DC’s Department of Small & Local Business Development is soliciting applications from nonprofit organizations to manage a Clean Team for the South Dakota Avenue/Riggs Road NE corridor. Applications are due July 13, 2018.

Most of the corridor as defined in the request for applications is located in Riggs Park:

• South Dakota Avenue from Galloway Street to Riggs Road;
• Riggs Road from the train tracks to Chillum Place NE; and
• 3rd Street NW from Rittenhouse to Sheridan Street NW (Manor Park)

This will be really great for the neighborhood because we have civic assets such as the community college, DOES, and local library, as well as beautiful federal parkland and a major metro station. The objectives of the clean team are:

• Improve commercial district appearance to help increase foot traffic, and consequently, opportunity for customer sales.
• Provide jobs for DC residents.
• Reduce litter, graffiti, and posters, which contribute to the perception of an unsafe commercial area.
• Maintain a healthy tree canopy, including landscaping, along the corridor.
• Support Sustainable DC goals by recycling, mulching street trees, using eco-friendly supplies, and reducing stormwater pollution generated by DC’s commercial districts.

DSLBD is also accepting applications from nonprofit organizations to operate a Main Streets program for the corridor (same boundaries as for the clean team). That deadline is August 3, 2018. The Main Streets program is important because it provides support for existing small and local businesses and helps to attract the kinds of small and local businesses that neighborhoods really need to thrive. The purpose of the Main Streets grant is to “assist business districts retention, expansion and attraction of neighborhood-serving retail stores and unify and strengthen the commercial corridor.” Ideally in the future the Main Street operator would manage the Clean Team as well.

We previously posted about the Vibrant Retail Streets initiative for the neighborhood. Part of creating vibrant retail streets is providing local investment. These Clean Team and Main Street efforts really demonstrate the kind of local investment necessary to help attract sustainable retail for the corridor. More local investment is necessary (streetscape improvements, repaved roads, sidewalk replacement, undergrounding power lines along the entire corridor, and funding for better utilization of parkland and public spaces), but these efforts are appreciated as well.