DDOT to Host Public Meeting On Howard Theater Area Project

DDOT announced the following yesterday:

Design Plans will be Presented Monday, March 9
Media Contact: John Lisle at (202) 671-2004

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will host an informational meeting on Monday, March 9, 2009, to update the public on the major streetscape improvements planned around the historic Howard Theater.

The Howard Theater, located at 620 T Street, NW, in the Shaw neighborhood, was the nation’s first full-sized theater for African-American audiences and entertainers. It opened in 1910 and hosted many famous performers including Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Sarah Vaughan, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Marvin Gaye and the Temptations before closing in the 1970’s.

This District now plans to renovate and reopen the Howard Theater and in conjunction with that effort DDOT is moving forward with a streetscape project on the streets surrounding the Theater:

7th Street, NW between N Street and Florida Avenue: Repaving of the roadway, reconstruction of the sidewalks, upgrading street lights and traffic signals, landscape improvements.

T Street, NW between 7th Street and Florida Avenue: Reconstruction of the roadway and sidewalks, upgrading street lights and traffic sidewalks, landscape improvements, upgrading of water main and storm water drainage.

Wiltberger Street, NW between T and S Streets: Reconstruction of the roadway, upgrading water main and storm water drainage.

This project is part of the Great Streets Initiative in the Georgia Avenue and 7th Street Corridor. At the March 9 meeting, the project engineers will present their 65% design plans and solicit feedback and comments from the community.

Meeting Information:

What Informational Meeting on Howard Theater Area Project
When Monday March 9, 2009, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Where DC Housing Finance Agency
Auditorium
815 Florida Avenue, NW

The DC Housing Finance Agency is located near the intersection of Florida Avenue and 9th Street, NW. It is near the Shaw-Howard University and U Street /African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo Metrorail Stations on the Green and Yellow lines, and is also accessible on the 90, 92 and 93 Metrobus routes.