howard unviersity-ledroit park revitalizaiton

HOWARD UNIVERSITY - LEDROIT PARK REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE

STREETSCAPE DESIGN

F202.L4.H6 1998

• CELEBRATINGHISTORY

• REDEFININGCOMMUNITY

• ENHANCINGLIFE QUALITYAND SAFETY


STREETSCAPE DESIGN

MAY 1998

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__ Sorg;nd AssociatesArchitects ancrtngineers-1.~f.c.

Washington, D.C.

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Fm more Ih,n a "nl"'Y. LeDmit Packwas a vibrant part of Washington, D.C.'sintellectual and residential life. Anchored bythe 130-year-old Howard University, thiscommunity is rich in culture and tradition.Over the last few decades, however, thecommunity and its surrounding neighborhoods have experienced economic decline. Inan effort to restore these neighborhoods totheir former greatness, Howard University isdeveloping a comprehensive communityrevitalization plan. Howard sought the assistance of the Fannie Mae Foundation tocommence a three-part study. The goal was topropose a redesigned streetscape, develop along-range land use plan and conduct afeasibility study to renovate the old HowardTheatre and create a cultural districtaround it.

The Fannie Mae Foundation turned to thefirm of Sorg and Associates to develop acomprehensive streetscape plan. To guide theconsultants in their work, Howard Universityconvened a community planning task force togain input from residents and communityleaders. Finally, after careful examination ofthe physical condition of the HowardUniversity-LeDroit Park community, theconsultants made recommendations and theirproposals are contained herein. The land useplan and theater renovation/cultural districtfeasibility study have been published as twoseparate documents.

PREFACE

The project area is bounded on the eastby North Capitol Street; on the north byMichigan Avenue and Columbia Road; on thewest by Sherman Avenue and Ninth Street;and on the south by Florida and Rhode Islandavenues. A two-mile length of GeorgiaAvenue from M Street to Quincy Street isalso included.

This streetscape design proposal wasdeveloped after a thorough and careful surveyof each street in the nearly ISO-block projectarea. The type of construction materials wasrecorded, as was the condition of eachsidewalk, curb and gutter. Every street wasphotographed and notations were madeabout the presence of street trees, landscaping, street lighting and signage. The streetinventory has been published separately.

Historical documents were unearthed,previous surveys and development studieswere digested and a series of communitymeetings was held to gather input from residents and city leaders. The final design is areflection of practical ideas, creative thinkingand community desires.

Sorg and AssociatesArchitects and Engineers, P.c.

Washington, D.C.May 1998

Design Team Participants:Suman Sorg, Principal-in-Charge

Kent Macdonald, Project ManagerIrene Mees

Eric CookCatherine Moore

Steven VlachRodney Robinson

..•• TABLE OF CONTENTS

•••• INTRODUCTIONAerial Map 1•

=- EXISTING CONDITIONS

=- Zone Map 2

=- A NEW STREETSCAPE

=- Overview 3

• Conceptual Plan 4

=-• CELEBRATING HISTORY

Main Concepts 5

• Jazz Walk 6-7

"LeDroit Park Walk 8-9

Presidents' Walk 10-11It

-. REDEFINING COMMUNITY

18 Main Concepts 12

• LeDroit Park 13-14

Howard Univ. at Georgia Ave. 15-17

• Northgate 18-19

• Southgate 20-21

McMillan Park 22-24•• ENHANCING LIFE QUALITY

• & SAFETY

• Main Concepts 25

• Typical Residential Street 26-27

Typical Commercial Street 28

• Shaw-Howard Univ. Metro 29

••• •

HOWARD UNIVERSITY - LEDROIT PARK REVITALIZATION

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Th' Howa,d Univ",ity-LeDmit Pa,kcommunity in northwest Washington,D.C., is a rich cultural historic district. Thisstreetscape design proposed for HowardUniversity and the neighboring communities of LeDroit Park, Bloomingdale andPleasant Plains unites an area that has beenthe tableau of several vibrant chapters ofAfrican-American history. Its residents haveincluded many African-American men andwomen who contributed significantly to thecultural and intellectual life of the nation.

It is an area graced with many finebuildings and public spaces, from thecharming southern architecture of LeDroitPark, one of the District's first suburbs andnow a federally designated historic district,to the stately older buildings of HowardUniversity. It is also an area that haswitnessed much history. LeDroit Park, onceoff-limits to blacks, is the site of early effortsto achieve equal housing in a segregated,white neighborhood. The Howard Theatre,now boarded up and padlocked, was in itsheyday a rival to the Apollo Theatre inHarlem and was host to nearly every jazzgreat of this century. Howard University,an internationally recognized institution,has been a preeminent African-Americanuniversity for more than 130 years. OldMcMillan Reservoir, carved out by CapitalCity planners to be among the most beautiful parks in the nation, has been fenced offsince before World War II.

The area's natural amenities are notdissimilar to that of Georgetown or DupontCircle, and even better in some respects. Ithas Metrorail service, easy access todowntown D.C., significant arterial streets, acomprehensive medical complex, a parkwith a water site, a major commercial spineand a fertile business district with largetracts of developable property.

It is undeniable, however, that the areasuffers from blight and, as other parts ofD.C., from inadequate government services.The damage goes beyond cracked sidewalksand unkempt parks. The area suffers from adeteriorated infrastructure, inadequate orsubstandard city services, disinvestment,violent crime and drug dealing, largenumbers of vacant or abandoned properties, dysfunctional schools and concentrated poverty.

This booklet proposes a streetscapedesign that will enhance the community'sphysical attributes, celebrate its history,redefine its sense of community andimprove the quality of life for residents andvisitors. The streetscape design is part of alarger project, the Howard UniversityLeDroit Park Revitalization Initiative, thatfocuses the city's attention and resources ona part of D.C. that has the potential toenrich the entire metropolitan region.

The design of the streetscape takes itsinspiration from the area's vivid history,letting design elements in the streets andsidewalks evoke personalities, events andideas of the past while beckoning residentsand visitors with a warm and invitingwelcome. The new streetscape also pavesthe way for development and revitalizationby reinforcing the unique and positiveurban qualities of the area.

The streetscape design is specific. Itdeals with fundamental elements of theinfrastructure, such as new sidewalks, landscaping and street lighting. It also suggestslocations for new parks and other improvements to the public domain. It is aconceptual framework for the overall Revitalization Initiative that takes a thoughtful lookat future development. Its ideas are practical,workable and affordable and should be usedas a sound blueprint for revitalization.

INITIATIVE

INTRODUCTION

AERIAL MAP

o


EXISTING CONDITIONS

ZONE MAP

The pmject a<ea ,an be divided intofive zones.

• Three long-established neighborhoodswith historical significance

• A distinguished 130-year-old Historically Black University

• A once-beautiful but long-ignoredwater site with potential parklands

• A major commercial boulevard withstruggling businesses

• Areas of transition where incompatibleuses proliferate

The project area is defined by its majorarteries, and the proposed streetscape planbuilds on its many assets. In fact, thenatural amenities make this a surprisinglyrich community. The project area hasMetrorail service, easy access to downtownWashington, D.C., significant arterial

streets, a comprehensive medical complex,potential parklands at McMillan Reservoirand large parcels of land suitable fordevelopment.

The residential area has intimatelyscaled streets, low hills that proVide distantviews of the city, neo-classical buildings andVictorian homes with gables and towers.The campus has grand gateways and courtyards with distinctive, stately architecture.

Decades of decline, however, have leftthe area in disrepair. Sidewalks and streetsare cracked. Street lighting is inadequate.Abandoned buildings and vacant lots createunsafe and unsightly areas. Large parkinglots are found in incompatible places.Together, these create an overall sense ofneglect and a fear of crime among residentsand visitors.

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A NEw STREETSCAPEHOWARD UNIVERSITY - LEDROIT PARK REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE OVERVIEW

THE HOWARD THEATRE

•Tot Lot

Entry Steps

Tennis Courts

Open Field

~1"9-1----Picnic Area withPlayground

overlook

MCMILLAN RESERVOIR

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.~~~5:i::=- Soccer Fields

Poet's Walk

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Amphitheater

Concessions/Restrooms

Regional Recreation Center

Bike/Pedestrian Troil

Entry F<I<J!1Jrc

AeratorFoun/ain

Entry Signage ----:lH~

LOOKING WEST ON U STREET

pedestrian-oriented zones. Usable outdoorspaces will be designated for play and relaxation. Residential zones will be bufferedfrom incompatible uses. The design createsa more intimate relationship between residents and the environment by usingelements that lend a sense of enclosure,clearly differentiating between public, semipublic and private zones.

Enhancing Life Quality and Safetyproposes pragmatic solutions for the area'sbasic infrastructure problems. It calls foradding street lights to improve residents'sense of safety, repairing sidewalks andcurbs to add property value, planting treesand other greenery to increase aestheticworth and building curb bulb-outs to slowtraffic.

Each part of the schematic design isdetailed in the following pages.

Th' d"ign 1m 'h, ",,"<cap' ha'three guiding themes: to celebrate the area'shistory, to redefine a sense of communityand to enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors,

Celebrating History is intended todraw attention to the importance of the areain African-American culture and intellectuallife. Three different "history walks" havebeen designated on short stretches of somestreets to honor the memory or accomplishments of events and people. Throughspecial pavement, lighting, gateways,signage and highlighted "special places,"these streets will tell stories of the peopleand events in their past.

Redefining Community focuses onreinforcing the area's positive urbanfeatures and providing new ones where theyare lacking. Shopping areas will be distinct

HOWARD UNIVERSITY - LEDROIT PARK REVITALIZATION

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••..•....

Thi' map ,how, ,orne of the way' Inwhich the three themes of the streetscapedesign will be implemented.

The streetscape design does not proposethat only one scheme be used throughoutthe entire area. Rather, it proposes a hierarchy of elements, creating special streets orzones to reflect the distinctive characteristics of the area in which they occur.

The special treatment to "celebratehistory" is represented on the map by thin,broken red lines. In LeDroit Park a "historypath" follows T Street between FloridaAvenue and Second Street. The green circlemarks Anna Cooper Circle, a "place ofhonor" for a remarkable former slave wholived in the area. Another "history path" ison Sixth Street on the Howard Universitycampus.

Streetscape designs to redefine community are used throughout the area.McMillan Reservoir is surrounded by a pairof broken lines representing a bike and

pedestrian trail to signal the reservoir'sredevelopment as a regional park open tothe public. The blue line along GeorgiaAvenue indicates the redesign of the streetas a special pedestrian-oriented shoppingand cultural district. The large purple circlesdesignate "zone portals," places with pylonsor gateways to mark the boundaries ofparticular districts.

Many parts of the area already have aspecial streetscape. For example, in Bloomingdale the scale of the street is intimate andcharming, enhanced by fine residentialarchitecture. The only improvements maybe to fix broken curbs or add street lights.In these areas, therefore, the design calls fora simple palette of standard materials: bricksidewalks, granite curbs and traditionalMartha Washington street lamps. Theseelements are used to "enhance life qualityand safety" and occur on all of the streetsnot otherwise designated.

REDEFINING COMMUNITYINITIATIVE

LEGEND

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CONCEPTUAL PLAN

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Weaving history into the fabric of the streetscape

CELEBRATING HISTORY

MAIN CONCEPTS

The first of the three gUiding themes, "Celebrating History," involves weaving history into thefabric of the streetscape to draw attention to the importance of the area in African-American cultureand intellectual life. Three "history walks" are described below:

T Street Jazz Walk at Howard Theatre

A short stretch of T Street between Georgia and Florida avenues will be designated as the "Jazz Walkat Howard Theatre." It will be a festival ground that can be closed off by gates from traffic on specialoccasions or left open to attract passersby, restaurant-goers and tourists.

• Special treatment reinforces'importance of the Howard Theatre as a cultural artifact• Jazz greats are honored: with statuary or special paving with plaques• Theatrical lighting in fro-ntof the theater becomes a beacon for activity• New vitality encourages use 6f siOewalks for outdoor cafe seating

LeDroit Park Walk' at Anna CQoper Circle

One of the District's first suburbs and now a federally designated historic site, LeDroit Park is hometo gabled Victorian houses and beautiful streets. This walking tour starts at T Street and FloridaAvenue and continues- down to Second Street.

• Tour comm.e~lJlorates -famous African Americans who once lived here• Granite (\ribbon of history" sidewalk mon~ment inlay points out historic residences• Important intersections, such as therelandscaped Anna Cooper Circle, become "places of honor"• Portals at each end of T Street, with bulb-outs at certain spots, reinforce pedestrian

nature of streets

Presidents' Walk at Howard University _

ixth Street bet\"'een W and Fairmont streets i the main campus thoroughfare. By designating it as"Presidents' Walk," the functional street becomes a tribut to thos academicians who shapedHowar,d UniversHy and the thou al~d of students whose lives they inspired.

• Designation creates a cohesiv Ilspimi" of Howard University by transforming it into apedestrian-oriented street

• Wider sidewalks and curb bulb-outs emphasize pedestrian use over street traffic• New z nes eliminate parking to leave a clear view of historic gates and fences• Banners new lighting and more trees give street an inviting feeling• Rede tgning buildinu entrances and courtyards provide students and faculty with

pleasant gathering places

•

..CELEBRATING HISTORY


is proposed. Decorative pylons atGeorgia Avenue, with artwork todepict particular musicians orperformers, support gates that couldbe closed for day festivals or eveningperformances. An expanse of concrete at Florida Avenue becomes adedicated "place of honor" tocommemorate a particular entertainer or the theater itself. Expandedsidewalks designed with patternedbands of concrete and specialstamped bricks or slabs will reinforce this tribute to importantAfrican-American entertainers.

DECORATIVE BRICKAT THEATER ENTRANCE

New "place of honor" with monument,seating, paving and shade trees

JAZZ WALK

Sidney Poitier in serious drama,Godfrey Cambridge and DickGregory in stand-up comedy andeven Sugar Ray Robinson as a songand-dance man.

The Howard Theatre's role in thepolitical life of African Americans isalso important. In 1919, HowardUniversity students rallied here tosupport the NAACP's anti-lynchingcrusade.

To honor the enduring importance of the Howard Theatre, aspecial palette of gates, markers,paving materials and street furniture

New traditional light posts

The Howa,d Thea'" opened in1912 and soon became a popularvenue for African-American entertainers. Racial barriers in whitetheaters meant that many black starsgot their starts here, performingbefore African-American audiences.

Musical entertainment was theHoward Theatre specialty, andnearly every major African-Americanentertainer of this century performedhere, from Duke Ellington and EllaFitzgerald in the 1930s to theSupremes and the Four Tops in the1960s. Other performers include

New "theatrical lighting"in front of theater

New special paving at entry torenovated Howard Theatre

Sidewalk design accommodatesoutdoor seating for restaurants

New "plaques of honor" in the sidewalks commemorate Howard Theatreand the history of jazz

SECTION OF STREET

PLAN OF STREET

New monumentalportals with gatesat head ofstreet

Dunbar Theater ---+'i-H+l""l+---

Curb bulb-outs tocreate a sense ofenclosure

CELEBRATING HISTORYHOWARD UNIVERSITY - LEDROIT PARK REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE

Lights Dimmed, Doors Locked

Looking east on T Street from Georgia Avenue

Lighting Up the Past

JAZZ WALK

•

CELEBRATING HISTORY

oregistered historic landmark. Whilebrochures and books describe itshistory, nothing in the physical environment depicts the events andpeople who gave the community itsimportance.

This streetscape plan calls for theredesign of T Street from FloridaAvenue to Second Street as anhistorical walk. New gates mark theintersections at each end. New sidewalks with brass plaques and specialstamped bricks describe the area'shouses and people.

One of the more intriguing earlyresidents of LeDroit Park was AnnaJulia Cooper. Born into slavery in1858, she was one of the firstAfrican-American women to graduate from Oberlin College. In 1906.she founded Freylinghuysen University, offering adult educationclasses to working blacks unable toattend school during the day. In1924, Ms. Cooper received a Ph.D.from the Sorbonne. She died in 1964at the age of 105. These draWingsdepict an enlarged and relandscapedAnna Cooper Circle with a statue orother type of memorial to honor thelife of this remarkable woman.

COMMEMORATIVE BRICK

LEDROfT PARK WALK

L,omlt PMk, ""bll'h'd In1873, was one of the earliestsuburban residential communitiesaround Washington, D.C. It wasbuilt as an all-white community anda fence separated it from HowardTown to the north, where blackslived. In 1893, LeDroit Park's firstAfrican-American resident, a barberat the U.S, Capitol, moved in. By1900, the development was substantially integrated, and had becomepredominantly African American bythe end of World War 1.

Throughout this transition,LeDroit Park retained its middleclass character, becoming the homeof prominent African-American educators, writers, lawyers, doctors, businessmen, clergy and government officials. Among them were U.S, SenatorEdward Brooke of Massachusetts;Benjamin O. Davies, the first AfricanAmerican to become a general in theArmy; poet Paul Dunbar, who wrote,"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"and Walter Washington, the firstmayor of Washington, D.C., electedunder home rule.

As a result of its early prominence, LeDroit Park is a federally

Brick Gutter

Streetlight

Tree Planter

Granite BronzeCommemorative Plaque

Running Band Brick

Granite Curb

DETAIL OF SIDEWALK

T Street N. W.

'---1---- Curb Extended 8' Beyond Existing

Flowering Trees

---......-- Brick Walk

--- Planted Verges (typ.)

----- Curb Romps Throughout

Flowering Trees and Bulb-Out Curbs formGates to Anna Cooper Circle


~'d"g'<e" (typ.)

Curb Bulb-Outs at Crosswalks

OVERALL PLAN INot to Scale)

HOWARD UNIVERSITY - lEDROIT PARK REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE

A Place in Name Only

Looking north on Third Street

Revealing History

CELEBRATING HISTORY

nn

LEDROfT PARK WALK

o

CELEBRATING HISTORY


PLAN OF STREET

PRESIDENTS' WALK

New entry court withseating areas to replaceexisting parking

New curb bulb-outs atCassell's historic gates

New lightingwith banners

New historical marker on

axis with walk opposite

Wider sidewalks

New courtyard design with seating,shade trees and historical marker

New curb bulb-outs atCassell's historic gates

AChitect Albert Cassell's beautiful gates mark the old westernboundary of the Howard Universitycampus. In the 60 years since thegates' construction, new campusbuildings have risen along the westside of the street. These newerbuildings and their relationship tothe landscape contrast markedlywith older parts of the campus. Theylack a cohesive architectural vocabulary, and their siting in a long rowalong the street lacks the charm ofHoward's landscaped grounds. Theresult is a patchwork of intentions,with the street acting as a servicealley rather than a major pedestrianthoroughfare of a great university.

SECTION AT NEW GATE

To integrate these disparate partsof the campus, Sixth Street isredesigned as a linear plaza fromFairmont Street on the north to WStreet on the south. Wider sidewalks, more traditional lighting andnew street trees line the street. Eliminating parking along the easternside of the street allows Cassell'sgates and fences to be fully visible.

A redesigned Miner Hall entranceand a relandscaped Frederick Douglass courtyard become new gathering areas for students, faculty andvisitors. "Places of honor" drawattention to the former presidents ofHoward University who shaped theuniversity and inspired students.

CELEBRATING HISTORYHOWARD UNIVERSITY - LEDROIT PARK REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE

A Street for Parking

Looking north on Sixth Street at Miner Hall

Reflecting History

PRESIDENTS' WALK

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REDEFINING COMMUNITY

MAIN CONCEPTS

Reinforcing the unique character of each zone

The second of the three guiding themes, "Redefining Community," involves reinforcing theunique character of each zone while strengthening the ties between neighborhoods and improvingtheir public amenities. The steps to achieving this are:

Reinforce Distinctive Features of the Area

• Strengthen Georgia Avenue as a pedestrian-friendly "Main Street" serving Howard Universityand neighboring communities

• Redesign LeDroit Park, Bloomingdale and Pleasant Plains as distinct residential areas• Enhance small-scale shopping areas• Reinforce the cultural district in the Florida AvenueIU Street area

Strengthen Ties Between Compatible Uses and Buffer Incompatible Ones

• Link Howard University's main campus with expanded areas and make the campus presencefelt on Georgia Avenue

• Tum the un~versity's "back doorll feeling at LeDroit Park to a "front door" atmosphere• Intensify the university's presence on the northern end of campus• Use landscaping, 'trees, walls, fenceS and portals to mark boundaries between different

uses or ZOnes and to sereen incompatible uses

Enrich Public Life

• Provide new publie amenities, such as parks, bike trails and playgrounds• Improve access to, anci creale a rnore inviting atmo phere around, McMillan Park• Build new park;s in abandoned lots OJ Fyblic areas

Florida Avenue at Sixth Street isthe entrance to the proud LeDroitPark community, but the largeexpanse of concrete and lack of landscaping does little to signal itsimport. To give residents "ownership" and take back the street fromobscurity, more greenery and betterlighting are added to this corner.Additional trees help it breathe and alow-scale wall separates the residential region beyond from the trafficof Florida Avenue. New "lanterngates" announce entry into LeDroitPark, with designated "places ofhonor" harking to the history of theneighborhood.

LEDROIT PARK WALK

New shade trees

Traditional light posts

Commemorative plaques in sidewalk describe historical eventsand people in LeDroit Park


Special paving with bollardsand seating at bulb-outs

Curb bulb-outs to slowtraffic and enclose thestreet at each end

PLAN OF STREET

SECTION AT NEW GATE

New "Lantern Gates" withsign announcing entry to

LeDroit Park


New "Place of Honor" with seating,shade, special paving and monumentdescribes history of LeDroit Park


No Man's Land I

I

Looking east on T Street from Florida Avenue

Placemaking


LEDROfT PARK WALK


HOWARD UNIVERSITY LEDROIT PARK REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE HOWARD UNIVERSITY AT GEORGIA AVENUE

STREET PLAN {Not to Scale}

Business School

InlillStreet Trees

BusStop/Shelter

SeatingArea

FloweringTrees

;J-""",,",'I L _.-lrI

Seating AreaOrnamentalPlantingsOverlook

Mordecai WyallJohn,on Building

Bus Stop

FloweringTrees

Banneker

Recreation Center

OrnamentalPlantings

schoal 01SocialWork

Bus Stopand Plaza

Curb Extended8' to EnlargeSidewalk(ParkingRemoved)

Engineering

~AthlelicField ?1J U

Inlill Brick w:;/k J

Slree,:..I btende 0 Lighting

Trees Curb Line (typ,)

Parking'

FloweringTrees

BusStop

Commercial

BUS STOP AND PEDESTRIAN PLAZA SECTION (Not to Scale) BUS STOP AND PEDESTRIAN PLAZA PLAN (Not to Scale)

loFill Sireel Tree'

Flowerjng T,.....

integrity, the streetscape planproposes to create a special zone onthose stretches of Georgia Avenuewhere the campus adjoins or, in thefuture, will cross it. Special paving,more trees and plantings and anemphasis on pedestrian use andsafety are ways to enhance the imageof the university and the communityat large.

A How"d Unlw"lty cxpand~ed south and west through theyears, it became increasingly difficultto maintain a sense of a cohesivecampus. Nowhere is this moreapparent than at Georgia Avenue, amajor regional road, where new facilities to the west are at risk of beingisolated from the main campus.

To maintain the sense of campusSIan.. Wall.and Step'Street

Trees

8rj~k

Walkway

Curb Ex/ended 8' 10

Enlarge Brick Sidewalk Omamental(Parking Removed) Planting,

~-- Wide Brick Sidewalks

Bus Stop

ControlledIntersection atCrosswalk


HOW A RDUN I V E RSIT Y - LED R0 I T PAR K REV I TALI Z A T ION I NIT I A T I V E H 0 WAR DUNIVERS ITY AT GE0 R GI A AVENU E

A Space to Pass Through Only

Looking south on Georgia Avenue at Howard Place

Making a Place for People


HOWARD UNIVERSITY - LEDROIT PARK REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE HOWARD TOWN CENTER

No Place for Students

Looking north on Georgia Avenue from Bryant Street

Meeting Friends

•REDEFINING COMMUNITY

HOWARD UNIVERSITY - LEDROIT PARK REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE NORTHGATE

PLAN OF STREET

ResidentialProperty

Campus Entry Signs

~---- Ornamental Plantings

..,,- Flowering Trees

~--flI------ Evergreen Screen Planting

Ornamental PlantingsParking

Brick Medians

Charles Drew Hall

Flowering Trees ----r

Brick Walks ----""""'--_-4

N onh of G",cne Stacitum, thesense of a cohesive campus disappears completely. Private homes some in good condition, others indisrepair - face campus parking lotsacross Hobart Street. Drivers onFourth Street see the underside ofbleachers and a steep, eroding slope.The first view of visitors to HowardUniversity entering from the north, atthe intersection of Fourth Street andColumbia Road, is an asphalt trafficisland and an open parking lot.

The streetscape plan proposesthat Howard University create a newgateway, one at the scale of themotorway, to signal its presencehere. One possibility is to design amodern version of one of Cassell'sgates. Like the refurbishment alongGeorgia Avenue, this simple gesturecould put a new, revitalized face onHoward University.

REDEFINING COMMUNITYHOWARD UNIVERSITY - LEDROIT PARK REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE

A Place of Anonymity

Looking west on Michigan Avenue at Fourth Street

Creating a Sense of Arrival and Departure

NORTHGATE

REDEFINING COMMUNITYHOWARD UNIVERSITY - LEDROIT PARK REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE SOUTHGATE

PLAN OF STREET

University signal its respect for theLeDroit community in a formal wayat the intersection of Wand Fourthstreets. A newly designed "Southgate" would be the university's frontdoor to LeDroit Park. As a counterbalance to Northgate farther up theroad, Southgate's pylons, landscaped retaining walls and bencheswould signal the beginning of theuniversity zone. This would alsoprovide a safer, better lighted pedestrian route from LeDroit Park to thecampus. Parking lots on either side,incompatible with a walking zone,would be screened.

Traditional style light post

PERSPECTIVE OF BENCH IN NICHE

[ower planterat benches

Walk extends tocurb at benches

M uoh of Howanl Unlv,,,lty',growth over the years has focusedon North LeDroit Park. As a result,the university's southern entrancehas become a characterless improvisation of abandoned homes, parkinglots and utility buildings. To the westare gates and monumental buildings,but here there are service alleysand utility zones. It is the university's "back door" that invites nowelcome and detracts from both theuniversity and the historic district ofLeDroit Park.

To counter this image, the streetscape plan proposes that Howard

Traditional style light posts

Flowering ground cover and perennials

Benches innichesMetered parking on street

Upper planter with dense evergreen shrubs

SECTION AT NEW GATE

New stairs and ramps

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Cluttered and Confusing

Looking north on Fourth Street

_0__ •• _.- __~<:-

Bringing Order to Streets

SOUTHGATE


PLAN OF PARK

McMILLAN PARK

MCMillan Re""'oi'. on"a beautiful park designed by Frederick Law Olmstead II, has beenclosed to the public since beforeWorld War II to protect theDistrict's fresh water supply. AlO-foot cyclone fence surrounds theproperty, the southern shore is linedwith several utility bUildings andparking lots and landscaping ispatchy. The image is more of aprison ground than a federally registered historic landmark.

SECTION AT BIKE TRAIL

The streetscape plan proposeshigher and better use of the assets ofthe reservoir area, while preservingpublic safety and security. Redesigning the fence so that it undulates with the terrain, relandscapingthe berms and perimeter andopening up certain areas for publicuse as a regional park would servethe public in important ways. Picnicgrounds, play fields, bike trails andan athletic training facility on thesouthern shore are all possibilities.

Entry Signage ---~4:.#'S . .t09

AeratorFountain

Bike/Pedestrian Trail

Entry Feature

Concessions/Restrooms

Amphitheater

Poet's Walk

Soccer Fields

Open Field

Tot Lot

IU.ll----- Tennis Courts

.Q-II------ Picnic Area withPlayground

Entry Steps


Inaccessible Terrain

Looking east on Channing Street

Founding a Linear Park

McMILLAN PARK


Forgotten Sanctuary

On the shore of McMillan Reservoir

Rediscovering a Playground

McMILLAN PARK

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ENHANCING LIFE QUALITY & SAFETY

MAIN CONCEPTS

Restoring basic infrastructure and improving safety

The final guiding theme of this streetscape design plan is "Enhancing Life Quaiityand Safety." This will be achieved by restoring the area's basic infrastructure andimproving real, as well as perceived, safety concerns. Physical improvements are two-fold:

Rep3:ir Infrastructure

~ Repair or replace broken or missing sidewalks, curbs and gutters• Provide new trees to enhance tree canopy.• Install new tree boxes and landscape strips.'e. Build bus shelters and other amenities for pedestrians and shoppers

Improve Safety

• Provide informative signage and off-street location maps~ Improve lighting by additional light posts and better placement• Create safety zones with pavement treatment along major pedestrian paths• SlowlrMfic in residential areas by using curb bulb-outs and narrowing

sfreet~ where possible• Extend Howard University's emergency "blue phone" system

Special paving with bollardsand seating at bulb-outs

deficiencies and inconsistencies.New curb bulb-outs, particularly onside streets and at intersections, willslow traffic and give the streets asense of enclosure. Security will beenhanced by adding traditionalstyle Martha Washington lightposts, spaced approXimately 50 feetapart. Street trees will be placed atregular intervals to improve a senseof visual continuity and aestheticappeaL New sidewalks will replacebroken ones.

These important but simplechanges will significantly improvethe aesthetic appeal of these neighborhoods, making residents andvisitors feel more secure.

New street trees

TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL STREET

existing streetscape ofLeDroit Park, Bloomingdale andPleasant Plains has been neglectedin many ways. This has led to realand perceived security concernsfor homeowners, pedestrians andmotorists commuting through theregion. Concerns include insufficientlighting, broken sidewalks, missingcurbs, traffic moving too fast forconditions and too-few stop signs.Sporadically placed street trees addto the feeling of overall disharmony.Sidewalks lack a cohesive designand are patched with a collection ofvarious materials.

The master streetscape plan hasbeen designed to eliminate these


Curb bulb-outsat mid-block toslow traffic

STREET SECTION


PLAN OF STREET


HOW A RDUN I V E RSIT Y - LED R0 I T PA RK REV I TAL I Z A T ION I NIT I A T I V E TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL STREET

Abandoned Houses, Abandoned Streets

Looking west on U Street

Giving New Life to Streets

harmony, and creates in them avibrant rhythm for each differentactivity zone - commercial/retail,hospital or university.

This design enhances a sense ofsecurity by the addition of MarthaWashington light posts and theemergency blue phone "call box"system. The streetscape plan createsa sense of unity with sidewalk materials, achieves a sense of public scalewith the sidewalk pattern design,adds seasonal variety with flowerand landscape rotation and makesthe area greener by adding streettrees in tree grates.

New bench

TYPICAL COMMERCIAL STREET

U ,ban wmm",ial ,trcc" a"the playgrounds of pedestrians andthey have their own rhythm.Commercial streets do more than giveus a convenient place to shop,commute to work or locate our businesses. They are places to meetpeople, to have chance encountersand to give one's daily life a socialrichness. Streets, by their appeal andamenities, reveal the state of an area'shealth to the extended community.

The commercial streets in thisproject area, like the residentialstreets, are in a state of disrepair. Thenew streetscape restores them to

DETAIL OF SIDEWALK

ENHANCING LIFE QUALITY

New brick and concretesidewalks between intersection

New curb


New traditional light posts

New shade trees

PLAN OF STREET

SECTION OF STREET

New banners

Arriving Home to a New Community


An Uninviting Threshold

Looking north on Georgia Avenue at S Street

ENHANCING LIFE QUALITY

SHAW-HoWARD UNIVERSITY METRO STATION

howard unviersity-ledroit park revitalizaiton

Documents