DMPED Entrepreneurship Conference
Aspiring or established entrepreneur? The Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) is holding their 2nd annual “Capitalize on Your Dreams” Entrepreneurship Conference. The Entrepreneurship Conference will kick off with a morning of interactive panels and presentations. In the afternoon, attendees will have the opportunity to present their best elevator pitch with just a microphone. A panel of successful entrepreneurs will serve as judges to provide real-time feedback to participants during this fast-paced competition. Winners will receive prizes that can be used to grow their business ideas. Get more information and sign up to attend: Capitalize On Your Dreams...
Read MorePepco to start burying power lines on RIA
Today’s issue of the Washington Post brings Good Ward 5 News! On Monday, Mayor Gray signed legislation authorizing $1B to bury feeder lines over the course of five to seven years. Work could begin later this year, with the RIA corridor slated for the 2nd year of the project. The DC Public Service Commission must provide final approval on a surcharge that will be billed to Pepco customers. This is in response to the “Derecho” of 2012 that left many neighborhoods without power for days. The areas targeted in this large undergrounding initiative were hit the hardest by the Derecho. While grid reliability is the primary reason for burying the power lines, this project has also been supported by many in the RIA community for aesthetic reasons, so this is great news for us. The large trees that line RIA between the RIA metro station and Eastern Avenue have been aggressively trimmed by Pepco over the years in order to reduce damage to power lines during storm events. The beautiful green canopy of trees is left looking mangled and warped. A tour of highly successful revitalization zones in DC shows that underground power lines is a key component to a successful streetscape design. In fact, when FoRIA participated in the DC Vibrant Retail Streets program last year, one of the top recommendations that we received was to push for undergrounding of the power...
Read MoreRIA Main Street Is Here – What’s Next?
The holidays have been a flurry of activity here! Since Councilmember McDuffie and Mayor Gray’s December 18 announcement of the selection of FoRIA to manage the new Rhode Island Avenue Main Street, we’ve been scrambling to get our transition in place. We know you probably have tons of questions – and we want to make sure we get all the answers for you. Back in September, we posted some FAQs about the RIA Main Street. We’ll be spending the next few weeks attending required trainings for Main Street policies, procedures, and expectations. We’ll also be mapping out our programs for the next year, all within the framework of the Main Street Four Point Approach®. Then, we’ll roll it all out to you, in a variety of formats. Now it is YOUR turn. What are your questions about the new RIA Main Street? Leave your questions in the comment section below, or drop us an email. Either way, we’ll get the answers to...
Read MoreFoRIA Wins Rhode Island Avenue Main Street Bid
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DECEMBER 18, 2013—The DC Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) has selected Friends of Rhode Island Avenue NE (FoRIA) to manage the new Rhode Island Avenue Main Street program, effective immediately. Mayor Vincent Gray and Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie made the announcement today at 10 a.m., as part of Mayor Gray’s regular bi-weekly press conference. Rhode Island Avenue Main Street will be the newest of eight independent, non-profit Main Street programs in the District. The boundaries will run from 4th Street NE to 24th Street NE along Rhode Island Avenue NE, which is also a section of the historic Route 1 corridor, and one of DC’s designated Great Streets. “We are thrilled to have this opportunity,” said James Holloway, Chair of the FoRIA Board of Directors. “For a long time, the communities that surround Rhode Island Avenue NE have asked for more restaurant and retail options within walking distance of their homes. FoRIA’s goal has always been to work with the community to build the type of vibrant commercial corridor that will not only serve this amazing and diverse community, but will also be an opportunity zone where locally-owned businesses can thrive.” The DC Main Street program has been in existence since 2002, and provides resources for local organizations to leverage private investment through public and private partnerships while revitalizing existing commercial corridors and historic landmarks. The program serves small businesses, which are a driving force for the local economy. In the last year alone, DC Main Streets programs have created more than 470 new jobs in the District. DC’s program was created through the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and utilizes the National Trust’s Main Street Four-Point Approach® for commercial...
Read MoreDDOT/Great Streets: Streetscape Improvements Public Meeting Information
As we mentioned last week, DC Dept. of Transportation (DDOT) will be hosting the first public meeting (“open house” format) to solicit community input for streetscape improvements on RIA-NE on December 11th. The time and location for the meeting has now been set: 6:30 – 8:30 pm at Woodridge Library. Additionally, an information website has been set up: www.RIAnortheast.com Don’t miss this VERY important opportunity to be a part of the discussion! It is critical that the voices of members of the communities that surround RIA-NE be represented on this project. ...
Read MoreDMPED Grants of Small Business Improvements: Round 2
On Friday, the office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) announced the launch of the second round of Great Streets Small Business Capital Improvement Grants. The first round of this program was particularly beneficial to RIA businesses, with 7 grant awardees announced. The second round is open to any qualifying businesses that weren’t able to submit an application by the first round deadline. Additionally, if a qualifying business submitted an application and was denied, they may re-submit a revised application during this second round. The closing date for applications for the second round is February 17, 2014. Representatives from the DMPED Great Streets program will be at Tuesday morning’s Business Bites meeting to provide more information and to answer your questions. Great Streets FY14 Round 2...
Read More
