About Barracks Row Main Street

Mission & Vision Statement

Our Mission
The mission of Barracks Row Main Street is to revitalize 8^th Street SE as a vibrant commercial corridor reconnecting Capitol Hill to the Anacostia River using historic preservation and the arts as economic development tools and benefiting the broadest possible local community.

Our Vision Statement
Our vision for Barracks Row is to create a vibrant business district steeped in history. The gateways to the business district invite customers into the first major commercial street of the old Federal City.  The arts come alive on 8^th Street SE with beautifully landscaped open spaces that are hubs of artistic expression.  Musical and theatrical events abound on the street and in the pocket parks for all to enjoy, and local artisans sell their wares in numerous stores and fairs.  Eighth Street SE has a thriving nightlife scene, with many restaurants and music clubs that are enjoyed by patrons in a safe and clean environment.

Eighth Street SE offers a unique, pedestrian-friendly shopping experience.  A wide range of goods and services are available to a diverse group of customers.  The commercial district is easily accessible by Metro rail, bus, roads, and interstate highways.  The United States Marines Corps, The United States Navy, and the community come together on historic Barracks Row.

Business is booming on 8^th Street SE, an award-winning model for community revitalization.  It is a destination with a rich past, a bountiful present, and a bright future!

Program Highlights

History
Eighth Street, SE, also known as Barracks Row, was the first commercial center in Washington DC because of a natural harbor in the Anacostia River named St. Thomas Bay. In 1799, the Navy Yard located next to that harbor, and in 1801, Thomas Jefferson selected the site of 8^th and I Streets as the first post for the Marine Corps because of its close proximity to the Navy Yard and U.S. Capitol, in case it needed protecting.

The neighborhood flourished for years as Washington developed. But after WWII, jobs were lost in the Navy Yard as ammunition production ceased. In 1955, suburban flight began to erode many neighborhoods throughout the District of Columbia. Then in 1962, the SE Freeway – a raised highway – was constructed over 8^th Street, bisecting Washington’s oldest commercial corridor. The final straw was in 1968 when Washington residents were sent into a panic with the MLK riots. Many neighborhood commercial districts were set on fire, but Barracks Row experienced only looting.  The National Guard was called in to quell the riots, but many shop owners closed up never to return.

Eighth Street struggled and there were a few attempts to revitalize the area, including a plan to make Barracks Row a pedestrian mall to combat the lure of shopping malls in the 1970s. In the early 1990s, 8^th Street merchants banded together to create the Barracks Row Business Alliance to revitalize the area, and some progress was made through the business association.

Then in 1998, the Shakespeare Theater bought the abandoned Oddfellows Building – the tallest and grandest structure on Barracks Row, restored the exterior, and renovated the interior for administrative offices and a classical acting academy. This was the first major building renovation in the neighborhood in recent memory, and the first step toward bringing the arts to Barracks Row. This $2 million project provided hope for this long-forgotten corridor.

The Barracks Row Business Alliance, along with key citizens, sought out the help of the National Main Street Center in 1999 and created Barracks Row Main Street to capitalize on the historic assets in the neighborhood. Three years later, DC Main Streets was formed by the District of Columbia’s Office of Economic Development, and BRMS was selected as one of the first five official DC Main Streets programs.

BRMS worked with the DC Department of Transportation to create a comprehensive, urban streetscape. It included additional parking, public transportation analysis, waste water run-off, urban forestry, and a lighting to create a pedestrian-friendly and ecologically smart urban corridor that would blend in with historic Capitol Hill. (Barracks Row lies within the Capitol Hill Historic District.) DC DOT completed the $8.5 million streetscape in December of 2003.

In the spring of 2003, the Capitol Hill BID began clean and safe services to commercial areas of Capitol Hill, including Barracks Row, making this area one of the safest in Washington, thanks to strong police relations, involved citizens and merchants, revitalizing 8^th Street, and the BID patrols.

Through all these things, the change has been miraculous.  Since 1999, there have been 51 facades restored; 40 signs replaced through private dollars; 43 net new businesses have opened, including business expansion through 12 new outdoor cafes; an addition of 198 net new jobs have been created; 3 new traditional buildings have been constructed; a self-guided history trail was recently installed to interpret the neighborhood, and one streetscape reconstruction costing $8.5 million has been completed. The total amount of public and private funds reinvested in the community has been $19 million.  Because of our success, BRMS won the 2005 Great American Main Street Awards from the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street Center!

Eighth Street has come a long way since Barracks Row Main Street began. Today, residents, daytime workers, and tourists enjoy the 20 charming retailers, 26 restaurants and taverns, and countless services that meet all their needs on historic Barracks Row.

Board of Directors

Officers:
President: Tip Tipton
Treasurer: John Gordon
Secretary: Susan Perry
General Council: Alan P. Dye, Esq.

Executive Committee:
Denise D’Amour
John Gordon
Marge Francese
Susan Perry
Tip Tipton

Directors:
Patti Brosmer
Chuck Burger
Julia Christian
Denise D’Amour, Chair Merchants Committee
Don Denton
Alan P. Dye, Esq.
Amanda Edwards, Chair Design Committee
Marge Francese, Chair Government Relations Committee
Peter Gallagher
Jon Genderson
John Gordon
Debra Keats, Chair Promotions Committee
Maurice Kreindler
Erin Mara
David Perry
Susan Perry
Drew Scallan
Michael Stevens
Tip Tipton
Jim Wright, Chair Economic Development Committee

Staff
James Dalpee, Executive Director
Sharon Bosworth, Events & Marketing Manager

Partner Agencies and Organizations
Arcana Foundation
Barracks Row Business Alliance
Bridges to Friendship
Capitol Hill Business Improvement District
Capitol Hill Community Foundation
Capitol Hill Restoration Society
CHAMPs
Cultural Tourism DC
DC Department of Transportation
DC Marketing Center
Fannie Mae Foundation
Hill Rag
Jovid Foundation
KidSafe
Office of Planning, Historic Preservation Office
ReStore DC
The Shakespeare Theatre
Strive DC
United States Marine Corps
United States Navy
Voice of the Hill
Washington Gas

 
Volunteer!
Volunteer your time and talents to make Barracks Row a thriving destination.  To volunteer, click Here!  

 
Map of 8^th Street, SE - Barracks Row