D.C.’s International Corridor Gets a Fun Makeover

Local leaders celebrated public realm enhancements and kicked off a series of culturally rich events while announcing initiatives that intensify efforts to expand worldwide recognition of Pennsylvania Avenue west of the White House as a global corridor for business, innovation, and connection.

Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID) President Leona Agouridis joined Mayor Muriel Bowser, DC Office of Planning Director Anita Cozart, DC Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, artist My Ly Design, and others for the event in Edward R. Murrow Park.

The group celebrated the reopening of the adjacent Penn Ave pocket park as the Golden Triangle presented Chroma, new shade structures created by local artist My Ly Design. The triangular canopies cast colorful shadows and are anchored by concrete benches where people can sit.

My Ly Design created the structures to transform the space into a place for respite and gathering. The installation was made possible by the Streets for People grant program under the DC Office of Planning. This program seeks to support economic recovery and celebrate DC’s diverse culture by attracting people to a vibrant area of activated blocks, sidewalks, streets, and parks.

Agouridis and other District leaders have been at the forefront of initiatives to identify new ways of bringing people, vibrancy, and revenue into the heart of the city aligning with Mayor Bowser’s DC Comeback Plan. Recommendations to develop a global marketplace, attract and keep businesses, strengthen arts and culture, and enhance the public realm are included as important parts of the recent Downtown Action Plan.

“We know that when we have a thriving and bustling Downtown, that benefits our entire city,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “We’re grateful for partners like the Golden Triangle BID that are creating outstanding public art and cultural opportunities and giving people more reasons to be downtown. We’re going to continue investing in the programs and public spaces that make Downtown DC a great place to live, work, visit, and do business.”

“The World Bank, IMF, EU, and many more international institutions are within a few blocks of each other here on Pennsylvania Avenue west of the White House,” said Agouridis. “This is an ideal spot for global connections and now we’ve launched a soft landing program to make it easier for international businesses and entrepreneurs to establish and grow their presence in DC.”

The Washington, DC Global Soft Landing initiative is a collaborative effort among the Washington DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP), the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), the Golden Triangle BID, the Penn West Equity and Innovation District (Penn West), The George Washington University, and The Build Fellowship by Open Avenues. The program is designed to assist international companies navigate the complexities of establishing a US presence and will help grow DC as a hub for international startup and business activity.

Agouridis added that the Golden Triangle is deliberately bringing in arts, programming, and public realm enhancements that reflect the international character of the neighborhood. She pointed to the transformation of this iconic space along Pennsylvania Avenue, which is set among a bird’s eye cluster of international institutions at the nexus of Penn West and construction-ready for major streetscape improvements.

The park and other programs by the Golden Triangle to reimagine outdoor spaces are intended to encourage more visitors to linger and enjoy the environment when they come to visit or work in DC’s evolving central business district.

Fray Writer