Public Meeting on the Future of U Street
Download the handout packet for this meeting here.
Dear neighbors,
As we all know, the U Street Corridor is the hub and heart of ANC 1B. It is not only the economic engine of our Commission area, but also holds great cultural and historic importance to the District as a whole. We are all stakeholders in the success of U Street.
Recognizing that U Street/North Shaw is one of the few major business corridors in the District that does not have a formal "place management entity," government officials and the business community are pursuing parallel efforts to pool resources to better care for, and advance the interests of, this crucial thoroughfare. They are:
A neighborhood management authority (NMA). Last month, Councilmember Brianne Nadeau introduced a bill in Council to create an NMA for the Greater U Street Corridor. This structure would bring together public and private actors in an instrumentality of the DC Government, establish several sources of revenue, and support projects across a range of public spaces and assets.
A business improvement district (BID). Business leaders along U Street have started discussions to evaluate the formation of a BID for U Street, a private structure more comparable to the existing BIDs in other commercial areas of the District (Adams Morgan or Dupont Circle, for example).
There are advantages and costs associated with either option, as with any place management entity. As these proposals move forward, it is imperative to incorporate community input. For this reason, the ANC, through its Committee on Economic Development, will be hosting a series of public forums to solicit feedback from businesses and residents alike.
The first of these public forums will take place on Thursday, February 20, at 7:00 p.m., via Zoom. Please register for the meeting here: https://www.anc1b.org/upcoming-meetings/economic-development-committee-meeting-4-4rnl5-lgyxk-pdzre-3cn4r
The meeting will include:
A presentation on the NMA proposal from Councilmember Nadeau's office
Community Q&A on the NMA proposal
An introduction to the BID concept
Community Q&A on the BID concept
Discussion of next steps and future public meeting dates
Be sure you have the handout packet for this meeting.
I am very grateful to Commissioner Matt Fay (LeDroit Park), who is the new chair of our Committee on Economic Development, for his quick and thorough work in pulling together these forums. Please reach out to either of us with any questions or input you may have in advance of, or during, this process.
Thank you for reading. I hope to see you at one of our upcoming meetings.
— Cmsr. Miguel Trindade Deramo, Chairman