PRESS RELEASE: BID Announces 2015 Momentum Award Winners; Ashok Bajaj Person of the Year

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Tues. December 3, 2015

Washington, D.C. – The Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) on Thursday morning announced their slate of 2015 Momentum Award winners including restaurateur Ashok Bajaj.

“Ashok Bajaj is an award-winning restaurateur many times over and we are proud to recognize him tonight as Downtown Person of the Year,” said BID Executive Director Neil O. Albert. “Ashok’s four Downtown restaurants have helped secure DowntownDC’s reputation as a destination restaurant haven, elevating the local dining scene and supporting the Downtown economy and community.”

Bajaj’s Knightsbridge Restaurant Group owns and operates eight restaurants in D.C. including four restaurants in Downtown: 701 Restaurant; Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca; nopa Kitchen + Bar; and Rasika.

Bajaj is one of seven award winners who will be honored Thursday night at the DowntownDC BID Momentum Awards (#bidstars15), held at the Carnegie Library. This annual event honors people, projects and partnerships that stood out for their ability to enrich Downtown over the past year.

This year’s celebration will include a donut bar from Poste Brasserie, a hotel room setup from Hotel Monaco, Glo Bocce with the DC Bocce League, a mock parklet from Carr Workplaces, music from Crush Funk Brass band and exhibits upstairs staffed by the Historical Society of Washington DC. The complete list of award winners is as follows:

Downtown Person of the Year

Ashok Bajaj, restaurateur and owner of Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, for elevating the Downtown dining experience with 701 Restaurant, Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca, nopa Kitchen + Bar and Rasika

Downtown Experience of the Year

The BEACH exhibit from the National Building Museum, for offering a truly unique and memorable summer experience for the whole family and drawing 182,000 visitors to

Downtown Public Sector Person, Project or Program of the Year

John P. Thomas, Chief Performance Officer for the District Department of Transportation, for his work recreating and cultivating the Urban Forestry Administration and setting a high standard for supporting the city’s green infrastructure

Private Sector Person, Project or Program of the Year

Prequel by EquityEats, for a creative and innovative use of vacant space Downtown and fostering support for local chefs and restaurateurs in addition to establishing a new entertainment venue in Downtown

Partnership or Program of the Year

Dance of the Cranes for providing a unique and captivating event for the Downtown community July 15 made possible by many partners- Capital Fringe, artist Brandon Vickerd, Gould Property Company, Oxford Properties Group, Clark Construction, Miller & Long and the National Park Service

Downtown Detail

CityCenterDC’s Water Features by Hines for beautifying Downtown with details that evoke nature and peacefulness in Downtown’s outdoor space

Visionary Award

Bob Vogel, National Park Service Regional Director, for his leadership in the effort to reimagine and transform Downtown’s largest green space: the National Park Service’s Franklin Park

About the DowntownDC BID

The DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) is a private non-profit organization that provides capital improvements, resources and research to help diversify the economy and enhance the Downtown experience for all. This special district, where property owners have agreed to tax themselves to fund services, encompasses a 138-block area of approximately 520 buildings from Massachusetts Avenue on the north to Constitution Avenue on the south, and from Louisiana Avenue on the east to 16th Street on the west. As a catalyst, facilitator and thought leader, the DowntownDC BID promotes public/private partnerships to create a remarkable urban environment. For more information, visit DowntownDC.org or follow us on Twitter @downtowndcbid.