Stellar Exemplars

Release Date: Thursday, November 5th 2009

Get ready to celebrate the 2009 Downtown BID Momentum Awards honorees. These are the people, places and projects that have brought innovation and excitement to Downtown DC over the past year. For more about this year’s impressive list of awardees, read on.

Downtown Person of the Year – Assistant DC Police Chief Diane Groomes
Assigned a 10-officer patrol near Gallery Place and the Verizon Center to address quality of life crimes and ensure the area remains user friendly for workers, residents and visitors.

Downtown Experience - Washington Capitals
With its phenomenal, division-winning season, the team brought thousands of people from all over the region to Downtown, increasing foot traffic and restaurant and retail sales and bringing excitement to the community.

Downtown Detail - DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities/Mayor’s Office on Asian & Pacific Islander Affairs
Undertook a major renovation to restore the iconic Chinatown Gateway Arch, also called the Friendship Arch, in an effort to boost Chinatown’s image and attract more visitors to Downtown.

Downtown Partnership/Program - National Capitol Planning Commission/US Commission of Fine Arts 
Produced the Monumental Core Framework Plan, which aims to create vibrant and accessible destinations in the federal precincts surrounding the National Mall, including Federal Triangle in Downtown.

Public Sector - District Department of Transportation
Designed and installed new bus shelters, 70 of which are located in the Downtown BID, equipped with information panels that make it easier for people to travel in and around Downtown.

Private Sector - Douglas Development
Brought Guess, the trendy, upscale apparel, denim and accessory store, to a new office building on DC’s oldest retail corridor, thus continuing the company’s vision and commitment to returning fashion retail to the F Street corridor.

Landmark Development Project - W Hotel
Delivered its modern luxury hotel concept to the Downtown market and instantly created a magnet for social influencers and trendsetters.

Landmark Development Project – District of Columbia Courts
Renovated the DC Courthouse and transformed it into an attractive and accessible fixture on the Downtown landscape, providing a new home for the DC Court of Appeals. 

The Momentum Awards program will take place on Thursday, December 3, at the National Museum of Women in the Arts (1250 New York Avenue). To register for the Momentum Awards celebration, please visit www.downtowndc.org/momentum.