Washington, D.C., November 3, 2010 – The New York Avenue Metro Station catalyzed NoMa’s renaissance in 2004, and the American Planning Association (APA) has recognized this transformation with a prestigious award.
On October 26, the National Capital Area Chapter of the American Planning Association gave 12 awards for best practices in urban planning; the public/private partnership that financed the NY Avenue Metro station won the Award for an Outstanding Implemented Project, Program or Tool. NoMa BID President Liz Price accepted the award on behalf of the public and private stakeholders at a reception held at the Naval Heritage Museum.
“Through the commitment of these visionary property owners and public officials, the first infill Metro station in the system was built and the first public/private partnership to finance a Metro station was forged. Because of their efforts, today NoMa is DC’s fastest growing neighborhood,” said NoMa BID President Liz Price. “Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes-Norton and Mayor Williams deserve special recognition for the leadership of this historic effort.”
Only a decade ago, NoMa was a blighted and forgotten chapter in Washington’s industrial past, and now it is one of the brightest spots in the regional economy. In 1998, property owners near the Metro station formed the first public/private partnership to fund transit improvements in the Washington, DC, metro region. The private stakeholders committed $25 million to the project and donated land; the District government and federal government contributed $44 million and $31 million, respectively.
Since the station opened in 2004, NoMa has attracted $3 billion in private investment and more than 8 million square feet of development. The Red Line New York Avenue Metro station is the third fastest growing station in the system, and at the five-year mark has already outpaced its 10-year projections. More than 38,000 people now live and work in NoMa. More than 1,200 new residential units have been built since 2008. A Harris Teeter grocery store and a TD Bank located in the heart of NoMa will open in December, as the mixed-use Constitution Square continues to fill 80,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space with national and local retailers. The 8-mile Metropolitan Branch Trail curves from Silver Spring to Union Station, making NoMa the ultimate cycling neighborhood in the District. In addition, the NoMa BID sponsors many public events and activities to build community and foster social activity in this dynamic neighborhood.
The new Metro station spurred NoMa’s growth and has transported new life and a new economy to a district with a storied railway history. The public and private stakeholders receiving this award should be commended for their foresight in creating one of Washington, D.C.’s hottest submarkets. The following individuals were key participants in the public-private partnership that funded the New York Avenue Metro station:
- The Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton, U.S. House of Representatives
- The Honorable Anthony Williams, Former Mayor, Washington, D.C.
- James Curtis, CEO, The Bristol Group
- Doug Jemal, President, Douglas Development Corp.
- Olav Kollevoll, General Counsel, The Penrose Group
- Ron Linton, Counsel, Carmen Group
- Craig Marshal, The Antonelli Organization
- Hugh Panero, Co-Founder and former CEO, XM Radio
- Terry Peay, The Stephen A. Goldberg Company
- Diane Pratt, Former Chief of Staff, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development
- Eric Price, Former Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development
- Sam Rose, Greenbaum & Rose Associates
- John Thomas, Director, WMATA Office of Major Capital Projects
- Marc Weiss, CEO, Global Urban Development
- Sandy Wilkes, President, The Wilkes Company
About NoMa BID:
NoMa is a vibrant, growing neighborhood north of Massachusetts Avenue and the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. In the last five years, private developers have invested more than $5 billion in the 35-block area covered by the NoMa BID, and have plans to develop more than 20 million square feet of office, residential, hotel, and retail space over the next 15 years. NoMa has 15 modes of transportation, including two Red Line Metro stops, and the best biking facilities in DC, with the only East Coast Bikestation, the 8-mile Met Branch Trail, and bike amenities for all types of cyclists. For more information about the BID, visit nomabid.wpengine.com.
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