Barracks Row Main Street
WISH LIST: $500: maintain a heritage trail sign; $1,000: restore and name a seat in a historic theatre; $1,500: purchase and maintain a tree for 1 year.
When citizens and merchants organized to form Barracks Row Main Street, they wanted to revitalize Washington’s oldest commercial corridor and reconnect Capitol Hill to the Anacostia River – using historic preservation and the arts to bring the neighborhood back to life. Once a thriving commercial center, the end of WWII (and loss of jobs in the Navy Yard) initiated a downward spiral; as recently as seven years ago, boarded-up buildings and marginal businesses were the norm. But Eighth Street, SE, has come a long way: 51 building facades restored, 40 signs replaced, 51 new businesses opened, 12 expanded, 198 jobs created. Plans are in the works for a movie theatre, arts center, and even an “art gym” to provide open studio time for local artists and contribute to the vibrant life of the neighborhood. Winner of a 2005 Great American Main Street Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, residents and philanthropists are revitalizing an important piece of our city and our history. Your engagement keeps this vital effort moving forward.
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James Dalpee Executive Director |
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