Transforming the Gateway: Inspiring Pride, Glory, and Awesomeness

The New York Ave Gateway corridor in Northeast Washington, D.C. serves as the crossroads for a myriad of interests. Residents of several established neighborhoods, local businesses, the District of Columbia government, and developers are all converging to re-shape a neglected, but vital part of the city. Private developers are increasingly eyeing the New York Avenue corridor as a prime site for future development. As part of the Mini-Expo, the GNYAGG will explore some of the businesses and organizations in the Corridor. It will allow a limited number of businesses and organizations to display information or provide samples of their food products to showcase what the Gateway has to offer. They are also welcome to serve as co-sponsors to cover refreshments or provide other in-kind services. These organizations should contact GNYAGG to express interest: greaternyavegatewaygroup@gmail.com. The symposium will address issues such as: · Creative uses of industrial land use and change in perception of area as “dumping ground” · Addition of New York Avenue as part of Great Streets Grants Initiative · September hearing on Bill 20-564, "New York Avenue Gateway Hotel Development and Financial Incentives Act”, which would provide for property tax abatements and exemptions for the construction of new medium priced hotels, incentives for retail, restaurant, entertainment, residential and office facilities; construction of three soundstages, job training program, and a DC Streetcar Line. · Current and planned projects for the Gateway Corridor · Challenges and opportunities with the transformation of the Corridor While there will be open and closing remarks as well as a presentation from the Great Streets Initiative, the format will be more of a “talk show” style and panelists will be asked questions like the following to generate discussion and stimulate questions and comments from the audience: · What would make this gateway corridor “awesome”, instill more pride and glory, and have greater appeal to visitors, residents, business people, and other stakeholders? · How do you improve the corridor while respecting and protecting the residents and other stakeholders that have weathered the storms and plan to stay in the area? · Why is the New York Avenue Gateway important and why is there a renewed focus on the Gateway? · How are current residents, other stakeholders, and the District expected to benefit from transformation or revitalization? What does it mean to stakeholders, communities? · How do we prepare for a global economy and how do we broaden opportunities? · How do we attract and retain businesses and make the commercial corridor competitive? · What role does education play in producing a future qualified workforce dealing in a global economy? · Will the Gateway Corridor be able to help the hopeless, homeless, and downtrodden get on their feet? · How do we ensure that local, small, and disadvantaged businesses play a role in the Gateway? · What are some examples best practices/models of industrial land uses? The Corridor, as GNYAGG defines it, includes major streets in Northeast Washington such as New York Avenue from the District/Prince George’s Border to North Capitol Street, Bladensburg Road, Florida Avenue, West Virginia Avenue, South Dakota Avenue, and Montana Avenue. Some of the communities in the vicinity of New York Avenue include: Ft. Lincoln, Gateway, South Woodridge (formerly South Central), Brentwood, Arboretum, Woodridge, Edgewood, NoMa, Eckington, Ivy City, Langdon, and Trinidad. About GNYAGG The Greater York Avenue Gateway Group, Inc. (GNYAGG) was established to provide leadership, partner with groups, and engage stakeholders in the design, research, advocacy, education, and implementation of solutions to advance responsible and compatible sustainable, economic, and community development to revitalize the New York Avenue Gateway in Northeast Washington, D.C. in a way that benefits the District, enhances opportunities and quality of life of stakeholders, respects communities, maintains accountability and transparency, and ensures that “community” is given a “seat at the table”. GNYAGG’s goal is to help create a world-class, internationally-renown, economically and culturally diverse, eclectic, age friendly, signature New York Avenue Gateway that cultivates a competitive advantage and an inviting and welcoming place to live, work, do business, shop, raise families, visit, and enjoy. GNYAGG wants to see that a remarkable unique positive urban experience is associated with the New York Avenue Gateway. Johns Hopkins University (JHU) City Lab project collaborated with GNYAGG to help it organize and provide MBA students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in an “urban social enterprise laboratory” where they could apply their knowledge to create social value in economically distressed neighborhoods. Mt. Horeb Baptist Church (www.mthoreb.org) has opened its doors to GNYAGG to allow the group to put on this event free of charge. Mt. Horeb has hosted other successful events, such as the Costco job fair in 2012 where about 2,000 job applicants turned out for a few positions.