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District Launches THINK Rhode Island Avenue Planning Process

Monday, November 3, 2008
Press Advisory for Immediate Release

(Washington, DC) – The District will launch “THINK Rhode Island Avenue” on Thursday at the Washington Center for Aging Services in Northeast. The District recently designated the Rhode Island Avenue corridor one of its Great Streets, and it is beginning the land use planning process by drawing attention to opportunities for development of new retail, office, housing, and the potential of an inter-jurisdictional arts district with Mount Rainier, MD. The plan will specifically address the role of public incentives and investments in infrastructure and public realm improvements in leveraging new private development projects. The officially designated corridor includes the commercially-zoned land from 3rd Street, NE to Eastern Avenue on Rhode Island Avenue, NE.

“The District is excited about the potential of Rhode Island Avenue to become a wonderful, mixed use corridor,” said Derrick Lanardo Woody, Great Streets Coordinator. “This plan will build on the corridor’s existing assets. Input from the property owners and the broader community will be solicited and welcomed.”

In 2006, the District began the Great Streets Initiative as an effort to bring economic development strategically to District neighborhoods. Seven corridors were a part of the initial launch. Both Rhode Island Avenue, NE and North Capitol Street were added in 2008.

The Great Streets Initiative is a multi-year, multiple-agency effort to transform nine under-invested corridors into thriving and inviting neighborhood centers using public actions and tools as needed to leverage private investment. The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) is partnering with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), the Office of Planning (OP) and several other agencies to manage the program. More than $200 million is being invested in new mixed use development projects, storefront improvements, transportation, streetscape, and transit improvements along these corridors.

Who: THINK Rhode Island Avenue
What: Launch of the Great Streets planning process
Where: Washington Center for Aging Services, 2601 18th Street, NE
When: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, Thursday, November 6, 2008