In the past twenty years, the Columbia Heights neighborhood in Washington, D.C. has undergone a revitalization that breathed new life into the community. A once thriving neighborhood, Columbia Heights experienced a period of neglect following riots after Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination that left many storefronts boarded up and burned for decades. In 1999, the introduction of a Columbia Heights metro station initiated the opportunity for revival.
Access to public transportation led to new development within the neighborhood. This includes a grocery store, a retail complex, mixed-use residential buildings, as well as the restoration of a historic community landmark, Tivoli Theatre. In turn, this led to an influx of residents moving into the area.
During this time, Torti Gallas Partners designed four projects within Columbia Heights: Park Triangle, Kenyon Square, Victory Heights and Highland Park. Before starting the projects, Torti Gallas consulted community and government leaders to better understand the community’s needs. Discussing their objectives for the projects, Torti Gallas writes, “framing the public space, driving economic activity, and luring homeowners back to this corner of D.C. would be our goal.” When completed, the four projects had a total of 572 residential units, 175 of which are described as affordable at a range of income levels. Torti Gallas received multiple awards for their work towards the Columbia Heights revitalization including the Builder’s Choice Award and the ULI Award of Excellence for the Americas.
Similar Projects
Orleans Landing
Detroit, Michigan
In a sector of Detroit with diverse assets— waterfront land, brick industrial buildings, greenways, and historic streets—but little economic activity, the Orleans Landing project creates top-of-the-line urbanism.
Eddy Street Neighborhood
South Bend, Indiana
In a public-private partnership, a developer worked with University of Notre Dame, a local revitalization group, and the City of South Bend to create a new 48-acre neighborhood.
Daybreak #thisisCNU
South Jordan, Utah
One of the more visible outcomes of Envision Utah, an influential public-private initiative that is guiding the state's land-use and transportation, South Jordan, Utah’s Daybreak stands as one of the largest traditional neighborhood development in