Preserving the Character of the Woodridge Commercial Corridor

The Washington, DC neighborhood of Woodridge developed in the early twentieth century as a streetcar suburb on the northeast edge of the city. A vibrant commercial corridor was established along Rhode Island Avenue NE to support the growing population. While the corridor has many of the architectural features of a thriving streetscape, it is struggling economically. The city recognizes the corridor as a valuable asset and has recommended redevelopment and reuse of the older building stock, streetscape improvements, and compatible infill; however preservation is not appropriately addressed in the planning documentation. The goals of this study are to document the history of the corridor in order to fully understand its historic value and to recommend preservation tools to protect the historic character while promoting the economic development goals of the city.