Investigating a healthy living habitat

Field Notes – September 10, 2017

Aaron Fettgather

Ivy City – Investigating a healthy living habitat

Ivy City is filled with warehouses, narrow sidewalks (and in some places, no sidewalks), and lacks landscaping. Because of this, much of the area has a grey, concrete feeling. When capital projects are complete, it appears they have taken some effort to incorporate greenery. Ivy City isn’t a pedestrian-friendly area. At present, the area does not have public space, outdoor venues, or places intended for public interaction. There is a high crime rate, with many people loitering and sleeping on the sidewalks. Ward 5 development plans do have a community center project on the books. The location will be where the former Crummell School is, in the center of Ivy City.

It appears that some attempts have been made to keep existing structures, as investments continue in the area. For example, Hecht’s Warehouse was converted into an apartment building; the exterior and water tower structures were kept. For new housing developments where exterior structures are not kept, the approach has generally been to keep the same height and similar style (albeit modernized) of the row houses that are currently there.

There are a number of capital projects underway, which are designed to bring a commercial strip. After speaking with a local community member, I learned that the construction project will be a series of “boutique shops.”

Rents have increased over 20% from 2011 to 2015. This is likely due to the investment in the community which likely has started pushing original residents out.