Columbia Heights

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An asterisk * indicates a project that is in progress. Nonprofit partner is indicated in parenthesis.
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2008 Investments

*1460 Columbia Rd., NW
CARECEN helped the tenants purchase their 146 unit apartment building and are now in the process of renovating the units. Most of the units will convert to affordable condominiums. LISC provided a $100,000 working capital loan to CARECEN to bridge incoming developer fees.

2007 Investments

*526 Kenyon St., NW
With the assistance of The Harrison Institute at Georgetown University Law School, the tenants purchased the building and plan to renovate and convert to a 13-unit limited equity cooperative.. LISC provided a $35,000 recoverable grant for predevelopment costs (2005) and a $710,000 construction loan (2007) . (Harrison Institute of Georgetown Law Center)

2006 Investments

*1440 Columbia Rd., NW
Renovation and conversion to 21 condominiums. LISC provided a $1 Million predevelopment and construction loan. (Harrison Institute of Georgetown Law Center)

*1025 Park Rd., NW
Renovation of an 8 unit apartment building owned by the Park Rd. Community Church. The property will remain rental. LISC provided a $75,000 predevelopment loan. (Development Corporation of Columbia Heights)

* 2922 Sherman Ave., NW
Acquisition and renovation of a severely dilapidated 17 unit aparment into a limited equity cooperative. Now named the New Beginnings Cooperative, LISC provided a $1,816,471 acquisition loan. (Manna, Inc.)

GALA Hispanic Theater
After moving four times in their 27 year history, in January 2005, GALA relocated to a permanent home in the restored Tivoli Theatre at the intersection of 14th St and Park Rd NW. LISC provided a $30,000 grant (2004) for a fundraising consultant for the capital campaign needed to renovate this space and a $40,000(2005) operating support grant for their inaugural year at the Tivoli. LISC also provided a $100,000 loan (2006) and a $50,000 (2007) recoverable grant for working capital. (GALA Hispanic Theatre)

Victory Heights
New construction of a 75-unit senior apartment building located directly adjacent to the Columbia Heights Metro at 14th and Iriving St NW. It houses very-low income seniors and contains a host of amenities that serve the residents. LISC provided a $25,000 grant to cover a portion of the furniture and fixtures that makes this property uniquely comfortable and even described as "plush".( See article that ran in the Washington Post) (Victory Housing)

2005 Investments

*1428 Euclid St., NW (Quest Cooperative)
Substantial renovation and conversion to a 26-unit limited equity cooperative. Working with Mi Casa, Inc, the tenants purchased the building and are receiving homeownership training. Currently in the predevelopment phase. Mi Casa, Inc. is providing homeownership training to the residents. LISC provided a $200,000 predevelopment loan. (Mi Casa, Inc.)

1441 Spring Rd NW.
Renovation and conversion of 12 apartments into a condominium property. Construction is complete and units are currently being sold. LISC provided a $558,616 acquisition and rehabilitation loan, a $735,000 construction loan, and a $6,000 grant for interest expenses on the LISC loan (Manna, Inc.)

Hope and a Home
Acquisition of 15 units of housing in 6 properties in Columbia Heights.  The units serve as transitional housing and offer supportive services for lower income families.  LISC provided a $1.8 Million acquisition loan. They purhcased the properties in August 2005. (Hope and a Home)

*Josephine Butler Parks Center
Purchase and renovation of the 18,000 sq. ft. deteriorated former Georgian Embassy and reclamation of the adjacent Malcolm X/Meridian Hill Park on 15th St., NW by Washington Parks and People. WPP now uses the building as the base for its operations. The organization also leases space to small non-profits and holds community events. LISC provided a $50,000 (2000) recoverable grant for acquisition and a $43,000 (2001) grant for strategic and facilities development planning. In 2005, LISC provided a $175,000 predevelopment loan to begin renovations. (Washington Parks and People)

2004 Investments

Dance Institute of Washington Performing Arts and Childcare Center
New construction of a facility at 3400 14th St., NW that houses the Dance Institute of Washington and a child care center. Construction began in July 2005 and was complete in November 2006. LISC provided a $650,000 construction loan, a $56,000 recoverable grant, and $49,000 in grants. (Dance Institute of Washington)

1340 Fairmont Street Cooperative
Renovation of a 16-unit cooperative and conversion into a condominium property. Construction is complete and units are currently being sold. Fourteen units are for low-to-moderate income households and two units will remain rentals for long-standing senior citizens living on fixed incomes. LISC provided a $98,628 acquisition and rehabilitation loan, $41,902 in grants and recoverable grants for predevelopment, and a $692,400 construction loan. (Manna, Inc.)

Greater Washington Urban League
Purchase and redevelopment of the long vacant Hines Funeral Home Building at Harvard and 14th Street NW to serve as their new headquarters. LISC provided a $50,000 grant for a Capital Campaign Manager (2002) and a $25,000 capacity building grant. New headquarters opened in 2004. (Greater Washington Urban League)

2003 and Prior Investments

CentroNía Childcare Center@Harvard Street
CentroNía opened a second childcare center at the Carlos Rosario Learning Center in August 2005. The center serves 48 three and four year olds. LISC provided a $100,000 grant for the new child care center. (Centronía)

The Homeownership Group (View full report in pdf )
THG is a collaboration of CDCs and nonprofits that gained the rights to acquire, redevelop and sell 78 long vacant, single family homes in Columbia Heights and Shaw that had once been used as public housing. To date, 90 units have been renovated and sold.

Nonprofit partners include:

• Mi Casa
• Manna, Inc.
• Development Corporation of Columbia Heights
• Hope Housing
• 13th & Irving Development Corp
• North Capital Neighborhood Development
• New Columbia Land Trust

From 78 properties, these groups created 105 housing units, with more than 2/3 sold to low and moderate income households. In total, LISC provided $4 Million in recoverable grants and loans.

Youth Art and Media House
Renovation of one of four vacant properties along the 3000 block of 15th Street NW and conversion into a youth-oriented Art House. The Art House opened in September 2004 and offers a variety of creative arts opportunities. LISC provided a $175,000 construction loan, a $31,000 operating support grant, an $8,000 grant for an urban garden, and a $50,000 recoverable grant for predevelopment costs. The recoverable grant also supported predevelopment activities for three other properties on the block. One property was converted to transitional housing for boys, one was converted to transitional housing for girls, and the third was converted to program space for more youth services. (Latin American Youth Center)

Chapin and Euclid Street Cooperatives
1474 Chapin Street and properties located at 1030 and 1034 Euclid Street were bundled for substantial rehabilitation into a scattered site leasing cooperative. Financing included tax-exempt bonds and both low-income and historic tax credits. Construction is complete and all units have been rented. LISC provided a $64,000 recoverable grant and $2,697,574 in tax credit equity through the National Equity Fund (NEF). (Development Corporation of Columbia Heights)

Fairmont I and II
Renovation and purchase by KSI. The developer has renewed the properties’ Section 8 contract and completed renovation of the 96 units in one building. Renovation of the second building, involving 109 units, is set to begin in late 2005. LISC provided the tenant association with a $200,000 loan for an earnest money deposit. (Development Corporation of Columbia Heights)

CentroNía Headquarters, formerly Calvary Bilingual Multicultural Learning Center
Renovation of a multi-story building located at 1420 Columbia Road as the administrative and program headquarters. LISC provided a $25,000 grant for a fundraising consultant to manage their capital campaign. (Centronía)

1413 Girard Street
Substantial rehabilitation of a multi-story building and conversion into 22 units of transitional housing. LISC provided a $232,000 loan and $17,500 interest write-down grant. Units are occupied. (Community of Hope)

1429 Girard Street
Gut rehabilitation and reconfiguration of a vacant, four-story, 19-unit walk-up building located at 1429 Girard Street, NW. The property contains 12 2-bedroom and 7 3-bedroom cooperative units. LISC provided construction financing in the amount of $700,000. Units have been sold. (Development Corporation of Columbia Heights)

1461 Girard Street
Redevelopment of a multi-story building into a 20-unit cooperative. All units are occupied. LISC provided an $8,500 recoverable grant. (Development Corporation of Columbia Heights)

1430 Chapin Street
Gut rehabilitation of a vacant, two-story, 15-unit walk-up apartment building located at 1430 Chapin Street, NW. The property was successfully rehabbed to contain 9 2-bedroom and 3 1-bedroom rental units. All units are rented. LISC provided a $34,260 recoverable grant and a $300,000 construction loan. (Development Corporation of Columbia Heights)

Latin American Youth Center Headquarters
Acquisition and gut rehabilitation of a 29,000 square foot, 3-story brick building located at 1419 Columbia Road, NW into office and program space for the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC). The property was successfully rehabbed and occupied in the fall of 1998. LISC provided a recoverable grant of $50,000 and a construction loan of $1,438,050. (Development Corporation of Columbia Heights/Latin American Youth Center)

1200 Irving Street
Gut rehabilitation of a vacant, two-story, 12-unit walk-up apartment building located at 1200 Irving Street, NW. The property was successfully rehabbed to contain 7 2-bedroom and 1 1-bedroom rental units. All units are rented. LISC provided a $27,845 recoverable grant and a $400,000 construction loan. (Development Corporation of Columbia Heights)

3025 15th Street - Walbraff Apartments
Redevelopment of a vacant, three-story, 35-unit apartment building into a 28-unit rental property. All units are occupied. LISC provided a $200,000 construction loan. (Peoples Involvement Corporation)

1341 Cooperative Association – 1341 Clifton Street
Acquisition, rehabilitation and conversion of an 18-unit apartment building into a 15-unit limited equity cooperative. Continues to be occupied. LISC provided a $133,200 loan. (WISH)

Nehemiah Shopping Center
Construction of an 18,000 sq. ft. shopping center at 14th Street, NW and Belmont Street, NW. Center is occupied. Tenants include City First, the city’s first community development bank, food establishments, and a convenience store. LISC provided over $50,000 in recoverable grant funding. (Development Corporation of Columbia Heights)

Parkmont
Redevelopment of a vacant, two-story, 19-unit apartment building located at 529 Lamont Street, NW into 14, 2- and 3-bedroom condominium units. Construction is complete and homes have been sold. LISC provided a $300,000 construction loan. (Manna, Inc.)

Columbia Heights Neighborhood Initiatives
These projects were sponsored by the Development Corporation of Columbia Heights and supported with LISC grant funding.

• Leadership Columbia Heights: a rigorous 11-week training program for Columbia Heights residents, designed to cultivate leadership at the neighborhood level.
• Park Reclamation and Revitalization: targeted three underutilized, crime-ridden “pocket” parks, located at 11th and Monroe Street, 14th and Girard Street and 14th and Euclid Street.
• Columbia Heights Strategic Planning Conference: Four biennial conferences have been held to bring together residents to identify, discuss and prioritize revitalization issues.
• Project 1400: a block and tenant organizing initiative launched in 1997 to complement the redevelopment efforts along 1440 Chapin Street, 1400 Euclid Street and 1400 Girard Street.
• Neighborhood Jobs Initiative (NJI): a comprehensive job training and placement program sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation, Chase Manhattan Bank, and the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development.

Columbia Heights was one of five neighborhoods selected nationwide. Since 2000 over 500 residents have participated in the program and of those participants approximately 135 are employed.