DC’s Department of Housing and Community Development is moving to Anacostia, to a site about eight blocks from the Metro, in an effort to revitalize the area. Richard Layman thought this was a mistake in 2005 when officials suggested moving WMATA headquarters to Anacostia, and argues that the 1986 Reeves Center at 14th and U doesn’t get credit for U Street’s success. (Plus, the Reeves Center is another example of bad urbanism, with an empty plaza and big garage entrances on the outside, and everything turned inward away from the street.)

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Tagged: anacostia, dc, development, east of the river, u street

David Alpert created Greater Greater Washington in 2008 and was its executive director until 2020. He formerly worked in tech and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco Bay, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He lives with his wife and two children in Dupont Circle.