Victory! Community Plaza Saved (for now)

Our historic plaza at the corner of 18th and Columbia has been given a temporary reprieve from being paved over by McCondos.

Between the many letters that were written into the record by YOU, and the great organizing that brought an array of Adams Morgan residents to the HPRB hearing, all taken together pushed the positive result today.

The Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) took up whether they would approve or deny Anne Brockett’s preservation report.

Brockett’s report called the site of the Suntrust bank, and its amazing history as “insignificant” in her full support of PN Hoffman’s gargantour project at our historic corner.

Larry Hargrove, 50+ year Adams Morgan resident living on Belmont Road called the failed HPO staff report, “startling” in its lack of substantiation. Brockett’s report completely ignored the ANC resolution calling out major problems with the project.

Despite the outpouring of dissent to the project in its current configuration as well as the destruction of 90% + of the public plaza, the Chair of the HPRB, Gretchen Pfaehler, moved to approve the HPO’s staff report.

But the vote tied, three to three, so the proposal to support the flawed HPO report failed! Victory!

Reparations for Adams Morgan residents!

During the hearing one of our fact-finding archival-archaeologists, Vikram, demonstrated the amazing history of victory over redlining racism which gifted the public this plaza [VIDEO] >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaSpZajNd0o

WHAT NEXT . . .

We have won a bit more time to see a much better redevelopment of this central corner in our neighborhood, such that we:

Ensure the retention of the full historic public plaza from the face of the existing bank building all the way to the sidewalks (including the raised porch).
Drive a campaign for the people to pursue purchase of the site through a combo of crowd-investor fundraising and public monies so we can keep our plaza and build a public resource behind it like a library, maker space, senior resource center, some truly affordable housing, etc.

Help Out and Engage to Save Our Plaza!

Conduct internet and archival research work
Social media campaigning
Investor identification and financial review
Alternative planning and design efforts
Gathering more petition signatures
—-> send an email to admo4rd@gmail.com, or call 202-670-2366