I had the pleasure of sitting down briefly with Hannah Powell, Advisory Neighborhood Commission representative for Eckington on a Friday lunch break. She generously invited me over to visit her cozy home, poured me a hot cup of coffee, and shared her personal experiences with living in Eckington. Amongst those experiences, Hannah gave me some insight on how the neighborhood has grown over the past few years and why she was inspired to run for public office. I'd like to thank her for her time and hospitality! After an informative discussion, Hannah offered to drive me around the neighborhood and point out the history of specific buildings. During the chauffeured tour, it became clear that 4th street was a prominent street that divided the commercial area from the residential properties. Speaking of residential properties, there's been quite an explosion of development by opportunists. Many of the existing houses have undergone "pop-up" renovations which effectively turns a two story house into a three story house, or a three story into a four story. While "raising the roof" within zoning regulations is extremely profitable to developers, it also takes away from the classic Eckington neighborhood look.
In the past, this classic look put Eckington in consideration for historical designation. However, the neighborhood ultimately decided to move away from seeking the historical classification because it would inhibit home owners from doing personal renovations. Interesting stuff! As the drive winded down, Hannah showed me the NOMA Green project two-acre site next to the Metropolitan Branch Trail which will feature mixed use residential and retail. Eckington will certainly continue to see more growth and gentrification as the neighborhood welcomes new construction and development in the coming years!
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Arun DotsonThis is my research of the Eckington neighborhood. Categories
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