Pennsylvania Avenue (NW) and Adams Morgan Designated Great Places in America by the American Planning Association

From a press release:

“The American Planning Association (APA) today announced that Adams Morgan has earned the designation as one of the 10 Great Neighborhoods in America, and Pennsylvania Avenue has earned the designation as one of the 10 Great Streets for 2014.

APA’s Great Streets, Great Neighborhoods and Great Public Spaces feature unique and authentic characteristics that have evolved from years of thoughtful and deliberate planning by residents, community leaders and planners.

“Recognizing these special places highlights the role planning plays in adding value to communities,” said William Anderson, FAICP, president of APA. “Planners, working with others, help build better communities in a variety of settings, from urban to rural; the result – better neighborhoods, cities, and regions. We applaud these efforts and congratulate this year’s designees.”

Since Great Places in America was launched in 2007, APA has designated 230 neighborhoods, streets and public spaces. Places are announced annually and represent the gold standard in terms of having a true sense of place, cultural and historical interest, community involvement, and a vision for tomorrow.

New this year, APA is seeking input from the public for the “31^st Great Place Designee.” Interested citizens can nominate their Great Place by commenting on APA’s Facebook page or via Twitter using hashtag #mygreatplace.  The “31^st Great Place Designee” will be announced on Friday, October 31, 2014.

PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE in WASHINGTON, D.C.

Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., is often called “America’s Main Street” due to its symbolic role in the country’s development. Since the first inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue in 1805 to celebrate Thomas Jefferson’s second inauguration, Pennsylvania Avenue has been the site of many historic events, including presidential inaugurations, state funerals, protests, marches and celebrations. Pennsylvania Avenue has also served as the backdrop for the fights for workers’ rights, women’s suffrage and civil rights. The original L’Enfant Plan in 1791 called for Pennsylvania Avenue to serve as a one-mile “grand avenue” to connect the “Congress House” to the “Presidential Palace.” While the visual connection between the White House and the Capitol was interrupted by the construction of the Treasury Building, the view of the Capitol has been preserved and enhanced by the buildings on either side, which are significantly set back from the street. Today, Pennsylvania Avenue contains a mix of civic spaces, public buildings, monuments, parks, local government, residences, hotels, theaters and museums. To learn more click here.

ADAMS MORGAN in WASHINGTON, D.C.

Adams Morgan is a vibrant neighborhood in northwest Washington, D.C., known for its historic row houses, lively nightlife and cultural diversity. The international shops, restaurants, annual festivals, weekly farmers markets and nightlife draw visitors from all over the District and its suburbs, particularly on weekends. The neighborhood is incredibly pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly, particularly with the completion of the Streetscape Project in 2012. This 17-month, $6.8 million project upgraded public spaces and infrastructure, widened sidewalks for pedestrians, added shared bike lanes, planted 59 new trees, installed 71 new bike racks, installed new outdoor globe lighting, improved pedestrian crosswalks for safety and made other critical infrastructure improvements. Adams Morgan contains approximately 700 historic properties, and the D.C. Office of Planning’s Comprehensive Plan in 2006 reiterated the District’s commitment to protecting the neighborhood’s defining row house fabric and architectural character. To lean more click here.

In addition to Pennsylvania Avenue and Adams Morgan in Washington, DC being designated a Great Street and a Great Neighborhood respectively, the following nine other streets and nine other neighborhoods were also recognized:

STREETS:

5^th and 6^th AVENUES at PORTLAND TRANSIT MALL in PORTLAND, OREGON

The Portland Transit Mall in Portland, Oregon, is a 1.2 mile couplet of one-way streets – 5th and 6th Avenues – that lie at the cultural and economic center of Portland. To learn more click here.

25th STREET in OGDEN, UTAH

25th Street in Ogden, Utah, serves as the town’s commercial thoroughfare and features the most complete contiguous selection of turn-of-the-century commercial architecture in the state. To learn more click here.

BROADWAY IN NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

The 14-mile stretch of Broadway in New York City cuts across the city’s grid system, creating a series of Squares – Union Square, Madison Square, Herald Square and Times Square among them – which have unique personalities, define neighborhoods and remain centers of activity day and night. To learn more click here.

CENTRAL AVENUE in HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS

Central Avenue is the main thoroughfare of downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas, which is named after the naturally thermal spring waters that flow from the ground at an average temperature of 143° F. To learn more click here.

CLEMATIS STREET in WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA

The shops and restaurants that occupy the ground floor spaces in the historic buildings along Clematis Street in West Palm Beach, Florida, serve as the dining, retail and entertainment options for the startup businesses, small tech companies, creative office industries, and artists that occupy the spaces above. To learn more click here.

CONGRESS STREET in PORTLAND, MAINE

Congress Street in Portland, Maine, serves as the city’s primary east-west commercial and transportation axis. To learn more click here.

KING STREET in CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

King Street in Charleston, South Carolina, is the spine of this historic city, connecting Charleston Harbor to uptown. To learn more click here.

MAIN STREET in SAG HARBOR, NEW YORK

First established in 1745, four years before it was selected over New York City to become the first U.S. official port of entry, Main Street in Sag Harbor, New York, is a nine-block, cosmopolitan meeting place for village officials, business owners, residents and visitors going to work, doing errands, shopping, getting coffee, eating or simply people-watching. To learn more click here.

STATE STREET in SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA

State Street has served as the social, economic and cultural center of Santa Barbara, California, and the southern coast for over 150 years. To learn more click here.

In addition to Adams Morgan in Washington, DC being designated a great neighborhood, the following nine other neighborhoods were also recognized:

NEIGHBORHOODS

ARBOR HILL in ALBANY, NEW YORK

Home to three historic districts, Arbor Hill in Albany, New York has a number of historic buildings scattered throughout its hill-top neighborhood, including structures from the war hero Henry Johnson and the Stephen and Harriet Myers House for the Underground Railroad. Click here to learn more.

CENTRAL WEST END in ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

The 112-block Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri, features a European-vibe that includes sidewalk cafes, restaurants, boutiques, museums, and popular visitor attractions between Forest Park and the University of St. Louis. Click here to learn more.

FIELDS CORNER in DORCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS

Fields Corner in Dorchester, a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, is home to a large Vietnamese-American population that influences the array of cultural shops and restaurants along its commercial corridor. Click here to learn more.

THE FAN DISTRICT in RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
The Fan, a neighborhood adjacent to downtown Richmond, Virginia with one of the largest collections of intact Victorian homes from the early 20th Century, gets its name from the way certain streets physically fan westward from Monroe Park to the Boulevard. Click here to learn more.

FREMONT in SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

The self-proclaimed “Center of the Universe,” Fremont in Seattle, Washington, is a 215-acre urban village located along the canal that links Lake Union to Salmon Bay.  Click here to learn more.

GREATER BELHAVEN in JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

The eclectic mix of architecture in the two historic neighborhoods that comprise Greater Belhaven stems from the early 20th century, when wealthy business owners built mansions and encouraged their employees and civic servants to build cottages and bungalows nearby, often offering personal financial assistance. Click here to learn more.

LA ALMA/LINCOLN PARK in DENVER, COLORADO

La Alma/Lincoln Park in Denver, Colorado, is a mixed-use neighborhood at the heart of Denver well-known for its Hispanic and Latino heritage. Click here to learn more.

UPTOWN in OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

Uptown in Oakland, California, has experienced significant revitalization over the last 15 years. Already home to numerous historic performance venues, the neighborhood has seen many underutilized lots transform into an arts and entertainment district. Click here to learn more.

VICTORIAN DISTRICT in SAVANNAH, GEORGIA

Immediately south of Savannah, Georgia’s National Landmark Historic District is its Victorian District, a downtown neighborhood developed in the second half of the 19th century as a streetcar suburb of the original city. Click here to learn more.“