Business Improvement District?

With all the news in the past couple of weeks about Anacostia Gateway being leased and Four Points LLC planning, among other things, around 855,000 square feet of new office along MLK, the topic of an Anacostia Business Improvement District (BID) is being raised.

Preliminary plans place the BID from the intersection of Good Hope Road SE and 18th Street SE, down Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE to St. Elizabeths Hospital. (click here for map)

According to a Washington Business Journal article, the first official word is from Councilman Barry, who notes that based on the program's success in other neighborhoods, "you can see why I'm so excited to start Anacostia's BID."

[Update 3/24/08: Marion Barry did not come up with this idea at all, but is trying to take credit for the loads of work done by AEDC and Main Street Anacostia on behalf of the future BID]

Yes, folks, it seems like Anacostia is seeing some well-needed rays of sunshine. The tables are starting to turn more quickly, and significant steps are being taken towards its rebirth.



photo by flickr user Mr. T in DC