neighborhood news
Meet The New ARCH
Non-Profit Developer Transforms Into Arts Funder
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by Phil Hutinet
arlier this year, Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF) acquired the Anacostia Arts Center from ARCH Development Corporation (ARCH). The much-publicized transfer of ownership is the capstone of a series of ARCH property divestures dating to 2016. The nonprofit is employing the proceeds of these sales to transform itself from a nonprofit developer into an arts funding powerhouse both in Historic Anacostia and the region. “To create, in partnership with artists and arts organizations, small businesses and stakeholders of the neighborhood, a home for small businesses, arts and culture in Historic Anacostia and promote the wealth and diversity of artistic talent that resides east of the Anacostia River,” is ARCH’s new mission. ARCH will maintain ownership of its first art space, Honfleur Gallery, Young people waiting to enter the Anacostia Arts Center. Image courtesy ARCH
The Anacostia Arts Center (1231 Good Hope Rd. SE) is the focus of East of the River’s art scene. Photo: Phil Hutinet
located at 1241 Good Hope Road SE. Honfleur will continue its regularly scheduled exhibitions, artist talks, performances and other programming. ARCH will continue technical assistance to traditional brick-and-mortars, startups and creative organizations residing in Wards 7 and 8. Most importantly, ARCH has aided many of its tenants in purchasing their locations through innovative public-private financing.
Combining Divestment and Empowerment ARCH began its real estate divestment in 2016 with the sale of 2307 and 2309 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE to Intercity Services, a minority-owned company, which was its tenant in both properties. In 2019, the nonprofit sold The Anacostia Business Center, 1227 Good Hope Rd SE, to HEP, another tenant and minority-owned 14
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construction firm. That same year, Project Create, again an ARCH tenant, purchased 2208 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE. from its landlord. Project Create is a nonprofit that provides free art classes to children and their families. Project Create’s Executive Director Christie Walser describes how ARCH facilitated her nonprofit’s rapid expansion. Originally, the organization rented a large one room office above a restaurant on MLK Jr. Avenue SE, which served as a catch-all classroom. “We started to grow and, in 2017 after we got a grant from DC’s Office of Cable Television to buy digital equipment, we needed more space to house it. So, we rented one of the studios behind Vivid Solutions [an earlier ARCH venture]. That [space] housed all of our music equipment and production facilities. Then, there was an opportunity in late 2018 and early 2019 to expand further. We ended up expanding into the entire lower level of the building,” recalls Walser.
