Mayor Vincent C. Gray
Deputy Mayor Victor L. Hoskins
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THE GREAT STREETS INITIATIVE
Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development
GREAT STREETS INITIATIVE
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Is a multi-year and multiple agency effort to:
transform under-invested corridors into thriving and inviting
neighborhood centers using public actions and resources as
needed
 Improve transportation options and physical streetscape of
corridors
 Improve and increase community-serving retail in underserved
areas
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GREAT STREETS CORRIDORS
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7TH St and Georgia Ave
NW
Benning Road NE
MLK Jr. Avenue/South
Capitol Street
Pennsylvania Ave
Minnesota Avenue SE
Nannie Helen Burroughs
Ave NE
North Capitol Street
Rhode Island Ave NE
H Street NE
7TH St and Georgia Ave
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The Georgia Avenue and 7th Street, NW corridor is
5.6 miles in length. It extends from Mount Vernon
Square to Eastern Avenue, NW. The corridor is one
of the District’s longest and is bound by many
neighborhoods and institutions. The Washington, DC,
Convention Center anchors the southern end of this
corridor; Howard University, its lower middle; and
Walter Reed, its northern end.
Benning Road NE & SE
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Benning Road, NE and SE is a 3.62 mile corridor
which connects Bladensburg Road and H Street NE
at the Starburst Intersection to the Maryland State
border at Southern Avenue, SE. It is a major corridor
that has been historically significant and continues
to be a major backbone of transportation
infrastructure in the District. It supports both
commuters as well as residents in the neighborhoods
that straddle the Anacostia River.
MLK Jr. Avenue/South Capitol Street
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This corridor is experiencing a commercial renaissance
from retail and office developments in Historic
Anacostia, to the new 22,000 square foot Washington
Highlands Neighborhood Library in Bellevue. Between
these two nodes of activity is the redevelopment of the
East and West sides of the former St. Elizabeths
Hospital. The site is the future home of the US
Department of Homeland Security and the US Coast
Guard on the West side and is slated to become a
global center of commerce, innovation, technology,
sustainability and research on the East side.
Pennsylvania Ave, SE
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This corridor is a major commuter corridor that
offers retail frontage and sees and influx of more
than 44,000 vehicles daily. Neighboring
communities such as Hillcrest and Summit Park offer
consumers with average household incomes of
$87,500 and $93,800, respectively.
Minnesota Avenue, NE and SE
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This corridor is the home to the 227,000sq. ft. DC
Department of Employment Services, and with two
Metro Stations, it is the hub for a variety of
financial institutions, grocery stores, and residential
and retail developments.
Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, NE
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This corridor in the north end of the District’s Ward
7, is largely residential. Mixed use commercial
development is planned at the corridors intersection
with Division Avenue, NE as a part of both the
District’s Great Streets Initiative and the New
Communities program. Anticipating the surrounding
communities’ concern about this important center, the
District purchased the derelict Strand Theatre. The
theatre is now slated for redevelopment.
North Capitol Street
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The corridor offers stable neighborhoods, lined by
blocks of historic row houses and has an increased
demand for neighborhood serving restaurants and
retail. It is also in close proximity to major
employers such as Sirus XM Satellite Radio, the US
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the
US Department of Justice. There is also close
proximity to downtown, and accessibility to the
newest Metro Station in the City-NoMa/Gallaudet
University/New York Avenue.
Rhode Island Avenue, NE
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This is an important corridor that is well-positioned
to gain in its importance and prominence to the
District. One of Pierre L’Enfants’s original streets,
Rhode Island Avenue, NE now serves as a major
commuter corridor linking many District
neighborhoods. New construction such as Rhode
Island Row offers 70,000 sq. ft. of retail space, and
the corridor is also Metrorail and Metro Bus
accessible with the Rhode Island Avenue Metro
Station.
H Street, NE
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It is a place where creative ideas for new businesses
are being greeted by significant opportunity and a
welcoming community. Many businesses and new
developments have already found a place on this
one and one-half mile commercial district just north
of the US Capitol. This historic corridor, which
reaches from Union Station to 17th Street, NE, is
undergoing a dramatic transformation. Once a
somber symbol of the 1968 riots that followed Dr.
King’s assassination, it’s now a burgeoning business
community.
PREVIOUS AWARDEES
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ATLAS VET CLINIC
CAT WALK BOUTIQUE
DC CONSCIOUS
EURO STYLE
H STREET MAIN STREET
H STREET PHARMACY
STAN’S INC.
THE STUDIO GROUP
Howard Theater
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Howard Theatre – Before
Howard Theatre - After
Howard Theater
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Howard Theatre – After
Howard Theatre - After
THANK YOU
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greatstreets@dc.gov
Phone: (202) 727-6365