Nannie Helen Burroughs NE Corridor Small Area Plan
Nannie Helen Burroughs NE Corridor Small Area Plan
WE NEED STILL NEED YOUR INPUT! We are have prepared our Draft Existing Conditions report and want to hear from you!
The DC Office of Planning (OP) is working to develop a Small Area Plan (SAP) for the Nannie Helen Burroughs Corridor (NHBC-SAP). SAPs supplement the Comprehensive Plan by providing detailed direction for specific geographic areas to manage growth, promote revitalization, or achieve other long-range planning goals. SAPs are developed through a collaborative public process that provides opportunities for community input on priorities in the planning area. SAPs are approved by a resolution from the DC Council, and their key recommendations may be incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan in the future. The NHBC-SAP will become a guide for the development of neighborhood-serving mixed uses including retail, housing, enhanced green spaces, and public space activation along the corridor. This existing conditions report shares information on community characteristics, demographic trends, and land use conditions. The Nannie Helen Burroughs Corridor Study focuses on the commercial main street which is highlighted in pink on the map on the next page. The data gathered in this report provides a foundation for a deeper analysis of Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue NE. It begins to tell the story of a historic community east of the Anacostia River, connected by a once-thriving commercial corridor that serves several distinct neighborhoods. Data and community input from this report will inform the future Small Area Plan
Small Area Plan Background:
Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, NE is a predominately commercial corridor in the northeast end of Ward 7. It crosses through multiple neighborhoods, some of which are recognized as the oldest and longest-standing Black communities in the District of Columbia. The study area focuses on a one-mile stretch of the corridor that runs from Minnesota Avenue, NE as its western boundary and Division Avenue, NE as its eastern boundary. The study area includes parcels predominantly zoned for multi-family residential and mixed uses, as well as public parks and open spaces.
A small area plan was completed and approved by City Council as part of the Great Streets Initiative in 2008. At the request of Councilmember Vincent Gray, an additional study of the Greater Deanwood community, the NHBC-SAP, began in the fall of 2022. This latest plan focuses on the public realm, urban design, and development opportunites that will guide future growth and development along the corridor. OP has had robust community engagement efforts during the Fiscal Year 2023 with the kickoff event – “Nannie Helen Burroughs Marketplace at the Riverside Center”, on April 1st of 2023. Area vendors provided participants with the opportunity to shop locally. On June 25th OP sponsored a “Conversation in the Park”. Participants were able to relax in the park and enjoy a meditation circle, paint and chat, and have conversations with DC Planners while enjoying local cuisine. Our last community event today was the "Back to School Fest in Marvin Gaye Park". Over 200 backpacks along with school supplies were given to our neighborhood youth. Information tables were set up to share information about the Nannie Helen Burroughs Corridor Small Area Plan as well as the Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant.
Get Involved. You are Invited to Participate.
Goals for the Nannie Helen Burroughs Corridor Study Area
Goals for the Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave, NE Corridor Strategy Tasks include:
Public Realm: Create guiding principles for active street environment, open spaces, and park environments that helps reinvigorate the commercial corridor while improving user accessibility.
Urban Design: Develop strategies to improve the pedestrian experience of the corridor’s gateways, including the activation and maintenance of the significant amount of green space, while increasing density for commercial, retail, and residential uses.
Development Opportunties: Update the Deanwood Retail Market Analysis (2017) and identify the commercial nodes best poised for revitalization.
Map of proposed Study Area
To request language assistance or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please complete this form at least 5 days before the event. If you have any questions, contact the Office of Planning at op.access@dc.gov or 202-442-7600.