The current 9th Street Bridge spans over New York Avenue and Amtrak and CSXT rail facilities in Washington, DC, NE. The project
includes demolition and removal of the existing bridge, the design and construction of a new bridge, and roadway works on 9th Street,
New York Avenue, T Street, and Mount Olivet Road.
Trinidad - The neighborhood of Trinidad is a residential area located to the east of Gallaudet University. Located in Ward 5, it is blocked off in the north by Mt. Olivet Road, in the south by Florida Avenue, in the east by Bladensburg Road, and in the west by West Virginia.
Trinidad is historically known as an African American neighborhood. In 2000, about 95% of the residents are African American. With nearby Union Station, the neighborhood is closely tied to the railroad industry. In the beginning of the 20th century, railroad was one of the few industries that hired African American employees, and many of the residents were employees of B&O Railroad. As the railroad industry declined after WWII, the neighborhood of Trinidad also suffered significantly.
In recent years, the neighborhood is beginning to experience revitalization – or gentrification, according to some. More people are moving in, as residents from pricier nearby Capital Hill and Eckington are looking for cheaper housing. More houses are being renovated, and housing price is going up steadily. Many of the row houses are flat porch fronted houses built in a style that gained popularity during the 1920s. Crime rate has also dropped significantly in recent years.
Ivy City - To the north of Trinidad is Ivy City, an industrial neighborhood dominated by warehouses and Amtrak’s train storage and maintenance yard. It is a triangular strip of land bounded by New York Avenue to the northwest, West Virginia Avenue to the east, and Mt. Olivet Road to the south. Ivy City is in Ward 5.
In the late 19th century and early 20th century, Ivy City was home to the National Fair Ground and a race course. In the 1930s, it was rural enough that residents kept goats, chickens and horses. But with World War II came a hodgepodge of industrial buildings and warehouses followed by junkyards and vehicle storage lots.
Similar to Trinidad, Ivy City’s destiny is also linked to the railroad industry and suffered economically after its decline in the 1950’s. Even though Amtrak took over B&O Railroad’s train yard in 1976, the neighborhood has not yet recovered.
Gallaudet University - To the east of Trinidad and to the west of Brentwood Parkway, NE, is Gallaudet University. Established in 1864, Gallaudet University is a major institution of higher education dedicated to the education of the deaf and hard-of-hearing and an international center of deaf culture and activism. It is named after Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, a pioneering educator of the blind and, according to some, the father of American Sign Language.
Deaf President Now Campaign: In 1988, as the university Board of Trustee was about to nominate the new university president, there was a campus-wide campaign that called for the nomination of the first deaf president in Gallaudet. During the subsequent protest, which was joined by deaf persons all over the country, the students barricaded the campus gate and occupied the campus buildings. Ten days after the first rally, the students demands were met, and the Board of Trustee selected I. King Jordan, a deaf leader, as the university president. From spring until October 29, 2006, the students of Gallaudet protested the appointment of the new president Dr. Jane Fernandes, who proposed to include more non-ASL users in the university. After canceling classes and shutting down school buildings, the Board, of Trustees terminated the appointment of Dr. Fernandes. The protests have ceased and the University has reopened.
B&O Railroad - Established in 1827, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was the oldest railroad company in the United States. The company opened its first branch in Washington, DC in 1833, with roundhouses and train yards in Ivy City and Trinidad.
The increasing popularity of commercial air travel and the building of highways after WWII led to the decline of the railroad industry. Starting in 1950, B & O Railroad continued to decrease the number of its passenger trains and closed down routes. In 1963, B & O Railroad came under the control of Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, which then merged with CSX Transportation, Inc. in 1986.
CSX Transportation, Inc. - Part of CSX Corporation, which provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services, CSX Transportation maintains rail facilities in Northeast DC. CSX Transportation operates the largest railroad in the eastern U.S.
Amtrak - Amtrak warehouses and a train storage and maintenance yard are located in Ivy City. Ivy City’s stability has historically mirrored the stability of Amtrak.
Post Offices - Washington Main Russell Station, located at 900 Brentwood RD NE, is approximately a half mile from the 9th Street Bridge. Kendall Green, located at 800 Florida AVE NE, is also nearby, approximately one mile from the 9th Street Bridge.
Ivy City-Trinidad Citizens Association - This community organization in the Ivy City-Trinidad area holds open publicly announced monthly meetings on neighborhood and citywide issues.
Ivy City Coalition - The Ivy City Coalition has three main goals: 1) restore crumbling Crummell School as a community center; 2) make sure the Home Again Initiative offers affordable housing; and 3) provide basic police, street maintenance and trash pickup services.
Trinidad-Ivy City Garden Club - This group is dedicated to building community while beautifying the neighborhood.
District Home Again Initiative - The District Home Again Initiative has acquired more than 30 vacant lots that will be sold to qualified developers.
Black Entertainment Television (BET) - Launched in 1980, BET is a leading television network providing entertainment, music, news and public affairs programming for the African-American audience. It employs approximately 350 employees and its headquarters are located in Northeast DC. The BET Foundation promotes healthy eating and lifestyle among African Americans through education and awareness. It focuses on health-related problems and social issues particularly relevant to African Americans.
Brentwood Road Shopping Center - This shopping center is located on Brentwood Road. Its major stores include Giant and Home Depot.
Nearby K-12 Schools - Nearby schools include: Wheatley Elementary School, Webb Elementary School, Hamilton Center-Hamilton School, and Holy Name School.
Nearby Churches - Nearby churches and places of worship include: Old Ship of Zion Baptist Church, Gateway to Heaven Pentecostal Holiness Church, New Life Baptist Church, Trinity Baptist Church, Bethesda Baptist Church, United House of Prayer for All People, Faith Temple Church For All, Church of the Living God La Luz Del Mundo, Isle of Patmos Baptist Church, and Israel Baptist Church
Mt. Olivet Cemetery - Located west of Ivy City, it was founded in 1858 and became the first Catholic central cemetery in DC. It is still the largest Catholic cemetery in the area.
Brentwood Park - Located between Brentwood Parkway and New York Avenue, this unstaffed park in Ward 5 offers green space in this industrial area.
National Arboretum - Located to the east of Trinidad and Ivy City, the Arboretum consists of 446 acres of land and houses 12 major gardens. It was established in 1927 by an Act of Congress and is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service.
Florida Avenue Market (Capitol City Market) and DC Farmer's Market - Both markets are on Florida Avenue between 2nd and 6th Street. Florida Avenue Market is a wholesale market that has provided supplies for the City's restaurants and small grocery store for over 75 years. The market houses a wide variety of international stores, from Asian to Latin America to African. The nearby DC Farmers Market is situated in a separate, large structure, across from a public works lot with earth-moving equipment, mulch piles and such. Taking the form of an old-fashioned bazaar, this market has small stalls where fruit vendors, butchers, fishmongers, and other traders ply their wares.
Alexander Crummell School - This historic building is located at Gallaudet and Kendall streets, NE. Established in 1912, it was named after the African American abolitionist, intellectual, and Episcopal minister, Alexander Crummell. It was designated a historical landmark in 2003, but it has yet to be restored.
"LOVE" nightclub - Located in Ivy City, it is one of the largest and most popular night clubs in DC since its opening in 2001. It was formerly called "Dream".
Union Station - Construction of Union Station began in 1903, opened on October 27, 1907 and completed in 1908. At the time it was built, the Station covered more ground than any other building in the United States and was the largest train station in the world. The Station sits on the edge of an area once known as "Swampoodle," an infamous shantytown located on the sewer remnants of Tiber Creek. Many of the residents of "Swampoodle" were Irish Immigrants. As the railroad industry declined after WWII, the station became officially defunct in 1968. There had been sporadic plans for renovation, but the station was completely sealed in 1981, as it was in disrepair and in danger of structural collapse. It was reopened in 1988 after much renovation.
