Economic Development

Mission : ARCH acts as a catalyst for commercial and cultural revitalization, primarily in the historic Anacostia neighborhood by creating a home for small businesses, arts and artists as a means to fulfill its mission towards Sustainable Living Neighborhoods.

Business Development : ARCH operates the Anacostia Business Center as part of the Anacostia Community Center . The Center serves as a “business incubator without walls” providing education, entrepreneurial and business training for local entrepreneurs and private and non-profit companies. ARCH provides a variety of business planning, marketing and administrative services.

Cultural Activities: ARCH feels the strongest missing component in Historic Anacostia, to date, is the lack of arts and culture, access to the arts and arts education. ARCH believes that arts and cultural activities can be employed as part of a comprehensive, synergistic approach to community revitalization in Anacostia.

Honfleur Gallery: Based on this long standing vision, ARCH opened an art gallery in January 2007. Diversity is an essential part of the Anacostia neighborhood, where the gallery is housed, and it's with that very principle in mind that the Honfleur houses an array of artistic mediums and styles and incorporating exhibitions that reach all ages, genders and economic groups. The gallery showcases and supports both Washington D.C. area artists as well as International artists.

Visit: www.honfleurgallery.com

Commercial Real Estate : In 2007 ARCH renovated 1922 Martin Luther King Ave. Southeast, D.C. The facility houses a state of the art darkroom which was funded, in part, by the Deputy Mayors Office of Planning and Economic Development. It is also the new home of the American Poetry Museum . In the fall of 2008 ARCH will be starting its next cycle of Traditional After School Photography classes for area teens.

Visit: http://www.americanpoetrymuseum.org

Artist Housing and Workspace: ARCH is dedicated to providing affordable housing for local artists. ARCH's first project was a four-unit building located 1706 16th Street , S.E. , D.C. Currently the building is occupied by the ARCH resident artists who are working with two East of the River Community Arts Organizations, Life Pieces to Masterpieces and the Covenant House Artisans Program. Both organizations are ARCH partners.

Visit: http://www.lifepieces.org and http://theartisans.blogspot.com

ARCH is currently going through the zoning process to develop for-sale artist housing on V Street, Southeast . The new project, which will be built using green housing techniques, will provide 8 units of one-to-two bedroom condos as well as four artist work spaces. Construction will begin late summer, 2008. Please stay posted for details and guidelines on purchasing these spaces.

Artist in Residency: ARCH will continue on its mission of offering affordable housing. New opportunities and submission guidelines for revolving, three-month and one, year artist residencies will be announced in the fall of 2008.

Housing Activities: ARCH's housing development mainly focuses its activities in the Anacostia and Congress Heights neighborhoods. ARCH has completed two projects, a single family home on Mellon Street, Southeast and a 2 unit building at 315 Parkland . ARCH also intends to begin the construction of a single family house on W Street Southeast, D.C.