Groundbreaking Ceremony Commemorates Beginning of Ward 8 Center’s Construction

The ground is “officially” broken on the Commons at Stanton Square, our new center in Ward 8! Although crews from Whiting-Turner have been hard at work clearing land and laying foundation for months, we marked the beginning of construction on our new site with a special ceremony on Tuesday, May 9th. We were honored to be joined by Mayor Muriel Bowser, Kim Harrison of Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White’s office, and Arnehl Lyon, president of the Hillsdale Civic Association. Moten Elementary’s choir and Ballou High School’s marching band provided stirring and beautiful music to accompany the ceremony.

Additionally, we were joined by Kelly Sweeney McShane, Executive Director of Community of Hope, who we’ll be co-locating with at the Commons, and Joe and Lynne Horning, without whom none of this would be possible. The Hornings have exemplified responsible neighborhood development in DC for decades through Horning Brothers and the Horning Family Fund. They generously provided the ground floor for this project, donating their 8-acre land parcel and the necessary capital to get things started–a pair of audacious moves that underscore their commitment to building great communities for children to grow up in.

The Commons, which will open in 2018, will house Martha’s Table’s food, education, and community support programs, a brand new Community of Hope location, and a mix of affordable and market-rate housing. Our satellite location at the Maycroft in Columbia Heights will complement this new center and maintain our commitment to stand with families in the 14th Street corridor.

Together with our partners, we believe that every child has the right to a high-quality education, healthy meals, and clean, safe neighborhoods. That’s why we’re building the Commons as a neighborhood hub for families for decades to come.