Local leaders celebrated improvements to the public realm and kicked off a series of culturally rich events while announcing initiatives that intensify efforts to expand global recognition of Pennsylvania Avenue west of the White House as a global corridor for travelers. business, innovation and connection.
Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID) President Leona Agouridis was joined by Mayor Muriel Bowser, DC Office of Planning Director Anita Cozart, DC Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, artist My Ly Design and others for the event at Edward R. Murrow Park.
The group celebrated the reopening of the adjacent Penn Ave park as Golden Triangle unveiled Chroma, new shade structures created by local artist My Ly Design. 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 of respite and gathering. The installation was made possible through the DC Office of Planning’s Streets for People grant program. 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 to attract people, vitality and revenue to the heart of the city, aligning with Mayor Bowser’s Return to DC Plan. Recommendations to develop a global marketplace, attract and retain businesses, strengthen arts and culture, and improve the public realm are included as important parts of the Center’s recent Action Plan.
“We know that when we have a thriving, bustling downtown, it benefits our entire city,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “We are grateful for partners like the Golden Triangle BID who are creating great public art and cultural opportunities and giving people more reasons to be downtown. “We will continue to invest in programs and public spaces that make downtown DC a great place to live, work, visit and do business.”
“The World Bank, the IMF, the EU and many more international institutions are located within a few blocks of each other here on Pennsylvania Avenue, west of the White House,” Agouridis said. “This is an ideal location for global connections and we have now launched a soft landing program to make it easier for international companies and entrepreneurs to establish and grow their presence in DC.”
The Washington, DC Global Soft Landing Initiative is a collaborative effort between the Washington DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP), the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), the Golden Triangle BID, the Washington DC Equity and Innovation District Penn West (Penn West), George Washington University and The Build Fellowship of Open Avenues. The program is designed to help international companies navigate the complexities of establishing a presence in the U.S. and will help grow DC as a center for business creation and international business activity.
Agouridis added that the Golden Triangle is deliberately incorporating improvements in the arts, programming and public realm that reflect the international character of the neighborhood. He pointed to the transformation of this iconic space along Pennsylvania Avenue, which sits among a cluster of international institutions with a bird’s eye view at the nexus of Penn West and ripe for the construction of major streetscape improvements.
The park and other Golden Triangle programs to reimagine outdoor spaces aim to encourage more visitors to stay and enjoy the environment when they come to visit or work in DC’s evolving central business district.
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