completed a Strategic Development Plan for the Uptown Destination District, called DUKE, focusing on the area along U Street NW between 6th Street NW and 13th Street NW and along 7th Street NW/Georgia Avenue NW between Rhode Island Avenue NW and Barry Place NW. The plan proposed revival of these blocks as a cultural destination, anchored by a restored Howard Theater, new retail and entertainment uses along 7th and U Streets NW, outdoor performance space, and up to 800 new housing units on vacant and/or underused sites. Office and hotel uses also are discussed as possible uses, capitalizing on the proximity to Howard University. 2013.3²

The confluence of a strong real estate market, a location near Metro stations and Howard University, and the desire of several government agencies to develop their vacant properties has catalyzed this area’s redevelopment during the last decade and will continue to shape its future. The DUKE Plan focuses on 16 publicly owned sites, including sites owned by the District, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, and the DC Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA). It also addresses sites owned by Howard University and the private sector within the study area. As development takes place, efforts to improve the streetscape and public space, provide affordable housing, preserve historic buildings, and mitigate development impacts (particularly those associated with the increased numbers of restaurants, nightclubs, and entertainment uses) should continue. 2013.4³

Policy MC-2.3.1: Uptown Destination District

Encourage the growth and vibrancy of U Street NW between 6th Street NW and 12th Street NW and Georgia Avenue NW/7th Street NW between Rhode Island Avenue NW and Barry Place NW as a mixed-use center with restored theaters, arts and jazz establishments, restaurants, shops, and housing serving a range of incomes and household types. 2013.5⁴

Policy MC-2.3.2: Uptown Subareas

Create a distinct and memorable identity for different subareas in the Uptown District based on existing assets such as the Lincoln Theater, Howard University, the African-American Civil War Memorial, and the Howard Theater. 2013.6⁵

Policy MC-2.3.3: Uptown Design Considerations

Ensure that development in the Uptown District is designed to make the most of its proximity to the Metro stations at Shaw and 13th Street NW, respect the integrity of historic resources, provide new affordable and

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mixed-income housing opportunities, and transition as seamlessly as possible to the residential neighborhoods nearby. 2013.7¹

Policy MC-2.3.4: Cultural Tourism

Promote cultural tourism initiatives, public art, signage, and other improvements that recognize the Black historic and cultural heritage of the Uptown District. Such initiatives should bring economic development opportunities to local residents and businesses and establish a stronger identity for the area, both as a nationally significant Black landmark and a district with prominent Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) community sites. 2013.8²

Policy MC-2.3.5: Multimodal Management

Encourage the development of shared parking facilities in the Uptown District, better management of existing parking resources, and improved surface transit to manage the increased trips to the area that will be generated by new development. 2013.9³

Policy MC-2.3.6: Small Business Retention

Incorporate small business retention and assistance programs in the Uptown District’s revitalization, possibly including zoning regulations, tax relief, and other measures that assist small businesses as redevelopment along U Street NW, 9th Street NW, and 7th Street NW takes place. 2013.10⁴

Policy MC-2.3.7 Use of Public Sites

Utilize public land at the Reeves Center, Housing Finance Agency, Garnet-Paterson, Engine 9, and MPD 3rd District Headquarters to create mixed-use neighborhood landmarks that acknowledge and continue the history of U Street as a Black business corridor. Added density at these public sites should be used to create a significant amount of new affordable housing, establish space for cultural uses, and provide for additional public facilities, such as a new public library. New construction should concentrate density towards U Street and use design strategies to visually reduce building height and bulk to provide appropriate transitions to adjacent lower density areas. 2013.11⁵

See the Near Northwest Area Element for further information about the Shaw/Convention Center Area Plan.

MC-2.4 Adams Morgan 2014⁶

Adams Morgan is well known for its mix of housing types and historic architecture, community pride, civic activism, and cultural diversity. Among longtime residents and artists who preserved the neighborhood’s bohemian feel are newer residents, including young professionals attracted by the lively and progressive culture and amenity-rich neighborhood. The neighborhood’s walkability, strong commercial core, access to public

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transportation, proximity to downtown, and engaged residents continue making Adams Morgan an attractive place to live. 2014¹

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Adams Morgan was a highly sought after suburb of row houses and apartments. During World War II, many of its homes were divided into apartments (or used as rooming houses), changing the character of the neighborhood. A large number of young adults and immigrants settled in the neighborhood in the post-war years. A new name for the community was coined by community activists, combining the names of two neighborhood schools—the predominantly white Adams and the predominantly Black Morgan. 2014²

In the 1950s and early 1960s, the neighborhood saw an influx of Cubans and Puerto Ricans. Beginning in the 1980s, waves of immigrants from Central America arrived, many seeking refuge from political and economic turmoil. Today, Adams Morgan has the second-largest Salvadoran population in the United States. The neighborhood’s colorful street murals, first painted by Hispanic/Latino residents in the 1970s, are now a District tradition and are emulated throughout Washington, DC. The commercial district along 18th Street NW and Columbia Road NW has become a center of nightlife, with an array of ethnic restaurants, coffee houses, bars, and unique shops that attract people from across the region, as well as visitors to the District. 2014³

The neighborhood continues to be in strong demand for housing and its popular entertainment scene. To the east of 18th Street NW, a zoning overlay was created for the Reed-Cooke area in 1989 to conserve existing housing and ensure compatible infill development on a number of large properties. Several large low- rise condominium projects were developed in the 1990s and early 2000s, and a new grocery store in the former Citadel skating rink has also been completed. 2014⁴

Adams Morgan has long been a destination for residents and visitors. From the 1990s-2000s, Adams Morgan was one of the District’s de facto neighborhoods for nighttime entertainment. Among the many offerings in the neighborhood were international cuisine, unique bars, and independent shops selling goods not found anywhere else in Washington, DC. As the building boom in the District took off in the early 2000s, Adams Morgan, like other District neighborhoods, saw change. More young professionals began moving in, and buildings were renovated or constructed to accommodate demand. Customers also changed their retail patterns as more options emerged in other neighborhoods. Longtime restaurants and shops were impacted by the changing retail landscape and would benefit greatly from planning and technical assistance. 2014⁵

The history, ethnic makeup, and bohemian characteristics that defined Adams Morgan’s past are still woven into the neighborhood fabric today.

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Residents continue to be highly engaged in their community, regardless of the neighborhood’s evolving demographic and socio-economic makeup. 2014.6¹

In the neighborhood, there remains a desire to provide housing for families, diversify eating and business establishments, maintain and grow the number of affordable housing units, and adequately buffer between residential and commercial uses. Renovation and modernization of the Marie Reed School campus and recreation center are complete, providing a new school and community facility for the neighborhood and contributing to the public life of Adams Morgan. New development has raised concerns about additional density, congestion, and the loss of open space. The continued strong involvement of the Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC), local community organizations, and individual residents will be important as these challenges are addressed. 2014.7²

In 2014, OP launched the Adams Morgan Vision Framework (AMVF), a strategic planning initiative and engagement process that built upon previous planning studies to define key goals and action items for the neighborhood. Completed in 2016, AMVF identifies opportunity areas to preserve the neighborhood’s physical characteristics, enhance retail and amenities, support sustainability, and improve the quality of life for the community. AMVF includes 17 goals with corresponding implementable recommendations for the neighborhood. The goals are centered around five core categories important for Adams Morgan’s continued development and growth: (1) creating great places; (2) redefining retail; (3) embracing sustainability; (4) strengthening identity through arts, history, and culture; and (5) bolstering community. The policies and actions below reflect key goals and recommendations from AMVF. 2014.8³

Policy MC-2.4.1: Creating an Inclusive Adams Morgan

Preserve the historic character of Adams Morgan through historic landmark and district designations, and by ensuring that new construction is compatible with the prevailing heights and densities in the neighborhood. Residential density added through the Future Land Use Map should be used to create additional affordable housing above and beyond existing legal requirements, in order to contribute to the neighborhood’s share of dedicated affordable units, which is currently one of the lowest in Mid-City. 2014.9⁴

Policy MC-2.4.2: Preference for Local-Serving Businesses

Enhance the local-serving, multicultural character of the 18th Street NW/ Columbia Road NW business district. Encourage small businesses that meet the needs of local residents, as well as an appropriate mix of establishments that both neighbors and visitors to the area can enjoy. Develop and implement strategies for support and retention of minority-owned businesses. 2014.10⁵

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Policy MC-2.4.3: Mixed-Use Character

Encourage retention of the older mixed-use buildings along 18th Street NW and Columbia Road NW and facilitate infill projects that complement them in height, scale, and design. Discourage conversion of existing apartment buildings in the commercial area to non-residential uses and ensure the stability of renter households, particularly for Black and Hispanic/Latino residents.¹

Policy MC-2.4.4: Transportation Improvements

Improve accessibility, and the flow of people along key arterial streets, particularly along the multi-modal corridor of Columbia Road NW and residential connector streets such as Kalorama Road NW and Euclid Street NW. Enable highly trafficked areas of 18th Street NW to be transformed into a pedestrian plaza. Implement new measures to address parking problems on residential streets near the Adams Morgan business district. These measures could include extension of the residential permit parking program to a 24/7 time frame, with appropriate consideration given to the needs of residents, businesses, and visitors.²

Policy MC-2.4.5: Reed-Cooke Area

Support existing housing within the Reed-Cooke neighborhood, maintain heights and densities at appropriate levels, and encourage small-scale business development that does not adversely affect the residential community.³

Policy MC-2.4.6: Adams Morgan Public and Institutional Facilities

Encourage the retention and adaptive reuse of existing public facilities in Adams Morgan, including the use of schools for public purposes, such as education, clinics, libraries, and recreational facilities. In addition, encourage the constructive, adaptive, and suitable reuse of historic churches with new uses, such as housing in the event such facilities cease to operate as churches.⁴

Action MC-2.4.A: AMVF

Implement the recommendations in AMVF.⁵

Action MC-2.4.B Lanier Heights and Reed-Cooke

Consider design guidelines specific to Lanier Heights and Reed-Cooke. Consider historic designation of Walter Pierce Community Park.⁶

Action MC-2.4.C: Local Business Assistance

Explore the feasibility of amending tax laws or developing tax abatement and credit programs to retain neighborhood services and encourage small local-serving businesses space along 18th Street NW and Columbia Road NW. Identify technical assistance needs and priorities of Hispanic/Latino-, Asian-,

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and Black- owned/operated businesses in the neighborhood, and recognize the benefits that naturally arise from cultural variety among tenants. 2014.17

Action MC-2.4.D: Design Guidelines

Develop design guidelines for Adams Morgan, including commercial, residential, and open-space areas. Highlight and identify the principles of compatible design and neighborhood character preservation. 2014.18

Action MC-2.4.E: Commercial District Management

Approach commercial district management as a unified operation while developing targeted marketing and localized strategies that enhance and reinforce the unique identity and needs of each retail cluster. 2014.19

Action MC-2.4.F: Enhance the Neighborhood Retail Experience

Use existing Adams Morgan Partnership BID committees and the BID Board to develop joint retail objectives. Work with retailer and resident liaisons involved in the BID to carry out joint initiatives that enhance the neighborhood retail experience. 2014.20

MC-2.5 Mount Pleasant Street NW ¹

The Mount Pleasant Street NW shopping district was developed around the end of a streetcar line and has served the surrounding community for more than a century. Mount Pleasant has been a designated National Register Historic District since 1987 and is one of the Washington, DC Main Streets. Today, the commercial district includes a variety of small businesses and services, many oriented toward the large Hispanic/Latino population in the area. The area between Mount Pleasant Street NW and 16th Street NW is one of the densest in the District, with numerous large apartment complexes. ²

There is broad agreement that Mount Pleasant Street NW should remain a culturally diverse, pedestrian-oriented, local-serving shopping street in the future and that the local flavor of the business mix should be preserved. As in other Mid-City neighborhoods, there are concerns about rising rents and the loss of business diversity. There is strong interest in attracting new arts establishments and locally owned restaurants to the neighborhood and in promoting multiculturalism through outdoor fairs, public art, and street performances. There is also strong interest in preserving the architectural integrity and historic proportions of Mount Pleasant’s residential streets and in acquiring additional open space for public access and community use. ³

In 2010, the DC Council approved the Mount Pleasant Street Commercial Revitalization Strategy. This Small Area Plan provides a framework to revitalize commercial activity along the historic corridor and set the stage

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for long-term future growth. The policies and actions below reflect key goals and recommendations from the plan. 2015.3¹

Policy MC-2.5.1: Mount Pleasant Street NW’s Character

Maintain and preserve Mount Pleasant Street NW’s local neighborhood shopping character to serve the surrounding neighborhood. Support creative cultural design while preserving historic landmarks. 2015.4²

Policy MC-2.5.2: Involving the International Community

Promote bilingual outreach and communication with local merchants and residents to more effectively address business impacts and create a better match between neighborhood businesses and the needs of the community. 2015.5³

Policy MC-2.5.3: Mount Pleasant as a Creative Economic Enclave

Support creative and multicultural expression in Mount Pleasant through display, performance, festivals, and economic development strategies. The neighborhood should be a creative economic enclave, where incubators and small businesses that combine cultural and small-scale technological initiatives are supported. Cultural arts should be more fully integrated into the landscape of Mount Pleasant Street NW and should be part of the experience of living or shopping there. Additional arts, crafts, galleries, licensed market vendors, and space for business incubators and consulting services in the creative professions should be encouraged. 2015.6⁴

Policy MC-2.5.4: Open Space Access

Pursue improvements to existing open space in the Mount Pleasant community, including better connections to Rock Creek Park, enhancements to pocket parks and plazas, and encouraging the joint use of school facilities to meet local recreational needs. 2015.7⁵

Policy MC-2.5.5: Promoting Affordable Housing in Mount Pleasant

Preserve existing affordable housing in Mount Pleasant and support opportunities for new affordable housing as a component of mixed-use infill development along Mount Pleasant Street NW and in the area between Mount Pleasant and 16th Streets NW. 2015.8⁶

Policy MC-2.5.6: Strengthen Small Business

Implement technical assistance to strengthen existing small businesses and increase opportunities for new entrepreneurs to capture more of the neighborhood customer base. 2015.9⁷

Policy MC-2.5.7: Promote and Market Mount Pleasant Street NW

Attract additional consumers to the corridor by promoting the unique character of Mount Pleasant Street NW. 2015.10⁸

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Policy MC-2.5.8: Enhance the Appearance of Mount Pleasant Street NW

Improve the Mount Pleasant Street NW streetscape and physical appearance by transforming it into a green street that can be used as a model for eco-friendly development practices. 2015.11¹

Policy MC-2.5.9: Increase Creative Uses on Mount Pleasant Street NW

Undertake temporary urbanism initiatives to transform vacant and underused sites and spaces into vibrant destinations and creative showcases. 2015.12²

Action MC-2.5.A: Incentives for Mixed-Use Development and Affordable Housing

Consider planning and zoning tools in Mount Pleasant to create incentives for ground floor retail and upper story, mixed-income residential uses along Mount Pleasant Street NW, with performance standards that ensure the compatibility of adjacent uses. Provide the necessary flexibility to encourage innovation and creative economic development, possibly including ground floor small businesses on alleys and walkways in the area between 16th and 17th Streets NW. 2015.13³

Action MC-2.5.B: Expanding Mount Pleasant Open Space

Maintain the space at 19th Street NW and Lamont Street NW– once planned to be a continuation of Lamont Street – as a public park. The intersection of Mount Pleasant Street NW and Kenyon Street NW has long been an important gathering space and should be improved to create an enhanced public plaza. Any future redevelopment of properties at this location should maintain or enhance accommodations for public space and ensure visual compatibility with the Mount Pleasant commercial corridor. Consideration should also be given to combining Asbury and Rabaut Parks (at 16th, Harvard, and Columbia Road) into a single park. Access for pedestrians, persons using wheelchairs, and bicyclists between Mount Pleasant and Columbia Heights should be provided through this area. 2015.14⁴

Action MC-2.5.C: Mount Pleasant Street Façade Improvements

Encourage urban design and façade improvements in the established commercial district along Mount Pleasant Street NW. 2015.15⁵

Action MC-2.5.D: Mount Pleasant Street NW Commercial Revitalization Strategy

Implement Mount Pleasant Street Small Area Plan recommendations. 2015.16⁶

Action MC-2.5.E: Market the Unique Character of Mount Pleasant Street NW

Led by the Mount Pleasant Main Street, coordinate a marketing campaign to promote Mount Pleasant businesses to District residents outside the neighborhood. 2015.17⁷

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MC-2.6 McMillan Sand Filtration ¹

The McMillan Sand Filtration site occupies 25 acres at the corner of North Capitol Street NW and Michigan Avenue NW. Once used to filter drinking water from the Potomac River, the plant was closed and sold by the federal government to the District for community development purposes in 1987. The site currently appears as an open area of grass and trees with two rows of enigmatic concrete towers covered with ivy. Beneath the surface are 20 unreinforced concrete filter cells, each one acre in size and in various states of disrepair. When the filtration system was created in 1905, it was considered an engineering marvel and a model for other plants nationwide. The entire site is a designated historic landmark. ²

The McMillan Sand Filtration site has been the subject of community forums for several decades. Many residents have advocated for a park on the site, noting its historic significance. In fact, the filtration site and the adjacent McMillan reservoir were part of the Emerald Necklace of parks conceived in the 1901 McMillan Plan, and the site itself was originally designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. Past proposals for the site have been the subject of lawsuits, and the former Comprehensive Plan designation of the site for mixed-use development was itself the subject of a lawsuit from 1989-1992. ³

Several basic objectives should be pursued in the development and reuse of the McMillan Sand Filtration site. These are outlined in the policies below. ⁴

Policy MC-2.6.1: Open Space on McMillan Reservoir and Sand Filtration Site

Encourage development and reuse plans for the McMillan Reservoir Sand Filtration site to dedicate a substantial contiguous portion of the site for recreation and open space. The open space should allow for both active and passive recreational uses and should adhere to high standards of landscape design, accessibility, and security. ⁵

Policy MC-2.6.2: Historic Preservation at McMillan Reservoir

Restore key above-ground elements of the site and explore the preservation or adaptive reuse of some of the underground cells as part of the historic record of the site. Preservation poses a challenge given the collapse of most cells. The cultural significance of this site and its importance to Washington, DC's history should be recognized as it is developed, reopened to the public, and reused. Consideration should be given to interpretive features as part of the site design. ⁶

Policy MC-2.6.3: Mitigating Reuse Impacts

Ensure that any development on the site is designed to reduce parking, traffic, and noise impacts on the community; be architecturally compatible with the surrounding community; and improve transportation options

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to the site and surrounding neighborhood. The new Planned Unit Development (PUD) calls for 290,650 square feet of medical use. Any change in use on the site should increase connectivity between northwest and northeast neighborhoods, as well as the Washington Hospital Center and Armed Forces Retirement Home to the north. 2016.6¹

Policy MC-2.6.4: Community Involvement in Development and Reuse Planning

Be responsive to community needs and concerns in development and reuse planning for the site. Amenities that are accessible to the community and respond to neighborhood needs should be included. 2016.7²

Policy MC-2.6.5: Scale and Mix of New Uses

Recognize the substantial potential of the McMillan Sand Filtration site to address multiple planning and development priorities and that development of the site is necessary to stabilize the site and provide the desired open space and amenities. Development of the site should consist of residential, retail, office, and recreational uses. Residential development should include a mix of units and housing types for persons of various incomes; new buildings should be planned and designed in a manner that is informed by the height, mass, scale, and uses of existing and planned buildings in the surrounding area, as appropriate. Other uses may include health care facilities that provide connectivity to the Washington Hospital Center. Compatible with the rules governing PUDs, the density for the McMillan Sand Filtration Site shall be calculated for the site as a whole. Individual buildings may have greater height than is typically associated within a specific land use designation. New buildings should be planned and designed in a manner that is informed by the height, mass, scale, and uses of the surrounding context, as appropriate. 2016.8³

Action MC-2.6.A: McMillan Reservoir Development Continue working with adjacent communities in the development and implementation of reuse plans for the McMillan Reservoir site. 2016.9⁴

MC-2.7 Mid-City East’s Major Corridors (North Capitol Street/Florida Avenue/New York Avenue 2017⁵

The Mid-City East area sits near the center of Washington, DC and showcases historic residential fabric and institutions, a rich diversity of residents, valued open spaces, and burgeoning retail amenities. The Mid-City East area is made up of neighborhoods flanking the major corridors of North Capitol Street, New York, Florida, New Jersey, and Rhode Island Avenues NE/NW, including: LeDroit Park, Bloomingdale, Eckington, Bates/Truxton Circle, and Hanover (the Bates/Truxton Circle and Hanover neighborhoods are located in the Near Northwest Area Element). The inviting character of these neighborhoods is juxtaposed by the major arterials

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that bisect them. Despite acting as real and formidable boundaries, the street corridors also create opportunities for retail enhancement, new development, and improved connectivity. The neighborhoods themselves are diverse in age, income, and ethnicity. They consist of a mix of row houses and small apartment buildings. Home prices in the neighborhood have significantly increased in the past 10 years, and many longtime residents are feeling the pressure of displacement. Washington, DC’s industrial heritage survives in Eckington’s important and increasingly rare industrial buildings. 2017.1¹

The commercial areas in Mid-City East are in need of revitalization. Although it was designated a DC Main Street in 2000 and reinvigorated in 2014, North Capitol Street corridor experiences a lack of neighborhood-serving businesses, high vacancies, crime, and inadequate access to parking. The North Capitol Street corridor is particularly challenged by a myriad of confusing and often congested intersections, and crisscrossing diagonal streets and triangles making pedestrian movement difficult. The Council approved the 2014 Mid-City East Small Area Plan and accompanying Livability Study to address these issues, with the goal of improving vehicle flow and improving safety. The Small Area Plan provided a framework for conservation, development, sustainability, and connectivity and identified specific short-term and long-term transportation, streetscape, and infrastructure improvements. The vision for the area is to improve quality of life and enhance neighborhood amenities and character while supporting a community of culturally, economically, and generationally diverse residents. The purpose of the Livability Study was to address the challenges that residents face in meeting their daily needs, enhance community access and circulation for residents of all ages and abilities, preserve local streets as the home of neighborhoods and communities, and provide opportunities in public rights-of-way to celebrate community identity and place. 2017.2²

The North Capitol commercial district is just a few blocks west of the NoMa/Gallaudet Metro station and lies on the northern edge of the North of Massachusetts Avenue (NoMa) district. Conditions on the corridor have changed since NoMa was redeveloped with offices and high-density housing. The commercial corridor is well situated to benefit from these changes, but it first needs to address the needs of the residential community, manage access, upgrade the public realm, and improve public safety. 2017.3³

Policy MC-2.7.1: Commercial Revitalization

Revitalize neighborhood commercial areas, including retail, dining, and small office space. Upgrade the commercial district at Florida Avenue/North Capitol/New York Avenue NE, restoring vacant storefronts and streetscapes to active use and accommodating compatible neighborhood-serving infill development. 2017.4⁴

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Policy MC-2.7.2: Neighborhood Character

Preserve and retain the architectural integrity and cultural resources of Mid-City East neighborhoods and encourage compatible rehabilitation and improvement of the area’s row houses. 2017.5¹

Policy: MC-2.7.3: Connecting Bloomingdale and Eckington

Improve connectivity between Bloomingdale and Eckington by expanding the North Capitol overpass, decking over the entire expanse to create a tunnel between Seaton Place NE and Rhode Island Avenue NE and creating a green space to make crossing North Capitol Street NE more inviting for pedestrians and other persons using non-motor vehicles. 2017.6²

Policy: MC-2.7.4: Increased Green Space

Encourage preservation and improvement of existing green spaces in Eckington. Identify new opportunities for additional public green space and tree planting throughout the neighborhood and along the Metropolitan Branch Trail, including additional pocket parks. 2017.7³

Policy MC-2.7.5: New York Avenue NE and Florida Avenue NE Intersection

Implement short-term and long-term improvements to the intersection of New York Avenue NE and Florida Avenue NE to enhance connectivity, increase safety for pedestrians and those using non-motor vehicles, and reduce motor vehicle speed. 2017.8⁴

Action MC-2.7.A:Mid-City East Small Area Plan

Implement recommendations provided in the Mid-City East Small Area Plan. 2017.9⁵

Action MC-2.7.B: Make/Live Workspace

Explore make/live workspace as a buffer between industrial land and residential land as identified in the Ward 5 Works Industrial Land Transformation Study. 2017.10⁶

Action MC-2.7.C: Mid-City East Livability Study

Implement recommendations provided in the Mid-City East Livability Study. 2017.11⁷

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Home prices in the Bloomingdale, Eckington, and Truxton Circle neighborhoods have tripled since 2000⁸, and many long-time residents are feeling the pressure of gentrification.

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