Section 10-A2000. OVERVIEW

 

2000.1The Mid-City Planning Area encompasses the 3.1 square miles located in the geographic center of the District of Columbia. It extends from Rock Creek Park on the west to the CSX rail corridor on the east. Its southern edge is formed by Florida Avenue and U Street NW, and its northern edge is formed by Spring Road and Rock Creek Church Road. The boundaries are shown in the Map at left. Most of this area has historically been Ward 1 although the easternmost portion is currently part of Ward 5 and the southernmost portion is currently in Ward 2. 2000.1

 

2000.2Mid-City is one of the most diverse parts of the city. Although it is one of the smallest of the ten planning areas geographically, it is the most populous and most dense. Much of the area was developed during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, giving it a rich and historic urban character. The area includes row house neighborhoods such as Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, Eckington, Le Droit Park, Park View, and Mount Pleasant. It includes large apartment communities along streets such as 14th Street, 16th Street, and Columbia Road. It is also home to several large institutions, such as Howard University and Howard University Hospital. 2000.2

 

2000.3The Mid-City Planning Area is a cultural melting pot, with a strong international flavor. It is the heart of the city’s Latino community, the home of some of Washington’s most important African American landmarks and cultural resources, and a gateway for immigrants from across the globe. It includes the vibrant nightlife and ethnic restaurants of 18th Street and the “New U” Street, and other walkable neighborhood centers that embody the best qualities of urban living. The area is well-served by the District’s transportation system, including the Metro Green Line, numerous bus lines, and several crosstown arterials. 2000.3

 

2000.4Many of the neighborhoods of Mid-City have a strong sense of identity. There are several historic districts, including Greater U Street, Mount Pleasant, Le Droit Park, and Striver’s Section—along with historic landmarks such as the True Reformer Building, Meridian Hill Park, the Lincoln and Howard Theaters, and the Prince Hall Masonic Temple. Activities like Adams Morgan Day and the Georgia Avenue Caribbean Festival celebrate local culture and build community pride. 2000.4

 

2000.5The area also has a tradition of neighborhood activism, embodied by groups such as the Kalorama Citizens Association and the Cardozo- Shaw Neighborhood Association. Non-profits like the Latino Economic Development Corporation and the Columbia Heights Development Corporation are also active in community affairs, as are cultural organizations like the Gala Hispanic Theater and the African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation. 2000.5

 

2000.6Parts of the Mid-City have changed rapidly during the last ten years. Some 2,000 housing units were added between 2000 and 2005, and about 1,500 units are in some stage of construction today. While this change has been welcomed by some, it has also created concerns about a loss of community identity and the displacement of residents. Homeowners have faced sharp increases in property taxes, and many renters have faced soaring rents and low vacancies. The median sales price of a home in the Columbia Heights ZIP code rose a staggering 63 percent between 2004 and 2005 alone. Clearly, these kinds of increases are not sustainable and over the long run will threaten the diversity that makes the Mid-City neighborhoods so unique. 2000.6

 

2000.7The area’s economic diversity is threatened not only by rising housing costs, but also by the loss of subsidized rental housing. Mid-City includes many subsidized and lower cost units, including project-based Section 8 apartments that are at risk of conversion to market rents or condos. Over the last eight years, the District successfully conserved more than 1,000 units of at-risk affordable housing on the 14th Street corridor alone. The District has also assisted tenants in their efforts to renovate and purchase apartment properties throughout the community, particularly in Columbia Heights. Millions of dollars have been invested to create new affordable housing opportunities for current and future Mid-City residents. This investment must be sustained in the future. 2000.7

 

2000.8Mid-City neighborhoods still struggle with urban problems such as violent crime, homelessness, drug abuse, vagrancy, and blight. Despite the real estate boom, buildings continue to lie vacant along commercial corridors such as lower Georgia Avenue, Florida Avenue, and North Capitol Street. Public facilities like Cardozo High School and Bruce Monroe Elementary are in desperate need of modernization. The area also has a severe shortage of parkland. As the densest part of the city, and one with many young children, recreational needs are among the highest in the city. Most of the area’s parks lack the land and amenities to meet these needs. 2000.8

 

2000.9A different set of urban tensions is present along the area’s rapidly developing corridors such as 14th Street and U Street. Revitalization has brought traffic and parking pressures, caused construction-related street disruptions, and has burdened small businesses trying to keep up with rising costs. There are also visible threats to the historic integrity of many of the area’s residential structures, particularly in areas like Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, Bloomingdale, and Eckington, which are outside of designated historic districts. In some instances, row houses are being converted to multi-family flats; in others, demolitions and poorly designed alterations are diminishing an important part of Washington’s architectural heritage. 2000.9

 

2000.10As the Mid-City area moves into the 21st century, the issues described above must be addressed to protect the quality of life, balance growth and conservation, and provide economic opportunity and stability for all members of the community. 2000.10

 

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The provisions of Title 10, Part A of the DCMR accessible through this web interface are codification of the District Elements of the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital. As such, they do not represent the organic provisions adopted by the Council of the District of Columbia. The official version of the District Elements only appears as a hard copy volume of Title 10, Part A published pursuant to section 9a of the District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1994, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; D.C. Official Code § 1 -301.66)) . In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions accessible through this site and the provisions contained in the published version of Title 10, Part A, the provisions contained in the published version govern. A copy of the published District Elements is available www.planning.dc.gov.