Congress Heights Economic Development Plan

Recently I was sent an email from a Congress Heights OTR reader asking to address the upcoming economic development in Congress Heights. EXCELLENT IDEA! That reminded me of this report, The Neighborhood Investment Fund from the DC Office Planning and Development. I reviewed this some months back. I will also be including some additional information in the days to come.

To review the report in it's entirety click HERE.

The Neighborhood Investment Fund (NIF) is an
annual non-lapsing, revolving fund to finance
economic development and neighborhood
revitalization in 12 target neighborhoods. Created
by the District of Columbia Council in 2004, the
Fund was designed to provide a pool of resources to
support investment and revitalization in emerging
and distressed neighborhoods. Moreover, the Council
envisioned NIF as contributing to a broader economic
development tool kit to achieve a critical mass of
investment needed to make a significant and visible
impact in its target neighborhoods.
To that end, the District of Columbia Office of
Planning in partnership with the NIF Program’s
implementing agency, the Office of the Deputy
Mayor for Planning and Economic Development,
worked with community stakeholders in each target
area to develop an investment plan. The target area
investment plan is designed to identify community
priorities for NIF investments and to set an investment
agenda for NIF resources over a five year period.


The following development projects, either recently
finished, under construction or planned, are further
examples of the economic development investments
being made in Congress Heights:
The Shops at Park Village (Camp Simms)
William C. Smith and East of the River CDC, formed
a joint partnership, (CHR LLC) to develop the long
vacant Camp Simms Military site along Alabama
Avenue in Southeast Washington. Anchored by a
65,000 square foot Giant grocery store that opened in
December 2,007, the Shops at Park Village bring the
only grocery store and sit-down restaurant to Ward 8.
It also brings over 40,000 square feet of renovated and
new retail.
Garfield Hills Apartments
Acquisition and renovation of Garfield Hills
Apartments, a 94 unit federally subsized apartment
complex at 2301 Hartford St. S.E. The property is a
fully occupied, 100% project-based Section 8 property
where residents pay no more than 30% of their income
towards rent. The property will be preserved as long
term affordable housing.
Hope Apartments
Renovation of a 4-story, dilapidated and vacant
property at 3715 2nd Street, SE into housing with
supportive services for families whose heads of
households are in recovery from drug or alcohol
addiction. The apartments opened in April 2006.
Town Hall Education, Arts and Recreation Campus
(THE ARC)
New construction of a 110,000 square foot education,
arts, and recreation facility at the corner of Mississippi
Ave., SE between Southern Avenue and Stanton
Road. A variety of organizations provide fine arts,
educational and sports programming and services to
the community. A pediatric health clinic is also on-site.
The facility opened in October 2005.
page 12 DC Office of Planning 2008
Plaza 8
Construction of a 9,800 square foot office building
at Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Raleigh Place,
owned and occupied by East of the River CDC.
Children’s Hospital operates a Pediatric Center on the
first and second floor.
Metropolitan Police Boys and Girls Club Football
Field
Substantial renovation and conversion (including
scoreboard) of a vacant lot into a regulation football
field adjacent to the Congress Heights Club House at
Milwaukee Place and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue.
The next section discusses the previous community
input found in neighborhood plans as well as issues
that are prevalent throughout the community that can
help direct the use of the Neighborhood Investment
Fund in Congress Heights.

NIF Investment Goals and Strategies
Goal 1: Promote new and retain existing
neighborhood-oriented retail businesses

Strategy 1: Offer technical assistance to existing small
businesses to improve the range of goods and services
available to the community

Strategy 2: Provide incentives for façade
improvements and acquisition of vacant commercial
buildings for creation of additional retail opportunities

Goal 2: Preserve the existing subsidized affordable
rental housing stock, while assisting resident to
transition into homeownership opportunities.

Strategy 1: Support promotion or expansion of
programs that aid in rental housing preservation.

Strategy 2: Target homeownership assistance
and support programs to increase the rate of
homeownership in the target area.

Goal 3: Expand the number of community-based
services for all ages with particular focus on those
targeting youth and discouraging truancy

Strategy 1: Expand existing or create new education
and life skills programs focusing on literacy, GED
development, and mentoring.

Strategy 2: Support programs that enhance art-based
opportunities, including music, dance, theater, etc.

Goal 4: Encourage job creation and vocational
training to expand employment opportunities within
the Congress Heights neighborhood

Strategy 1: Create new or support an existing job
training facility for the community with programs that
assist with job placement and retention

Strategy 2: Fund vocational training for youth and
adults, focusing on trade development (electrician,
construction, etc.)

Investment Goal #1
Promote new and retain existing neighborhoodoriented
retail businesses
Quality affordable housing opportunities, access to
the Congress Heights and Anacostia metro stations,
and the largest supermarket in DC are some of
the appealing features of the Congress Heights



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