Celebrating the unique urban experience and the people, projects and places that make it happen, DowntownDC BID will honor this year’s winners of the 2013 Momentum Awards on Thursday, December 5th from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Business owners, developers, city officials, partner organizations and residents will come together at the Carnegie Library (801 K Street) to salute these Downtown visionaries:
Downtown Person-of-the-Year – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) serves as a constant champion for Downtown revitalization. This year she completed a tireless 15-year effort to have the General Services Administration launch the Old Post Office redevelopment, partnering with the Trump Organization. The new luxury hotel plans to open in late 2015.
Public Sector – U.S. General Services Administration
General Services Administration (GSA) continues the massive modernization project for the Herbert C. Hoover Building, a national historic landmark and home to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Plans put environmental sustainability at the forefront, and include pedestrian-friendly upgrades for a more inviting streetscape.
Private Sector – Hotel Monaco
Designated a showcase project in the Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge, the historic hotel building underwent $1.8 million in energy efficiency upgrades. The changes led to annual energy savings of 21 percent and annual cost savings approaching 40 percent. General Manager Ed Virtue lives the sustainability message, biking 30 miles to work and even leading cycle tours for hotel guests with loaner bikes available for their use.
Program/Partnership – George Washington University’s Cheney Cardiovascular Institute
By donating seven automated external defibrillators (AED) to the DowntownDC BID, George Washington University’s Cheney Cardiovascular Institute helped promote the safety of Downtown workers, visitors and residents who might experience sudden cardiac arrest, the nation’s leading cause of death. The generous donation was made to the BID’s Publically Accessible AED Program, contingent on our Safety/Hospitality and Maintenance employees (SAMs) taking a CPR course and learning how to use the AEDs.
District Department of the Environment (DDOE) – Smarter Business Challenge
The District’s Department of the Environment (DDOE) piloted the successful DC Smarter Business Challenge, in collaboration with the DowntownDC BID’s ecoDistrict. The program helps Downtown businesses and buildings identify and implement smart sustainability measures in areas such as waste reduction, energy efficiency, transit access, water management, procurement, and other matters where business sense and sustainability priorities intersect.
Landmark Development Project – Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies
At the light-filled new space housing Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies, students connect working and learning in the heart of Downtown. Offering full-time and part-time flexible enrollment options, evening classes, supportive academic services and top educators, “Georgetown Downtown” brings to life a re-imagined educational experience.
Downtown Detail – Zaytinya’s sidewalk café refresh
Zaytinya’s new canopies arch gracefully over the outdoor seating area, connecting the sidewalk experience to the building’s glass-walled façade. An inviting spot to dine and drink day or night, the softly lit space surrounded by birch trees further enhances this attractive eatery and enlivens the Downtown streetscape.
Downtown Experience – Martin Luther King, Jr. Library – Digital Commons
The fab tech lab opened its doors to the public this year on the ground floor of the light-filled Martin Luther King Jr. Library. The free programs and state-of-the-art computers are popular with both novices and pros. Spiffy extras like glass-walled conference rooms, smart boards, a 3D printer, and a book printing press are complemented by smart, friendly staff ready to help visitors experience the wonder of it all. The Dream Lab’s start-up incubator services complete the rosy picture for the digital-forward future of DC’s biggest library.