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Consultants to study governance options as NCPC plan seeks durable management for Pennsylvania Avenue
Summary
The project’s implementation program will evaluate models ranging from a business improvement district to a PADC‑style corporation or 501(c)(3) to secure authority, funding and operations for a long‑term public‑space strategy; the team said the final governance structure must reflect shared federal and local interests.
NCPC and its implementation consultant (HRNA Advisors) told attendees the public‑space master plan includes an implementation program that will examine management models for long‑term operations and funding of Pennsylvania Avenue.
Jeff Jamawat, who leads the implementation program portion of the work, said consultants are evaluating several governance options — a business improvement district, a conservatory, a development corporation similar to the former Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation (PADC) and a nonprofit (501(c)(3)). Each model carries different powers, tradeoffs and funding approaches. "They all have different pro and cons to each model but all we know is that this entity is going to need a baseline power and authority to really implement the plan," Jamawat said.
Why this matters: Pennsylvania Avenue traverses the federal monumental core and abuts both federal and local jurisdictions; a future operating entity will need the ability to coordinate capital projects, operations and programming across multiple owners and stakeholders. Presenters said the implementation program will produce guidance about authorities the entity should hold to carry out capital improvements and long‑term maintenance, and that final decisions about structure, funding and legal authority will be subject to partner negotiations.
The team said work on the implementation program is concurrent with design, enabling the master plan to include realistic phasing, responsibility assignments and operational plans. Beth Miller said partners are assessing how redevelopment opportunities (for example at future FBI redevelopment sites) could be guided by design and public‑realm principles but that architectural changes to private or federal agency buildings are outside the public‑space plan’s direct scope.
Next steps: the implementation analysis will be refined before fall commission reviews and will inform the master plan’s recommendations for how the plan can be funded, constructed and maintained over the long term.
