What happens in Vegas doesn't stay there...

H Street Connection was built with financial support from the DC Department of Housing and Community Development as part of the H Street Urban Renewal Plan. The bridge over the railyard and Hechinger Mall were built in part with Urban Development Action Grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

When DC government officials exhibit every year at the big International Council for Shopping Centers convention in Las Vegas, they are promoting the city to retail chains. That's fine, the chains control most of the business in the retail sector. But get retail in your city in a way that respects the city's urban form, not in a manner that reproduces DC as a suburban style shopping paradise...

H Street Connection, Hechinger Mall, and Rhode Island Places are hardly shopping paradises, but they sure are suburban and/or products of the urban renewal era.

At the same time, there need to be focused efforts to promote independent retail. The DC Main Streets program is refocusing its efforts around small business retention, expansion, and recruitment--in ways that strengthen and better focus the Main Street point on Economic Restructuring.
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Assistance available from DC Main Streets programs

1. Business Relocation Support
􀂃 Assistance with identifying suitable available space for your business operations.
􀂃 Guidance in navigating business regulatory requirements
􀂃 Registration & Licensing (OTR/DCRA)
􀂃 Public space permitting (DDOT)
􀂃 Alcohol and Beverage (ABRA)
2. Commercial Building Improvements
􀂃 Technical assistance for façade improvements (exterior rehabs, signs, display windows or security grate removal/relocation) and for interior rehab projects.
􀂃 Grant assistance for commercial building improvements
􀂃 Façade improvement grant
􀂃 Sign and display window glass replacement grant
􀂃 Security grate removal or relocation grant
3. Interior Retail Space Improvements
􀂃 Technical Assistance with:
􀂃 Window displays to showcase retail goods and attract customers into your shop, and
􀂃 Visual merchandising of retail goods to help customers readily see what is available,
􀂃 Interior space management to improve traffic flow through your store.
4. Improving Competitive Advantage
􀂃 Business needs assessment
􀂃 Coordination of available technical assistance services and training to help strengthen business operations and attract customers
5. Marketing Businesses to Customers
􀂃 Assistance with business opening events
􀂃 Guidance for implementing an effective marketing campaign
􀂃 Retail promotions organized by the DCMS organization
􀂃 Inclusion in cross-district and cooperative business print advertisements
6. Complementary Business Mix
􀂃 Strategic recruitment of complementary businesses
􀂃 Planned business mix to achieve goals (convenience retail, specialty retail, or destination retail)
7. Benefits from Coordinated Commercial Revitalization Efforts
􀂃 Prevention of scattered or isolated investments by a few businesses
􀂃 Increased understanding among all businesses to achieve widespread participation so that all business owners are on board with the larger efforts to improve the commercial district
􀂃 Coordination of clean and safety services to make the entire commercial district a more attractive shopping environment
8. Market Information and Current Commercial Space Availability
􀂃 Tours of available space in the DCMS commercial district
􀂃 Information about current market climate and pending developments
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But the city is spending $300,000 on their booth at the ICSC convention this week. That's about half the amount provided in direct support to 9 Main Street programs in the city... see "D.C., PG officials woo retailers in Vegas" from the Washington Times.

The Rhode Island Place shopping center was built with a great amount of city financial support. The air above was wasted, it could have included office and residential, generating far more in revenue to the city, and leveraging the adjacent subway station.