In the rapidly evolving Southwest quadrant of DC, the newest entity to take shape is an affiliation of six homeowners’ associations – the Waterfront Gateway Neighborhood Association. Bound by 4th and 9th Streets SW, I (Eye) St SW, and the I-395 Freeway, Waterfront Gateway includes nearly 600 households in both town home and high-rise living at Capitol Square Townhomes, Town House Managment (THM) I, II, III, and IV, and Town Square Towers.
The association has set three broad objectives: To advocate at the District and Federal levels for the interests of its members; to promote the neighborhood as a unique destination midway between the National Mall and The Wharf waterfront development; and to explore cost-sharing and quality of life opportunities amongst the six associations.
Advocacy should be familiar to the new group, as a current and three previous ANC Commissioners all live within Waterfront Gateway’s boundaries. The group also has seats on The Wharf’s Neighborhood Advisory Board and the new Southwest Business Improvement District (BID) Organizational Task Force. “I’m really excited to see my neighbors coming together to work cooperatively,” said Townhouse Management II homeowner’s association president Heather Foley. “We’re literally surrounded by development on all sides and the Waterfront Gateway Neighborhood Association will give us the common voice we’ve lacked as relatively small HOA’s.” Ward 6 Council-member Tommy Wells agreed. “I’m delighted to welcome the Waterfront Gateway Neighborhood Association. An amazing group of neighbors have developed a shared vision and shared energy to work together to improve their neighborhood – and it is the ‘gateway’ to Southwest DC.”
The group has also launched a website at www.dcwaterfrontgateway.org and maintains a Facebook page called “DC Waterfront Gateway.”
By Bob Craycraft