Groundbreaking
Tivoli Square Ignites Passion and Economic Vitality in Columbia Heights

Catherine J. Timko, Principal
The Riddle Company

 

"It was the place to be – the center of the community," said Andrew Doye, a former employee of the Tivoli Theater. "This was where everyone came for movies, live concerts and performances – even go go. In many ways, the community revolved around the energy that emanated from this theater."

After laying vacant and abandoned for nearly 30 years, the Tivoli Theater is once again the focal point of economic and cultural vitality in the District’s Columbia Heights neighborhood. Horning Brothers, a DC based developer with over 40 years of investment in the city's neighborhoods, leads a partnership of minority entrepreneurs and the local CDC in the adaptive re-use of the Tivoli Theater, a National Historic Landmark built in 1924. The theater is the focus of the development project, which features a 53,000 square foot Giant Food Store, 24,000 square feet of shop space fronting on 14th Street, approximately 28,000 square feet of office space, 40 townhomes and 220 parking spaces.

Construction began on Tivoli Square, located at 14th and Park Road, on May 12. Phase I, which includes a grocery store, restoration of the theater and parking, is scheduled for completion in late winter of 2004. Tivoli Square is already proving to be a catalyst for other development in this demographically diverse neighborhood.

Tivoli Square is an excellent example of a merging trend in DC – the rejuvenation of infill sites that are mixed use in nature and include cultural components. The GALA Hispanic Theatre is building a new 250-seat theater, which incorporates historical elements of the original movie house. The theatre offers six main stage season productions, performances by local youth, concerts, poetry readings, a film series, and co-productions with the Washington Performing Arts Society and other local partners.

The exterior of the historic Tivoli Theater will be completely restored to its original grandeur. The project will include replication of the wood framed windows and restoration of the stucco and cornices; the original theatre canopies and lighting will be restored; and the intricate projecting show windows and friezes will be returned to their past uses as fronts for neighborhood oriented retail.

The development team has confronted myriads of challenges in the three years leading up to the start of construction. "This project required an incredibly complex predevelopment process from historic preservation, financing and zoning perspectives, and tremendous community involvement," said Joe Horning. " We are thrilled that it is finally underway after many years of planning. The collaboration among the development team, the District government and the National Capital Revitalization Corporation is a true example of how public/private partnerships are revitalizing neighborhoods in the District, providing new housing, community space, retail services and jobs."

The economic impact to the neighborhood, though small by comparison to projects in downtown, is sizeable on a neighborhood scale. In addition to the housing, which fills an overwhelming demand, Tivoli Square will bring at least 200 new permanent jobs and 250 construction jobs to the Columbia Heights community.

The inclusion of retail is critical to the economic revitalization of this neighborhood, and the space is being marketed to both a regional and national audience. "Interest in this site is exceptional; we could have leased the space three times over by now," said Loretta Cataldi, assistant vice president of Madison Retail. "However, our goal is to ensure the proper mix of national and regional retailers to meet the needs of the neighborhoods and also serve as a draw to others. One of our greatest challenges is securing the appropriate tenant mix – a mix that will be well-received by the community and visitors to Tivoli Square."

If the Horning team is successful in achieving its goals, the dynamic mix of retail, commercial, residential and cultural components will make the historic Tivoli Theater the center of this community once again.

The Project Team:
Horning Brothers
Hagans, LLC, Winston Development Corporation
Development Corporation of Columbia Heights
Contractor: Monarc Construction and L.F. Jennings
Design Team: MR & A Architects, Ernest Bland Architects, Oehrlein and Associates.
GALA Hispanic Theatre Architect: SmithGroup
Retail Leasing: Madison Retail Group
Commercial Leasing: Insignia/ESG
Residential Sales: The Mayhood Company
Construction Financing: Riggs Bank

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