The Pennsylvania Avenue East Small Area Plan (SAP) is led by the Office of Planning (OP). Through robust community engagement, input and visioning, a draft small area plan has been developed containing recommendations to meet project goals.

​During the visioning phase of this planning process, you shared your vision for the future of the corridor. Building on your vision the draft plan contains specific recommendations to revitalize key nodes of the Pennsylvania Avenue East corridor. Your feedback and input on the draft will help ensure the plan meets your vision for the future of the corridor. 

Project Goals:

Penn Ave Project Goals

Draft Vision Statements

Based on your feedback, the following draft vision statements have been developed. These vision statements will help guide recommendation development. Please share your reflections on each vision statement below.  

Penn Ave Youth Visioning

Vibrant Public Realm: Highlight Pennsylvania Avenue as a destination where all residents can live, work, eat, play, and meaningfully connect with neighbors through investments in high-quality and well-maintained community serving public spaces that incorporate park features, art, commemorations, and respond to local culture.

Updated 10/18/2021

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Question title

Does the Vibrant Public Realm draft vision statement fit your vision for the future of the corridor?

Yes
54%
No
42%
No comment
4%
Closed to responses | 24 Responses

Question title

If no, what do you want the vision statement to capture?

Closed for Comments
KD Turnerthere needs to be some reference to creating an environment that encompasses safety so that people feel comfortable coming out at different hours to enjoy and make use of the spaces created. This will mean more than landscaping and clean-up; it also means other parts of the DC G...See More
Reply3 Agree3 years ago
M VIVECA MILLERFrom the Pennsylvania Avenue East Community Coalition - M Viveca Miller
The Pennsylvania Avenue East Community Coalition considers a Vibrant Public Realm as space where:
• Streets are delightful and offer attractions and rewards
• You want to walk and explore
• There...See More
Reply2 Agree3 years ago
Viveca MillerPUBLIC REALM: Envision a delightful, safe, attractive, inviting public realm by transforming the corridor to a destination, celebrating the community’s assets and rich history through art and public space installations, maintaining parks and recreational spaces, developing high q...See More
Reply1 Agree3 years ago
Marc CowansPennsylvania Ave can't just be about getting commuters from Maryland into Downtown DC. It needs to be as nice and as safe to cross as it is near the Eastern Market Metro. It would be nice if the shops north of 28th Street had better pedestrian access.
ReplyAgree3 years ago
John CapozziDupont Circle tunnel needed to really complet the vision for this intersection
ReplyAgree3 years ago

Transportation Access and Connectivity: Establish Pennsylvania Avenue as a multimodal gateway that incorporates easily accessible transit options, vehicular safety, and comfortable pedestrian and bicycle access to all users while providing efficient connections to employment, retail, parks and open spaces, services, and other neighborhoods.   

Updated 10/18/2021

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Question title

Does the Transportation Access and Connectivity draft vision statement fit your vision for the future of the corridor?

Yes
63%
No
25%
No comment
13%
Closed to responses | 16 Responses

Question title

If no, what do you want the vision statement to capture?

Closed for Comments
KD TurnerThe vision refers to vehicular safety and comfortable pedestrian and bicycle access. The reference to safety should emphasize and prioritize pedestrian safety not pedestrian comfort. It is dangerous along Pennsylvania Avenue for pedestrians and especially around the intersectio...See More
Reply1 Agree3 years ago
Protected bike lanes, a new vision or removal of 295, a way for pedestrians to bypass the entrance and off ramps and stay safe to have easier connections to Capitol Hill.

Reply1 Agree3 years ago
Viveca MILLERTransportation: Create a safe, accessible, multimodal corridor that amplifies Pennsylvania Avenue East as both a Great Street and Main Street while: providing vehicular safety, comfortable pedestrian and bicycle mobility; enhancing the use of metro; and providing connections to h...See More
Reply1 Agree3 years ago
Valerio ZaniniWould love to see more spaces for walking and biking.
Also, redesign the traffic lanes to avoid bottlenecks and increase the flow
ReplyAgree3 years ago
Latisha Atkins - Penn Avenue East Main StreetImprove vehicular and pedestrian safety, connectivity, and aesthetics. Safety measures should be prioritized between Fairlawn Avenue and 27th Street SE, which has the highest concentration of pedestrian and vehicular accidents along the corridor. Enhanced streetscapes, crosswalk...See More
ReplyAgree3 years ago

Housing Opportunities and Affordability: Encourage homeownership and rental opportunities for households across the income spectrum by taking advantage of mixed-used redevelopment opportunities to retain long-time residents, support first time homebuyers, families, and households on fixed incomes to foster a thriving, diverse community.

Updated 10/18/2021

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Question title

Does the Housing Opportunities and Affordability draft vision statement fit your vision for the future of the corridor?

Yes
55%
No
36%
No comment
9%
Closed to responses | 11 Responses

Question title

If no, what do you want the vision statement to capture?

Closed for Comments
Viveca MillerM VIVECA MILLER - Edit to the vision statement - HOUSING: Strive towards a high quality community that provides increased homeownership and rental opportunities for first time homebuyers, families, young adults, and households on fixed incomes to allow for generational wealth bui...See More
Reply1 Agree3 years ago
Valerio ZaniniQuality and livability of the neighbor should be priorities to create a community that feels proud of where they live, safe, and happy
ReplyAgree3 years ago
What makes each of the neighborhoods special? What gives them character? This should be just as important as the housing opportunities. The need for more unity and pride among residents in neighborhoods.
ReplyAgree3 years ago
katherine ntiamoah agree with viveca's statement below.
ReplyAgree3 years ago

Economic Development and Retail Opportunities: Strive towards a culturally healthy and wealthy economy by encouraging mixed-use redevelopment that supports a vibrant retail destination and meets the shopping needs of residents by attracting and retaining new businesses and creating opportunities for local businesses and entrepreneurs.

Updated 10/18/2021

Question title

Does the Economic Development and Retail Opportunities draft vision statement fit your vision for the future of the corridor?

Yes
64%
No
27%
No comment
9%
Closed to responses | 11 Responses

Question title

If no, what do you want the vision statement to capture?

Closed for Comments
M VIVECA MILLERPAECC believes that the existing retail architecture along the Corridor is of largely inconsistent quality and does not reflect the importance of Pennsylvania Avenue, the vitality of the surrounding residential neighborhoods, or today's retail standards. Most of the existing ret...See More
Reply2 Agree3 years ago
Valerio ZaniniYES! And also support small business and entrepreneurs with co-working spaces and business incubators
ReplyAgree3 years ago
Latisha Atkins Based on Viveca’s suggestion above: I would suggest that we invest in a strategic plan to identify programming priorities and develop small business technical assistance specific to the corridor’s needs, length, and range of conditions. The traditional street-facing storefronts ...See More
ReplyAgree3 years ago
Latisha Atkins - Penn Avenue East Main StreetOne minor suggestion: Strive towards a culturally healthy and wealthy economy by encouraging mixed-use redevelopment and public and private investments that supports a vibrant retail destination and meets the shopping needs of residents by attracting and retaining new businesses...See More
ReplyAgree3 years ago
KD Turnerthere needs to be specific reference to high quality eateries along the length of Pennsylvania Avenue as an element of the retail vision. this would help create the vibrant environment we seek along the corridor.
ReplyAgree3 years ago

Urban Desgin

What is urban design: the relationship between buildings, streets, and open spaces that collectively defines our experience in neighborhoods and communities.
What can an urban design strategy achieve: develop guidance for future development that can encourage thoughtful infill and new construction.

What is our goal: develop design strategies that can meet the community’s goals of increasing retail diversity, encouraging a thriving public realm, developing pedestrian friendly streetscapes, and anchoring the gateway as a destination.

Why focus on the lower node: improvements to the lower node can build momentum for the rest of the corridor; offer the greatest opportunity for new and infill development; provides transferable and scalable solutions for the length of the corridor; captures the most vehicular and pedestrian traffic; and brands Pennsylvania Avenue not only as a residential asset, but retail destination.

The following proposed recommendations can improve the Urban Design within the Pennsylvania Avenue East study area