D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 10-A, § 2011
2011.1 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.
2011.2 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.
2011.3 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.
2011.4 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 enhancements have also been proposed. The Georgia Avenue Revitalization Strategy includes an Action Plan to initiate and monitor these measures.
2011.5 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.
2011.6 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.2011.7 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.2011.8 Policy MC-2.1.4: Cross-Town Connectivity
Strengthen cross-town connectivity through multimodal improvements as recommended in the Cross-Town Multimodal Transportation Study.2011.9 Policy MC-2.1.5: Pocket Parks and Plazas
Pursue opportunities to create new publicly accessible open spaces along the Georgia Avenue NW corridor.2011.10 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).2011.11 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.2011.12 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.
2011.13
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.
2011.14
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.
2011.15
Consider design guidelines specific to Park View and Pleasant Plains, tailored to specific neighborhood concerns about compatible alterations and infill development.
2011.16
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.
SOURCE: District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; 31 DCR 1049 (March 9, 1984)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Element Amendment Act of 1984, effective March 16, 1985 (D.C. Law 5-187; 32 DCR 873 (February 15, 1985)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-129; 37 DCR 55 (January 5, 1990)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989 NCPC-Recommended Amendments, and Closing of Public Alleys in Square 669, S.O. 88-452, Act of 1990, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-132; 37 DCR 2213 (April 6, 1990)); as amended by District Government Land Use Temporary Amendment Act of 1994, effective October 1, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-190; 41 DCR 5360 (August 12, 1994)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1994, effective October 6, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-193; 41 DCR 5536 (August 19, 1994)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Amendment Act of 1994, effective March 21, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-235; 42 DCR 30 (January 6, 1995)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1996 effective April 18, 1996 (D.C. Law 11-110; 43 DCR 530 (February 9, 1996)); as amended by Second Technical Amendments Act of 1996 effective April 9, 1997 (D.C. Law 11-255; 44 DCR 1271 (March 7, 1997)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 1998, effective April 27, 1999
(D.C. Law 12-275; 46 DCR 1441 (February 19, 1999)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1999, effective April 12, 2000 (D.C. Law 13-91; 47 DCR 520 (January 28, 2000)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2006, effective March 8, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-300; 54 DCR 924 (February 2, 2007)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 2008, effective March 25, 2009 (D.C. Law 17-353; 56 DCR 1117 (February 6, 2009)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2010, effective April 8, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-361; 58 DCR 908 (February 4, 2011)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2021, effective August 21, 2021 (D.C. Law 24-20; 68 DCR 006918 (July 16, 2021)).