‘Great Streets’ Grants Available To Van Ness Businesses

by William Sitig
ANC 3F Van Ness Vision Committee

“Great Streets” is the mayor’s multi-year, multi-agency commercial revitalization initiative to transform emerging corridors across the District into thriving and inviting neighborhood centers. Connecticut Avenue, NW, is one of only eleven “Great Street Corridors” in the District identified for revitalization and thus eligible for funding for transformation and improvement.

Our ANC 3F Vision Committee has seized the opportunity to encourage the businesses located between Van Ness and Albemarle streets to apply for a Great Streets grant. A grant, which can be as high as $85,000, is to be used to support business improvement plans, such as renovating an existing facility, making façade improvements, or investing in equipment upgrades.

As the deadline for submission of grant applications is Monday, Feb. 17th, members of our ANC’s Van Ness Vision Committee will be visiting our local eligible businesses in the next week to alert them to this grant opportunity and provide information about the program and the procedures for applying for a grant.

This is just but one of several exciting initiatives of the Van Ness Vision Committee, which is composed of neighborhood residents appointed by ANC 3F. We’re working together to improve the streetscape and retail appeal of businesses in the Van Ness/Forest Hills area of Connecticut Avenue.

For further information about the Great Streets program or other initiatives of the Vision Committee, you may contact Mary Beth Ray, chair of the Vision Committee and commissioner for ANC 3F03, at marybethray@verizon.net. Also, please contact Commissioner Ray if you know a business on the Avenue that might be interested.