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An article titled "The Hunt for the Next Hot Spots" (OnSite, Fall 2008) highlights Anacostia as one neighborhood destined for the kind of rebirth that Dupont Circle, Clarendon, and Logan Circle have seen, and cites certain ingredients (above), that give it a solid upper-hand.
Although I can't reprint the entire article here, the author did a great job articulating the desire of Generation X and Y to live in places with potential for a greater work/life balance: where getting in the car isn't the solution for every errand and density is seen generally as a positive.
Most of the section about Anacostia focused on Four Points LLC's plans for the new downtown, where developer Stan Voudrie and team are expecting to build 1.6 million square feet of mixed-use development along Shannon Place and MLK Ave. Although no ground has been broken and plans are still not set, Voudrie extols the benefits of the kind of development he will bring to the neighborhood: easy access to Metro, easy access to thousands of drivers on neighboring highways, views of the monumental core at discounted rates, and a crime rate significantly lower than, say, Adams Morgan.
Although the information isn't new, it is a great reinforcement to the not-so-crazy notion that Anacostia really has a lot going for it, and its rebirth as not so far-fetched an idea as many are accustomed to believe.
For full article, Click Here
clippings courtesy of the WBJ: OnSite Fall 2008
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2 comments:
I'm very bullish on Anacostia's future. I've lived East of the river for 4 years now, and to me, Anacostia has gotten appreciably nicer in that time. If DDOT ever gets the streetcar line running from the Anacostia Metro to Pennsylvania Avenue like they originally planned, that part of Ward 8 is going to explode.
One of the problems Anacostia (and Wards 7&8 in general) has right now is lack of density. However, this should resolve itself as more people move in and develop all those vacant lots scattered about. My real concern is what's going to be done with all of those housing projects. There are large swaths of that section of DC that were intentionally cut off from the surrounding areas. Unless these areas are integrated back into the street grid, they will continue to fester.
Finally, about Anacostia's real and perceived crime problem: Don't forget that it wasn't too long ago that Columbia Heights was considered a bombed-out war zone. Time and development have a way of changing perceptions.
Thanks for this! Anacostia is an example of how marketing and perception drive people's opinions. I have lived in Anacostia for 3 years and I can commute by metro downtown in 20 minutes, drive to VA in 20 minutes and even walk/bike to Captiol Hill in 25 minutes. I am still amazed that it has taken so long for the rest of DC to notice this little jewel.
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